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A Bicycle Can Cut Friction in Half
(I named it "Half Bicycle")
People like bicycle, do not like tricycle or quadracycle--4 wheels bike, because on bicycle only two wheels touch the ground (minimum friction), also is easy and safe to be ridden.
Ideally cyclist should like to ride a unicycle, because friction only existed between one wheel and the ground (cut friction in half compare with on a bicycle), but ride a unicycle need special skills and not safe.
Based on a normal bicycle, this "Half Bicycle" modified some parts: Cyclist’s set is moved backward (also hand-bar is extended backward), to make sure centre of gravity of the bicycle is around on back wheel B.
Cyclist can ride this bicycle as a normal bicycle by moving centre of gravity toward front. If road condition is good, cyclist want to increase speed, he can move centre of gravity backward little bit and make sure the centre of gravity is on back wheel B. At the same time, front wheel A will be left from the ground, the bicycle becomes a unicycle, only wheel B touches the ground. This means friction between wheels and the ground is cut in half. In other words this bicycle only needs half amount of human power to travel in same speed (or same distance) as a normal bicycle.
In short, This "Half Bicycle" can be changed between a bicycle and a unicycle by moving centre of gravity (actually is moving cyclist’s body forward or backward little bit). If road condition is bad or need change direction, cyclist moves centre of gravity forward, it works like a normal bicycle. If road condition is good, the bicycle travels in straight direction, cyclist moves centre of gravity little backward, the bicycle becomes a unicycle, works on only wheel B. The wheel C is a guard wheel to protect cyclist moves centre of gravity backward too much and turn the bicycle over.
The distance of gravity movement is very little (about 1mm is enough). Cyclist manoeuvres his/her body little bit will achieve the movement.
This concept also can be used on a car. The can can run on two parallel wheels to reduce friction between tyres and the ground, save energy. Click Here for Details
Questionsa and Asnwers:
1. Is friction between wheels and the ground important? Some people said the friction is depending only on weight of bicycle (and cyclist), no matter how many wheels (tricycle...).
The friction between wheels and the ground is depending on two facts:
(1) Weight of bicycle.
(2) Area of tyre touches the ground.
If weight is same, then area of tyre touches the ground will effect friction force on a bicycle.
There are 2 samples to prove this:
(1) Any cyclist knows, if a tube inside tyre is little bit flat, he/she will feel much heavy. Why? Becaus area of tyre touches the ground is increased little bit.
(2) On race bicycle, wheels is designed very narrow to reduce the areas of wheel on the ground.
So we can say, area of tyres touches the ground will effect the friction force lot. This "Half Bicycle" not only reduces area of tyres on the ground, but also make area of one tyre disappeared to cut friction in half.
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2. Some teenages can do "Wheelie" (ride a normal bicycle on back wheel), so why we need the "Half Bicycle"?
To do Wheelie on a normal bicycle needs high skill and unsafe:
(1) Cyclist have to left the front wheel from the ground about half meter to get centre of gravity on back wheel.
(2) Because there is no guard wheel C on a normal bicycle, if cyclist turns the bicycle little bit too much, the bicycle will turn over.
Design of this "Half Bicycle" is to make "Wheelie" safe and easy.
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3. Most friction force on a bicycle comes from air friction towards cyclist, Why do we need to worry about wheel friction on a bicycle?
As I answered in Question 1 above, wheels friction on the ground is very important.
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Desgined by Mr Q Gang (London, UK) on 01 October 2008
Tel: +44 (0)7940 149256
Email: iwico@yahoo.com
