Switchbike: The Invention You Weren't Waiting For
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island on 12.14.07
If you've ever been riding your bicycle and said to yourself "gee, I wish this bike were as adjustable as a car seat," then you're in luck--sort of. An inventor by the name of Ron de Jon has invented a bike (seen in the above video) that can satisfy all your two-wheeled desires by adjusting the angle at which you sit in the saddle, just like a car!
With the Switchbike, one minute you're riding a standard, upright bike, and the next you're in a virtual hammock on wheels. The transformation takes place by simply turning a handle on the fork, at which point the bike either leans back into 'recumbent bike' mode, or slides forward into 'regular bike' mode. So now there are even fewer excuses for not ditching the old (or new) clunker and using a bicycle for transportation (a radical idea we've covered here, here and here).
Unfortunately, the Switchbike still has a lot in common with hydrogen cars: great promise, but hard to get your hands on one. In this case, that's because there only is one, and it's not for sale. The inventor is still hoping to bring his creation into full production, but in the meantime, let's hope there are less barriers to the Switchbike than to the hydrogen economy. After all, wouldn't owning one of these make bicycling, if not more efficient, then certainly more fun?
Via: ::AutoBlogGreen
See Also: ::The Phoenix Quad Pedicab--It's a Recumbent, ::Recumbent Bicyclist Sets World Record, ::Go-One Aerodynamic Recumbent Tricycle, ::A Man and his Velomobile, and ::World's Most Energy Efficient Vehicle? A Bicycle
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The problem with answering questions nobody asked is that the manufacturer ends up standing around with unsold merchandise asking questions everybody already knows the answer too....
Most bike riders would achieve better comfort on a bike from proper sizing and setup to their body.
This is not about sizing the bike, but about switching between an upright-bicycle posture and a recumbent-bicycle posture.
For cycling longer distances into winds, bicycle designs reduce the rider's upright wind profile either by having the rider bend forward (normal touring or racing bicycles with drop handlebars) or lean back (recumbent bicycles).
Recumbent bicycles are more comfortable than normal touring bicycles for some people, especially those with back or hand problems.
The upright-bicycle posture can be safer in city traffic: easier to be seen, easier to see, more maneuverable, takes less space to park. Also, upright-bicycles enable the rider stand on the pedals to accelerate when in a hurry or to climb a steep hill.
Maybe this flexible design could expand the market for recumbent bicycles to more city commuters.
Actually not a bad idea if you live in Holland, and probably a lot of other places.
Me too, I have a portion of my ride that would be better for recumbents.
Additionally average city bicycle price in most of Northern Europe is about 2K Euros, therefore that product might have a market.