Pedal-Powered Snowplow
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02.27.08
We noted earlier that in some places, they plough the bike lanes. Perhaps those cities that don't should invest in a few of Kevin Blake's snowplow bike. Kevin is an engineer at Trek, a bicycle manufacturer, so he had the wherewithal to put this together.
"This started off life as a riding lawnmower, and I took the rear wheels and the gear box and the seat and the front wheels and the steering section up in the front all from the riding lawnmower," he said. "I built the frame, this welded steel frame myself, and bolted everything to it, and then I got some old bike parts. This crank came right off an old bike."
"The blades are made out of two separate shovels that I cut and nestled together to make the 'V' shape. This handle is actually from one of the shovels so I can lift and lower the plow," Blake added.
click on image to watch video of snowplow in action. Warning: I had to download a windows
plugin to watch it on firefox.
Although he built it almost ten years ago, he entered it in the recent Specialized-sponsored "Innovate or Die" competition and guess what he won? A Specialized bike. ::Bicycle Design via ::Dvice
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
- Toronto to Plough Bike Paths This Winter
- Test Ride a New Bicycle
- New York City Considers Bike Share Program...From Danes
- Air Canada to Intermodal Cyclists: Drop Dead
BITCHIN!
To Ron Demers,
Ditto, Ditto & Ditto
Pretty sweet. He found a way to make shoveling snow even more strenuous.
Ah, but it's more strenuous in a way that's better for your body. Instead of killing your back you get a nice burn in the legs. ;-) ----- Also, a small point of clarification; I thought of the idea some 10 years ago. I built the machine 4 years ago.
I'm glad to see a link to a Madison, Wisconsin television station, but I'm mad that it won't work in Firefox.
This is too awesome. After getting about two feet with in 24 hours, this would have been awesome to have.
This is too awesome. After getting about two feet with in 24 hours, this would have been awesome to have.
I think you would just spin the wheels..