A-bike

A-bike

The A-bike is a type of folding bicycle invented by Sir Clive Sinclair in the United Kingdom and released on July 12, 2006. It weighs convert|5.5|kg and folds to 67x30x16 cm - small enough to fit in a rucksack.

The A-bike was designed by a team at Daka, Hong Kong and Sinclair Research Ltd over 5 years, and was originally announced in 2004. Clive Sinclair envisioned the A-bike and Alex Kalogroulis was the main design engineer.

Characteristics

The A-bike's telescoping structure reduces its apparent volume to about 25% in its collapsed state. A twin-chain system enables the bike to travel about 3.2 metres per crank rotation despite the bicycle's small (6 in diameter) wheels. The crankcase housing completely encloses the drive mechanism, protecting it and preventing oil stains on clothing or floor surfaces.

Media appearances

In November 2006, A-bike was featured on UK television programme "The Gadget Show", alongside the Strida. The distribution company behind the A-bike was featured on the UK Television programme Badger or Bust broadcast on the 5th June 2007.

A-bike was featured in the "Top Gear epic race" Car vs. Train 2. Richard Hammond and James May carried A-bikes in their suitcases and unfolded them to bike from a ferry dock to a cable car. The magazine "A to B" described the A-bike as a "fabulous folder, but almost unrideable". [Folding Bikes. A Buyers' Guide. A to B magazine. http://www.atob.org.uk/Buyers'_Guide.html#A-bike Updated May 2008, accessed 30th September 2008.]

References

External links

* [http://www.a-bike.co.uk/ Official A-bike website]
* [http://www.sinclair-research.co.uk/a-bike.php Sinclair Research - A-bike]
* [http://www.abikecentral.com/aboutabike.html A-Bike Central]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd0gzgdw1nY Inventor Alexander Kalogroulis explains the folding unfolding procedure (YouTube video)]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/5173612.stm BBC Review of the A-bike]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Bike (Zeitschrift) — BIKE Das Mountainbike Magazin Beschreibung …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Bike or Die — Developer(s) Toyspring Stable release 2.1b / 2009 03 10 Operating system Palm OS iOS Website Bike or Die! off …   Wikipedia

  • Bike Friday — is a brand of folding bicycle made by Green Gear Cycling, Inc. of Eugene, Oregon. (Cyclists often refer informally to the company itself as Bike Friday or the Bike Friday company. ). It is a well known brand in travel bicycles made in the United… …   Wikipedia

  • Bike trials — is a form of mountain biking derived from motorcycle trials. The rider negotiates man made and natural obstacles without their feet touching the ground. It originated in Spain and is said to have been invented by Ot Pi s father (a world champion… …   Wikipedia

  • Bike Mania — is a series of games where the player must manoeuver a stunt bike around a selected course, avoiding obstacles. The games is primarily hosted by Flash Games 247.ControlsPlayers use the arrow keys on a keyboard. Users use the up and down arrows to …   Wikipedia

  • Bike MS — originated as one ride in 1980 in Minnesota and is now the largest organized charity bicycling event series in the United States, according to the National MS Society. In 2007, more than 100,000 cyclists participated in 100 rides throughout the… …   Wikipedia

  • Bike and Build — is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization which organizes cross country cycling trips to benefit the affordable housing cause in the United States. Participants on Bike and Build trips are of ages 18 24, and may or may not have previous cycling or… …   Wikipedia

  • Bike SF 2010 — [http://sfgov.org/site/mayor page.asp?id=60651 Mayor Newsom Announces “Bike SF 2010 Milestones”] Office of the Mayor. Retrieved on July 23, 2007.] are a set of 10 milestones established by San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom on San Francisco s Bike… …   Wikipedia

  • Bike Crossing — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Bike Crossing o BKC es la práctica de liberar bicicletas usadas y arregladas en lugares públicos para que otros usuarios necesitados las recojan y las usen por un tiempo indeterminado. La idea es arreglar bicicletas… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Bike-to-Work Day — is an annual event held on the third Friday of May across the United States and Canada that promotes the bicycle as an option for commuting to work. Leading up to Bike to Work Day, national, regional, and local bicycle advocacy groups encourage… …   Wikipedia

  • Bike (canción) — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda «Bike» Canción de Pink Floyd {{{tipo}}} The Piper at the Gates of Dawn Publicación 5 de agosto de 1967 …   Wikipedia Español

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”