How many people and companies have attempted to reinvent the wheel? Lots and they all got laughed at. While there have been many attempts over the years, very few have succeeded in improving the basic design since Fred Flinstone’s original design.
But there is a company which appears to have implemented some modifications to the basic wheel design and seems quite ingenious. Loopwheels are a new design of bicycle wheel which has its own built-in suspension system integrated in the wheel itself. Same Pearce, British designer, is the inventor and engineer of the Loopwheels.
The Loopwheels idea is based on a trio of carbon composite springs which flex as the wheel rolls over a surface. The flexing of the springs inside the wheel gives it a kind of suspension which the makers says ensures a more comfortable ride and less vibration as you go over various ground surfaces. As you can see in the video, the demonstration shows just how effective the process can be.
The Loopwheels is at the present moment only available for 20-inch wheels although there are plans for a 26-inch version which is currently being tested. You can either buy a set of Loopwheels on their own for $1,12 or a complete compact bicycle with the Loopwheels fitted for only $2,428! Yikes, that’s pretty pricey in my opinion.
Although it appears to offer a very smooth ride in the video, we do wonder whether all this lateral flexing in the wheel makes it more difficult to pedal? Check out the Loopwheels website for more information.
