The New Terror of Bike Paths Around the World. Wheel Skates.

by Josh on December 24, 2009 · View Comments

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For those of us not born with carbon composite cruising wheels for legs, doomed to walk the dry earth and swampy grassland, someone has finally had pity on us.

Michael Jenkins from Adelaide, Australia has spent the past three years developing the best possible solution to mount large wheels to your legs while not looking completely ridiculous… ok, mildly ridiculous. They’re called Chariot Skates and 4 months ago Michael tested his first production model. Check it out.

At first, these totally gave me the fright, as I was reminded of the Wheelers on the last trip I took to Oz. Run, Dorothy, Run!!! BEWARE THE WHEELERS! NOOOO!! Don’t pound me with your hubs while cackling like that!

…

Michael wasn’t pulling any fancy aerials, but man did he get his weave on. I’d be putting those wheels to the test – hitting the ledges, the handrails, getting them and myself around lightpoles… fun stuff like that.

Carbon Composite Design

These are likely more fun the less they weigh. Each skate uses 5.5 lbs of carbon fiber. For comparison, a typical road bike frame can weigh anywhere from 2 – 6 lbs.

Your foot is mounted to a type of swing arm that puts the weight at the bottom of the wheel, for best stability… obviously. Your shin is pretty much encased in a carbon fiber shroud, so you’re protected from any dead animals that may be laying in the paths you traverse.

You can see a strut-like tension rod that extends out over the foot that seems to keep you lined up with the wheel centers and off the pavement. I’m not sure what smaller wheel is doing besides adding a bit of balance for the less stable – a sort of training wheel. Hopefully, it’s removable.

You’ll notice there are no brakes. Who needs them when you’re trying to impress with these wheels. They’re working on a hand brake to go along, but there are always more stylish and impressive ways to stop than with a wee hand brake.

Via Gadget Lab

Tagged as: bicycle design, carbon composite design, chariot skates, wheel skates

skyreth

nice concept! could be an alternative way for those who need it. :)
al dean

I am almost speechless about these. It's like the Segway. But, you know, funnier. And like a bicycle, but a wee bit more... more... I dunno man.. let me watch that video again..

Al
Josh M

I'm just waiting for video of people slamming into walls with these things... or using them as a get-away 'vehicle' from a bank heist.
notgoingtohappen

You're kidding right?
Josh M

...and then there's one being developed which attaches to the face.
terpsichorean

When rollerblading, one typically uses the resistance between the wheels (on their axis) and the ground to push themselves forward. With this design, however, I wonder how one could get enough momentum up with a single wheel (yes, there are the helper wheels, but still).
marcnelson

Very cool concept. Having ice skated and rollerbladed for years, I would probably be prone to doing a cross over on a turn, tangle myself up and create a sweet video blooper for Youtube.
Rod_Uding

Cool idea and design. I am wondering if these will be bigger than rollerblades? It appears to me in the video that it seems to almost effortless to move along in these Chariot Wheels. I would really like to have a pair with the nice sharp blades on them to keep folks moving out of my way.