Awesome Bikes

After doodling a sketch of a motorized bike that runs on a tank tread, maker Jake Carlini was inspired to build a version of his creation that he could actually ride on. He started by removing the sidewalls from a tire and figured out how to drive it with electric skateboard motors. We love how Jake builds his projects using wood and off-the-shelf hardware.

Engineer James Bruton adds to his collection of unusual vehicles with the creation of a single-seater that rolls on four 3D-printed mechanum wheels. The not-quite-a-bike uses motors and an inertial measurement unit to remain balanced. By changing the speed and direction of each wheel, it can move forward, backward, sideways, and spin around on a dime. Its agility is quite impressive.

It’s not easy to ride one of those penny-farthing bicycles with the giant front wheel and tiny back wheel. Chris Makes Stuff built a modern version of the Victorian-era bike and outfitted it with a hubless front wheel and a rear-wheel electric drive unit. It works, but given how sketchy it looks, a helmet might be a good idea instead of the newsboy hat.

While it’s possible to build a hubless bicycle, it’s a mechanically complex feat. Builder The Q came up with a similar look that does away with the spokes instead, replacing them with thick polyacrylate sheets. We’re not sure how durable they are or how they affect ride quality, but it’s a really cool illusion.

Most campers sit on the back of a pickup truck or are towed by one. After seeing a Japanese artist’s design for a pedal-powered camper, the Dangie Bros. decided they needed one too. The tiny camper sleeps two in very cramped quarters and weighs about 500 pounds, but they still managed to take it on a (short) road trip.

Mikael Kjellman lives in Sweden, where biking can be pretty unpleasant in winter. So he came up with this vehicle which offers enclosed seating and operates on pedal and electric power. A kit was funded on Indiegogo back in 2016, but we’ve yet to see any on the road around here.

“It’s incredibly stupid, hard to ride…” We’ve always wondered who those ridiculous mini motorcycles were for, but that didn’t stop maker Peter Sripol and his brother from building their own. Their custom-made micro bike is powered by an electric motor with body made from an ammo can that can still hold ammunition.

Maker Peter Sripol adds to his collection of homebrew vehicles with the creation of a custom bicycle that can glide across snow, and is pushed along by a propeller. He and his brother first stabilized the bike frame by turning it into a trike, then added a trio of snowboards and a paramotor engine.

Mountain biker Bienvenido Aguado recently set a world record for the longest dirt-to-dirt front flip on a downhill bike. Watch as he hits the first dirt pile and hangs in the air for what seems like an eternity before hitting the other side and sticking the landing perfectly. The total distance was 30 meters – about 98.4 feet.

A normal tricycle has one wheel in the front and two in the back for balance. But nobody says the three wheels have to be arranged that way. So builder The Q got to work putting together a tricycle that has all three wheels arranged in parallel. It looks harder to ride than a regular bicycle, but it sure is unique.

Freestyle MTB riders Danny MacAskill and Duncan Shaw met up with their fellow Drop and Roll teammate Rory Semple for a little fun in the sleepy seaside town of Rhyl, North Wales, jumping their bikes and balancing their wheels on just about every surface they can put their tires on.

Designers Yuma Kano and Yu Miyama came up with this clever way to keep your bicycle standing upright… using a much smaller bike. The 14″ long miniature bike is made from steel, and comes in versions for tires up to 1.6″ or 2″ wide. Unfortunately, importing one via Japan Trend Shop is a costly endeavor.

This electric mobility device folds up to a ridiculously small size, making it easy to carry just about anywhere. It rides like a bike, but with scooter-sized wheels. Its battery provides 30 km (~18.6 mi) of range, with a top speed of 18 km/h (~11.5 mph). It weighs just 32 lb, and measures 455 x 320 x 230 mm (~ 17.9 x 12.6 x 12.6″ ) when folded.

Combining mountain and cruiser bike looks in one, Vintage Electric’s Rally packs a 750-watt drivetrain that can help speed you along up to 28 mph, with a range of 20 to 60 miles, depending on conditions and degree of assist. Thanks to its wide and knobby Schwalbe tires, it’s comfortable on a wide variety of terrain.

In this short, beautifully shot action film from Mind Spark Cinema, slopestyle mountain biker Brett Rheeder performs brilliant flips and tricks on a course set amongst the idyllic setting of Cherry Creek in British Columbia, Canada.

Keep your bike from gathering dust, and keep your wall from getting banged up while brightening your storage space with these machine-washable bicycle covers. Each one is made from stretch jersey fabric and one size fits all bikes. Available in a variety of fun patterns.