Awesome Transmissions

Fans of manual transmission cars will love the way the mechanism works on this custom pen. W&M Levsha designed and fabricated this unique metal and wood writing instrument that deploys using a 6-speed gear shifter. It works similarly to bolt-action pens, though the amount that it retracts is determined by the gear it’s in.

A normal bike uses a set of gears to influence the amount of torque sent to its rear wheel. Tom Stanton wanted to see if it was possible to create a bike transmission that uses magnets to turn its wheel and create resistance. Put your thinking caps on for this brainy video that incorporates physics, math, and engineering.

Most cars sold these days have an automatic transmission. But it’s hard to beat a manual gearbox and its three-pedal setup when it comes to driver engagement. Jake O’Neill from Animagraphs created this 3D animation that shows us how the clutch, gears, and shifter work in concert to send power to the drivetrain.

V. Idea is an expert at building mechanical things out of cardboard, popsicle sticks, and hot glue. Watch them put together a fully-functional model of a 6-speed manual transmission with a working gear shifter. There’s no clutch pedal though.

Do you prefer to row your own gears? Share your love for manual transmissions with one of these tiny shifters for your keychain. It has a tiny shift lever with a 6-speed gated setup. They come in a variety of colors, as well as coilover shock, crankshaft, disc brake, and turbocharger versions.