Wasn't sure where to put this. https://www.instructables.com/The-Sail-Bike-a-two-person-sailing-bicycle/
Sail your bike?
- Thread starter Gordon71
- Start date
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
Why would you need an e-bike for that?
When the wind dies down?
Dallant
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
It’s off topic so no ebike needed. As a former sail boarder, looks like it could be fun on a wide open desert floor or the Bonneville Salt Flats!
I just googled "sailing a bike" out of curiosity. I don't know how long electric motors have been used on bikes but there were gas engine kits for bikes in the 1940's called Whizzers as well as Whizzer bikes and they made a brief comeback in the 90's. I've seen a picture of a steam engine powered bike as well. Got me curious if there was a wind powered one.
john peck
Well-Known Member
I´ve got a gadget I made for a road bike, about a 26¨ triangular crab claw sail that straps to my palm.
It can be in either hand & angled so to use the wind. It folds done like an umbrella, 2¨ x 13¨. Works
well, but not so big as to blow one over. I used hollow fiberglass tent poles, some ripstop nylon.
& a piece of 1¨ pvc pipe shaped with a heat gun for the grip. Looks a bit like a triangular shield
It can be in either hand & angled so to use the wind. It folds done like an umbrella, 2¨ x 13¨. Works
well, but not so big as to blow one over. I used hollow fiberglass tent poles, some ripstop nylon.
& a piece of 1¨ pvc pipe shaped with a heat gun for the grip. Looks a bit like a triangular shield
I picked up an old whizzer engine for $5 at an estate sale, no carb, got $60 for it om CL.
Dallant
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
Sounds interesting and a bit dangerous. Need to see a video of that sail in use!
6zfshdb
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Northeast Pennsylvania
Nothing to do with sailing but the Smith Motor Wheel was invented in 1910 for propelling a bicycle:
Replicas are still around today
john peck
Well-Known Member
I kept is small to be less dangerous. bending my wrist this way & that, I can angle it to the wind
or luft without taking my hands from the bars. My 10 yr old 1080 camera no longer seems to function;
it was fine for my old dell, but I can´t get it to load this pc.The sail is really just a sort of hand held kite.
I haven´t used it since going electric 5 years ago. On Utube there´s an Aussie video of guys using real
kites to bike tour. Now that´s crazy.
john peck
Well-Known Member
I didn´t know you could still get one of those, but as bike engines go, I´m good with a 52cc northern tool,
35cc honda & subaru, a hua sheng, & 2 40cc tanakas.(the hua sheng is garbage, the honda needs carb,
the 52cc smokes like a steam locomotive, but the sooby & tanakas still run great.)
Last edited:
Dallant
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
Through my many years of biking in lots of wind, I‘ve often thought about some form of sail assist but now that I’ve got an ebike, there’s no need!
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