For Some Reason, This Individual Was Determined to Prove That Bicycles Without Wheels Work. And Yes, They Do Work

Do you like bikes? If so, before you start reading this post, let me tell you something:

The YouTube channel The Q could blow your mind.

So, I understand that if you’re reading this, you’re convinced of what you’re doing.

As I said, The Q is a YouTube channel that describes itself as a space for science video and more. It features content about the reinvention of mechanical elements of all kinds.

One of these elements is the bicycle, a beautiful and perfect invention. For example, The Q has videos of a bike with wheels split in two and one with square wheels.

Recently, its creator has once again invented a new gadget: a bicycle without wheels—at least without the conventional ones we've been using all our lives.

Reinventing the Wheel, Literally

If there’s one thing The Q has set out to do, it’s to push the limits of the bicycle.

Even though people often do amazing things with bikes and push boundaries, The Q reminds us that there’s so much more left to do with this marvelous invention.

If you think the beauty of cycling lies in seeing the scenery without walking, The Q points out that there's also the portable elliptical, so you shouldn't limit yourself. Does the stiffness of a bike prevent you from parking it easily? The Q points out that there are bikes that you can wrap around lamp posts. 

Considering all the weird—or rather, groundbreaking—things that the channel has introduced so far, it then presented the public with the following question: Why don't you try taking the wheels off your bike? What could go wrong?

Yes, The Q has taken care of that, too. Specifically, the channel features a system similar to that of tracked treads on tanks but has adapted it bicycles.

This video highlights the results. To make it work, the creator used a rigid surface that gave structure to the new wheels. In its interior, the bike slides a tread that moves without resistance when you gain speed by pedaling. The inventor also had to modify the transmission, placing a small sprocket next to the chainring, which moves a second-gear system that sends the power to the posterior wheel.

Does it work? Well, it depends on how you look at it. Technically, and focusing on the most basic thing, the bike moves. However, it’s unclear if it's more accurate to say that it “drags,” as the force needed to move the bicycle has to be greater than the wheel since the resistance is greater.

The Q must also share our view of his experiment, as the channel points out in the video description: “Why did we do it? Just for fun 😅🤪.” In the end, the reason why bikes use wheels more than 200 years after their invention seems pretty obvious.

Image | The Q

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