I like how they cut right before the loud crashing of junk in the garage. One of these would be pretty fun to build without all the steampunk parts. Unless you had a real live steam engine to help you out up the hills.

Barry99705

steampunk+recumbent bike=pssshawwhahahahahah(spit take then hilarity)

SpeedyGonzalas

That thing looks awesome!

MasterJoefus

Again proving why a young Dr. Strangelove did not date.

DeadWriter

Somebody needs to rescue him from suburbia. Seriously.

alowishus

@Borathian: @DeadWriter: Victorianpunk would be much more accurate but it just doesn't sound cool.

Groggy Banana

@CODIFEROUS: um yeah steam punk was around a long time before Wild Wild West ;)

I like the look of it kinda, however the white tires throw off the look tremendously I think.

Borathian

There are two possible outcomes for getting a thing like this:
1.Drive it in a suburb and give people another reason to hate white people.
2.Drive it a normal neighborhood and give people who didn't hate you a reason to kick your ass.

Groggy Banana

Are there any pictures of him AFTER he was beaten to a pulp?

lucky_you

[www.toothpastefordinner.com]

CODIFEROUS

This gizmo seems cool, however how is it for those of us who are over 50 and physically challenged.

gypsymanrob

Alright guys. I was a big fan of steampunk at the beginning. But now it's become too much. We're being bombarded with it. Yes, some of the stuff is pretty cool. Yes, some it is pleasant to look at. But no, I'm kinda tired of seeing about five to eight posts a day concerning the subject. Because steampunk is so popular, I'm surprised that I haven't found many blogs dedicated to the subject. Instead, all of it is sent here.

And yes, I realize that I'm a lowly (maybe not so lowly? :3) commenter, but as a 21 year old, I'm right in the middle of your (presumed) target demographic.

Believe me, this is isn't a "That's not a gadget!" comment. I never have a problem with those. Most of them make me giggle. But the steampunk stuff is becoming passé. These people just look silly. Can we try to find a new fad? Please?

SonOfMagicFact loves lamp. He really does.

Actually steampunk really isnt as popular as you thing, its just that if you have a bunch of something put in front of you, that you think there are a bunch of it. He could very well just replace the trunk with a steam motor to power the bike. Really steam power should be more available now that we have better metals that can withstand the force from the steam.

Technogen

@Technogen: The problem with steam is that it can't change speed very quickly. In order to accelerate, you have to build up boiler-pressure, which takes time. In order to decrease speed, you have to let off pressure. All of this takes time.

That's why you always saw steam engines on large vehicles, such as ships and locomotives, but very rarely on cars, as in the Stanley Steamer. All that I've read about the Stanley said people very much disliked driving it. It was slow of acceleration to the point of being a danger to fellow motorists.

Plus, steam generates a TREMENDOUS amount of heat. Even with the toy Wilesco reciprocating steam engine I played with as a child, the plumbing would very easily reach five hundred degrees. Definitely not the safest source of power out there.

SonOfMagicFact loves lamp. He really does.

mini arc-reactor needed

godwhacker

This seems so incredibly bizarre in comparison to a normal bicycle that I'd love it if not for its space issues... (unless it somehow magically folds to a much smaller size)

Reilaos~

look for pictures of bicycles and board track racers from back in the 1920's
black tires are a function of adding carbon to the rubber mix

godwhacker

Human-powered vehicle haters suck.

I live in Madison, WI, which is a relatively bike-friendly city for the USA. There are a fair number of recumbent riders, and they look pretty comfy. I would never ride one though, because a) I'm small and need my weight over the pedals to push and b) the idea of being that low to the ground scares me, even if you put a flag on the back for visibility.

About this one...the white knobby tyres are spoiling the steampunk fittings. I don't think they could make white vulcanized rubber back then.

Xenobiologista

looks too much like a wheel chair.

mcknn

Very nice. And to make a counterpart for haters, I love the steampunk posts. Keep it up guys!

Would be very lovely to see this guy upgrading his trike to something that actually uses steam power to go... if that's possible without some sort of squeaky loud noise, that is.

Bokusatsu_Tenshi

Steampunk is fine with me but recumbents, I point and laugh at.

poisonfist

@SonOfMagicFact loves lamp. He really does.:
have you ever touched a exhaust pipe on your car? that is cool as a cucumber right? the internal combustion engine is just as dangerous as a steam engine, it is just that people have worked on the internal combustion engine longer and have refined it to the point that the average Gizmodo commenter takes it for granted.

boofighter

Listen, I see enough of this crap on BoingBoing.

asketchymess

@boofighter: Excuse me. That wasn't necessary. I know how hot my car's exhaust is. I also know that IC engines aren't prone to catastrophic explosions if you stop paying attention to them. I'm all for steam. What I'm not fine with is people who think they have all the answers. Grow up.

SonOfMagicFact loves lamp. He really does.

Personally:
A bike that ran on wood and water would be AWESOME. You'd have to let it build up pressure yeah, but idunno maybe with some sort of GEAR system or transmission you could engage a drive and not have to worry about starting and stopping. Yes, increasing or decreasing rpms wouldn't be too easy, but for crying out loud, putting it in neutral and coasting and braking wouldn't be hard at all.

HumanBomb

@Pan_theFrog: Should also add that there is no documentation of a Stanley Steamer boiler ever exploding. They designed them so that if they over pressured, and the relase valve failed, they split down one side and released the steam onto the flame heating the engine, thereby putting it out and stopping the production of more steam.

Later models of steam engines for cars didn't have big preassure tanks.

Pan_theFrog

@SonOfMagicFact loves lamp. He really does.:
Actually acceleration was not much of a problem. A Stanley Steamer set the world record for the fastest mile in an automobile (28.2 seconds) in 1906.

The bigest problem with steam power was lack of range, and that it took less time to start up and drive off in an internal combustion vehichle once electric starters showed up.

Steam engines normally operate in the 250 degree range (what is coming out of them) so it is about the same as an internal combustion engine.

Pan_theFrog

BLEND DAMMIT! I want to see it BLEND!

VENAT0R

@Pan_theFrog: Very well put. Sir, I have been bested. And you weren't a jerk about it, either!

SonOfMagicFact loves lamp. He really does.