Designed for the XXIst Century Man exhibition in Tokyo, this monocycle by Ben Wilson is pretty damn cool. While not as ornate as last year’s steampunk monocycle, Wilson’s one-wheel wonder is stunning in its simplicity, like many of the other product designs on his website. The Brit, who has several other bike designs under his belt, claims to be a fan of propulsion “ever since cycling for the first time without stabilisers.” The XXIst Century Man exhibition, curated by Issey Miyake, is in Tokyo at 21_21 Design Sight until July 6. [Dezeen and Ben Wilson Design]
This monocycle from rich man’s playground catalogue Hammacher Schlemmer is a few phalluses short of a South Park episode, but I think even Mrs. Garrison would appreciate the fact that this 1869 throwback is now available at retail for a modest US$12,999.95. And the best part? The wealthy sops whipping around the Hamptons on this thing won’t even have to pedal, as this monocycle boasts a 31cc 1 1/2 horsepower engine. The lawnmower-esque four-stroke maxes out at modest 40kph but Hammacher promises its monocycle can still comfortably navigate on anything from pavement to grass to the backs of the common man. [Hammacher Schlemmer product page]
The Electric Cruiser by Mademoto provides users with all of the joys of skateboarding and in-line skating with out all of the pesky benefits of exercise. With a monstrous 250W engine under the hood, this bad boy will tug you along at a breathtaking 18 mph (probably less if you are a bit on the chunky side or a gentle slope crosses your path) — and the flame decals will give you a hard biker-esque look. Additional photo after the break. More »
newVideoPlayer("monocycle_gawker.flv", 475, 376);Here’s a video of another version of the 1873 monocycle replica done by the same man, Roberto Terradillo from Burgos, Spain. He says that making sharp turns is quite difficult, as you control it using your body weight, leaning to one side or the other. Still, I would like to have one. The video, by the way, is worthy of an Almodovar movie. More »
This monocycle replica from 1873 is an stunning engineering and mechanical feat. Created by a spaniard using 19th Century documentation and old-style handcrafting techniques, it uses a 6.16-foot wheel, with a 238-teeth inner segment. More »
