Sail bicycle

[dorlomin]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-14823780

http://www.whike.com/en/

It is a very interesting concept. I am not sure of the down sides but there are a couple of sailors who may be able to offer insights.

Certainly might reduce the calories needed for intercity 100 mile plus rides.

[nobodypanic]

i would never buy a reclining bike. you need to be able to stand, off the saddle, to handle obstacles. lying down is just silly.

the deal with wind on a bike is when you're going into it. that can be a killer. nothing here solves that without giving too much else away. you say, 'but i want to catch the wind!' well, if it's behind you, just stand up; you'll act as your own sail but be able to deal w/terrain better.

[The Practician]

i would never buy a reclining bike. you need to be able to stand, off the saddle, to handle obstacles. lying down is just silly.

the deal with wind on a bike is when you're going into it. that can be a killer. nothing here solves that without giving too much else away. you say, 'but i want to catch the wind!' well, if it's behind you, just stand up; you'll act as your own sail but be able to deal w/terrain better.

Thats no problem! just tack from one side of the freeway to the other!

[ekjv59]

I'm sure someone has done this. After fighting the wind the other day, it seemed to me that there is a market for a sail-driven bike. The sail could be mounted on a post behind the rider, and be turned to take advantage of the prevaling wind. With tacking, it could be used even when the wind is coming from a frontal angle. Seems to me that with just a small boost speeds of 30mph could be common (yeah, I know -- for some of you they already are).

Does anyone know of such an invention?

[Margarethe]

This reminds me of the sail boat Dirk Pitt used - on a desert!
You can read it in Sahara, a novel by Clive Cussler (please tell me I got the author right. <: )

[Margarethe]

This reminds me of the sail boat used by Dirk Pitt - on the desert sand. I read it in Clive Cussler's THE SAHARA. I never thought I'd see the day it will be used on a bicycle. Good post!

[Shaved Monkey]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_sailing