The Monowheel: What happened to "world's craziest invention"?

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The scene looks like something off the screens of a Charlie Chaplain work and it is just funny seeing that invention being tested in real life.

Or a hamster wheel where the gerbil runs around in endless circle.

Source.

Dubbed the "world's craziest invention", the Monowheel is a one-wheeled single-track vehicle similar to a unicycle. Instead of sitting above the wheel as in a unicycle, the rider sits either within the wheel or next to it.

The monowheel is designed in a ring form that is usually driven by smaller wheels pressing against its inner rim. It is funny looking at it because from just looking at it, it looks like a crazy invention that will be so disastrous and impossible to use.
It is also no wonder why it didn't make it to this time as one of the most sort after inventions given the push for adoption it had in the 1930s.


Blessed!


The monowheel was supposed to be an improvement on the bicycle but I guess it never was meant to be.

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The monowheel is a one wheeled ride that comes with pedals and also motorized and it was the motorized version that you can see in the video as it is being tested to the admiration of the crowd.


Issues with the monowheel and why it is not user friendly.

The failure of the one wheel wonder is evident in its design that presents it as a disaster waiting to happen if eventually adopted for daily usage.

  • Visibility issues. Being a wheel in the real sense of the word, the monowheel is designed in such a way that the rider is always facing the inner rim of the wheel, and this already is an obstruction to the view of oncoming hazards from all angles.
  • Lack of stability. A single wheel has no support except it is quite wide or built with some active type of stabilization. With the design as can be seen in the video and picture, it lacks horizontal stability. It will be a common sight to see the rider always putting his legs down to gain support
  • Limited capacity. The monowheel is not designed ti carry more than one person like the bicycle and motorbike. It also will have a struggle with luggage handling as the inside cannot be fitted to carry luggage like the bicycle will. It is just like a juggling wheel that should allow Charlie play silly.
  • Risk of "gerbiling". The monowheel can turn into a hamster wheel if the driver accelerates or brakes too hard.
    The build up of the monowheel which keeps the rider at the bottom of the wheel will be outplayed by gravity when force is applied.- Source.

I think with the various issues that bothers on safety that this invention has, the monowheel is an invention designed for 1930s Hollywood or something that can still be used today in one of those spy movies or some silly kind of cartoon pictures.

This is 2020 and with no monowheel being used on our roads and not even seeming like a tech that will make a difference, it is clear the "world's craziest invention" is not here to stay.


What other crazy invention has you seen that didn't live to see the big market adopting it?


Make the world a better place for someone today!


Video and additional reading and picture source.



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15 comments
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Monowheel is a very unique vehicle, the rider inside the spinning wheel looks very cool.

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Unique and also not something that should be adopted for daily usage on our very busy and accident prone streets.

Stay Awesome!

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yes, the highway is not a good place for this type of vehicle, I think this vehicle must use a special road.

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Hello @ejemai

Thank you for choosing to post within project.hope HIVE/community. I was wondering if there is any way to DM you as I would like to explain little bit about our community goals and structure.

Do you use telegram or discord? If you do then join our server and give me a shout. I would gladly share with you goals of our community and explain our project.hope economy.

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Upvoted already.
@crypto.piotr

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Hi @ejemai

Finally I found some time to read your post. Interesting choice of topic - upvoted already :)

I like how this dude has been smoking and driving at the same time. Indeed it did look like a Charlie Chaplain comedy :) I seriously never knew that something like monowheel ever existed. I wonder how popular was it back in the days.

Yours, Piotr

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It was a hit in the 1930s and though it was supposed to be a replacement for the bicycle, it fell short of expectations and was even dubbed "humanity's useless vehicle.

I think the whole idea was supposed to fit the Charlie Chaplain kind of world and not one where no one is expected to laugh their pants off. :(

Stay Awesome!

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It's me again @ejemai

I would need to ask you for little favour. Recently I've decided to join small contest called "Community of the week" and I desribed our project.hope hive/community. Would you mind helping me out and RESTEEM this post - just to get some extra exposure? Your valuable comment would be also appreciated.

Link to my post: on steemit or on steempeak

Thanks :)
Yours, Piotr

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It looks very scary to ride because accidents are inevitable with it, but it was a funny view though**

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It has issues that makes it look really unsafe to use on a daily basis and that is one reason why it didn't get adopted.

Stay Awesome!

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This is funny oo, it looks like a total comedy skit and it does not look like something that can be used in reality.

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I'd totally ride it. At least a few times .. yeah man...

That's a cool thing though. Even if it's a death trap...

Posted via neoxian.city | The City of Neoxian

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