A race bike used in an indoor velodrome, where there would be no cross-winds, has front and rear discs, to further reduce drag.
It “looks cool”, but as comments there state, it’s not actually a good bicycle design, for its intended purpose.
(Then again, on-bike storage is a problem with existing excellent solutions – panniers.)
Lovely bit of pure design, crappy as a usable bike. Disk front wheels are hazardous outdoors in crosswinds and putting your cargo on the front wheel dangerously degrades handling and brakeing distance. Also, the chainstayless rear geometry is actually heavier than a traditional frame geometry.
I’m thinking the structure of the support bracket for the front wheel will be a weak point. I don’t see how that bracket can be made strong and stiff enough–while not weighing too much–to withstand all the operational stresses which will be put on it.
It’s an interesting concept, but I doubt its practicality. Wouldn’t it be difficult to steer in wind?
Compare it to time trial bikes, which have a disc rear wheel, instead of spokes, to reduce wind resistance (http://www.bikerumor.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/2011-scott-plasma-3-triathlon-time-trial-bike01.jpg). The front wheel, though, is a more traditional spoked design, since it is used for steering, and a disc front wheel would make steering difficult in cross-winds.
A race bike used in an indoor velodrome, where there would be no cross-winds, has front and rear discs, to further reduce drag.
It “looks cool”, but as comments there state, it’s not actually a good bicycle design, for its intended purpose.
(Then again, on-bike storage is a problem with existing excellent solutions – panniers.)
Lovely bit of pure design, crappy as a usable bike. Disk front wheels are hazardous outdoors in crosswinds and putting your cargo on the front wheel dangerously degrades handling and brakeing distance. Also, the chainstayless rear geometry is actually heavier than a traditional frame geometry.
I’m thinking the structure of the support bracket for the front wheel will be a weak point. I don’t see how that bracket can be made strong and stiff enough–while not weighing too much–to withstand all the operational stresses which will be put on it.