The Ginormous Wheel

Posted by Miss Cellania in Gadget, Science & Tech on December 19, 2008 at 9:09 am


Not once, not twice, but eight different times has Popular Science or Popular Mechanics magazine declared that the future of travel is the monowheel. Wesley Treat collected the covers of these issues for a retrospective spanning from 1914 to 2007. The “One-Man War Tank” shown is from 1933. Most impressive is that you could buy a magazine for fifteen cents! Link -Thanks, beth!


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11 comments to "The Ginormous Wheel"

  1. Dale
    December 19th, 2008 at 9:22 am

    Looks like Mr. Garrison's It mobile. Except designed a little different.

  2. emmakate
    December 19th, 2008 at 10:42 am

    Omg Dale, I was just thinking it looked like the gyroscope thing from South Park!!

  3. Gauldar
    December 19th, 2008 at 12:14 pm

    Has Popular Mechanics even stated why they thing the monowheel would be more efficient than any other format other then aesthetic appeal?

  4. Scooter
    December 19th, 2008 at 12:34 pm

    could you imagine getting a flat on that... wow.

  5. asdfafdgafsdg
    December 19th, 2008 at 12:49 pm

    The vehicle in the picture has 3 wheels, therefore it's a tricycle.

  6. Wesley
    December 19th, 2008 at 7:50 pm

    asdfafdgafsdg: The two rear wheels on that particular model were for stabilization at low speeds. Once the driver reached a higher speed, they would be raised, and the vehicle would travel on a single wheel. (Actually, I think I'll add that to the article.)

    Incidentally, the one pictured is not actually the one-man war tank. Oddly, the picture on the cover didn't reflect what the article itself was about.

    Oh, and thanks for posting my about my article! :)

  7. Wesley
    December 19th, 2008 at 8:04 pm

    There I go again fact-checking after I click "Submit." The two rear wheels, it seems, actually aided in steering, so it would be fair to say it's a tricycle. It still fits into the whole silly giant-wheel concept, anyhow.

  8. Gerry
    December 20th, 2008 at 10:05 am

    "Most impressive is that you could buy a magazine for fifteen cents!"

    15cents was three loafs of bread back then. That would be somewhere around $5-$6 now.

    ...helps to keep things in perspective.

  9. renderanything
    December 20th, 2008 at 5:02 pm

    Interesting to see just how many times the same theme has come up throughout the ages of Pop-Sci. There is an even more impressive real world uni-wheeler that I'll have to find and suggest.

  10. Rocky Rook
    December 20th, 2008 at 8:00 pm

    Looks like General Grevious' 'bike'

  11. liphttam1
    December 20th, 2008 at 10:09 pm

    How do you turn?


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