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Stringbike — A bike with no chain
Stringbike appeared briefly in the Blade Runner sequel released in cinemas October 2017.
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Replies
Tom Frazier
Wow. Great innovation. Site needs a complete do-over.
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Finally I see something interesting on PH's featured listing outside of those *MeToo*Bots
How can you claim to revolutionise an industry but not even mention why you think you are better than the standard way (which has been around for decades, across millions or billions of cycles)?
Pros:Nothing
Cons:Pointless
I'm guessing the same person that designed the 'snake skin' bike also designed the website? Or could just be two fairly bad designers at the same place.
I have absolutely no idea why anyone would buy this, you haven't told anyone why? Chains work fine, hence why millions of chain-drive bicycles are sold yearly. Why should someone choose string instead?
UNIQUE.
DIFFERENT IN A STANDARDISED WORLD. GREAT TO LOOK AT. SMOOTH TO RIDE.
All of this ^ is crap. I have a Trek Remedy 8 and Giant Defy 1, they're both great to look at and they're as smooth as silk to ride. Also, any bike shop in the world can fix them if they break, usually with off-the-shelf parts.
It's like you're trying to revolutionise an industry that doesn't require it, and doing it with bad design and marketing on top.
Also, on ProductHunt mobile, the "Get It" button is right over the pedal mechanism. Maybe horizontal flip the image?
This is a seriously disruptive innovation if the price point is correct and the durability of the product stands up to a chain. No more grease on my calves 🤘Bravo for the creativity here!
@robguilfoyle I would bet a lot of money that the durability of this is significantly less than a chain and cog system. But even if it isn’t, what about this is “seriously disruptive” other than the confusion it’ll cause if you bring it into a repair shop? Chains are a pragmatic solution to a mostly solved problem. If you don’t want grease, try a rubber belt system. Any mechanical system which adds complexity will be less durable and have more opportunity for failure.
All that being said, I still think this is a pretty cool take on a bike, if for no other reason than it’s got a great novelty factor. But you wouldn’t catch me racing with it.
You could probably take this further and invent a chainless bike by using a drive shaft inside the frame. Fun? Yes. Disruptive? No.
@lwansbrough I prefaced this with "if the price point is right". That TRI bike in the image is likely reduced in price by a thousand(s) dollars if there isn't a need for carbon cassettes on the big and small. Not to mention any aero advantages by eliminating the bulk of the back and front cassettes.
@lwansbrough @robguilfoyle Aero advantages when it comes to cycling aren't really that useful, a bicycle is one of the least aerodynamic vehicles there is. Carbon cassettes don't exist as far as I'm aware, and if they did they would be pretty pointless and short lived. Given the complex design for the pedal mechanism, I don't really see how they'd do much cost saving compared to a conventional design.
Sold. Can you maybe just offer this as a component instead of an entire bike? Not a chance I’m giving up my current frame, but I’d definitely lose the chain.
