Core77

Invention Da Vinci

By Rain Noe - March 26, 2007

in Object Culture

Talk about slow time-to-market: 500 years after being developed, Leonardo Da Vinci's transmission hub is finally going into production with Ellsworth's The Ride bicycle.

Da Vinci, the Original Industrial Designer (sorry, Raymond Loewy) developed a transmission based on independently rotating spheres. The NuVinci hub offers a smooth transmission of power without the jerky clunks that come with changing gears on today's chain-and-derailleur bicycles. I guess if your beard was three feet long, you'd look for a way to get rid of the chains too.

[Via CoolHunting.]

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robert crichton

17 years ago

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Upright bikes are sooo old fashioned! the future is recumbents.
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rolando rivera

17 years ago

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nice work is that a chain free bike or no friction momentum bike
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Jim C.

17 years ago

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$3K (!!!!) for a comfort bike and it's made in China! I just found out from Ellsworth.

SBS is importing Nuvinci-equipped BATAVUS commuters' bikes from Holland for ~$1500.
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G

17 years ago

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Now just get someone to make a good looking bike and this company will have it all.
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Robyn

17 years ago

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OOHHHH id like to see it in action, and would it be good for flying down hills into trees?
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Alex G

17 years ago

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um... 3g for a comfort bike? that has to be a joke.
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G

17 years ago

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Now they just need someone to design a bike frame, sheesh.
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