The Ice-Bat is a new recumbent trike for winter competition. It uses a propeller and skates to run on ice-rinks. Good speeds can be achieved like this, with no damage to the surface of the ice.
It was invented by Steve Ellis, another British person living here in Assen.
I featured the original prototype a few months back.The prototype first tested the concept of running with a propeller. It was based on a Sinner Comfort recumbent trike and ran on wheels. Steve later moved on to parts of the Comfort on skates as a proof of concept. This rode well enough that it was worth going further.
Now the first two production Ice-Bats have been completed by Steve working with Sinner Ligfietsen. These are lower than the prototype, and have a proper propeller designed for the speeds of the Ice-bat mounted somewhat more rigidly than on the prototype.The machines will be racing here in Assen on Saturday at De Bonte Wever - our local ice-skating circuit.
Wednesday morning update. Another test ride:
Very neat, but without a blade guard that propeller will be lethal in an accident. Not sure I'd want to be anywhere near a close-quarters race with two of these!
ReplyDeleteVery scary to overtake and get past that unprotected propeller :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat for commuting in traffic. No car would dare to come near.
ReplyDeleteGreat as a fun toy, but it's not practical. It's OK to have fun, though :-) Of course, for racing or when having more than one of them on the ice, a propeller guard would be a must.
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