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Coolest wheel ever?

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bikewhorder

Riding a '38 Autocycle Deluxe
I just found this image cruising around on the interwebs. Its called the "Roue Lejeune' suspension wheel based on the image description. When I first saw it I thought it was a contemporary design but no, it was built in 1886. So cool, my head exploded a little.
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I just found this image cruising around on the interwebs. Its called the "Roue Lejeune' suspension wheel based on the image description. When I first saw it I thought it was a contemporary but no, it was built in 1886. So cool, my head exploded a little.
View attachment 936143


I also thought it was contemporary when I first saw the picture. Very cool, sprung steel I assume.
 
Wowza! That's really cool chris.. It just needs rubber bumpers on the rim under the spokes for when it bottoms.
 
In the late 1800s, bicycles were the major inspiration for all the most mechanically creative minds that had been yearning for an outlet, almost everything was new, nothing was an established standard, and creativity wasn't stifled by the concerns of a mature technology in a modern developed economy. My favorite cars to see at shows are Edwardian and Brass Era because of all the surprising ideas that were tried that we tend to think of as modern and, since the mechanicals are so easy to see, I find it fun to discover these things.

Every 10-20 years (long enough for people to forget the previous attempt) certain concepts are dusted off as amazing new improvements for bicycles. I suspect a number of them are from people that are looking for expired patents they can reintroduce as new concepts to scam money from investors or in crowd funding.
 
There were a lot of intriguing designs in the late 1800's.
Here's one from Columbus, Ohio. The description reads as follows-
"Height of these wheels is 26 inches; diameter of springs, 6-1/2 inches; width of springs, 3/4 inch. Springs of sheet steel, composed of four-plys. Removes all shock from rider and machine, and consequently permits the construction of a much lighter machine in every respect. These wheels have great lateral strength. A machine lighter in weight and cheaper than any now in use can be made on this principle. It is confidently believed this will soon supersede all other wheels. The test has been completely satisfactory.
The Wills Elastic Wheel Covers.
Room 45, Butler Building
Columbus, O."
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I'm ALWAYS impressed with the engineering and precision/quality of things like this that people made over a century ago and often by hand or manual machine. Things like this wheel, watch movements, its just wild to me. what an awesome wheel!
 
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