UOR

Urgent Operational Requirement

Can you build a Loopwheel ?

TASK : BUILD YOUR OWN LOOPWHEEL 1.

Using the materials provided, you are required to build a wheel using the Loopwheel concept. You will need to read the rest of this document to learn about how a Loopwheel works.

2.

Once you have constructed your own Loopwheel, the second part of the task is to design your own racing bike, stunt bike or a mountain bike. Your new bicycle must of course be an original design and be kitted-out with Loopwheels. Materials: paper/card for construction, scissors, Sellotape, paper for drawing designs.

YOUR BREIF : 1.



From the materials that your teacher provides, you must carefully design and plan how you will build your own Loopwheel model.

2.

Decide on a team name, team roles and a name for your Loopwheel design.

3.

Other than for a bicycle, make a list of other applications you think Loopwheels might be suitable for.



4. 5.

Sketch your design on the squared paper that your teacher has provided. In your teams, prepare a presentation that you can give to the rest of the class. You will





be sharing your construction methods with your classmates as well as trying to



6.

convince them that yours is the best design. If you want to do further research on Loopwheels, check out their website on



www.loopwheels.com

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FIRSTLY: WHAT IS LOOPWHEELS? Loopwheels is a new concept wheel for a bicycle. The spokes of a conventional wheel have been replaced with carbon fibre loops which not only attach the outer rims to the centre hub, they also provide suspension. The result is maximum comfort over bumps and less vibration from the road. The brand-new 'pat pending' 20" bicycle wheel has been tested on a folding bike format and is already on sale throughout the UK.   The story of Loopwheels is one of determination and a streak of madness. They were invented and developed by Sam Pearce at his home in Nottinghamshire, England. Sam is a mechanical engineer and industrial designer. He first had the idea of a wheel with integral suspension in 2007, but it wasn’t until 2009 that he was able to build his first working prototype. Although the idea of a wheel with suspension built inside the rim is not a new idea, Sam was the first person to come up with an idea that worked. He took inspiration from the way in which modern bow makers use carbon fibre to build very strong, yet flexible bows. After talking to bow makers in a local archery shop, he realised that he’d found the perfect material to build his inspirational Loopwheel. Who would have thought that a mechanical engineer and bow maker would have re-invented the wheel? [2]

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF LOOPWHELLS OVER CONVENTIONAL SPOKED WHEELS? Most folding bikes do not have suspension because conventional suspension forks add weight and bulk to the bicycle. That is particularly unwelcome in a bicycle which needs to fold down to a compact size. Replacing the spoked wheels with Loopwheels provides full suspension in a bike which hasn't got room for a traditional suspension system, but each Loopwheel weighs only about 300g more than its spoked equivalent.  So you get a much more comfortable ride with no impact on folding, and only a small weight gain. Unlike suspension forks, which only work in one plane, Loopwheels provide tangential suspension.  That is, they work in every direction. So they respond to a force hit head-on in the same way as they do to a force from above or below. This gives you confidence in a really smooth ride. People find they can tackle bumps, kerbs and cobbles much more easily on Loopwheels than on normal, spoked wheels.

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WHAT’S THE BENEFIT TO THE RIDER? Comfort: Tangential suspension gives you a really comfortable ride, and people find they can take bumps, kerbs and cobbles more easily on Loopwheels. Reduced vibration: When you ride on Loopwheels, you don’t experience the usual feeling of vibration up your arms, because Loopwheels absorb and isolate you from the “noise” of the road. So you get less wrist and shoulder ache on long rides.   Smooth ride: The pedaling cadence is slightly different when you ride Loopwheels. What this means is that pedaling is much smoother and not as jerky, because the springs release energy more evenly.  This makes for a very comfortable, easy ride. FUN!!!  Every one who has ridden a Loopwheels bike so far has said “Wow!" - and smiled.  A lot.

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SCORING

Teamwork: Make sure everyone is involved in the project. Remember this is a team effort. Preparation: It is important that you plan the design of your Loopwheel. Fit for purpose: Does your Loopwheel model work? Presentation: Choose a spokesperson to introduce your team and your design. Explain the challenges you had designing and building your Loopwheel. Then introduce your design for your bicycle. Explain what kind of bicycle it is and why the Loopwheel is especially suited for your design. Also talk about how Loopwheels could be utilised in other applications. Cleaning up: Tidy up your work area ready for the next lesson.

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