Why single-caster skates are Easy

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I recently discovered freeline skating or free skating. These are skates which each look a bit like a little skateboard. They have two wheels each but they aren’t attached to your feet like rollerblades or rollerskates, you just stand on them. Free skating is really hard, but I can make it easier with less wheels and jet engines? Caster dynamics are really interesting - the physics involved mean that skates with caster seem to automatically stabilise through a passive-dynamic system which always pushes you upright provided you can keep moving. I 3D printed some pieces and used a CNC to make the main skate platforms.
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[@sokudonkalitrex1598]

And this year's "Most Novel Way to Injure Your Knees" award goes to .... Jet Engine Stilt Skates!

[@eminstinct4114]

ok that got me

[@U014B]

He certainly is a Certified Innovator.

[@vivianchang6802]

Yes

[@irri4662]

Airbags not included

[@Francois_Dupont]

i was about to comment this: it look like an ingenious way to brake your leg.

[@gicknardner]

I appreciate you going through the effort of building these rather than just buying them directly from ACME

[@Jeremy.Bearemy]

Meep meep

[@cyruspalmer98]

That's a great comment 😂 👏

[@johan6983]

Those only came rocket powered.. bit overkill.

[@a-swizzle8846]

giggled at this comment bravo

[@jerbear7952]

So good

[@frostymoments]

"I need a block of wood to stop the caster from moving... so I printed a couple." When all you have is one glorious hammer... :) So impressed with the work James does.

[@l3urnell]

"I need a rectangle with some holes in it, so I busted out the cnc and cut it out of the middle of the sheet."

[@bermchasin]

and then proceeded to saw it to the correct dimensions.

[@bentsprockettech]

That is probably the scariest, most hyper complicated skate arrangement I have ever seen sir. Awesome! Thanks for sharing this one with us. :)

[@NUeB_net]

09:10 The stability effect you're experiencing is called trail. It's like when you let a normal bicycle roll on it's own (or ride w/o hands on the handlebar) - when the bike leans to one side, front wheel PLUS fork steer and bike goes back in a stable position… as long as it's fast enough.

[@DrWhom]

the Dutch use the verb sporen which means following a trail

[@Jesayou]

Same thing for vehicles when you let go of the wheel and it centers its self caster is a fun adjustment

[@DnB-BMX]

This!!

[@derjansan9564]

I really hope we will see an update on the caster scooter with the caster wheel mounted in an angle the same way you did in this project. I think this should work much better than your previous attempt.

[@revimfadli4666]

Yes!

[@ratman6417]

definitely!

[@alanrice8614]

I learned to ride a unicycle by holding on to a shopping cart. It keeps you steady and upright while you learn to use your body and feet to balance and steer. It might also help with learning to use those leg-breakers. :)

[@DeetotheDubs]

I've always wanted to learn how to ride a unicycle. I'll have to keep your advice in mind should I ever get the chance.

[@Amanda-C.]

You'd want a small, light, maneuverable cart that's very open in the back so you're not banging your knees or the uni wheel into it and you don't have a hard time keeping it aligned with you. And not for any wheel bigger than a 12-inch, or you'd never find an ordinary shopping cart with enough room for the wheel. Also, how old were you? Were you at your full height? I don't have my old 12-incher anymore, but unicycles don't usually position you very low to the ground. I feel like, at my current size, the handle would end up about mid-torso, at which point any fall would dump me headfirst into the basket...

[@irri4662]

Only one pair of pants were hurt in the making of this video

[@ChristianBehnke]

Trousers. 😂

[@officer_baitlyn]

​@@ChristianBehnkejeans

[@irri4662]

Pantaloons. 🤣

[@zardozspeakshs1111]

that clip from Braille skateboarding.... seems like it'd be a natural collab project between the two of you. You've got insane sports gear, they've got a professional skate park and pro skaters. They have a series of vids where people send in crazy skateboards made in bizarre and stupid ways and they try to skate with them.

[@jacobe2995]

well as long as they have the paperwork to free him from any liability of injury then heck yeah!

[@kinnikunky]

heck yea!!! we need James to start sending gear to Braille!!

[@Excludos]

@@jacobe2995 With the amount of sketchy things they do, I'm assuming they have piles of it at the ready

[@skeetsmcgrew3282]

They fell off hard years ago. After Fetty turned out to be a predator and Carlos left it seemed like everything went downhill. Maybe I'm just an old man who doesn't like change, but it really didn't feel the same anymore

[@jjeshop]

The church of scientology won't allow Aaron to travel all the way to the UK.

[@bornach]

I never in a million years would have thought that could be made to work as well as you've demonstrated here. Astounding proof of concept!

[@tombuster]

Gosh, at 7:50 these look tailor-made for hurting your legs in the worst ways imaginable! I'm also surprised you managed not to gauge a nasty scratch in your car! Honestly, though it's very impressive how far you actually rode those rip-skates, I can't imagine turning or riding like that being used to usual skateboards and ripboards

[@ifitsrusteditsmine]

Adds turbines, removes helmet. 😅

[@caardappel]

This video escalated amazingly! Also, it made my knees, ankles, groin, and tailbone ache in sympathy for you, but that might be age talking. Great work on this one, lots of fun!

[@ARockRaider]

i love how every stage of this project looks more dangerous then the last.

[@8epic819]

Dang thats crazy James! You experimented a lot and really explored that field and came up with an interesting solution!

[@jerredshifflett6287]

word of advice for riding anything perpendicular to our body's symmetry . Keep you hips and knees slightly bent. I used to keep myself upright like a tree when riding stuff. Your whole body will fall over at once when you are standing up right. Make sure you know where the humans center of gravity is and how to manage it when getting in a good riding stance. I really love your channel and you have inspired my own robotics projects. I found the issue with mass when making scaled down version of a suspension design. Engineering is especially fun in that regard.

[@thePavuk]

It's like "Hmm, I'm in mood like... I wanna totally break my legs and may be few other bones... like in funny way, and make it original."

[@ionbusman2086]

I love my free skates! They’re quite hard but once you get it, you never forget… and the feeling is awesome with 100% control.

[@greggv8]

Years ago I saw some odd skates in an old magazine. Two children rolling along on one wheel skates. Each foot had a single large wheel on the outer side. There was a rod or platform to support the foot and a rod up the outside of the lower leg, strapped to the leg. The wheels looked to be at least 6" diameter.

[@Yosser70]

James seems like the least daredevil person but does some proper sketchy stuff 😂

[@Draidzeven]

James' ankles: blink twice if you need help!!

[@DrWhom]

I am more worried his knee caps will pop out at some point (yes, that can and does happen to people).

[@Atmos_Glitch]

My man's just discovering how a bike works, without discovering how a bike works in this video lol...

[@anonymous5405]

I appreciate you going through the effort of building these rather than just learning to use normal free skates

[@GabeAltier]

What an incredible way to showcase the freeskates! Awesome video James!!

[@anonymous5405]

I appreciate you going through the effort of building these instead of just learning to use normal free skates

[@Komeuppance]

Looking forward to a self balancing free skate robot!

[@Dolmeca_the_Knight]

His sonic the hedgehog robot was a self balancing skate robot.

[@Robotron-zg6mf]

Skatotron 2023

[@SaperPl1]

I'm pretty sure business-oriented dentists approve of those types of locomotion :D

[@chrisblake4198]

Steering solution- look at the Rip stick for inspiration again, and make your lead wheel fixed instead of a caster. May make starting harder, but will work as a guide wheel when you twist or lean over it, once you're going.

[@cavemaneca]

I don't know what kind you've ridden, but the only ones I've seen have a rotating caster in the front as well.

[@ankokuraven]

"How do we make this harder?" + "lets strap jets to them" = perfectly balanced, as all things should be.

[@one-man-band]

The way the "rip-stick" worked was by allowing you to rotate your hips to steer around your leading foot. So to make a left turn, i lead with my left foot then rotate my hips so that the back right foot swings from behind, redirecting my forward foot. The way it propelled was by allowing you to essentially rotate your hips to 'push' off the ground. Like self propelled snowboarding, you steer with your propulsion. Since your propulsion was essentially staticly oriented, you never had a way to control.

[@TheDutchMagicTeacher]

10 or so years ago i had a waveboard, which seems similar to what you have except the two pieces were connected to each other. So maybe what i remember from that can help you here, to steer, you push your back foot in the opposite direction, not verry far, just about a foot or so, obviously, the further you push that foot, the smaller your turning radius. To gain momentum you would basically steer left to right continuously in quick succession. Hope it helps!

[@Xaaaach]

Oh, so a Ripstick?

[@TheDutchMagicTeacher]

@@Xaaaach yes, that seems to be the same sort of thing

[@sgsax]

"Let's take something easy to use like skates and make it harder! Also add jet turbines!" 😂 Absolute madman. Ridiculous fun. Thanks for sharing!

[@alexnikolas1991]

This is like watching a baby giraffe trying to stand for the first time lol

[@evanrhildreth]

With the foot straps and leg brace, you essentially recreated a boot - you could have started with a pair of in-line skates.

[@nonoyorbusness]

Bringing new meaning to the phrase "break a leg"!

[@muxpux]

I bought a summerboard. It’s a skateboard with castor wheels under it. Rides like a snowboard. Took a while to learn, but now that I can ride it well, you essentially ride on the castors. It’s super fun.

[@alanmartin_89]

Just imagine pulling up in a car park and seeing James Bruton skating around on his newest invention. I would loose my mind. lol

[@matteomascaropennacchi2220]

I rally Love this, This could be used as benefit device and Militar help

[@tubbymitchek]

In theory you should be able to translate your feet(as it would be sideways) and by design you should move forward. With forward momentum, the back and forth motion of the casters would propel you forward I would think. Add in the fans and even more speed.

[@leighguptill9244]

New drinking game: every time he says "caster", take a shot.

[@tenchuu007]

The best part about this solution is the practicality.

[@zernofoo345]

I really want to try this. How confident are you on a ripstick? Perhaps using the same technique as a ripstick will allow more control with more speed

[@CandC68]

When the only way to stop is: Crash or fall, I consider that a warning. So brakes must be added. When the only physical result is: exhaustion: A rest item must be added (seat). When the only apparent steering used is just to keep going straight, and not fall: A steering mod is needed. Congratz, you have reinvented a mini--bike. BTW I loved the attempt, and excellent video. But you do need a support team, including a medic.

[@shizbyrc8438]

You fall more safely than I ever could, sir.

[@chrissugg968]

I love how it just gets bigger and bigger and sillier and sillier as the video goes on.

[@freescape08]

Yeah, about that propulsion thing... the original ripstick already solved that,and it made it more compact by connecting the paddles together instead of to your leg.

[@bphater31]

It took me a week to ride the freeskates. In some way it's similar to snowboarding. But freebord is the most similar. Anyway... Can you make a 4 caster wheels on an angle but wheel position like a skateboard?

[@VarionJimmy]

I’ve realised that the most important thing to get used to is falling. Then you know how to do it without getting (much) hurt. But the parking lot at the end.. what a scary surface! Looks like a grader. 😳

[@victorro8760]

You tilt your ankles in opposite directions to steer on a ripstik. You can't do that with your cut off ripstik since they're strapped to your legs. You could get around this by putting a hinge or something where the strut attaches to the board.

[@arcanealchemist3190]

it was interesting to see james slowly approach a ripstick. like you could probably edit a ripstick underneath him in the final footage and his movements wouldnt be far off. the funniest part is you could for sure go faster on one, with no engines.

[@Lejackal]

Drinking game…take a drink ever time James says Casters lol

[@Sophocles13]

Lol imagine how ridiculous the Wright brothers looked... until they started flying! Keep creating!

[@BobsBikingAdventures]

What a marvellously preposterous contraption. Love it! 😎👌

[@jimysk8er]

just a reminder that with roller blades you make pivoting your feet easier by transferring your weight onto fewer wheels to unload friction and retransfer the load to apply friction to turn. in reality its more of a balancing act between the two. the saving grace is that you have the option of always having two stable wheels to rest on an some limits to movement. the rip stick works because the distance between the pivot points of the casters is fixed. the amazon skate things always have at least two wheels touching the ground and your side to side movement is restricted. these all somewhat act like a sailboat where the keel restricts the tilting movement thus transferring the forces into the direction where it has freedom to move.

[@lasersbee]

Got to hand it to you for not giving up... never laughed so much

[@mistermagnifico]

The surface on the ground changes too. The kitchen is smooth and the carpet offers more friction which helps

[@TheRealAlpha2]

I'd say go back and watch some of those Braille skateboarding videos, after two tor three episodes of them falling on their butts learning rips-skates and free-skates you almost absorb the understanding like Neo in the Matrix learning kung-fu. Granted, I think for either of these you need strong legs, but still impressive that you basically made electric ripskates out of necessity.

[@sabrinazwolf]

I started this video thinking, "Oh, he's just doing a product review, that will be kind of boring", boy was I wrong.

[@5peciesunkn0wn]

"Skating cheat device" *proceeds to make it even harder*

[@eekee6034]

Interesting to see RealVNC advertising. :) In the past, I used VNC extensively as a disability aid, allowing me to lay down or sit up as needed without changing what I was doing. Had to give it up because using a laptop in bed was killing my neck. Touchscreens were better for me, but all of the software I used was absolutely terrible on touchscreen. I kind-of should have adapted that one self-compiling IDE-compiler I was using, but wasn't happy with its coding language. A Raspberry Pi wouldn't be a suitable component of the system anyway.

[@TheonlyaviableID]

I haven't learned to balance on two wheel for each foot, so let's do it on ONE wheel on each fot...with JETS! =) Also, it would have been a perfect moment to add some old "first attempts at flying machines" mixed with your little section at 7:38 =)

[@markohoepken1423]

What a cool "stunt show" this time. Please do not break our neck or head. Overall: Useless but looking SOOO COOL with the fans. Thanks for sharing.

[@Shanemarsh28]

Nice! A winning entry for the most innovative way to break your ankles.😂

[@kameljoe21]

Heelys exists for a reason... I love his attempts at these things!

[@AnotherAnonymousMan]

When you hate your ankles and knees so much you're compelled to destroy them...

[@eliotmansfield]

Ankle Snapper 5000

[@quintonschellenberg575]

Keep at the free skates, they're really fun! It took me just a few days to stay upright, and then a week to get going on flat ground. You'll really notice your legs getting stronger in ways you've never considered.

[@4thWardTechnology]

Those jet thruster made is so exciting!

[@Mu-podcast]

When I watch these kind of videos, I imagine James at 40 being in and same condition as Christopher Pike after the accident. James is just gonna make videos beeping out ideas for new designs.

[@funtv6113]

Haven't laughed that much for while, thanks for good belly laugh

[@leonardodelpuertoburk2439]

These seem like a great way to test wether your knee will break before your ankle snaps or not.

[@thisisabsolutelystup]

James's attempts to break his ankles continue...

[@beaniiman]

Braille Skateboarding cameo, yes!

[@nickcarr5724]

i love how absolutely insane this is.

[@TruMaverick]

Cool design. You rode through the puddle like a champ

[@Graham_Wideman]

"When a bloke has full confidence in the NHS."

[@NR-rv8rz]

At 07:35 did you consider connected the two skates with a bungie cord to avoid leg splay? Could be attached at the shin brace level to prevent the cord from getting tangled in the wheels when your feet are close together.

[@S0UPIE]

I was really surprised to see a Braille Skateboarding reference here. I just bought my first skateboard from them and have been practicing for a few days now.

[@truedepthaquaponics7118]

Im loving the evolution of the design process. Great work 👏

[@speakp4ngolin]

Would actually love to see a caneskate; Like a pole with a single skate on it that allows the entire thing to fold up and telescope into a small package. (Perhaps even a motorized version)

[@aserta]

Whatever else... kudos for putting yourself through that torment. I used to be a pretty good skateboarder, i'd probably be now, the old guy who wipes out trying to show the kids a cool trick, but when i first tried freeliners, i fell over several times until the guy who borrowed the set told me the secret. You need to forget about them being skateboards or skates. They're neither. It's less about continuation of motion (which is the core element of those two) and more about static balance that allows you to move in a direction. It's like that trike that was popular for a couple of years many moons ago, the one where you'd lean left (which would twist the trike body) then lean right, then left, then right and that would create a forward motion. It's similar in that respect. You're using your static balance to create motion.

[@jacobp.6610]

Thats my boy Jeff from JMK freeskates! So good to seem him out in the wild! ❤

[@SamBarker]

Bambi on ice comes to mind! Love it

[@Makujah_]

You should ask Colin for some of his safety ties to wear while testing these highly experimental dangerous prototypes

[@antibrevity]

1:00. My ankles hurt just from watching you do this.

[@Shrrrg]

"Skateboarding is quite easy" My broken wrist disagrees :D

[@truejim]

9:35 It’s also like a bicycle, true? If you’re falling one way on a bike, the angled front fork passively turns the front wheel into the fall, so the forward momentum gets the bike’s wheels under the center of mass again.

[@Peter_Monti]

Hello from Australia 🇦🇺 this video was making me nervous 😅 happy to see you didn't hurt yourself

[@thinfourth]

DAVE!!!!!!! It's that strange man again on the top floor of the carpark

[@MeleeTiger]

"Do you remember when the Hacksmith fell off a longboard with EDF's?" Do you remember the part where he broke his arm when he fell? 🤔

[@Zed_Oud]

So a revisit of the 1000W Caster Scooter with the 30 degree incline?

[@minecrafter0505]

I thought it would be impossible to cut a Waveboard (board with two inline casters) in half and drive around, but apparently, I'm wrong.

[@E1337N3SS]

My man invented sideways heelies! I love it

[@jrzlz]

As an orthopedic surgeon, I love this.

[@michaellong4897]

I was probably 30 something when I first tried the RipStick. It took me a few tries and once I finally got it, a song by Chubby Checker came to mind. “🎵🎶🎵 Come on baby! Let’s do the twist 🎵🎶🎵”

[@djdt_614]

Fun project! You should try moving under your own power like the ripstick which is very similar to what you have except the two platforms are connected by a single axle. On the ripstick you twist your hips back and forth which sends your feet forward and backward. The wheels draw a cross cross S shape on the ground as you propel forward.

[@douglastaylor43]

I don't know why but this is incredibly awesome. Maybe your best build

[@jamesbruton]

Thanks!

[@philb8437]

I can feel the frustration of not being able to stand on those "skates" even if I'm just watching and not even trying ! I think I'm too empathetic !

[@johns1307]

The fans kind of miss the point of the casters. if you move them opposite directions (watch a caster board, its why it twists in the middle) the wheels want to correct themselves to return upright as you described, which gives you a jolt along the axis perpendicular to the twisting motion. You just need to move your feet forwards and back almost like you are walking and you will gain momentum to the side

[@Elimino_P]

World's most elaborate insurance scam. 😆