Rear Wheel Steering Recumbent

A Rear Wheel Steering Recumbent designed by Dennis Renner. This 23 pound recumbent has 700c wheels and a chromoly frame. The wheels have vectran spokes for lightness and comfortable ride. Here is a link to up close pictures of the frame for all you home builders out there.
picasaweb.google.com/Denrnr/FW...
Here is a link to the history of the RWS bicycle, I think you will find it very interesting. www.wannee.nl/hpv/abt/e-index.htm They conclude that a RWS is unstable and impractical.

[@Denrnr]

There is a learning curve to riding this bike even if you are used to a recumbent. A friend of mine took about 20 minutes to learn to ride this design. I don't have any plans as of now. It was built of aircraft grade 4130 chromoly and 6061 aluminum tubing. No used bike frames were injured or kill in the making of this bike. Thanks for you interest.

[@pedroclaro7822]

Wouldn't be unstable if It were a Trike, but that would require either two wheels in the back or two wheels in the front and a differential. I'm going to build my own and I'm incline towards the latter.

[@chuckrichey9260]

That's phenomenal!! It looks like a lot of your weight is distributed nicely towards the front wheel where your power is generated. What an excellent design.

[@Luminaring]

Interesting how people observe new technology... You've got a good looking, stable recumbent, honest about the learning curve, and yet out of 35k views only 132 likes. That's how people are...they want super popular. This is what UCI understood, they dominated bike racing for many weeks with one bike design...making it popular and thus more sales of that design.

[@cbulen]

Fantastic video! Great idea to spread the word about FWD-RWS bikes! Someday, when I finish my car project, I will get busy on my own bike (something I have dreamed of building since 1994 when I read about Cornelius's FWD-RWS bike).

[@williemaynor7530]

So far I have see five builds . This is the only one I have seen someone ride it. Very sick🤙

[@jdtube]

holy crap... that's where i live... i am looking this guy up fast. in fact i met you at the mayors ride. nice work!

[@rogerunderhill7846]

This is what I have been looking for!!!!!

[@armandocanoespinoza3414]

This is the perfect design, i just always thought it must Not have chain, as the kervelo

[@iLoveu4ll]

I made a design for something like this over the last couple days. It'll be made out of a 26inch 18 speed mountain bike. It will have normal handlebars though, connected by linkages to the rear wheel. there will be three handlebar tubes (or whatever they're called) that pivot for the steering. The center tube will be in front of the seat with a rod going diagonal to the one in front of it and a rod straight back to the rear from the very front.

[@Denrnr]

Yes it is very stable. In convention bicycle design there is always more weight over the drive wheel than the steering wheel. This design follows the same thinking.

[@Denrnr]

This is my original design. It is simular to what others have done. What I did different was the steering ratios. I do not have plans to offer frameset or plans. Who knows what might change in the future.

[@iLoveu4ll]

@iLoveu4ll So when the handle bars turn one direction, the rear wheel turns the opposite, but the bike turns the correct direction. It'll be a long wheelbase recumbent. Seeing your bike in action makes me want to go outside and start cutting up my bike right now haha.

[@Docv400]

I would class this as TWO wheel steering, much like the basic Python design, this just has the pivot point slightly further rearwards. I don't think you can separate either wheel's movement relative to the other, as you can with the front wheel steering of a 'normal' Bicycle. I would put this in the same 'bracket' as a Skateboard, where both ends steer together.

[@raftmant]

Hi. I plan to build a rear wheel steer recumbent, I have read that Python has stable problems in high speeds. How fast have you ridden it? Was it wery stable?

[@Pixouf]

Fantastic bike !

[@dodden1]

Very interesting design. Would there be any disadvantage to moving the steering pivot forward. I built a similar fwd rws recumbent back in 1983, the pivot was more vertical. I just could not ride it, so it was made into a trike and then the junk heap.

[@VRagusila]

I am interested to know how fast did you manage to ride it, and if the bike became too unstable at high speeds. I understand it is ridable, but do you know if it is dynamically stable (ridable with no hands?). Thank ou

[@jeffreyinloes1]

is there a chance that I could talk to you personally about your recumbent knowledge? I am part of a team that is building one for a competition and would love to pick your brain a little

[@saurus1989]

How hard is it to ride in the beginning, assuming one is used to riding recumbent? Do You have any building specifications available? It's a really interesting project. Looks neat, has a very simple drivetrain and the weight is really impressive. Is it made from scrap road bike frames?

[@johnkang2000]

Would you say it's possible to make it more stable by increase weight load on front?

[@olsonspeed]

Looks great, many have given up on the dream of the RWS, the problems seemed insurmountable. Is this based on the Python or and original design? I have never seen the unique handlebar setup before, it looks like you have the solution to the problem.Will you be offering plans, or framesets?

[@saurus1989]

So is it stable? Look how low & compact it could be made if designed for 20" and the rider was moved a bit to the rear. Is the current weight distribution good, it seems to have a front weight bias, but maybe it's the key to stabilizing FWD RWS?

[@Boyntonstu]

Have you considered a RWS leaning delta?

[@NordicKayaker]

is 23 pound the weight of the frame, or the bike including all parts? It semes low for the whole bike.

[@rodjava]

Great design. Any chance of sharing your design with a fellow bent builder? BTW, I enjoyed your other vids too. Rod San Francisco

[@basilnielson4031]

You cant realy call it rearwheel steer its more like center-steer.

[@stevenboelke6661]

I'm wondering about the viability of this concept on an ebike... I'm disappointed to see that there were no significant demonstrations of its (in)ability to make sharp turns.

[@amitaimedan]

Didn't see match steering bro...

[@SandorFule]

Very promising! The bike. The video is much less exciting :) The first 80% is flat, the music is khm... not my favorite. :)