ASU Project

1
ASU Project

• Andrew Del Donno 06

2
Concept

• A converted bicycle
• Pitch stabilized with a large sail allowing it to
  only ride on the main wheel at speed
• Tail for steering while in this configuration
• Tailwheel for steering at low speeds
• Adjustable seat for proper CG placement
• Thin airfoil theory calcs. Demonstrated stability
  at 10mph

3
Construction

• Bicycle obtained, left intact except for seat
  removal.
• Square tube boom welded and bolted onto bike
• Round tube wing supports welded on
• Adjustable seat assembly built and welded to bike
• Tail assembly and control cable guides built from
  welded tube
• Control cables attached, crossed over to allow
  proper steering
• Sail material added (bedsheets and a piece of
  .020Al)

4
Testing

• Discovery during testing vehicle has no roll
  stability
• Apparently neither torso balance or gyroscopic
  effect has much to do with roll stability in a
  bicycle, rather minute corrections of the front
  steering allow a rider to stay in balance.
  Despite riding a bike for 8 years, I had never
  realized this.
• Training wheels were added to the bike to
  stabilize it in roll, but I have not yet been
  able to find a large enough place to fully test
  it.

5
Future Improvements

• Better training wheels, making it more ridable
• An electric motor to remove the destabilizing
  effect of pedal motion
• Not much else besides that, the concept was
  flawed.