High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike - Gizmodo Comments

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

shellyshakeup — Tue, 27 May 2008 16:23:45 EDT

the funny thing is, he prolly did this the night before. us ib kids are such procrastinators.

this might be his personal project if he is a sophmore. but whateve. pretty kick ass project if you ask me =]

shellyshakeup

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

lanceboyle00 — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:41:04 EST

I'm gonna make a killing selling these to the amish!!

lanceboyle00

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

lex0pop — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 22:04:46 EST

"Ladies my great accomplishment, BEHOLD my big woodie, take it for a ride, but please be gentle"

lex0pop

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

r34p3rex — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 23:54:41 EST

to all you faggots pretending that this is all he can afford.. you should be shot.

he built this as a project - not for daily usage. probaly more than what you can ever build.. disrespectful ingrates..

anyway, i thought his project was very well done

r34p3rex

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

smeee — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 22:07:49 EST

Nice to know us IB kids aren't alone...Looks like it was for CAS if you ask me...Creativity maybe. I just went to a crap mock United Nations gathering.

smeee

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

wizzledizzle — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 21:35:01 EST

This guy needs to work for Ikea, maybe some the the furniture would be built better.

wizzledizzle

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

jonzeng — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 19:56:47 EST

This made my IB Personal Project look like a crock of shit.

jonzeng

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

AdmNaismith — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 16:48:00 EST

Water-based wood glue, is it?

AdmNaismith

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

givemeyourtots — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 16:10:25 EST

I want a video of him taking it downhill. :)

givemeyourtots

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

wonkydonky — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 15:13:35 EST

Epic Win for DaVinci Junior!

+++ CAN YOU DEAL WITH THAT, -Norm Abram!!!!!!!!!!

wonkydonky

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

tuckerch — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 15:13:09 EST

"HAHA! Screw you, Magneto! Wring your gloved hands in frustration as my all wooden bike negates your power over all things metal as I flee from your malign presence!"

tuckerch

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

askmattrix — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 15:06:36 EST

That ratcheting system is ingenious! I would love to hear it while he back pedals... Good work kid!

askmattrix

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

osupuck19 — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 15:06:27 EST

Ouch!!! Watch out for those butt splinters!

osupuck19

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

blaerk — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 14:26:32 EST

I want this man to do my joinery! I really want to see what he's building ten years from now.

blaerk

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

tzirbel — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 14:16:33 EST

Brings a new meaning to "Want to ride my woody?"
Nice work of art.

tzirbel

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

balloondoggle — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 13:31:06 EST

I love this project and the level of work that went into it is impressive for any age. Working out the ratchet for downhill coasting is cool too, but I have a question:

Where are the brakes?

balloondoggle

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

DeadWriter — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 12:58:22 EST

He's ready to take the Professors place on Gilligan's Island.

DeadWriter

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

XJ_4x4 — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 12:57:29 EST

I read about some guy in Africa who made an all bamboo bike awhile back, and wood bikes are somewhat common in Africa (from a casual web search). Composite bikes with wood frames and other parts made of metal come up in the same search. There's even one here in Gizmodo somewhere (Jana?) ;-)
(But yeah, for a 16 year old, this is quite a feat.)

XJ_4x4

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

ANoel — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 12:46:39 EST

@nutbastard:
Boy Scouts?

/peace M8 couldn't resist

ANoel

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

SeattleTed — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 12:42:09 EST

@halfro: LOL. That could be said for about everything on this site.

SeattleTed

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

photog — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 12:40:40 EST

from the article: [marco says] "There was to be no metal used in its construction, only wood and glue."... the 100% wood was gizmodo's add, not marco's... and "I am required to complete a 'personal project' on a non-academic topic that is of interest to me."... not one of use by the community. given the objectives, it seems he certainly met them (and exceed them, perhaps, by making a freewheel)... very impressive, methinks.

photog

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

nutbastard — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 12:12:18 EST

When I was 16 I had way more wood than that.

nutbastard

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

nutbastard — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 12:11:49 EST

@Escamotage:
100% Non-metallic bicycle would be a slightly more accurate description.

nutbastard

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

LittleJon — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 12:01:44 EST

Where's the wooden helmet? He's under 18. At least here in California (and probably many other states), under 18 year olds have to wear a helmet.

Seriously though, this is an impressive piece of work. I doubt the wooden chain would stand up to much though.

LittleJon

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy! — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 12:01:04 EST

@your_boring: I think in this case, it's a pretty sure bet that the bike is at least well over 95% wood. That given, I think we can simply round it.

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

Autotom — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:57:25 EST

i dont mean to be an ass but its not 100% wood if there's glue in it.

Autotom

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

kyledwards — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:54:53 EST

I love all things with two wheels. That freewheel and chain are amazing. Seat will probably take away your ability to have children.

Good work Dude....

kyledwards

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

Matthew77 — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:53:29 EST

Gilligan built one of these in the 60s using only the materials he could find on the island. This is hardly innovative.

Matthew77

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

j4sk868 — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:43:08 EST

Dang dude. thats amazing. nice job!!!

j4sk868

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

SigmundTheSeaMonster — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:40:54 EST

Release the termites!!!

SigmundTheSeaMonster

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

iomatic — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:34:57 EST

Wow. What a bunch of jealous pessimists here.

Lighten up, the kid built a wooden bike. Jebus.

iomatic

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

Ellomdian — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:29:52 EST

Seriously? My IB program required the project to be of use to the community to keep mastrubative projects like this out of the picture.

Neat bike, but it irritates me that it's practically useless on a community or global scale.

Ellomdian

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy! — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:26:28 EST

@tobedetermined: "Why is this newsworthy?"

Cuz yo' happy ass didn't come up with that superwidget the Giz editors were waiting for. That's why.

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

Escamotage — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:25:33 EST

It's not really 100% wood if there's joints and glue on it, is it?

Escamotage

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

nutbastard — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:20:28 EST

I's put some holes in the wheels just for the weight reduction... except no one seriously rides this thing, right? I didn't RTFA - how are the bearings on these things? or is it just a snug fit with a lot of grease? lacking ball bearings, he can't be freewheeling for long.

nutbastard

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

nosauten — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:18:23 EST

@impliedsurprise: I agree.
Aren't we in the 21st century?
In other news, high school st-o-o-dent invents Fire! Stop the presses!

nosauten

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

shift_nismo — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:04:30 EST

splinters must suck.. since bike seats ride the groined.

shift_nismo

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

tamoko — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 10:53:53 EST

Next he should make a recumbent version. Props to Marco

tamoko

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

impliedsurprise — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 10:51:50 EST

50 years later....

"Did I ever tell you kids how I built a bike entirely out of wood when I was 16?"

"Grandpa, WTF? They didn't have metal back then? How old ARE you?

impliedsurprise

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

paqman — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 10:50:36 EST

"Wut, no spokes for the baseball card?"
Lol, no need, not with those clackers he's got on there.

paqman

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

M.A.X. — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 10:40:38 EST

For 16 years old, this is quite an accomplishment. Take that, you overweight, Guitar Hero playing, Wangsters!

M.A.X.

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

thepeopleselbow — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 10:28:22 EST

a local vampire was killed today when his wooden bicycle broke-apart upon impact with a curb, he was impaled through the heart with his own handlebar... And now the weather!

thepeopleselbow

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

zenpoet — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 10:23:57 EST

@tobedetermined: Why did your mother not hold her water and drown you?

That may be a bit harsh, but seriously, how is this not a newsworthy gizmo?

Epic Win for 16 year old Marco.

zenpoet

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

Archipod — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 10:05:39 EST

What the hell man..I did IB and never got to do anything cool like that, just write essays and more essays. :(

Archipod

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

strider_mt2k — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 09:45:07 EST

@tobedetermined: A hand made wooden bicycle isn't a gizmo?

Wow that's busting balls.

strider_mt2k

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

OtterKing — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 09:44:51 EST

It looks like he did a great job. but still, that must shit must ride hard.

OtterKing

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

kevjohn — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 09:29:44 EST

@Marty200: Don't worry, he'll learn sooner or later.

Now, on a completely unrelated note... what are those "cut fingers" for??

kevjohn

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

tobedetermined — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 09:29:27 EST

Why is this newsworthy?

tobedetermined

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

Canadian Impostor — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 09:20:34 EST

He should have made it fixed gear. Freewheeling is for losers.

Canadian Impostor

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

mr_oshodi — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 09:18:05 EST

very creative!! may be he can start a wood bike company with seniors as his target consumers in mind and a life insurance in case the cut fingers breaks...:D

mr_oshodi

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

scarbrtj — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 09:13:23 EST

Now he gets to tell all the girls he is good with wood.

scarbrtj

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

The Terminator — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 09:06:47 EST

Can you say, "virgin"?

BTW, LOL, dcartist!

The Terminator

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

iffi-p1 — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 09:05:26 EST

HAH - It's only a one speed. LOSER

iffi-p1

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

usaplanb — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 08:57:05 EST

That is a beautiful piece of work... I'd pay a lot for that if I had money. I don't know why he didn't just make a fixed gear though. That would have taken out a lot of complexity.

usaplanb

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

reddingofish — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 08:52:39 EST

Ouch! That seat looks painfull. Where is the gel pad?

reddingofish

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

P3nnst8r — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 08:43:21 EST

Wut, no spokes for the baseball card?

P3nnst8r

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

IrisMR — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 08:38:38 EST

Sweet thing! Must've taken a lot of patience.

IrisMR

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

cameraz — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 08:28:12 EST

That bike gives me a woodie! Nice work!

cameraz

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

strider_mt2k — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 08:24:59 EST

@jamstigator: You beat me to it.
Awesome!

This is worth putting in a museum, seriously.
Beautiful work, but as stated, perhaps you shouldn't get it wet. :)

strider_mt2k

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

SgtBeavis — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 08:11:17 EST

As a life long woodworking hobbiest I have to salute this kid. That is one fine piece of woodworking. Nicely done.

SgtBeavis

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

dcartist — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 08:10:36 EST

He should be grateful.

Rubber shortages is the reason he was born in the first place...

dcartist

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

Marty200 — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 07:34:17 EST

@Kludge: (His explanation is on page 3 of the LeeValley article).

You actually read the article? You must be new to the internet.

Marty200

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

Hestika — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 07:34:02 EST

Jeez, for my IB project I built a thermocouple calibrated for use as a thermometer.

Hestika

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

xint — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 07:27:02 EST

Hey, wait a minute... wouldn't that thing go up in flames if you go too fast?

xint

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

Mr_Guiyotinne — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 07:24:06 EST

Amazing project! That takes lot of time and patience. He will do great in life.

Mr_Guiyotinne

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

jamstigator — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 07:17:43 EST

After a hard rain and some drying time, it even achieves warp(ed) speed!

jamstigator

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

MonkeyHammer — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 07:08:03 EST

That thing must make a hell of a clacking noise when it's freewheeling! Which would be cool, of course.

MonkeyHammer

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

xint — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 07:06:40 EST

...watch out for them holes on the road, Marco!!!

xint

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

Kludge — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 06:49:49 EST

@Compact: The cut fingers were originally as long as the other fingers in the ratchet, but he found that with that many fingers the ratchet was too hard to turn - which would mean that although he could cycle, he couldn't freewheel (the whole point of having the ratchet system in the first place). So he shaved the fingers first (to make them more flexible), then when that wasn't enough he just shortened every other finger so that it didn't engage. (His explanation is on page 3 of the LeeValley article).

Kludge

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

Serolf Divad — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 06:46:19 EST

For less than the price of a cup of coffee each day, you can help Marco, or another child like him, buy a real bicycle with an aluminum frame and steel chain links that won't come apart the moment he tries to pedal.

Serolf Divad

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

hu_hu_cool — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 06:31:06 EST

@Compact: Its the rachet.

hu_hu_cool

High School Student Builds 100% Wooden Bike

Compact — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 06:24:16 EST

Very cool

But what are the short 'Cut fingers' for?

Compact