The Shweeb Human-Powered Monorail Featured on PopSci's Future of

[erasynth]

I believe he is on to something....we should not only use this but let it be the spark the lights the fire for inventing new exciting and green ways of moving from point A to point B

[TIM00STER]

that would never work lol

[laceyfable]

thats just plain awsome :D

[BalloonJammer]

Solar panels all along the top of the track structure -- a bit of energy and some shade for the riders (could also power linear-induction assist for hills).

[HumanRightsVideosT]

Please watch this video

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One Hour World Record - Francesco Russo & Eiviestretto - 91,556km (by Damjan Zabovnik)

watch?v=jKrx77pNcHc

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The best recumbent bikes can go well over 90 km per hour. So the shweeb is not the fastest pedal powered vehicle

[joneblaze82]

this is dumb for real he spent all that time for that! omg waste of money investors should have asked someone normal jeesus lol get to work stank and smelly or even better a schweeb jam from wreck! lol how to manage a tired scweeber? lol old people cant do it or small kids and not able to relax while in travel, for bike geeks only not practicle but looks fun for sure

[HumanRightsVideosT]

@ joneblaze82

A battery and electric motor could be added for people who want don't like exercise.

[MrLastnamefirstname]

it could be more practical for our aging arthritic populations if the pedal power was optional and helped to recharge an electrical network of mobile batteries. People could choose if they want to exercise to offset high demand when solar powered reserves are running low.

[DerpyHoofs]

@MrLastnamefirstname In that situation everyone would ride for 'free' and it would defeat the entire purpose of this venture. Plus, fuck old people.

[weaternpi]

and underwater would be cool

[boredtodeathstudios]

my teacher made my class watch this

[janosikmusi]

This is stupid to think that this will be a future for human transportation in the future

(I have a new and better solution for human transportation oil free and pollution free  )

[HumanRightsVideosT]

@ janosikmusi

Recumbent bicycles, walking and electric buses could complement this for cities.

[Zoza15]

We Dutch people always cycling, So this concept is great but on the other side also a bit retarded..

[LewisMKster]

This idea will change the world as soon as they change that fucking stupid name.

[HumanRightsVideosT]

@ LewisMKster

Cycle monorail is another name you can use.

[Trolloxius]

The future is near after 2012 we need to get rid of all vehicles and keep this one

[fuunguus]

What if you get a fat guy in front of you? That would suck.

[wayne2ooo8]

my question is how do i invest in this company ;) really im curious :|

[divineagent]

Cool idea; stupid name.

[TheKonebred]

All you guys are like, well what if what if. This thing isn't going top replace anything, just be an added way to get around to ease congestion. It's not like taxis, bicycles, and buses are just going to disappear if these things get produced. The best thing about this is how cheap it is. It looks incredibly easy to assemble and upkeep too. I think it would be awesome to have buildings in the cities connected by rooftop with these things, how frikkin awesome would that be.

[MonocleWizard]

What happens if you're trying to get off, but then some asshole comes up behind you and pushes you past your exit?

[fowad27]

sounds too much like dweeb...

[metalmetalvictory]

what about the vandalism

[haichtee]

what if the chain breaks or you have a heart attack in the middle of a long stretch

[Asianpersuasion3]

Maybe they should have some sort of "certification test" to make sure that very weak or unhealthy people don't ride these things, so that traffic isn't impeded too badly.

Also, it's not like this is going to be the ONLY transportation option. Unhealthy or elderly people can always opt for the bus or train, and probably wouldn't try this in the first place.

[bugbearcub]

This is pretty cool, but I am now just worried about a bee getting stuck in there. Please install an anti-bee device.

[72fr250]

What happens when the guy in front of you goes too slow or stops?? MONORAIL RAGE!!

[eggaweb]

@72fr250 The person behind joins the slower one to slower one in front to create a "Tandem"...

[CSS171717]

For everyone doubting this, go have at look at their actual website. I have noticed that all the sceptical questions on this video are actually asked and answered in the FAQ section. You'll be surprised at how little disadvantages there actually are within the design.

[topherjohnston92]

First you have to build a shweeb to fit an American...

[teta809]

No thanks. Give me an electric car.

[spacerconrad]

I'd stick with a bicycle, if it's all the same. It's bad enough being a slave of sorts to the road... but this is a little *too* attached to the infrastructure. Cool idea, though, and I can see it being a neat sightseeing tool.

[RuiFranciscoVieira]

stupid idea!

[awesomo95]

this is a pretty stupid idea, what about when you are late for work and a fat guy is lagging in front of you, how do you pass those fat assholes? You wont go faster together. You only make the slower fatass a little bit faster, and you go so much slower. and think about the hygiene in one of those capsules. it says this will be public transportation, think about the smell after so many people sweat in there, and then the occasional guy returning from a bar night and puking all over the capsule.

[gigantes1966]

@awesomo95, you seem guided by little imagination or foresight, if i may say so .

the 'dirty' aspect is not some shocking new truth that you are personally introducing. check out your local health club for details and solutions.

secondly, are you saying that it will be impossible in the future to estimate the number of 'fatasses' riding the network, and to plan accordingly? besides which, the more 'fatasses' riding such a network, the more their reduced resource consumption will actually hel

[stevo54838]

@awesomo95 Think of it this way, if the rider behind you is pushing you, it would be easier for you to use a higher gear and if you are using a higher gear, and pedaling, then it woulnt be that much extra work for the rider behind you to push you.

[101funman]

awsome

[viaggiodigusto]

that's really cool!

[VercingetorixXIII]

What a good idea, would like to see the track system though to see how you could go to your own location and am wondering if people who go more than 20 miles one way to work, if its feasable for them, we have so many geniuses in this world, no one listens to their ideas when they should...

[RyanDeBeaumarchais]

Shweeb. That's an odd name. I would've called them chazwozzers!

[mjayperry]

That's so awesome I want one. That would be so much fun.

[gavtatu]

faster than any other pedal powered vehicle ?

so..that would be 80mph+ then....to beat sam wittingham in his streamliner recumbent then ! : )

[sheila37]

would hate to someday see the streets polluted with poles and rails though. :S

and what about if you have an infant with you?

the idea is pretty cool, but still a couple of flaws.

[prohumets]

and what if i wanna go out and someone behind me is pushing me forward? the whole point of bicycle and car is that you are the master of your own time and you can stop wherever you like, this shweeb won't allow it tho...

[Streetcar1743]

I like this non-polluting form of transportatioin. But where are you going to put the stations? That is the downside to pedal powered trains.

[Blackoutx86]

What happens when someone pedals really slow?

[prohumets]

wow, this sucks, i mean really how many of those lines would you need, even the electric lines disturb normal people, now imagine these metal bars everywhere, NO thanks!

[Streetcar1743]

@prohumets Well, do you even care about global warming and clean air, I do. I would love to have a form of transportation that does NOT pollute the air.

[prohumets]

@Streetcar1743 sure, i care about global warning, which has little to do with humans, but still i care and i would love form of transportation that does NOT pollute the air. THIS however isn't the solution. IF somehow they make it possible to pass slower moving pods then MAYBE. joining two pods ain't the solution, sure you could do it with your friend, but you can't do it with 70year old lady or 35year old guy who's just in bad mood.

[awakesshadowsong]

hmm this would not work easy... Even if they had a highway offramp it would still be fucking flooded. Just imagine the cyclists of today, if they get stuck behind an slower person they will be PISSED

[Temoorcoresystem]

if this plan comes to fruititon, im going to gather all seven balls and summon the dragon for eternal life and whizz on this ass busting ride.

[johnnyl33tsauce]

I was skeptical until they said faster users could push slower users. Now I'm seeing a future for this. Handicaps and fatties might not dig it, but everyone else should jump at the opportunity.

[XSm0k3X]

3:20 I would totally be the troll putting forward no effort and being chauffeured around by the person behind me.

Problem, Schweeb?

[tocmo0nlord]

The law enforcement is already thinking of ways to fine you on these things.

[xRawlins]

I hope they have a powered backup. What if someone pulls a muscle in their leg, or has a heart-attack or some other problem that prevents them from peddling?

They would need some way to get them back without sending out a rescue team each time. Maybe charge exuberant amounts for power, forcing people to use it only for emergencies.

[Maniakq1]

this is fuckin amazing!!!!!! looks fun too :D

[mutatron]

How do you get off? It looks like you always have to go to a station to do that. Also I can't imagine that someone wouldn't put a motor on that thing. I mean we have motorized bikes, it wouldn't be long before you'd have motorized Shweebs.

[XianL]

@mutatron I bet they could whip up a mechanism that allows you to change tracks to a station where you could get off. Think highway offramp.

[spongemaster1]

I want it in Montréal! :D

[Moratorium]

What do you do if your predecessor is slow? What if you want to get out? Reminds me of some comedy series. Nice how he is happy about it at 2:07 though.

[xXxcraggyxXx]

an question.... what is with the old people?

[gezasal]

@xXxcraggyxXx old people and people with disabilities ?Will use traditional transport !BUT SISTEMS LIKE THIS HAVE TO EXIST ! For all the people who can use it and want to use it ! I regret i saw this,cause we cant hope to have this in my hometown !

[gathyman]

overtaking?

[gathyman]

@gathyman nvm

[MacGyver0076]

make it so we can put in our destination and the tracks switch as we come up to them to get us there on time, and man i would take this to and from work! slow riders like guys on cell phones, i would be done shoved them hard enough to have them yellin and tryin to get me to stop, LOL.

[Mussletopf]

Oh, and of course, Mr. Snail would tend to just stop moving if he´s a douche bag and speedy couldn´t do anything about it.

[Mussletopf]

Nice idea but through forests? That would suck. I would recommend letting the forest free from this things because it would spoil the natural experience.

[aznate27]

Very cool!

[Michaela1986]

If anybody know how i can get this video please let me know.

[muftare]

if you have realplayer you candown load the video

[Michaela1986]

@muftare thank you man!

[Haraldur34]

scrap all that metal and make some cars.

[helgih580]

There are so many problems with this that I can spot right off the bat. For starters, what about people that need medical assistance, they will have to wait for someone to come and push them and it might take a while to get to the next stop. There is no way this will become a reality unless it will become fully automated (at least in cities). This idea is so old it's not even funny.

[NiceFlavour]

@helgih580 yes you are right with the problem of helping someone who needs medical assistance. But I think, that you should combine shweeb rails with normal traffic in cities, like that the shweeb rail is over the streets. Than nobody who has not the abiltiy to take the shweeb, just can take the bus (e.g.). In my eyes, shweeb is just one of many ideas how to solve the problem of the greenhouse effect... and besides it is saver for bikers in most cities, than riding the bike on the streets... :)

[fr0ber]

"Check out the future of mass transportation" Our future is not this dark, we will never use this for transportation, definitely NOT mass transportation lol.

[helgih580]

@fr0ber If someone completely stops on the track, then I'm gonna ram them so hard that they'll shit their pod.

[Arete777]

Why does he have to push them to start?

What about empty sweep pods on the rail?

[mickeysbigmouths]

Awesome. 

[131KrisKelmi]

one who rides first can relax when someone is behind him

[idea000]

That is a incredible!!!! Congrats on getting your funding from Google!

[mpa324]

i can see it now,getting egged by kids and assholes in one of those..

[ytwarpod]

shame it will never get to real world

[writerwruler]

And what if the world came to an end, eh? How would the shweeb deal with that? Come on, read the webpage and see what their ideas are. They've thought about this for more than a few seconds, come up with the obvious problems and found answers for most.

[klugyboy1500]

Who payed for that track?

[cheegum]

@klugyboy1500 Who paid for your education? Just kidding :-) It's spelt paid, not payed. And schweeb now has funding by Google.

[theblackcommunity]

Only a lazy fatso wouldn't love this idea.

[MegaLameOh]

@theblackcommunity A lazy fatso would ride the front pod and let others do the pedalling

[GordonMckendrick]

shweeb to the moon?

[Nebzz]

Let's build monorails everywhere and then peddle inside of a plastic tube.

People don't even use the monorail now, let alone one where they have to exert some effort to get moving..

[TheBackyardfun]

"women and children have no trouble harping along" Wow,...... thats not sexist at all.

[lauroga]

this idea will take us back in time... it's just a traind without steam powered engine, or a subway without electricity... it gives us no freedom, imagine you having to drive a wet and stinky thing like that the handle covered with sweat, the sit where you lay your back wet in sweat, the small cabin stinking sweat.

what if someone gets tired in the middle of the track? what if his legs start to hurt? no ar conditioning, after many hous under the sunlight you wouldn't be able to breath hot air

[nightosumomo]

See all the technological details, such as how stations, multiple lines and switches work on the Shweeb page: shweeb.com

[VimisiDigitalMedia]

@Dworf33 - Naturally, there would need to be more than one rail. But ONE FATALITY would stop that rail, PLUS the area below it for rescue, unless the ill/dead person is "pushed" to the next "pod station". - Realistically, the foot print required is like a railway system. Seriously, do we (as a society) REALLY NEED another grid of metal poles and rails polluting the air space? Will "Mrs. Fast" lose her patience behind "Grandpa Slow"? - Google invested $1 mil, which could have been used better!

[VimisiDigitalMedia]

Let's see... What if some "out-of-shape" cyclist has a heart attack? He or she is STUCK in a "bike-pod", dangling over head someplace above traffic? ONE DEATH, and the whole systems STOPS, probably for hours, or PERMANENTLY! Could be good to get around the workplace, or a college campus, but that's about it. I'd say it's wishful thinking, at best.

[Dworf33]

@VimisiDigitalMedia

implying there would be only one rail. When there is one rail per road the other pods can just take another road.

And I think that having fatal accidents in such a thing is far less likely than car accidents (which also stop traffic for hours).

[metallitech]

meh, just a singletrack and a bike would be almost as good and a millionth the price. The idea of these being high in the air is a ridiculous dream.

[faiscadomunde]

omg I want one!!!

[puffin02]

No. It might work as a one-way loop tourist ride. Not as an urban commuter system.

Any time any pod on the line stops for any reason, the whole line must stop. So riders can't just get on and off where they want. You'd need entry and exit points on sidings - "pod stops". Even with a smart system to control entry, collisions would be inevitable. Any such collision, anywhere on the main line, and the whole system fails.

No. It can only work if everything goes right all the time. Never happens.

[blackh0lEE]

@puffin02 You can make a system for easily unmount at certain stops, just like a bus does. Simply build a side track and a mechanism that unmounts just the capsules that desire that.

[incompletedominant]

@puffin02 We're able to handle those rail system issues with streetcars so I wouldn't write off the concept. I imagine collisions would be more predictable, preventable, and hopefully less deadly than the average car accident. The wildcard is the sanity of drivers, but I think I'd rather have an insane cyclist behind me than an insane car.

[earlydeaf]

The physics defying claims made in this video are quite interesting. Specifically the claim that one person pushing two people results in higher speeds than one person working and riding alone. While a recumbent rider in an aerodynamic enclosed HPV can achieve and maintain higher speeds there are trade-offs. A friend of mine built a aerodynamically enclosed recumbent HPV and can cruise in excess of 40 mph, however, but cannot use his vehicle in the summer in Minnesota due overheating issues.

[Edekje]

to go to school i cycle about 8 KM in 30 minutes this would hlf that time and mae it far more fun!

[troglodyto]

this is so freaking cool.. i hope this happens in toronto lol

[fieyr2002]

@smallispowerful Ohhhhhh. Makes sense. Thanks.

[Antimidation]

If your a selfish or greedy capitalist this probably isn't the thing for you.

[Antimidation]

First off to the nay sayers : It states in the video that you can travel at 50mph with the same or less energy it takes to ride a mountain bike that does 30mph. He also states that this would replace "bike lanes" not all roads, it's just like any other form of transportation, you can choose to ride it if you want, but it's the cleanest and most efficient way to do so. This isn't suppose to be for moving your damn sofa, or a refrigerator. Well done.

[SurfCoastGuy]

not good if you stuck behind old grandpa heading into the city to pick up his pension check

[lilblitz]

@SurfCoastGuy 3.16 good to watch before commenting

[heyjoesoap]

@SurfCoastGuy Listen at 3:17

[zakhenry]

Google just invested $1million USD towards this project. Should be interesting to see what developments happen

[Nailsinmytummy]

@zakhenry It seems to me that they could have invested more, knowing how they invested 3million on Public.resourge.org

[blackholevision]

i have a bike

[heyjoesoap]

@blackholevision Listen at 1:28

[fieyr2002]

I don't understand how 2 people can make it go faster than the speed of the faster person.

[drclaudetv]

It looks awesome and seems to have so many advantages and benefits. I am wondering what the landscape will look like with all the rails everywhere. And although it looks like my Schweeb can go fast and will not be slowed down by slower riders in front of me, what happens when any rider wants to get out of his vehicle-- especially as the Schweeb, gets popular. Will that not slow me down--waiting for riders to step out?

Dr Claude Windenberger

[nobodypersonsomeone]

Wow imagine the possibilities, this could be awesome but I dunno it probably wont catch on

[DiegoUSD]

"But what if someone refuses to pedal or goes really slowly?"

Should the rider in front refuse to pedal, the extra effort required by the rider(s) behind is minimal due to the low rolling resistance and single aero-pressure point of the peloton.

[hoylguy11]

@DiegoUSD well by the time this idea gets real we hope the people will be more educated

[beerpongmasterss]

It looks so cool, now test it with the 1 million dollar you won! gratz

[puffin02]

Yes. What about heat? Those pods would heat up awful fast with a human inside putting out, what? Several hundred watts, maybe. Air circulation would be absolutely vital, but what does that do to the streamlining of the pod?

And, as a system, it assumes that all humans are co-operative. I can see a whole class of commuters who'd slow down to get an assist from those behind them, and then switch off altogether, simply to get a free ride. Why not? It profits them, doesn't it?

[artuno1207]

@puffin02 Didn't you see the holes they have on the sides? It allows air to circulate, and during the winter, you can just dress warmly.

[hoylguy11]

@puffin02 people like this way of thinking that doesnt allow great ideas to be carried on.

[Gallopingsquirrels]

Not a feasible idea, this idea has been tried and tried again, will never become popular or actually used. What if you are bringing something heavy like a refrigerator, or piano, how are you going to transit those? What if there is an emergency, how are you going to simply pull over? How exactly do you "switch lanes" to go somewhere else?

Really, this will never happen, so don't get your hopes up.

[UHtiger]

@Gallopingsquirrels id say its more for business people who 95% of the time are only taking a briefcase to work,

[andreartdotnet]

what happens if you are lame person and your chain broke and you are stopped womewhere in hight height

[scej79]

Awesome idea, I would think that they should be set up at the rail to generate electricity as it moves. Power lights in the cars at night, and maybe the stations where you would get on one. Free power.

[korneliss]

"extra weight adds to the momentum." right. If you're going downhill.

[Godsmack399]

@korneliss

seems like someone does not know how momentum works.

What has more momentum, a smart car or a semi truck when they are both traveling at the same velocity. The semi, why because momentum is mass times velocity

[scubasteve041186]

also what about the dare-devils trying to go as fast as possible. how much force will that pod withstand before ripping off? what if i'm doing the 50mph and i ram a standstill pod? whats stopping that. whats making sure retards don't get out of the pod over the safari? what about an accident that would allow them to evac the pod? ie. broken rail.

[SeanACampbell]

@scubasteve041186

Like any new system, it would need to develop safety features. On the point of some idiot flying into a stopped person, its not as if we don't have that problem on the roads in cars. I expect you would receive a similar penalty as if you did it in a car. The vehicles would probably need to be built to withstand crashes. As for getting out in the Safari I would assume a simple locking system (with perhaps an emergency override) but if they did jump out its their own problem.

[UHtiger]

@scubasteve041186 i suppose the same reason retards dont get out in a car at a safari, its not like people are restrained normally.

[scubasteve041186]

@UHtiger

haha none the less there are always going to be those people. how many videos have we seen of when animals attack cause some guy got out of the vehicle to "pet" the lion

[scubasteve041186]

cool idea. what happens when i want to get off but someone is pushing me? must have like train like switch rails to get off at certain stops? or potentially you could be pushing like 8 people that are lazy. now what about the larger people. those look like they fit relatively fit people now what about the obese? must always have the adjustable seat.. and peddles.. what else... i guess weathering... will the pulley system hold up to a winter.

[Chiflado21]

Those pods will get hot (and eventually sweaty) in summer ... but I really like the idea

[JasonDamisch]

and don't get rained on! ! ! !

YIPPIE !

[JavaJaxRex]

cool, but what if some homeless type decides to fall asleep in one in the middle of a track? push him about?

Very nice idea, at any rate. Not sure if it will catch on.

[gameprohalo]

@JavaJaxRex men that was fcking fun about the homeless falling asleep

[BreezehBree]

@JavaJaxRex Essentially, I'm sure that is what people would do. Or they could have a traffic guard or something to run along and nudge vehicles that aren't moving.

Of course, I'm sure that other modes of transport will still be being used. But I think this could catch on. Since it's eco-friendly, designed to keep traffic moving, and encourages physical fitness, it battles three problems in one. The timing, though, is a bit poor. It's up to governments to decide if it's worth the investment

[askfault]

AuthorityComplex mentioned something about if someone fell out over a safari park..

Perhaps a retinal scanner can be setup in these pods to purposefully drop most wanted criminals, corrupt officials, or the likes into alligator farms, shark tanks, or safari parks as mentioned above. Shweeb feeders would automatically scan if the occupant is one of the forementioned undesireables and eject them while over hungry animal farms.

Feeds the planet and boosts moral world wide.

Can't ask for more..

[TroyOi]

@askfault Neat idea. And with Google involved, any and all records of that person's existence can probably be made to conveniently "disappear".

[jithin15]

wow..thats pretty kl...once all the kniks are fixed that will be a hit!

[AuthorityComplex]

how do you stop. can you switch lanes, what if you want to stop and the person behind you doesnt. what if someone falls asleep in one. Public liability insurance for falling out of one would be massive, especially over a safari park.

[BreezehBree]

@AuthorityComplex I imagine there would have to be some sort of signals installed. Maybe a switch that shows a sign through the rear that you're getting off at the next stop?

And I think the idea is that it eliminates the need for switching lanes. It's track system would be more similar to the Metro than a highway. Stops at certain locations, and you find the line that goes to where you need to go. It's a public transportation system, not "gonna Schweeb to a friend's just a few minutes away"

[AuthorityComplex]

@BreezehBree Good explanation. Thumbs up!