Colin Furze Built a Magnet Suspension Bike. Physics Made It a Pogo Stick.
Two pairs of neodymium magnets, each rated to hold 500 kilograms, face each other across the frame of a bicycle. No springs. No oil. No air. That's the whole suspension system Colin Furze just built — and it works, right up until the bike hits a real bump and turns into a pogo stick that won't stop bouncing. A spring that never gets tired Push two magnets together with the same poles facing and…
Colin Furze has constructed a bicycle featuring a suspension system powered by magnets, which surprisingly behaves like a pogo stick. The bike utilizes two sets of 500-kilogram neodymium magnets, facing each other along the frame, with repulsion between like poles serving as the suspension mechanism. As the rider hits a bump, the magnetic fields push the wheels back down, much like a coil spring.
However, unlike traditional suspension systems, this setup lacks a damping component, causing the bike to bounce uncontrollably when encountering real bumps. The issue arises from the magnets being unable to dissipate energy, leading to the energy merely oscillating back and forth, resulting in the pogo stick effect. While the concept demonstrates an innovative suspension idea, it is incomplete without a proper damping mechanism, which is what usually complements the spring component in a well-functioning suspension system.
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