GENIUS! I can see that being PERFECT for those that get home late, or leave early and MUST clear snow before even thinking of moving in or out of the driveway... Fast, clean and SILENT!
This is AWESOME! There is no not liking this...great idea, good exercise, and fun. its practically a mini tonka truck! The only modification I would make is bigger tires and bigger plow.
This rocks!!! I could see so many wanting this from coast, to coast, to coast. So many applications when you just can't use a motorized plow. Just Grand.
+Red Tankgirl Thank you! I have a pedal quad converted for use as a lawn and garden tender, complete with a dump box on the back. Stay tuned for that video!
@Mudslunger833 The plow blade was made from a 12' diameter plastic pipe. The frame was built using angle iron and square tubing. The turntable was cut from a flat sheet of 1/4" steel plate using a jigsaw and metal blade. A spring loaded pin locks the turntable. The lifting arm is square tubing that is hinged just above the turntable and is connected to the plow with a length of chain. This allows free vertical movement of the plow over uneven terrain. The gearing on the quad was also lowered.
Having pushed snow with pickup trucks, ATV's and shovels, I can say with authority that this is one of the coolest things I've ever seen. The fact that you can adjust that blade so easily is a wonderment to me. Very very nice. That has a huge future I think.
Barbara Coppins Thank you! Yes, being able to adjust the plow from the seated position was very important to me when I designed this plow. I will have more improvements to come! I will admit that I watched and studied snow plow operators using pick up trucks, to observe their techniques in managing the snow removal, and how their equipment operated and responded. Momentum of the vehicle is a key element that I noticed for successful movement of snow, and it is very important in the operation of my snow plow.
@Crushdunderfoot Actually, that was my motivation for creating it! I already have a salt/sand spreader for the rear. I'm working on a lawn mower and sweeper attachment for it.
@DarthRiggle You are exactly right! It is a great substitute for the snowblower on many occasions. It's the 'fun' factor that makes building one so worth while!
Actually it's a cool idea and it's seems to work for him pretty well. A little work on the plow, better gear ratio would mean less work from the legs, bigger tires for more traction... I initially laughed but this thing works ... I like it.
Many thanks for uploading your video. Certainly easy and quicker than dealing with a powered plough for small areas. Bit ambitious using it on the snow you did really, but it worked. Take care. mrbluenun
As soon as I clicked the video I was ready to laugh while watching a crappy non-working thing but... this is really good! Works really well! :O Kudos to you good sir, and keep improving it! :)
Interesting. I and two other members of the Human Powered Transportation Association were contracted by a large Canadian Amusement Show company, to design and build a 'Human Powered Train' for their business. It was a great hit, especially when used in parades. It had six attached cars carrying two to four people. Bicycle pedal cranks pushed by the passengers supplied the power for the drive wheels on each car. We had fun building that one!
I also like the idea as well for the lawn mower. Perhaps you could weld 2 (or more) hand mowers side by side and somehow attach them to the front, perhaps with the same lifting mechanism?
Reminds me of an Allis Chalmers G series (Cuban) tractor. I thought about something similar for large scale gardening (micro farming). Dirt is a lot harder to push around than snow.
@MegaRallycar It does take effort to push the snow, but I found it easier with the quad than with an ordinary shovel. The quad's lower gearing gives a better mechanical advantage than the 1:1 muscle power of the human body. The seating position also makes if more comfortable and puts less strain on the back muscles. The snowplow's performance is limited to the physical ability of the operator. I find it fun to use, especially on a quiet snowy night. I love plowing with no roaring engine noise!
Actually, I do have a salt spreader for it. It was originally built for a small garden tractor and works well with no modifications. I just added a trailer hitch to the back of the snow plow! That was an easy-to-add accessory. The fun factor with this machine is incredible!
Hey Bob , the more weight you put on that the better traction you will have. I recommend you put gravy on everything you eat (like I do) it should help. Your little plow is such a great idea. There have been so many times that the snow wasn't enough to use the snowblower but I have a huge driveway,so even a couple of inches is still a lot of work. I often wondered why nobody ever came up with a bolt on plow for a snow blower. That would work a lot better on 2 inches of slushy crap.
@thetrailduster The loss of steering control is scary on a highway. I had to aim the velo in advance taking advantage of the directional traction of the rear axle. It worked, but it was not perfect. That is why a posi-traction differential would be nice, or just one large, wide wheel in the back may work. The single wheel tadpole concept is on my drawing board. It may be less stable, but traction and steering is certain!
Yes, it is a lot of fun! No back ache and you always have a seat to relax on and regain your energy. I do need to build a roof to keep the snow off of me.
Yeah, well, we can see that he cleared a large driveway of what, maybe 8 inches deep of snow, in under 10 minutes. It's either a driveway or parking lot and if it's a driveway for a home, then it's a wide one. I haven't seen driveways this wide very often. But, my guess is that it'd take longer with a regular motorized snowblower. The plow on this human powered machine is much wider than regular snowblowers are and those things move more slowly. They're slower based on my experience anyway. So, they're slower and narrower; therefore, it should then take longer to clear a given area of snow with them. Hence, he gets the job done more quickly and it doesn't cost a penny for gasoline or fuel. Maintenance costs will surely be lower as well. To maintain it over long term may cost a bit for materials but nothing for labour. He made the machine and will do the maintenance work himself. I don't think he's going to bill himself for labour. :)
mikecorbeil You are correct. It is faster when comparing it to the average snow blower, when the amount of snow to be moved is not to heavy, or deep. The powered snow blowers have many safety devices and levers that have to be manipulated, which wastes time, and their ground speed is regulated to be slow and safe. I would like to add more forward gears to increase speed, and a Nuvinci infinitely variable hub would be perfect. The other great advantage to all human powered machines is the low maintenance. I like the park-and-forget-it feature. No old gas and gummed up carburetors to worry about!
@marktwainisgod Just so you know, my tricycle snowplow has that dual-drive split axle set up. It always gets traction, but it acts as a reverse differential with the inside wheel getting the power and the outside wheel freewheeling. The design fights the turning ability of the front wheels when on ice and snow. It constantly wants to track in a straight line. I unfortunately used this design on my Stormy Weather velomobile, and lost steering control on slippery surfaces.
This is fantastic man, great design and engineering. I was not expecting this to work well at all but you proved me wrong, this is extremely practical and efficient. Excellent job!!!!!
I would't want to live there , but good workout , If I did live in a cold snow filled landscape . I would hitch up to a 4 wheeler , or something , again great exercise. God bless
Yes, it is currently only 1 wheel drive. I thought about locking up the other wheel however, my fear is that I will lose steering ability. A solid rear axle with a center pivoting frame would be best if a drive system could be developed to keep the pedals in the same position. The plow mechanism works great! It is the vehicle and drive design that greatly needs improvement. The tires are deep lug with soft rubber and work well in most conditions. I would add studs to the tread to aid traction.
@godzillafan101 I have found that soft rubber works better than chains in most occasions. The tires are deep lug snowblower tires and have good traction in snow. I do plan on installing metal studs on the drive tires to gain traction on the ice patches.
need to put at least a 3 speed, what happens when the snow gets too deep? a lower gear would make it easier to push it, and a higher gear would make it easier to get around (like getting to the snow that needs to be plowed. great idea, never thought of that before
love it. watching this is has the same effect as the burning log on tv at christmas. Seriously great idea, how much does it go for? ever thought of getting it on the dragons den? cheers.
@frackcha I have been contemplating adding calcium and studs to the tires to help with the traction. Everything was designed to be disassembled quickly so lots of washers and snap rings were used, hence all the rattling and squeaking. I would have preferred to use nuts and bolts to tighten all the joints up. My Ford tractor's plow attachment makes just as much noise except you cant hear it over the roar of the motor. lol
Sir your video is super cool. I would use it just to make people laugh and drive by really slow. I've seen a bike like that at Tractor Supply, I'll have to check and see how muck it costs. Maybe I'll have a version this winter. Thanks for sharing.
The rear tires are a large lug, soft compound design originally produced for commercial snow blowers. That, plus my weight of 100 kilos creates the traction. The tires do slip on ice. I will be installing studs on the tires for next season.
this may have been covered as I didn't read all the comments, but it looks pretty good and you've obviosly really worked on this but it seems at 0:20 there's only 1 wheel spinning and it appears to spin out pretty easily. 4 WD would be asking a bit much for human power, but wouldn't at least locking up the rears help - maybe some light tire chains? It looks like it would just spin on an incline. The plow lift and angle set up looks really slick.
@skaters309 This snow plow is based on a pedal quad that I found for sale on the internet. I modified the chassis to fit my body size, changed the steering and gear system, then designed and built the plow assembly.
@canuck88x Well, the first day I used it, a 'snowplow contractor' offered to buy it. When it was displayed at the Toronto International Bicycle Show, it received a lot of attention from 'Landscape/Snow Removal' contractors. They said they still have to shovel snow manually from condo./city properties due to liability issues regarding machines, and this plow would be safe and quiet. It would also prevent falls and back injuries to their employees. Electric assist would benefit commercial use.
A 4x4 would be nice if I had all the drive-line components available on a small scale. I have found some small differentials but the transfer case still eludes me.
Beer might do strange things to the rider so it is left in the fridge in the garage. The lack of a Coffee/Hot Coco cup holder was a drastic over sight. I'm working on it!
GENIUS! I can see that being PERFECT for those that get home late, or leave early and MUST clear snow before even thinking of moving in or out of the driveway... Fast, clean and SILENT!
This is AWESOME! There is no not liking this...great idea, good exercise, and fun. its practically a mini tonka truck! The only modification I would make is bigger tires and bigger plow.
This rocks!!! I could see so many wanting this from coast, to coast, to coast. So many applications when you just can't use a motorized plow. Just Grand.
+Red Tankgirl
Thank you! I have a pedal quad converted for use as a lawn and garden tender, complete with a dump box on the back. Stay tuned for that video!
You sir, are an innovator. We need more like you.
Brilliant! And it's environmentally green. No gas and no noise. And you get some exercise too.
Truth!
Thank you! It is positive responses like yours that inspire us designers/builders to keep going and create more interesting and useful devices!
I have wanted something like this for years. Is it available for purchase?
@Mudslunger833 The plow blade was made from a 12' diameter plastic pipe. The frame was built using angle iron and square tubing. The turntable was cut from a flat sheet of 1/4" steel plate using a jigsaw and metal blade. A spring loaded pin locks the turntable. The lifting arm is square tubing that is hinged just above the turntable and is connected to the plow with a length of chain. This allows free vertical movement of the plow over uneven terrain. The gearing on the quad was also lowered.
Ca you put an image description, Sir ? :)
This really isn't a bad idea, I can imagine this being good for drive ways and side walks.
10 for concept design and execution! You should loop this and put it on the 'can't sleep?' section, the noise had me dozing off!
Having pushed snow with pickup trucks, ATV's and shovels, I can say with authority that this is one of the coolest things I've ever seen. The fact that you can adjust that blade so easily is a wonderment to me. Very very nice. That has a huge future I think.
Barbara Coppins Thank you! Yes, being able to adjust the plow from the seated position was very important to me when I designed this plow. I will have more improvements to come! I will admit that I watched and studied snow plow operators using pick up trucks, to observe their techniques in managing the snow removal, and how their equipment operated and responded. Momentum of the vehicle is a key element that I noticed for successful movement of snow, and it is very important in the operation of my snow plow.
Excellent idea , now thats GREEN thinking. They should sell these, they could be a Million Dollar Idea. Thanks for Sharing !
@Crushdunderfoot Actually, that was my motivation for creating it! I already have a salt/sand spreader for the rear. I'm working on a lawn mower and sweeper attachment for it.
@DarthRiggle You are exactly right! It is a great substitute for the snowblower on many occasions. It's the 'fun' factor that makes building one so worth while!
Nice, a tool, a toy and an exercising machine, all in one.
This looks a lot more fun than shoveling by hand!!!
Actually it's a cool idea and it's seems to work for him pretty well. A little work on the plow, better gear ratio would mean less work from the legs, bigger tires for more traction... I initially laughed but this thing works ... I like it.
That's a great design. I'll stick to my fourwheelers and tractors to clear the driveway, but this is a smart idea
Great Idea for an area where theres lots of snow. Sure beats a shovel.
Many thanks for uploading your video. Certainly easy and quicker than dealing with a powered plough for small areas. Bit ambitious using it on the snow you did really, but it worked.
Take care.
mrbluenun
As soon as I clicked the video I was ready to laugh while watching a crappy non-working thing but... this is really good! Works really well! :O
Kudos to you good sir, and keep improving it! :)
Fun stuff to play with- even though I prefer things that go Vrooom. :)
Just wondering , do you have any kids and do they fight to clear the driveway ?
nice thing! no noise, no air pollution, hight efficiency
Love this, brilliant and green at the same time.
Interesting. I and two other members of the Human Powered Transportation Association were contracted by a large Canadian Amusement Show company, to design and build a 'Human Powered Train' for their business. It was a great hit, especially when used in parades. It had six attached cars carrying two to four people. Bicycle pedal cranks pushed by the passengers supplied the power for the drive wheels on each car. We had fun building that one!
I also like the idea as well for the lawn mower. Perhaps you could weld 2 (or more) hand mowers side by side and somehow attach them to the front, perhaps with the same lifting mechanism?
Canadians Rock! This is ingenious, and Green! Very well done Bob. Kudos from your Southern Neighbor. Cheers!! Zip~
ZippoVarga Thank you, Zip!
Cool setup. Didnt see any tire spin. Of course ideal conditions.👍😎
This WAS SOOOOO SATISFYING TO WATCH!! I THEE ENTIRE VIDEO. LOVED IT!
I started to like it and it's the most easy job to saves the back from getting pain
can't wait to see the snow blower attachment.
Reminds me of an Allis Chalmers G series (Cuban) tractor. I thought about something similar for large scale gardening (micro farming). Dirt is a lot harder to push around than snow.
When I get it in production, I will let everyone know where they can buy one!
Man you have no idea how this can be useful to clean cow dung in the currals of Brazil
@MegaRallycar It does take effort to push the snow, but I found it easier with the quad than with an ordinary shovel. The quad's lower gearing gives a better mechanical advantage than the 1:1 muscle power of the human body. The seating position also makes if more comfortable and puts less strain on the back muscles. The snowplow's performance is limited to the physical ability of the operator. I find it fun to use, especially on a quiet snowy night. I love plowing with no roaring engine noise!
Actually, I do have a salt spreader for it. It was originally built for a small garden tractor and works well with no modifications. I just added a trailer hitch to the back of the snow plow! That was an easy-to-add accessory. The fun factor with this machine is incredible!
No back pain good workout.love it
Very impressive. I am surprised how well it did.
snow shovel and body workout at the same time, billiant idea!
+Billy Castmovola Thank you! Check out my video 'Fat Bike snow plow'! It is my latest creation!
I do miss Florida. However, if I was there, I would build a pedal quad to carry me and my surfboard to the beach!
Mr. Trailduster, You Are AWESOME! A good workout, some fun and still getting the job done...Way to go!
Hey Bob , the more weight you put on that the better traction you will have. I recommend you put gravy on everything you eat (like I do) it should help. Your little plow is such a great idea. There have been so many times that the snow wasn't enough to use the snowblower but I have a huge driveway,so even a couple of inches is still a lot of work. I often wondered why nobody ever came up with a bolt on plow for a snow blower. That would work a lot better on 2 inches of slushy crap.
@thetrailduster The loss of steering control is scary on a highway. I had to aim the velo in advance taking advantage of the directional traction of the rear axle. It worked, but it was not perfect. That is why a posi-traction differential would be nice, or just one large, wide wheel in the back may work. The single wheel tadpole concept is on my drawing board. It may be less stable, but traction and steering is certain!
Well done! Human powered! Exercise send zero emissions!
Yes, it is a lot of fun! No back ache and you always have a seat to relax on and regain your energy. I do need to build a roof to keep the snow off of me.
It's simple, nerdy, childish but BRILLIANT!!!!!!
Looks like it does a better and faster job than snow blowers. This plow is awesome.
Yeah, well, we can see that he cleared a large driveway of what, maybe 8 inches deep of snow, in under 10 minutes. It's either a driveway or parking lot and if it's a driveway for a home, then it's a wide one. I haven't seen driveways this wide very often. But, my guess is that it'd take longer with a regular motorized snowblower. The plow on this human powered machine is much wider than regular snowblowers are and those things move more slowly. They're slower based on my experience anyway. So, they're slower and narrower; therefore, it should then take longer to clear a given area of snow with them.
Hence, he gets the job done more quickly and it doesn't cost a penny for gasoline or fuel. Maintenance costs will surely be lower as well. To maintain it over long term may cost a bit for materials but nothing for labour. He made the machine and will do the maintenance work himself. I don't think he's going to bill himself for labour. :)
mikecorbeil You are correct. It is faster when comparing it to the average snow blower, when the amount of snow to be moved is not to heavy, or deep. The powered snow blowers have many safety devices and levers that have to be manipulated, which wastes time, and their ground speed is regulated to be slow and safe. I would like to add more forward gears to increase speed, and a Nuvinci infinitely variable hub would be perfect. The other great advantage to all human powered machines is the low maintenance. I like the park-and-forget-it feature. No old gas and gummed up carburetors to worry about!
god that looks so fun... and barely slower than a powered one by the looks of it
@marktwainisgod Just so you know, my tricycle snowplow has that dual-drive split axle set up. It always gets traction, but it acts as a reverse differential with the inside wheel getting the power and the outside wheel freewheeling. The design fights the turning ability of the front wheels when on ice and snow. It constantly wants to track in a straight line. I unfortunately used this design on my Stormy Weather velomobile, and lost steering control on slippery surfaces.
Nice backup when one's snowblower burns out.
i want one so bad, it would be great for the Canadian winter!
This is fantastic man, great design and engineering. I was not expecting this to work well at all but you proved me wrong, this is extremely practical and efficient.
Excellent job!!!!!
DYI at is finest! Kudos man
@Contextflexed You have a point. It is not a snowplow unless it can knock down at least one mailbox!
Finally someone which is not using a ridiculous V8 snow blower to clear his driveway!
I would add wings / box ends to keep the snow scooped, so it doesn't trail off the edges
I would't want to live there , but good workout , If I did live in a cold snow filled landscape . I would hitch up to a 4 wheeler , or something , again great exercise. God bless
that would be great in aspen co...that city is really fitness oriented and green so this would be great for private snow removal
Yes, it is currently only 1 wheel drive. I thought about locking up the other wheel however, my fear is that I will lose steering ability. A solid rear axle with a center pivoting frame would be best if a drive system could be developed to keep the pedals in the same position. The plow mechanism works great! It is the vehicle and drive design that greatly needs improvement. The tires are deep lug with soft rubber and work well in most conditions. I would add studs to the tread to aid traction.
@godzillafan101 I have found that soft rubber works better than chains in most occasions. The tires are deep lug snowblower tires and have good traction in snow. I do plan on installing metal studs on the drive tires to gain traction on the ice patches.
Interesting video.Thanks for sharing.
holy moly that looks like hard work!
need to put at least a 3 speed, what happens when the snow gets too deep? a lower gear would make it easier to push it, and a higher gear would make it easier to get around (like getting to the snow that needs to be plowed. great idea, never thought of that before
My faith in humanity is restored.
love it. watching this is has the same effect as the burning log on tv at christmas. Seriously great idea, how much does it go for? ever thought of getting it on the dragons den?
cheers.
I want one!
Genius! Ever give any though to rigging up a few push mowers and pulling them behind you to mow? You should be a millionaire!
Goddamn! That's freakin cool! Love it! Nice cardio workout without killing your lower back...brilliant
DUDE IT ACTUALLLY WORKS AWSOME
@frackcha I have been contemplating adding calcium and studs to the tires to help with the traction. Everything was designed to be disassembled quickly so lots of washers and snap rings were used, hence all the rattling and squeaking. I would have preferred to use nuts and bolts to tighten all the joints up. My Ford tractor's plow attachment makes just as much noise except you cant hear it over the roar of the motor. lol
Very smart and interesting. keep up the good work. Do not listen to people with negatives. They are either jealous or hating. :)
you should get off AND GO PATIENT THAT IDEA RIGHT NOW! THAT IS AWSOME
Sir your video is super cool. I would use it just to make people laugh and drive by really slow. I've seen a bike like that at Tractor Supply, I'll have to check and see how muck it costs. Maybe I'll have a version this winter. Thanks for sharing.
That's awesome just hope you don't get any that heavy wet snow
The rear tires are a large lug, soft compound design originally produced for commercial snow blowers. That, plus my weight of 100 kilos creates the traction. The tires do slip on ice. I will be installing studs on the tires for next season.
Yes, I have several more ideas in the works. Front end loader, forklift, earth dozer/grader, lawnmower, sweeper...the list goes on.
this may have been covered as I didn't read all the comments, but it looks pretty good and you've obviosly really worked on this but it seems at 0:20 there's only 1 wheel spinning and it appears to spin out pretty easily. 4 WD would be asking a bit much for human power, but wouldn't at least locking up the rears help - maybe some light tire chains? It looks like it would just spin on an incline.
The plow lift and angle set up looks really slick.
@skaters309 This snow plow is based on a pedal quad that I found for sale on the internet. I modified the chassis to fit my body size, changed the steering and gear system, then designed and built the plow assembly.
not going to lie. This would be fun.
He's gonna sleep good tonight........................LOL
Some may laugh but it sure beats shovelling.
this will help reduce that potbelly LOL! ... awesome project
Weirdest and coolest dad on the block. . . .
Seems good for a workout as well.
That is so cool! Very clever!
Wow, do this in kids size and it will become a hit :)
@canuck88x Well, the first day I used it, a 'snowplow contractor' offered to buy it. When it was displayed at the Toronto International Bicycle Show, it received a lot of attention from 'Landscape/Snow Removal' contractors. They said they still have to shovel snow manually from condo./city properties due to liability issues regarding machines, and this plow would be safe and quiet. It would also prevent falls and back injuries to their employees. Electric assist would benefit commercial use.
Now that's one Kool toy it takes time but it does the job done Kool Tyler hatchet
Nice. I envy that invention
Damn that would be a work out.. I doubt you would be able to plow heavy snow with it since a ATV can barely do it sometimes.
Hey man thats neat way to have fun and do the job. I work for a highway dept i hayte the snow.
That would be great for clearing my hockey pond.
Very impressive, bet your legs were sore the next day or 2.
Well impressed to say the least
Amazing stuff!!
Great job dude!
A 4x4 would be nice if I had all the drive-line components available on a small scale. I have found some small differentials but the transfer case still eludes me.
Beer might do strange things to the rider so it is left in the fridge in the garage. The lack of a Coffee/Hot Coco cup holder was a drastic over sight. I'm working on it!
I used to just strap a 2' x 8' slab of 3/4" plywood to the front of my Ford Festiva. Plowed the whole driveway in one pass.
Where did all that snow go in one pass? Sounds like another tall tale....
I'd totally buy one.
now i have seen it all! but it is great exercise