This is a growing collection of Segway Photos featuring,

Big Wheels

"The Fastest Segway On Earth!"

10/11/03 - Now the host from hell reports ALL the alloted bandwidth for October is used up. It's feast or famine! Alas I must take the media files offline. What a company.

9/16/03 - Looks like my host service is totally out of control as they now reports my monthly usage as "0". Therefore the bandwidth usage is on them and the links are back in. Have at it, people :-)

Performance: The Segway proved to be ideal transport for me at Burning Man. Black Rock is a very interactive, social festival. The Segway let me stop and visit at will without the protruding interference of a bike. I was able to enter various camps and bars through the narrowest of walkways. Tent stakes were no issue as the HT easily finessed around them. The energy always outlasted me. The battery charge never dropped below 1/3 even after I had spent hours cruising and jaunted several trips across the city.

Post Clean up Report: I'm pleased to report that the Segway survived in stellar fashion. There is no detectable playa dust or damage, After clean up it now in "new", out-of-the-box condition. There was much less dust accumulated around the axle bearings than I had expected. The wrapping worked. The protected the base unit surfaces still have their sheen. The hard wax rejected what little dust found its way to the bearing. There was some tire "browning", but this disappeared with an Armorall treatment.

Speed Record Set August 30th, 2003 by Christo

     19.1 mph average time trap speed.
20.54 mph maximum run speed.
Black Rock City, Nevada

Announcement by Clarence Fogg:  The Official World EPAMD Speed Title was set by Christo at the first annual Segway Time Trials held on the famous Black Rock Desert Saturday, August 30, 2003. The fastest run was 20.54 mph, and the fastest average of the up-wind and down-wind runs was 19.1 mph.

In a post event interview with Christo, Mr. Fogg asked, "Your machine sports 36" diameter wheels, which gives you a maximum rated speed of 24 mph. Why didn't you match that?". Christo replied, "I thought I was a bit faster out on the course. But in one direction we had some rough ground too close to the time trap that limited the run up speed. In addition, the Segway speed limiter kicked in well before the maximum rated speed tilting the platform rearward. Let me tell you that it is quite disconcerting to be thrust backward when you are 17 inches high and traveling upwards of 20 mph."

"Still, you are a pro.", needled Mr. Fogg, "why didn't you just suck it up and lay it down?"

"Yes I could have push out more." Christo lamented. "Most assuredly I could have done that; but I met my goal of a run greater than 20, and it' good to leave room for the future, and I am in one piece and there was a cold beer waiting back at camp."

August 30, 2003: Click on the thumbnails to see the larger photo or on the dialog balloon to hear an audio clip:

Audio - Introduction to Black Rock Desert Time Trials.
Audio - Mustering at the Man.
Audio - Spectator Interview - re: the significance of the event.
  Clarence Fogg explains the requirements of TWENTRA,
the Two Wheel, Non Tandem Racing Association. TWENTRA is the sanctioning body for the time trials.


Run 4

Run3
  Clarence Fogg displaying his official time sheet.
Spokes assisting with the time trap placement.
Fogg marking the trap.
       Audio - Post speed run interview with Christo.

Here are all the statistics from Saturday, August 30, 2003:

                  TWENTRA

Two Wheel, Non Tandem Time Trial Official Tally Sheet

Trap Length (ft)    50                        
                         Speed                      
                         ft/sec    mph               
             (sec)        50       34.09             
                                                   
Run 5        1.66         30.12    20.54         19.10
Run 4        1.93         25.91    17.66        
Run 3        2.07         24.15    16.47        
Run 2        2.09         23.92    16.31        
Run 1        2.37         21.10    14.38        

60 mph = 88.00    ft/sec       

Potential Speed = 12.5mph * 36" / 19" = 23.68  or 24mph

Next: Pre race "Big Wheels" page 
Burning Man 2003 art Segway costumes: Roman Horseless Chariot   Key West Sot-mobile

The fine print:

• The machine pictured is extremely EXPERIMENTAL and DANGEROUS. Large diameter
  wheels kick many Segway design parameters outside the envelope. We have found
  several instabilities. In short do not try this at home at risk of injury or death.
  (Wow - That was such a rush scaring you like that).