ENTECH / SKYCYCLE™

LEADERS OF HIGH WIRE INNOVATION

In 1974, Philippe Petit did the unimaginable. He walked 200 feet along a tight wire strung 100 stories above New York's bustling Manhattan that was stretched between the then, almost complete twin towers. Watching the previews of the 2008 movie "Man on Wire" that tells the story of Philippe crossing untethered was enough to give me chills; I can't imagine being in the crowd of excited and terrified onlookers.

 

For most of us, fear would set in at anything above five feet, and Entech has engineered a way to capture the thrill and wonder of dancing across a tight wire with the patented SkyCycle™ High Wire bike.

 

Floating almost magically above the heads of museum guests across the country, the SkyCycle™ is available in three forms, a portable traveling exhibit, a permanent rail mounted installation, and the most commonly installed, High Wire (pictured right).

 

CONTINUING THE CONCEPT

The bicycle is constructed of a custom steel frame and rides on a steel cable that is stretched to a tension of 20,000 pounds. The counterweighted bicycle allows hands on exploration of the scientific principles behind the center of gravity, balance, and counterweight systems.

 

The SkyCycle™ is not only thrilling but highly educational, teaching principles of physics. Riders board the bike on the loading platform, ride along the track suspended high above the floor and ride back. The bike sways back and forth within a limited deflection that is caused by the rider's actions and which is limited by the counter-weight that is suspended below the bike.

 

In most of these pictures you'll see a net below the installation; original installations did not include the net and before you think that some tragic headline grabbing accident occurred, you'll be interested to know that while the children were eager to ride, adults felt too vulnerable. With the netting installed, adults also became comfortable enough to ride and enjoy the SkyCycle™.

 

TRAVELING MAN

In addition to the Permanent SkyCycle™ exhibit, Entech also offers a traveling version, complete with learning aids and teacher guides. The traveling exhibit has toured the country, thrilling and teaching thousands of children and adults at museums and science centers.

 

With thousands of travel miles under its... ahem.. steel belt, the SkyCycle™ traveling exhibit was retired in 2007. Due to constant demand, however, an updated version of the bike, SkyCycle 2.0 was released in early 2009 and is scheduled for visits around the country.

 

LATEST NEWS

The latest installation of Entech's SkyCycle™ is in the prestigious Arizona Science Center in Phoenix. For more information on the Arizona Science Center, visit their website: www.azscience.org

 

 

written by Nayte Carrick

MORE INFORMATION:

For more information on the having the permanent or traveling SkyCycle™ available for you, call 1-(888)-795-9060 and ask for Anne. Or you can contact us online through our Web site email form.