Bicycle lift for tree house

Not content with building himself an impressive tree house in the woods outside Sandpoint, Idaho, Ethan Schlussler has devised a unique pedal-powered means of ascending the 10 metres to reach it.

The lift is based around a bicycle supported by two strong ropes and counter balanced by a 50kg concrete block, so little effort is required to quickly reach the tree house. A third, smaller rope is attached to the rear wheel rim. When the wheel is turned, the rope coils around it, which allows the bike’s brake to be used to slow the descent.

Cycling and flying

The sensations of freedom and speed experienced by cyclists are similar to flying, and the way a novice cyclist masters the art of steering by leaning the bike led the Wright brothers to conclude that flying skills could be acquired in much the same way. A bicycle that actually flies, however, has proved elusive.

This year alone, a group of Czech engineers strapped an electric bike to the belly of a quadcopter, a British team supported by the ETA launched a folding bicycle-based design and most recently, a team from America built the Aerovelo; a pedal-powered helicopter.

The closest most of us will get to flying with our bicycles is on board an airliner. If you get the chance to fly your bike to warmer climes in this way, a good cycle insurance policy should include European and worldwide cover at no additional cost and protect your bike against accidental damage while it is in transit. Bicycle insurance cover that runs only for the duration of your trip is hard to find, but with the price of an annual policy starting at less than £25, it makes sense to get an instant quote for year-round cover.