Have you ever seen someone who was so good at what they do that you could swear they were born to do it? Danny MacAskill is one of those people and after watching this video you’ll see why. MacAskill rides for Inspired Bicycles and is one of the most technically advanced riders on the planet. His tricks in the world of street and trials employ a degree of skill that few other riders will ever possess, yet MacAskill makes them look easy. He’s not only an innovator but a master at his craft which means he’s constantly pushing the envelope in the hopes of taking not only his portfolio of tricks, but the sport to the next level. This video was shot over the period of a few months in and around the city of Edinburgh in the UK and gives us, if nothing else, a little insight as to why Danny MacAskill is one of the best trials riders in the world.

Source: Youtube.com

If you’ve ever ridden a motorcycle then you know that being able to utilize both wheels is a very important thing. As little kids we’re first taught to ride a tricycle and then, if we possess any skill at all we move up to a two-wheeler. Now from there some of us graduate to scooters, then dirt bikes and then, if we’re really lucky, full-blown motorcycles. I can tell you from experience that as someone who use to track motorcycles quite a bit that having full control of both your wheels can either make or break your riding experience. For instance, there are times that you’ll come out of a corner hard and loft that front tire skyward. No worries though because you can use that rear wheel to take up the slack. Same goes if your coming in hot to a turn and you lift the rear wheel up in a stoppie situation; your front wheel will bare the brunt. However, if you’re in a situation where you really need both wheels at the same time and one fails… well then you’re basically shit out of luck. Click through for the video to see what I’m talking about.

Years back, buying wheels for your ride was a pretty simple task. Unless you had a Camaro or a Mustang, chances are that you only had a few custom wheel options open to you. Today, it seems like every auto parts store sells custom wheels, ranging in price from “unbelievably cheap” to “you’re kidding about those prices, right?”. Even reviews aren’t always a big help, since it’s hard to find an objective opinion on wheel quality or even appearance. A buddy of mine just launched a Wheel Buyer forum, with the intent of building an online community dedicated to custom wheels, tires and related products. It’s still in the early stages of ramping up so there’s not much content (yet), but I like the idea. As far as I know, there isn’t another forum on the internet dedicated to non-marque specific wheels. Give Wheel Buyer a look and feel free to offer suggestions for content. I’ll pass them along to the site owner, who’s a true gear head with the rest of us.

It seems like just about every car on the road today has a set of aftermarket wheels. Some look fantastic, while others are just nightmares. A good set of wheels can change the look and feel of your ride, increase performance and enhance it’s value, but this is if, and only if they are chosen correctly. Over the years wheel and tire sizes have increase dramatically. For instance, back in the 1960′s most cars came stock with 14-inch wheels and hubcaps, the 70′s went to larger 15-inch wheels and then in the 1980′s we saw the emergence of 16-incher’s. It wasn’t until the 1990′s though when the aftermarket wheel scene really took off. All of a sudden we had 17, 18 and 19-inch wheels and then in the first part of the new millennium we saw the introduction of the DUB or 20-inch wheel. I remember when I first saw a 20-inch wheel on a car and was like, what the f*ck was that! Back then it wasn’t all that common, but today they’re all over the place. For those who are uneducated in the process, there are few elements when buying wheels that you really need to look at. First you need to define the application for which the wheels are going to be used, second is to determine your fitment parameters and lastly you need to pick out a style that suits your ride.

• STEP 1: Define the Application

Be honest and ask yourself what you’re going to use these new wheels for. For example if you have a car that sees duty as a weekend track toy you may want to stay with original OEM sizes, but perhaps go with a lighter wheel to cut down on rotating mass. If it’s a show car and weight really isn’t a concern, then your biggest issue is style. If however the wheels are for a daily driver, then you want to find a good aftermarket wheel manufacturer that produces a quality forged wheel that can stand up to the rigors of everyday driving.

• STEP 2: Fitment Parameters

Rims don’t mean a damn thing if they don’t fit on your car. Some people assume that all rims will fit on all rides but sadly, this is not the case. For example the odds of a 20-inch wheel fitting neatly on a Honda Civic is slim to none. Can you make it fit? Possibly, but not without modifying just about everything under the wheel well. Keep in mind also that manufacturers spend millions, upon millions of dollars on R & D to make sure that a certain size wheel works perfectly on that vehicle. So, while you think you may be smarter then the manufacturers, odds are you’re not. Also remember that when you’re looking at fitment you also want to consider the wheels overall mass. I always laugh when I see SUV’s rolling on 26′s and then behind the wheel are these little itty-bitty stock brakes. If you’re going to go for a big wheel and tire combo just remember that you’re adding A LOT of rotating mass to the car. That means you’re automatically screwing with the vehicles alignment, handling characteristics, braking, acceleration and calibration of the speedometer, so you best consult a professional before simply slapping wheels on your car.

1. Things to Remember.
– Will it fit in the wheel-well
– What is the correct backspacing (everyone messes this up)
– What is the OEM correct bolt pattern
– Is there a good selection of tires available
– Do the wheels rub anything at full lock

• STEP 3: Style

Remember when people went out and put “Spinners” on their cars. Quite honestly it was one of the dumbest automotive trends that I’ve ever seen and I thank God everyday that it’s dead. The style of the wheel you choose can either make or break your car. Today there are rims out there in just about every style imaginable from a host of different manufacturers. Keep in mind though that the rims you put on your car are a reflection of your taste, so be careful when choosing. Understand also that if you don’t want to purchase an off-the-shelf product that you can have a one-off custom set of wheels crafted. I had this done for my Daytona by a company called Proformance Industries in New Rochelle, NY. Not only did they make me exactly what I wanted, but in the end I got something that was 100% unique, while at the same time getting the professional guidance I needed to help me make the right decision.

Obviously at days end the wheels you put on your car are entirely up to you. Just remember that before you purchase anything to do your research as it will make the entire process of fitting new shoes to your ride that much more enjoyable.

* All Photo’s Courtesy of Proformance Industries.

This is Aaron Fotheringham, he’s 19, from Las Vegas, NV and was born with a disease called Spina Bifida in which the backbone and spinal canal do not close before birth. In Aaron’s case that means paralysis of the legs and confinement to a wheel chair. However if you think that’s slowed this 19 year old down, well you’d be dead wrong. You see Aaron is one of those rare individuals who simply never took no for an answer. If other people could do it, then hell… he could do it to. The route to get there may have been a bit different, but that has never stopped Aaron from doing things that most people would’ve thought impossible for a person with Spina Bifida. Taking queues from his older brother who was into BMX bikes, Aaron decided that (with a little prodding) that he could tackle anything the BMX’ers could do. So far Aaron has competed in the extreme sports Nitro Circus where he landed a 40 foot backflip, a double backfilp, and a front-flip without ever leaving his chair. He’s also one of the most humble athletes you’re ever likely to meet. Oh, and if you haven’t guessed yet why they call him Wheelz… well, I can’t help you. Click through for an amazing video.

Tell me that Indiana Jones wouldn’t have been totally stoked if he would’ve been able to steal this BMW in 1981′s Raiders of the Lost Ark, instead of that crappy Nazi truck he ended up with. Here we see a 2010 BMW 5 series GT that has been converted into a WWII-esque army sled. This flat green military gem was created by Japan’s Studio AG custom house for no other reason than they thought it would be a cool idea to execute a new BMW with some old school styling queues.

It’s called the “F07 Safari” and right from the get-go you can see it’s unlike any other custom BMW out there. For the most part custom BMW’s are all flash with bright colors, polished wheels and a few performance mods. With this one though Studio AG decided to add some custom touches, but play them down a bit. For instance, an AC Schnitzer front-half bumper cover was installed, but it was cut and modified to fit some trick LED lights.

Then there was the addition of the 19-inch AC Schnitzer Type IV wheels that look great in flat green paint, but aren’t over the top. Combine that with some subtle white and red military style accents and you’ve got a BMW custom like no other. I dig it when people think outside the box.

Source: Jonsibal.com

The correct answer should be, “not much at all”. Wheel locks, like any other component of a layered security system, simply slow down thieves or make it more inconvenient for them to steal you wheels and tires. As the above video shows, they can be defeated with simple hand tools and little bit of practice. The good news is that hammering a socket onto a wheel lock creates more than a little bit of noise, so you’ve got a chance of hearing someone trying to steal your rims. On the other hand, they could just use a master key, which really doesn’t make any noise at all.

The moral to the story? If you drive a car with nice wheels and tires, be careful where you park it. If you want to be absolutely safe, you’ll need to construct an underground bunker in your backyard, complete with alarms and video surveillance. If you want to be reasonably safe, park your car where you (or your neighbors) will notice suspicious activity.

If you were born after 1980 then it’s quite possible you’ve never seen a car with manufacturer installed steel wheels. Pre-1980′s cars were generally ordered one of three ways. You could order them new with hubcaps, a set of rims or performance wheels or if you were dead broke, you would simply get your new car delivered to you with a set of good old factory steel wheels. Back then when you saw a car with steel wheels what that generally meant was that the owner had ordered a base model car that came equipped with very few options. Hell, back then steel wheels sometimes came with a small hubcap covering the wheel lugs known as a “poverty cap”, a term that was not too flattering if you ask me.

Over the past 10 years though and with the resurgence of the muscle car and hot rot market steel wheels have been coming back with a vengeance. So much so that for the majority of owners they are preferred over any type of aftermarket wheel so as to help keep that period look and feel. Below are a few cars that are running factory steel wheels and truth be told, the cars look stunning. Sure, back in the day these wheels may have been frowned upon, but in today’s world these rolling relics looks simply stunning. Take a look and let us know if you agree.

• Dodge Coronet

• BMW 2002

• Porsche 356

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• VW Golf

• MGB GT

I’m a big fan of different, but Julien Rondino’s Motiv trike concept is just wacko. The insect-like inline three wheeler has fully independent suspension, hub steering front and rear, and a center drive wheel. The theory is the extra wheel provides more contact with the road and allows for higher cornering grip. I can’t imagine how it would handle if it were were ever hatched into reality. I would, however, love to see it built just so I could marvel at its insanity. Hit the jump for an animated film of the concept in action.

Cyglo Tyres can turn your road bike into a glowing light cycle, providing maximum visibility at night while fulfilling your Tron fantasies. The recently patented tires have LEDs embedded in their sidewalls, giving night cyclists a flashy profile that’ll help them avoid unwanted vehicular contact. The lights are powered by the circular motion of the wheels themselves, negating the need for batteries. Extremely slick. And safe. End of line.

Source: Gizmodo