2 wheels, 1 joystick, no handlebar!

This private site will currently not be updated. Please also visit the more up to date Plankalkül-site strassensurfbrett.de.

++ 1.2004 Plankalkül Werbelied Elektrosoph Mix online ++
++ 12.2003 ++ V4.0 finally on the road, but no pics yet ++
++ 5.2003 ++ 3(!) new remixes of Plankalkül Werbelied ++
++ 4.2003 ++ New pics: Plankalkül in Chicago ++
++ 1.2003 ++ New pics: Development of V4.0 ++
++ 12.2002 ++ Many things on this site updated ++
++ 12.2002 ++ "Why can't i get P. in the shops" updated ++
++ 3.2002 ++ Plankalkül at deformat.de ++
++ 2.2002 ++ Strange article at funsportnews.de (german) ++
++ 2.2002 ++ Site now fully Sega Dreamcast compatible ++
++ 1.2002 ++ New pics: Plankalkül transports beer crates ++
++ 12.2001 ++ Plankalkül in Heise Newsticker (german) ++
++ 12.2001 ++ Comparisons of more vehicles (this page) ++
++ 11.2001 ++ Mix your own Plankalkül Werbelied ++
++ 11.2001 ++ New remix of the Plankalkül Werbelied ++
++ 11.2001 ++ New pics: Plankalkül with wheeliebar ++
++ 10.2001 ++ New pics: Americans check Plankalkül ++
++ 9.2001 ++ Complete redesign of the site ++

What is Plankalkül?

Plankalkül is a fast street surfboard suitable for everyday use. The lifestile of surfers was much attended in the last decades, so i will rather confine myself to some technical facts.

Based on my experiences as a bicycle engineer i constructed a chassis that only has two wheels, but still is steered through tilting. Like most scooters with three wheels, Plankalkül responds to a control stick. No handlebar is needed.

The driver can ride by steering with only one hand or two fingers or with no hands. This leaves the other hand for eating, drinking, phoning, carrying bags or waving to your fans. Even carrying a beer chest in one hand is possible while driving. The driver can accelerate not only with one foot, but also by "wedeling", maybe comparable with a so called Snakeboard.

Plankalkül also is great for high speeds. On the Saarbrücken/Germany Skate Parade i was able to ride the city that was closed for motorized traffic for the night. To keep up with the pace of a horde of inline skaters was possible on flat streets. Downhill the Plankalkul street surfing experience is even better. No inline skater can compete here. Some skateboarders also like Plankalkül. We did driving tests together with some skaters in the halfpipe, in the pool and at the ramp in the Saarbrücken Skate Park and in Stiring Wendel/France. I often kissed the floor there, but you can also look good by doing that stuff. :)

Its allround characteristics may be the biggest advantage of Plankalkül. In a mixed environment of bus, train and sidewalk, it is not much more annoying than a walking stick, but it is faster and makes more fun. When you have reached your destination, Plankalkül is allowed to go in with you. There is no need to take it off like inline skaters or to lock it up like a bicycle. Since some month, i drive Plankalkül around 10 kilometers per day. My bicycles, kick scooters and inline skaters laze away at home.

The Name Plankalkül was chosen to honor Konrad Zuse, the inventor of programmable computers. In the 1940s he developed the first programming language ever and called it Plankalkül. What a beautiful word! The son of Konrad Zuse, Horst Zuse, has took note of the use of this name favourably.

Why can't i get Plankalkül in the shops?

Because we are just developing it, while you read this. I do not know why nobody had the idea for such a chassis before me. The geometrics are indeed a bit tricky, but are finished now. The construction is patent pending and a registered design. Therefore some rights on the construction are mine but i welcome anybody who wants to built such a scooter for personal use. Please contact me if you are interested.

In the second half of the year 2002, Plankalkül has left kitchen development stage. Further development includes my new partner Christian Marx and present day CAD/CNC-technologies to get a reproducable production model. We have consultants at the Univercity of Applied Sciences Saarland and at some other institutes and factories.

Naturally, the new "V4.0" is more lightweight and more beautiful than the predecessors. Factories interested in a series production should contact us. We are aware that the kickscooter market is completely dead at the moment (12/2002), but we decided to ignore that fact and to just establish a new street surfboard market in the long term. Please also note that the most important reason for the dead market was the simple non-funktioning or very bad quality of most of the scooter designs. But this does not apply to Plankalkül.

Plankalkül in the press

In March 2002, deformat.de designates the Plankalkül-site as "German Beautysite". Look here.

In February 2002, the german site funsportnews.de published this article about Plankalkül. It was introduced by the following headline: "Deep in the area of Saar river, far far away from the sea and its breakers, people still know how to help themselves. Plankalkül fulfills even the most exotic desires of a bodenstandig Saarlander - the exciting feeling to surf the streets with two beer chests." Maybe these guys und girls haven't understood the seriousness of the mission, but it's still a nice article.

In December 2001, the german Heise Newsticker, actually responsible for computer news, published this interesting article that compares Plankalkül with other sensational vehicles like the Segway Human Transporter and the Sinclair C5. Even the skycar developed by Dr. Moller appears.

Plankalkül vs. two wheel scooters with handlebar (Micro Skate Scooter and clones)

Advantages:
- It's much more easy to stay on track, overall steering is tolerant and comfortable.
- Ride with only one hand, two fingers or no hands.
- You can stand on it like on a skateboard, surfboard or snowboard.
- No handlebar means: No trashy wobbly handles, faster folding of the scooter.
- Suspension on the board. The suspension link could also serve as the folding link, this means nearly no extra weight for the suspension.
- Doesn't fall over if leaned against a wall.
- Better acceleration possibilities, the whole body can work.
- You can not only accelerate with one foot, but also by moving the stick left and right (wedeling).

Disadvantages:
- It takes longer to get used to it.

Plankalkül vs. three wheel scooters (K2 Kickboard, Ciro, Roces...)

Advantages:
- It's a bit more easy to stay on track.
- Construction is much more simple, much decreased weight.
- Less friction on the wheels, therefore faster.
- Better acceleration possibilities, the whole body can work.
- If you accelerate with one foot, no front wheel is in your way.
- Compared to a layered wood board, the road performance is much more stable, because the board cannot twist. Even in road grooves the back wheel cannot move away to the sides.
-Weather proof. The steering mechanism is more waterproof by default and there are mudguards needed.

Disadvantages:
- It doesn't stand by itself, you have to lean it against something for parking.

Plankalkül vs. Skateboards

Advantages:
- Easier to stay on track even for adults, less falling down.
- Much more compatible to everyday life.
- More direct steering, smaller turning circle.
- Only two wheels and better acceleration possibilities, faster.
- better on rough terrain.

Disadvantages:
- No active scene yet.
- Artistic skillz partly untested.

Plankalkül vs. Inline Skates

Advantages:
- Easier to stay on track, even for adults, less falling down.
- Easy to carry in shops and apartments, no taking of.
- Less wheel friction, faster downhill driving.
- better on rough terrain.

Disadvantages:
- Less acceleration possibilities, slower uphill driving.
- Your body is less connected with the vehicle.

Plankalkül vs. Bicycles

Advantages:
- Extremly small and lightweight, great for Bus and Train passengers.
- Easy to carry in shops and apartments, no fiddling around with locks, no thefts.
- No problems with cellar stairs and so on.
- Better reliability.

Disadvantages:
- Much less efficiency (but better training effects).
- More falling down.
- Worse on rough terrain.
- Less transport capabilities (but the driver has up to two hands free for up to two beer crates).

Why ain't this site blinking with multimedia?

Who is the developer of Plankalkül?

We are. Our names are Christian Marx and Bernhard Kirsch. We are working in the field of design, mechanical engineering and the development of sport tools. Please send us hints and suggestions.

If you want to know more about the author of this site, Bernhard Kirsch, check bodenstandig.de. You will also meet my fellow dog Dragan Espenschied there, who helped me a lot with this site. Thanks, dog Dragan!

My now not so often updated (and german) "Kickboard Huddel Page" contains some helpful tricks for all kinds of kick scooters. I did it when i was still a K2 kickboard driver: bodenstandig.de/kickboard

If you come to Saarbrücken/Germany and see me riding Plankalkül, don't hesitate to stop me for a talk.

MechBern