hijack redux from Magnetically levitated wheels

[Bill McC]

Magnetically levitated bearings would be excellent in space where lubricants in a vacuum tend not to work because they evaporate as if they were extremely hot. Metal-to-metal interaction can create abnormal heat and wear because there are very few air molecules between the metal parts, not as there would be on earth. Even substances like Teflon may malfunction in space where friction is involved. The only problem I see is that magnetic fields can interfere with insulation materials, nullifying their ability to contain electrical charges completely. If electrical contacts near the magnetic field are insulated and covered in metal and bonded to the ship, it should not cause a problem. 

[John Cuthber]

12 hours ago, Bill McC said:

Magnetically levitated bearings would be excellent in space where lubricants in a vacuum tend not to work because they evaporate as if they were extremely hot. Metal-to-metal interaction can create abnormal heat and wear because there are very few air molecules between the metal parts, not as there would be on earth. Even substances like Teflon may malfunction in space where friction is involved. The only problem I see is that magnetic fields can interfere with insulation materials, nullifying their ability to contain electrical charges completely. If electrical contacts near the magnetic field are insulated and covered in metal and bonded to the ship, it should not cause a problem. 

Interesting.

In answering the OP's question as if it only applies to this bike

you seem to have introduced some of your trademark nonsense
 

12 hours ago, Bill McC said:

magnetic fields can interfere with insulation materials, nullifying their ability to contain electrical charges completely.

 

[Bill McC]

17 minutes ago, John Cuthber said:

Interesting.

In answering the OP's question as if it only applies to this bike

you seem to have introduced some of your trademark nonsense
 

 

There are problems with wear at joints for mechanical arms in space, because lubricants don’t like a vacuum and heat. And the lack of air between the surfaces of metal create a very strange effect most are not aware of on earth where they only get to see metal to metal with a thousandth of an inch of air between the metal, which causes it to glide on the other on that cushion of air. In space that air is pretty thin and mostly hydrogen which offers little lift and separation the two pieces of metal they almost bond to one another in space. I was suggesting that bearings for such arms could be made using magnetic bearings. That does not seem really far out to me. 

[swansont]

!

Moderator Note

It seems to be too much to ask that you stay on-topic (in this case, there is no discussion of space in the OP, simply a matter of a bicycle). So: trashcan it is!