Introduction: K'Nex Tron Lightcycles

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About: Mechanical Engineering. Inactive?

Here's a quick project that I spend a couple evenings on; two versions of a fifth-gen lightcycle from TRON: Legacy (a fave film of mine). Admittedly, they could also easily be a Batcycle design, a two for one deal let's say.

Why I have two designs: I prefer the first design better for it's sleekness and ability to integrate a flexible rod in to signal better it's belonging to the TRON universe, the second design I found to be more bulky and squarish but has a slightly more accurate side profile and integrates some interesting geometries used to orient pieces in the front that I want to remember or be of use to someone else.

Anyway, enjoy!

Supplies

For cycle 1:

  • 4 x 8-way connectors (white)
  • 7 x 5-way connectors (yellow)
  • 10 x 4-way connectors (green)
  • 2 x 2-way V-connectors (light grey)
  • 8 x 1-way clips w/hole (purple)
  • 2 x metallic blue clips
  • 4 x Y-clips (black)
  • 2 x orange 3D clips
  • 8 x thick spacers (grey)
  • 10 x thin spacers (blue)
  • 19 x 16mm rods (green)
  • 6 x 32mm rods (white)
  • 11 x 54mm rods (blue)
  • 1 x 190mm flexi-rod (green)
  • 4 x 50mm narrow racing tires

For cycle 2:

  • 6 x 8-way connectors (white)
  • 7 x 5-way connectors (yellow)
  • 10 x 4-way connectors (green)
  • 1 x 2-way V-connectors (light grey)
  • 9 x 1-way clips w/hole (purple)
  • 2 x interlocking clips (tan)
  • 4 x metallic blue clips
  • 1 x Y-clip (black)
  • 2 x orange 3D clips
  • 2 x female hinge clips (black)
  • 8 x thick spacers (grey)
  • 10 x thin spacers (blue)
  • 14 x 16mm rods (green)
  • 10 x 32mm rods (white)
  • 11 x 54mm rods (blue)
  • 4 x 50mm narrow racing tires

Step 1: Cycle 1

It definitely helps in the long run (to not stress your pieces) to pre-bend and over-bend the flexi-rod a whole bunch before installation.

Step 2: Cycle 2

If this is your preferred TRON bike design, you can just shove some 86mm flexi-rods between the side studs, they hold well enough.

The rear of this bike is tough to deconstruct (back of seat block), so the assembly instructions are presented so they can be simply reversed to deconstruct without breaking or stressing any pieces.