Courtesy of John BrueckThe Washington University campus is filled with interesting and talented individuals that hail from all corners of the University. Yet perhaps few are as unique or imaginative as senior John Brueck.
The Boise, Idaho native has done something that few others can say they have done – he has successfully engineered a “rocket bike,” a synthesis of his two favorite things, bicycles and rockets.
“I built two amateur rockets, and then I clamped them onto my bike,” he explained. “I can ignite them at will, in case I get in a pinch and I need to boost my speed by a few miles per hour. I’ve had three successful ‘launches’ [so far], and I’ve got a cult following of fans who have been coming out to watch.”
From a very young age Brueck has had a passion for mechanical engineering and for “building stuff.” From a raft made out of milk jugs to a bike trailer made out of wood, the rocket bike is but his newest creation in the engineering and sports world. He credits his initial interest in mechanics to his fifth grade teacher, Mr. McCutcheon, who got his career in rockets started.
“I’m part cowboy, except the horses I ride are made from steel and aluminum,” he joked.
He has combined his love of biking with his interest in space to form his passion, the rocket bike. Although the rocket bike is currently in the earliest phases of production, it has given Brueck a solid foundation for the “next steps.”
“For the next phase of the rocket bike, I’m starting to think homebrew. There isn’t a whole lot of growing room with the commercial solid motors I’ve been using without getting a license, hunting down a supplier, and having to deal with the government,” said Brueck.
Brueck first started out using a commercial “B”-sized rocket engine. After mounting the rocket to his bike and coordinating the mechanics, his first test run proved to be successful. Thereafter, he decided to step up to four commercial “D”-sized rockets. The “D” engines add an extra 14 pounds of force over 3.2 seconds.
“People are always asking me if I notice the difference [between the rockets]. First of all, most of my faculties are consumed by the magnificent explosion that is taking place immediately behind me [when the rockets are ignited]. That is where I derive most of the thrill. You might say that the rocket bike is more style than substance, but there is definitely an acceleration that accompanies all of that fire,” he explained.
The “homebrew” bike is set to bring a new set of exploration along with a new set of challenges for Brueck.
“Doing some preliminary math, I found that I could get a 23 mile per hour boost out of one of these systems. I’m banking on some funding to come through before I embark on the next phase,” said Brueck.
Brueck often receives many questions about the bike, ranging from how he built it to why he did it. He notes that mounting the rockets on the bike wasn’t actually that difficult.
“I already had a battery on the bike that powers my custom lighting system, so I went and bought rocket kits and motors at a hobby store. Then it was just a matter of rewiring the bike, constructing the rockets, and strapping them on,” he said.
Taking him only a few days in January in his shop (apartment) to complete, the rocket bike was created.
“The bike is painted yellow, because everything goes faster when it’s painted yellow,” said Brueck.
Aside from his work on the rocket bike, Brueck is very involved in a number of activities on campus. For example, he was a key member in helping to develop the Vertigo Dance Floor for the School of Engineering, as well as several other engineering projects.
His real interest, however, lies in space and discovery. With the BS/MS degree in mechanical engineering he will receive in May, this passion has led him to apply for jobs at NASA, Boeing, and SpaceX. Currently, he is using his expertise while he works for Blue Origin, a company interested in exploring leisure space travel in the future.
Although he is waiting to hear about those opportunities following graduation, Brueck passes the time with other extreme activities ranging from skiing and mountain biking to rock climbing.
“I haven’t broken a bone so far, so I’m going to keep pushing the envelope,” he said.
Brueck hopes that later versions of the rocket bike can be engineered, improving on his current models. His Web site, userfs.cec.wustl.edu/~jfb1/ has up-to-date progress reports on the rocket bike, as well as details about the other projects he is working on.