Spoolster Nightfall Ride-On Batpod — Reuse Spools

World's first ride-on vehicle with filament spools for wheels — a push bike that rolls on four empty spools, fully 3D printed with zero hardware.

The basics:

• Wheels: 4× empty Bambu or SUNLU spools
• Assembled size: 34"× 9"× 13" (87 cm x 23 cm x 33 cm)
• Rider: ages Toddler to 6, up to ~60 lb
• Sized for 256mm bed; segmented to fit with no supports
• Snap-together assembly: uses printed lock pins and no additional hardware

It's a system, not just a bike. This is the Nightfall kit - the first release of the Spoolster system. This version is inspired by Dark Knight's Batpod - blacked out, low stance, with side cannons. The seat, front, and attachments swap, so the bike can be updated to become whatever your kid's into. 

Never printed anything this big? Most people haven't - plenty of us never get past desk trinkets, and that's exactly who I built this for. The part count might look intimidating, but for a vehicle a kid actually rides, it's remarkably lean. It took a fair bit of design and testing by my kids to get it there. Assembly is styled like your favorite brick system: a big illustrated, step-by-step PDF that walks you through it part by part. If you can print and follow pictures, you can build this.

Beyond filament, you need nothing. No bolts, no bearings, no glue, no trip to the hardware store. Every joint snaps or threads together with printed parts. The only “extra” item is plastic-safe lubricant (not WD-40, a non-spray silicone or white lithium grease, such as “Plastic Gear Grease”) which makes steering significantly easier. It can be added after assembly or skipped entirely and the bike still works, your kid just has to stand up to change the steering angle.

On the spools: I designed the hubs around Bambu and SUNLU (reusable V3) spools since those are what I had piling up. Other plastic spools will likely work: skip the hub adapters and run the axle straight through the spool's center hole, or print a custom hub to fit yours. I'd be wary of cardboard spools though; I haven't tested any and can't vouch for them holding up.

Why I built it: After printing an entire wheelchair for charity I saw the power of large prints cleverly segmented with bed sized chunks. Between that and two kids, my empty spools were piling high and I wanted to find a functional use for them. Turning a pile of garage trash into something my kid can actually ride felt like the right kind of mission.

What's next: My kid took one look and decided it needed to be cuter, so there's a Panda kit version on the way. After that, whatever you all come up with — the bike has accessory points (documented in the build appendix) and is remixable, so build a kit for whatever your kid loves and tag me. I want to see them.

Safety Note ⚠️: Adult supervision, helmet, flat ground, and mind the 60 lb rider limit. It's a toy, not a way to get to school. Not responsible for any injuries or accidents that may occur.