Mountain Biking - Jeep AWD Bike. Why?!

http://www.cyclesourcegroup.com/rubiconawd.html





Imagine having to fix that trailside. 0_0




I wonder who the target market is for that bike...

Jeep must have licensed the Christini design. I've heard it works pretty well, but personally, I don't get a thrill out of going UP, I'd rather suffer on the up, and enjoy the DOWN!

L8R

Thats pretty cool. Ive experienced a lot of rear wheel slippage on the climb so this would be a neat thing to try....but 3000 dollars....i don't think so

I agree. I don't know why people are so against them. While I wouldn't buy one due to cost I think the idea is good. AWD would improve a lot of technical riding problems.

That website is a piece of ****, every link is giving me a blank page. Oh well.

i'd try it

whats with the weird seat tube angle on that bike? weird geometry.....

i think im gonna have to ride down to christini's shop and smack him for selling out to JEEP!

Man's gotta eat!

I've never ridden a Christini, no one around here has one. (Probably because I live in FL, DOH!) and there is no need for a bike like that! - Think "NO BIG CLIMBS!", sure we have technical terrain, but a long climb for us is 300 yards!

L8R

It was on TechTV last night and they were not that impressed with the bike, especially the price of it!

Pedaling all that extra weight around when its not in "AWD mode" has to suck. If i could get the site to work I'd look at the components on it, from the picture they look like crap. Looks like another car company is trying to sell overpriced bikes to go along with their overpriced vehicles (Hummer, Porsche ect...) Complete waste of money.

The front shock has a Monroe decal as in Monroe shocks. I didn't know they made shocks for bikes.

The front shock has a Monroe decal as in Monroe shocks. I didn't know they made shocks for bikes.


Go to sears sometime. They are a jeep dealer and they have been doing the shocks for a few years...stiff as hell...but they suck BAD!!! and Are heavy like rhino :)

I clicked on features and was rewarded with:
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I guess it has no features - big surprise

the cherokee classic looks kinda cool
http://www.cyclesourcegroup.com/cher.html

the cherokee classic looks kinda cool
http://www.cyclesourcegroup.com/cher.html
not in my book

Not too shabby. 4 bar, air shock. Wouldn't be the strongest but at least they are copying the best type of design. :)

What happens if you snap one of those internal driveshafts? Do you have to take it in to the dealer for repairs?


:roflmao:

Snap one of those drive shafts? I'm glad jeep is trying to market the AWD idea I think there is nothing wrong with it. That AWD design is more for motorbike's and has been put onto pushbike, whilst I like the design I don't think it will be replacing normal one wheel drive bike anytime soon.
Still good on jeep for trying, although I feel the marketing is a little suspect (i,e it is still a gimmick! as the design is to early to be really effective) and the price is to high considering the component spec! mostly Deore!

Thats pretty cool. Ive experienced a lot of rear wheel slippage on the climb so this would be a neat thing to try....but 3000 dollars....i don't think so

I've seen $4000 bikes that don't have AWD. I've read a lot about the design and it's VERY cool.

Actually, I thought it would be a really cool thing one day and went and did some research on the subject. There are some retrofit kits out their for 2WD but nothing as sophisticated and simple as Christini's bikes.

The big bike makers are dragging their feet on this because it isn't THEIR technology. They are working on motorcycle concepts right now to increase market penetration and get the part costs down.

If Christini starts selling in volume, the cost of these bikes could get down to the $1000 to $1500 range. Hopefully, one of the big bike vendors will finally buckle down and license the technology. Eventually, this technology will be as standard as disc breaks.

BTW, the other REALLY COOL technology out there is something called Rotor Cranks. They're internally geared so that the upstroke moves faster than the downstroke. The result is that the "dead spot" in your pedaling is eliminated. You can effectively climb standing and maintain a steady tire spin. It's effectively a bottom bracket and crank replacement.

These two technologies put together could be the mountain bike of the future. It could be the equivalent of the fiberglass pole vault.

BTW, you can retrofit most bikes with rotor-cranks, but they're REALLLY expensive. Around $400-$500.

It's good to see that real innovation isn't dead. I hope to own a 2wd bike in a couple years ;-)

Pedaling all that extra weight around when its not in "AWD mode" has to suck. If i could get the site to work I'd look at the components on it, from the picture they look like crap. Looks like another car company is trying to sell overpriced bikes to go along with their overpriced vehicles (Hummer, Porsche ect...) Complete waste of money.

Go here: http://www.christini.com/

The AWD mechanism adds only one pound. Most people say that the additional climbing power completely overwhelms that pound. Additionally, the front drive also helps with cornering, singletrack, steering and mud. The only category that this would not help is downhill riding.

The bike components are expensive because it's a new product shipping in low volumes. Once they get the volume up, it will be a lot cheaper. Hopefully, Giant or Specialized will wake up and license the technology before their racers start getting spanked by Christini bikes.

The only way that they'll convince a large population of the cyclists is for a Pro rider to start winning XC races on one. Heck, the mountain bike community doens't like change, look how long it's taken for a full suspension bike to be considered a viable alternative to the HT for racers.

If you gave me one, I'd ride it!

L8R

Go here: http://www.christini.com/

The AWD mechanism adds only one pound. Most people say that the additional climbing power completely overwhelms that pound. Additionally, the front drive also helps with cornering, singletrack, steering and mud. The only category that this would not help is downhill riding.

The bike components are expensive because it's a new product shipping in low volumes. Once they get the volume up, it will be a lot cheaper. Hopefully, Giant or Specialized will wake up and license the technology before their racers start getting spanked by Christini bikes.

I was skeptical at first about if it would work and how well, but my mechanical side got thinking, and now i'm sold on it. I bet that thing climbs like no other, slippery or otherwise. I would just worry about durability now...

P.S: I think that someone should send me a copy of that bike for some proper testing, and no, I won't return it! :p

I wonder what the efficiency is of that drive system. I don't know I don't have an interest in. Not really against change but that would be too proprietary. I believe you hae to use their fork. I am super anal about my fork and how it feels. Unless they could figure out a way to support all forks (specifically marz in my case) I wouldn't bother buying one. One it gets too steep or too technical I get off and run up. I HATE pedalling a bike slower then I can walk or jog haha

The increased weight, reduced effiency and higher cost over a traditional bike are pretty big tradeoffs for something that might improve riding in a situation that accounts for a faily small ammount of most rides.

Also those exposed gears won't last long in use anywhere near mud.

The increased weight, reduced effiency and higher cost over a traditional bike are pretty big tradeoffs for something that might improve riding in a situation that accounts for a faily small ammount of most rides.

Also those exposed gears won't last long in use anywhere near mud.

Read their website. The spiral gears are unaffected by mud.

Cornering is not a small amount of cycling. Nor is effective steering and staying on the trail.

I don't think these will become hot items anytime soon. But the motivation is certainly there. Go read the Chrisitini reviews on mtbr.com. Once these get into the $1000-$1500 range, people will be snapping them up.

I'm holding out for 1 wheel drive.:D

It's a good idea for hilly regions for xc purposes.

This bike should really be labelled 2WD and not AWD. AWD implies some sort of full-time mechanism that will allow the front and rear to slip in the event that the terrain does not. What happens if you leave the front wheels engaged while making a turn on high-traction pavement?

What happens if you leave the front wheels engaged while making a turn on high-traction pavement?

Hahaha you will get owned. :)

If there exposed gears are unaffected by mud then they should start making regular drivetrain parts out of this wonder metal. I would happily pay more for drivetrain parts that are unaffected by mud, as I guess a lot of other people would.

If there exposed gears are unaffected by mud then they should start making regular drivetrain parts out of this wonder metal. I would happily pay more for drivetrain parts that are unaffected by mud, as I guess a lot of other people would.

They're no more affected than a chain. That's not a weakness.

A Chain is easy to replace when dirty...how easy is an exposed drive shaft...or maybe easy isn't the word. How expensive would it be.