Fifty Plus (50+) - AWD Bikes

Has anyone heard of this before.All Wheel Drive on bikes?

I saw one on sale on CL tonight and looked up the website.

http://christinibicycles.com/bikes-fullsus.php

Seems to me they would weigh a lot and not real sure it would help all that much. I dunno.

Seems to me they would weigh a lot and not real sure it would help all that much. I dunno.[/QUOTE]

You've got it.

I've given some thought to AWD bikes and have come to the conclusion that they would only be useful in winter, on snow-covered roads. The best way, IMHO, to implement AWD is to replace the front wheel with one of those electric hubs so that it's basically a front-wheel-drive e-bike but with rear wheel driven by the cranks. I have never tried this, but I think it might provide some advantage in slippery conditions.

Luis

pretty slick idea, I don't know that it would help much though. I'd like to demo one.

i saw a setup like this in the mid 90s or so. it was weird seeing the front wheel turn with the cranks.

but I think it might provide some advantage in slippery conditions.

Luis
When I saw this my first thought was on dry single track being a mtb and all. I now could see it working in mud though. Snow too but who rides in the snow? :innocent:

Still heavy not to mention all the extra stuff that could break.

Unicycle

When I saw this my first thought was on dry single track being a mtb and all. I now could see it working in mud though. Snow too but who rides in the snow? :innocent:

Still heavy not to mention all the extra stuff that could break.

After last winter, I'm still getting used to NOT riding in snow.
The higher CG means that bikes have a LOT more for and aft weight transfer than cars do. For example, when I'm going up the steep hill to my house, a little tug on the handlebars is enough to lift the front wheel. If I have 95% of my weight on the back wheel, why do I need AWD?

It seems the main thing that front wheel drive would do in snow is to cause the front wheel to skid, dumping the bike. Looks like those big, exposed gears would get lots of snow, ice, and mud in them, too.

Paul

I would like to try one as well. It may work very well for those short muddy 30% climbs in my area.

You would lose more power to friction in the bevel gears, than you would gain in traction transfer to the tront wheel. You could gain more traction by fitting a banana seat, so you could slide back over the rear wheel.

You would lose more power to friction in the bevel gears, than you would gain in traction transfer to the tront wheel. You could gain more traction by fitting a banana seat, so you could slide back over the rear wheel.

I don't have the engineering on that so can't speak to the friction, but climbing, the weight distribution is so far forward that rear wheel drive can be useless. On steep descents, it is common to be so far aft on the bike, a banana seat would have to be abot 3 ft long.

Studded tires on both wheels . I have a 12 year old pair of Nokian Mount and Ground Winter tires .

But where I am it only does the Black Ice on the roads every once in a while , so when they are useful I put them on

have wheels with drum brakes , which is a combo near perfect. grabby brakes is not what you want then,

and drum brakes are smooth and weather shielded.

Unicycle

well played

Unicycle
uno fixie

A solution in search of a problem. The big problem with bicycles is it's wimpy motor. The 2 wheel drive bicycle uses power robbing components to solve a traction problem that seldom arises.

There was a fellow in the St Louis area producing 2 wheel drive bicycles around 15 years ago. His used a pair of bevel gearsets and a flexible shaft to connect the front and rear hubs. Ultimately some fellow bought up his stock and tried to find a market for them. I owned a shop at that time and told him I wasn't interested so he waited until I was out to drop off a boxed bike. After multiple failed attempts to contact him I eventually dumpstered the bicycle. About 6 months later he came in to ask about it. He got real mad. That's when I found out he was an attorney. I must have been on pretty sound ground legally because I never heard from him again.

A solution in search of a problem. The big problem with bicycles is it's wimpy motor. The 2 wheel drive bicycle uses power robbing components to solve a traction problem that seldom arises.

There was a fellow in the St Louis area producing 2 wheel drive bicycles around 15 years ago. His used a pair of bevel gearsets and a flexible shaft to connect the front and rear hubs. Ultimately some fellow bought up his stock and tried to find a market for them. I owned a shop at that time and told him I wasn't interested so he waited until I was out to drop off a boxed bike. After multiple failed attempts to contact him I eventually dumpstered the bicycle. About 6 months later he came in to ask about it. He got real mad. That's when I found out he was an attorney. I must have been on pretty sound ground legally because I never heard from him again.

i wonder if the bike i saw was his creation. i was about 10 years old and went to a bicycle trade show with my dad. i believe it was in chicago.

Hmmm..... traction.

I don't see how they would be practical. They would have to be considerably more mechanically complex and even worse heavier.

The other thing is this a solution to a non problem? Think about it. Bicycles have large wheels. Generally, large wheels offer good traction. Have you ever even heard of an all wheel drive tractor? Tractors have such big honking drive wheels that they don't need all wheel drive and tractors do pretty well in rough terrain and muddy fields.

A solution in search of a problem. The big problem with bicycles is it's wimpy motor. The 2 wheel drive bicycle uses power robbing components to solve a traction problem that seldom arises.

There was a fellow in the St Louis area producing 2 wheel drive bicycles around 15 years ago. His used a pair of bevel gearsets and a flexible shaft to connect the front and rear hubs. Ultimately some fellow bought up his stock and tried to find a market for them. I owned a shop at that time and told him I wasn't interested so he waited until I was out to drop off a boxed bike. After multiple failed attempts to contact him I eventually dumpstered the bicycle. About 6 months later he came in to ask about it. He got real mad. That's when I found out he was an attorney. I must have been on pretty sound ground legally because I never heard from him again.

I wonder how he would have responded if you also would have billed him for the space his bike occupied in the dumpster.:)

Hmmm..... traction.

I don't see how they would be practical. They would have to be considerably more mechanically complex and even worse heavier.

The other thing is this a solution to a non problem? Think about it. Bicycles have large wheels. Generally, large wheels offer good traction. Have you ever even heard of an all wheel drive tractor? Tractors have such big honking drive wheels that they don't need all wheel drive and tractors do pretty well in rough terrain and muddy fields.

you are kidding right?

people were installing "front wheel assist" systems in tractors in the 50s, and manufactures started in the 60s:
http://www.tractorshed.com/gallery/uptest/a3756.jpg

in the 80s it became popular.

in the 90s it became the "norm" for large tractors

now even small tractors feature "front wheel assist"
http://www.johnworr.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/john-on-kubota2small.jpg

You call those little toys tractors? *This* was a tractor...

http://i49.tinypic.com/2njcco.jpg

:thumb::thumb:

I've given some thought to AWD bikes and have come to the conclusion that they would only be useful in winter, on snow-covered roads. The best way, IMHO, to implement AWD is to replace the front wheel with one of those electric hubs so that it's basically a front-wheel-drive e-bike but with rear wheel driven by the cranks. I have never tried this, but I think it might provide some advantage in slippery conditions.

Luis

What I did. I am happy with the results. It kept me from going down Wednesday night on my way to work.

I was making a hard left on the dirt trail, going too fast, front wheel started to wash out, hit the throttle, it pulled through, no harm, no foul.

Hmmm..... traction.

Have you ever even heard of an all wheel drive tractor? Tractors have such big honking drive wheels that they don't need all wheel drive and tractors do pretty well in rough terrain and muddy fields.

These days a lot of them are. Or else they have tracks.

AWD on a bike- Work this one out

Hmmm..... traction.

I don't see how they would be practical. They would have to be considerably more mechanically complex and even worse heavier.

The other thing is this a solution to a non problem? Think about it. Bicycles have large wheels. Generally, large wheels offer good traction. Have you ever even heard of an all wheel drive tractor? Tractors have such big honking drive wheels that they don't need all wheel drive and tractors do pretty well in rough terrain and muddy fields.

I have seen an awful lot of them stuck in mud over the years as well. Normally when weight distribution is other than ideal. 4X4 was invented for a reason.

I am not saying this is a great idea for bikes, but I am always happy to see people trying to build a better wheel.

All Wheel Drive versus All Wheel All Extremities Drive

158822
Nice garage door.

IMHO that's gotta be the dumbest idea I've seen in a long time. There will be so much loss in that system as well as the added weight and since the weight is mostly on the rear wheel it will make for a pig.