did you hear about the jeep rubicon bike ,no its not a car its a mountain bike with 2 wheel drive its good for the rock and hill climbs and up hills

its about $700-$1300 :eek:

http://lib1.store.vip.sc5.yahoo.com/...roup/awd01.jpg
http://store1.yimg.com/I/cyclesourcegroup_1816_25555809
http://store1.yimg.com/I/cyclesourcegroup_1816_24495063
http://store1.yimg.com/I/cyclesourcegroup_1816_7231633
http://store1.yimg.com/I/cyclesourcegroup_1816_25713926
http://store1.yimg.com/I/cyclesourcegroup_1816_6525660
The New Jeep® Rubicon™ AWD Mountain Bike is the first of it's kind in the world. The patented design consists of a lightweight, internalized, shaft-driven system that allows the rider to engage both wheels for additional power when there is "wheel slip". With the simple flip of a handlebar-mounted switch, the AWD system provides increased control, traction and stability on slippery or loose surfaces and unmatched power to climb steep hills. Simply stated, when the rear wheel slips — the front wheel grips. Intended to tackle the toughest terrain, it incorporates all the great advantages that are associated with any Jeep® vehicle, on, or off the road.

AWD Performance-
If you know what all wheel drive does for a sport utility vehicle, just imagine what AWD can do for a mountain bike.

With increased traction available at the push of a button, you can conquer conditions that you thought were un-rideable before. AWD provides greater control over wet roots and slippery rocks. You can power up steeper, more difficult hills and will stick like glue to side slopes and corners.

The AWD system is so efficient; it is hard to tell whether it is working, until you need it. With the front drive disengaged, the Jeep® Rubicon™ AWD handles and feels just like any dialed-in mountain bike. Engage the AWD system and you’ll feel increased control, stability and traction on slippery or loose surfaces.

AWD works whether you’re peddling or coasting. You will be able to descend with confidence and corner more aggressively due to added front wheel grip.

Holy poop monkeys. That has to be the coolest think I have ever seen in my life.

Interesting that they've gone fully mechanical with bevel gears and shafts. The motorcycle equivilent by Yamaha uses a gearbox driven pump to drive an impeller (like in an older automatic car gearbox) that in turn drives the front wheel. Before that Drydale engineering made a similar hydraulic system for trail bikes but I dont know where that led to. I guess most riders are not going to pedal fast enough or reliably enough to successfully drive a hydraulic pump hence the mechanical approach. I'll bet its a hoot to ride in mud! Any ideas on total weight?

Interesting idea.

I wonder how durrable and efficient it is.

I've heard of this and my conclusion is the same. It takes more energy to power AWD in a vehicle than it does for just a RWD one. You do get better traction but you get a totally different handling vehicle. The weight of the AWD will never go away.

Now, if we apply that to bikes specifically, when the AWD is engaged, you will be powering two wheels across whatever terrain you're trying to do. That isn't bad on pavement or anything light, but you'll feel the burn over rocky uphill climbs and other instances. You give up the handling of a well balanced bike for a different handling bike with different weight distribution. This bike will be heavier than a regular RWD bike because it powers the front too, which will make it slower in straight aways and handle differently on turns. That looks like one neat but complex fork too. I would hate to have to replace that...

Wouldn't one brake cause both wheels to slow down too? If the only thing connecting the front and back wheel is those gears then if one stops so should the other. That would be weird getting used to.

Good point as well.

Also, I'm susprised that the bits are so exposed, some sand or dirt would probably do a nasty number on those gears. I would really question the durrablity of that thing.

anyone notice the front brake setup? between the end of the cable housing to the caliper, the cable's looped in a 90 degree angle... how the h3ll are you gonna pull those brakes?!!

i think this reflects on the workmanship on that bike, awd or no. btw i remember a thread about the awd thing sometime back.

I want to try one of those .
Price is steep though
I wonder if they have a demo somewhere.

First of its kind, eh? Looks like it's just a rebadged Christini with cheaper components. http://leelikesbikes.com/Stories/112104/
Of course, I'd be wary of any bike being marketed by a car company.

That's pretty f'in cool, but I'll bet you pay a serious weight penalty for all those gears and shafts.

Did their marketing lit really say "peddling", or was that your typo? :)

http://www.christini.com/bikes-fullsus.php

mmm hm.

and the jeep retails for $2,999.99

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

the monroe fork is made by white brothers.

The gas milage would be horrible. Better pack some extra Clif Bars!

Good point, they have been around for a few years. I read a test report in a magazine at least a couple of years ago. They did not like it. But it is a tiny bit better in soft sand. A little worse in all other conditions.

Not new.

Not unique

Not very good.

Some marketing copy from Jeep WOW !

This is unless of course it's a HUMMER bike. I gotta have me one of those!
;)

http://motortrend.com/features/news/..._humbike_s.jpg

unless it involves the name "HONDA" and "RN01" next to each other.

http://www.bikeworld.pl/zdjecia/sprzet/honda_d.jpg

I've heard that bike catches a 75,000 doller price tag. I know its a 5 digit number. Would you pay 6 digits for a bike?

I'm guessing those are just section views to show how the mechanical part works...just guessing.

That was for the prototype.

There is supposed to be a production version one in 2006 that will be in th $5,000 to $10,000 range.