Quads

Jeff Grippe said:

I've started this thread before but a new look is always good.

Does anyone know anything about quads?

Before my accident they seemed interesting to me. Now I'm thinking that a
quad may be the only way to go for the stability that it offers.

The "Mountain Quad" is no longer in production but it carried a price tag of
close to $8k. I can't see spending that kind of money on a pedal powered
vehicle that doesn't have a body and an assisting motor. Their web site is
still up, www.crank-it.com even though they are not making or selling any at
this point.

I read in VeloVision (great magazine from the UK) about a new quad ATB that
is being made in France. It is also going to be pretty pricy at around 3-4K
Euros.

The Rhoades Car has been in production for quite a while but they don't sell
a product that serious riders would be interested in (I think). I would love
to ride one. I have no need for speed so the weight isn't going to bother me
until I hit a good hill. I worry that I wouldn't be able to get something so
heavy up a big hill. On the other hand I'm planning to stick to rail trails
which are gently graded so the hill thing might not be an issue.

Does anyone know of any interesting quads?

Jeff

I had some medicine take out one of my balance things in my ear. I'm
building a delta trike for stability. Would a quad really be needed?

Don

Curtis L. Russell said:

Going up hills, if speed truly is not an issue, is not an issue on
trikes and quads until they start rolling backwards. With no minimum
speed to maintain balance, you can creep up as slow as you wish.

Not /quite/: traction can be a problem with some designs when it gets
really steep. But that would be seriously steep!

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 18:43:34 -0500, "Jeff Grippe" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I've started this thread before but a new look is always good.

Does anyone know anything about quads?

Before my accident they seemed interesting to me. Now I'm thinking that a
quad may be the only way to go for the stability that it offers.

The "Mountain Quad" is no longer in production but it carried a price tag of
close to $8k. I can't see spending that kind of money on a pedal powered
vehicle that doesn't have a body and an assisting motor. Their web site is
still up, www.crank-it.com even though they are not making or selling any at
this point.

I read in VeloVision (great magazine from the UK) about a new quad ATB that
is being made in France. It is also going to be pretty pricy at around 3-4K
Euros.

The Rhoades Car has been in production for quite a while but they don't sell
a product that serious riders would be interested in (I think). I would love
to ride one. I have no need for speed so the weight isn't going to bother me
until I hit a good hill. I worry that I wouldn't be able to get something so
heavy up a big hill. On the other hand I'm planning to stick to rail trails
which are gently graded so the hill thing might not be an issue.

Does anyone know of any interesting quads?

Jeff

Try this website. http://www.bhsi.org/fourwhel.htm

Going up hills, if speed truly is not an issue, is not an issue on
trikes and quads until they start rolling backwards. With no minimum
speed to maintain balance, you can creep up as slow as you wish.

Generally, the reverse is the problem, especially upright quads and
trikes (and especially the old style racing trikes that looked like
modified diamond frame bikes). You can't lean except with a few trikes
and you don't corner the same way at all, especially at speed. In my
racing days I took a Carleton trike up to about 25 mph in a parking
lot and then took it over the curb. It was either that or fall down.
You corner using body weight and it is a bit scary above 20 on an open
course.

My understanding, BTW, is that anything under 50 pounds is a light
quad, considering all the extra hardware in the transmission system
and steering, plus the extra wheelset.

Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...