Project View

All wheel drive handcycle

San Jose CA

Published: 2023-07-27

Mobility Aid

Grin All-Axle

Multi-Motor

Handcycle

I use two Grin all-axle motors to power the rear wheels on my handcycle. This has been a complete game changer as a common issue I was experiencing is the drop in traction when going up hills as the steeper the hill the less weight I have on my front wheel. This prevented me from being able to bike on fire roads. With the two motors in the rear I know gain traction as my weight distribution increases on the back wheels. This allows me to go up steep gravel roads and enjoy mountain biking with my sons (something I never thought I could do). I was even able to bike up ski slopes with two fat tires in the rear.

This bike is part of our electric assist handcycling program, ablebodied.org, where we offer free lessons to anybody who cannot ride a regular bike. We primarily have riders with spinal cord injuries, but have also had riders with MS or knee issues. The all wheel drive handcycle allows our riders to go places they would otherwise never be able to get to.

Biked up to the top of Black mountain, a 50 mile ride

Ablebodied lesson showing a 14 year old who was injured at the age of 12 what they can do with an electric assist handcycle — Ablebodied handcycling lesson

Biking up the slopes in Mammoth California

Prototyping bracket for disc brake calipers and torque arm

Top two holes are for the disc brake calipers (original bike did not have disc brakes in the rear). The are two more holes for the motor torque arms and a few more holes for bars we feed across the frame and prevent the bracket from spinning. — Custom bracket we built for handcycle

Installed motors, brackets, and cross bars

Additional Info

https://ablebodied.org