4 wheel downhill mountain bikes

[RosemaryB]

Hi
Please could anyone offer any information.
We are hoping to open a downhill bike track for disabled people to use. We have been told about 4 wheel downhill mountain bikes but I can't find a price for them.
There are two companies on the net that are developing them e.g. Enduro, but they don't seem to be at the stage of quoting a price.
Are there other companies that sell them?
Roughly how much would they cost?
Thanks
Rosemary

[Sum]

The only advice I can suggest is try contacting the groups that offer four-wheel downhill off-roading e.g. Rough Riderz UK and ask them where they got their four-wheel downhill rigs from.

[ed_phelan]

Is this any help? http://www.projectgravityx.co.uk/

[amediasatex]

Hi Rosemary, there are a number of companies that do (and have) made them in them past, but mostly they've been very low volume and almost custom rather than easily commercially available models.

I'll see if I can dig out some more details when I'm back at home but RR and the above gravity link are good people to get in touch with! Also, bear in mind that they are often very bespoke for the user and built specifically to fit them and adapted for their needs so an 'off the peg' solution might not be as adaptable as you hope.

In terms of cost, they have varied from 'home made' to north of £20k, as a finger in the air figure I think you'd be looking at 4-8k per bike for anything off the peg that was robust enough, but be prepared for it to be more in some cases.

There are also powered options available like the BOMA, were you considering them as well or just manual/gravity propelled?

[Username]

Hi Rosemary, there are a number of companies that do (and have) made them in them past, but mostly they've been very low volume and almost custom rather than easily commercially available models.

I'll see if I can dig out some more details when I'm back at home but RR and the above gravity link are good people to get in touch with! Also, bear in mind that they are often very bespoke for the user and built specifically to fit them and adapted for their needs so an 'off the peg' solution might not be as adaptable as you hope.

In terms of cost, they have varied from 'home made' to north of £20k, as a finger in the air figure I think you'd be looking at 4-8k per bike for anything off the peg that was robust enough, but be prepared for it to be more in some cases.

There are also powered options available like the BOMA, were you considering them as well or just manual/gravity propelled?

Jesus Christ! The price alone makes this a poor business model. Very few people have the means for that sort of equipment, and even less that would be willing to spend such sums on a bike or quad.

[amediasatex]

Jesus Christ! The price alone makes this a poor business model. Very few people have the means for that sort of equipment, and even less that would be willing to spend such sums on a bike or quad.

Well bear in mind that a 'mainstream' recumbent trike like the various ICE models are 3-5k it's not so bad, once you take into account that most of them are full custom jobs, potentially with extensive modifications for a specific disability or control requirement you can see how they head up tot 4-8k quite easily. A custom normal bike frame is rarely under a grand, scale that to a quad with additional materials, design and engineering requirements and you could easily be looking at 3k for a frame before you hang any bits on it.

If you're after something for proper offroad use on a downhill track and all terrain ability you're automatically talking suspension, even basic (but decent quality) shocks are £200 - 300 each, posh ones are double that, and you'll likely need 4 of them for your quad, +4 disc brakes, +4 wheels (with special/adapted) hubs, +a (likely custom) seat and depending on type of quad you may also need a transmission (manual or e-assisted), then all the normal finishing kit like bars, tyres etc. It all adds up very quickly!

Whether or not it's a good business model is largely irrelevant, that's how much custom adapted vehicles like this cost, if you could come to market with something of sufficient quality at a lower cost you would likely corner the market and cleanup very quickly, believe me there is a market for more, and more competitively priced models! Sadly most of the cheaper offerings are either of BSO/catalogue bike quality, not robust enough, overly heavy and not adaptable enough.

As to whether people have the money that's obviously very personal, but enough people spend over 3k on 'normal' bikes, not to mention many thousand more on cars, so make of that what you will...and it's still cheap compared to horses, sailing or motorsport as a hobby

[Vorpal]

The price alone makes this a poor business model. Very few people have the means for that sort of equipment, and even less that would be willing to spend such sums on a bike or quad.

Yet people break the bank to buy a car...

[hjd10]

Hi
Please could anyone offer any information.
We are hoping to open a downhill bike track for disabled people to use. We have been told about 4 wheel downhill mountain bikes but I can't find a price for them.
There are two companies on the net that are developing them e.g. Enduro, but they don't seem to be at the stage of quoting a price.
Are there other companies that sell them?
Roughly how much would they cost?
Thanks
Rosemary

I know these are not four wheel bikes however I've seen these in action on the trail.

http://www.lashersport.com/products-ath.html

The prices are not cheap.

Regards,

[Username]

The price alone makes this a poor business model. Very few people have the means for that sort of equipment, and even less that would be willing to spend such sums on a bike or quad.

Yet people break the bank to buy a car...

I think people do that because they feel they have to have a car, where as a bicycle they feel is recreational. I love my bicycling but I have never spent more than £2000 on a bicycle. However I certainly wouldnt even spend that if I wasnt a cyclist. People sometimes mention to me how their bike cost "nearly £300 second hand!" Cant help feel a bit embarrassed at the fact I spent £1700 on my current MTB when people say things like that, I certainly dont disclose it.