Friday’s Vaporware Update

Some readers have let me know I’ve accidentally released images of my next project, the pedal-powered AT-AT microbus in this post. To that all I can say is “shit!”–if you’re seeing that accidentally leaked image above, please cover your eyes and disregard it until the patent comes through. But yes, it is pretty bitchin’.

In fact, here’s the rough sketch of what should be the final version of my suspension system. Ain’t much, but all the bones are in there–all the key pivot locations and shock orientation.

And here, in no particular order, are the priorities behind the design:

• Both rockers as short as possible while still being able to fit decent sized bearings
• Shape of each rocker is as simple as possible
• No wasted material and the shortest distances between points everywhere possible
• Clean, open design with many fabrication possibilities–no structural gymnastics that inevitably mean “heavier”
• Potential for cartoonishly low standover–that drawing would be of a size “Large,” and the smaller models should allow the seat tube to be lower than the rear tire
• Stupid short chainstays without excessive chain growth during compression (it’s an axle path that took three years to develop)
• Sensible and flexible options for front derailleur mounting
• Bottom bracket system options (leaning toward Press-fit 30 or something proprietary that doesn’t work with anything–kidding!)
• A “shit-ton” of mud clearance
• Tight and simple rear triangle
• Absolutely perfect shock location–out of the way for low standover and decent water bottle placement
• Optimized stress points–points on a frame that always need beefed up anyway handle all the load, meaning no super-heavy straight gauge downtube necessary because a shock is t-boning it, and no extra struts and beams just to orient the shock or rocker

That’s it for now. Next step is, hopefully, a prototype.