Extreme! 4-Wheel Pedal Bike

Walking the hall at this year’s Interbike trade show in Las Vegas, something I’d never seen before stopped me in my tracks — a pedal-powered “racing quad” from Portland-based Contes Engineering. The four-wheel Athos was “inspired by BMX, freestyle, downhill and motocross,” the company touts, and it is said to marry the “intense stability” and handling characteristics of a four-wheel vehicle with the flexibility of a bike. In a nutshell? It was designed for pure fun!

Athos_01.jpg

Athos: part bike, part quad, all for fun

This odd human-powered vehicle uses more than 8 inches of travel spread between its four-wheel setup. Both rear wheels receive power from a differential for traction, and disc brakes all around guarantee a quick stop.

Company literature encourages the “defiance of gravity” and states that the Athos “enjoys drifting, rock hopping and passing.” Need more attention at the local dirt jumps? We suggest rolling up on one of these suckers.

Athos_air.jpg

Launching the Athos is encouraged

Beginning in spring of 2012, the Athos will be for sale in BMX, downhill, or cross-country models. Weight of the four-wheel bikes ranges from 48 to 56 pounds. The BMX model will be single-speed; the other two will offer gearing choices.

Pricing to be announced in November. As a nice bonus, all Athos bikes are designed, tested and produced in the USA.

Athos_frame.jpg

Bump-eating independent suspension on the Athos

Though certainly not as versatile as your standard mountain bike, I’d be fibbing if I told you I didn’t want to hoist a leg over this thing and throw down at the nearest pump track. Sign me up to ride!

T.C. Worley

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Commenting on post : Extreme! 4-Wheel Pedal Bike
Posted by chris - 09/27/2011 04:23 PM

Nice. Four chances to get your shock PSI wrong! :-)

Posted by Minh Nguyen - 09/27/2011 04:39 PM

I SO WANT ONE!!!

Posted by john - 09/28/2011 09:52 AM

would be fun to ride for sure

Posted by Jordan - 09/29/2011 11:38 AM

Damn this looks fun.

Posted by willysson - 10/02/2011 02:45 AM

Off the subject but have been meaning to ask for awhile now: Are you aware of any lightweight hiking boots with the uppers stitched to the footbeds? Preferably supplemented by a rubber rand. Thanks.

Posted by neil - 10/25/2011 07:55 PM

are u workers going 2 b selling that

Posted by robert dunn - 11/25/2011 06:04 PM

november is near ending are you guys gonna anounce pricing????soon

Posted by Tart - 11/29/2011 08:16 PM

Were could I get one

Posted by sal rod - 12/24/2011 02:47 AM

keep me posted as to when n how much these babys will b available n cost…that thing looks hella rad 2 ride…

Posted by Antonio D'Agostino - 01/20/2012 04:18 PM

It looks interesting ,i wold like to see more of it

Posted by Carl Adam Ward - 02/25/2012 06:17 PM

I’m getting one as soon as they’re released in the UK. Then i’m getting 2 huskies :-D

Posted by shan - 03/26/2012 09:20 AM

how much are these rigs

Posted by Yannick Y. Larsen - 04/19/2012 03:40 AM

Wonder from where the idea came… I have been contemplating the exact same concept since 2002, and I hope and pray that this “rip-off” of my original design will constitute a franchise agreement with me as beneficiary in the near future. Or at least that I get creditted for the initial design propossal as shown in this picture-link:

https://plus.google.com/#photos/113813377042179902657/albums/5733026705309239089/5733026741045178418

Posted by Mike - 05/12/2012 01:03 PM

No doubt it will be priced out of any normal person’s reach. I’ll bet $5,000 or up

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