Mountain Bike MQP
The MQP, or Major Qualifying Project, is WPI’s version of a final capstone project. The MQP is a professional-level design and research opportunity that allows undergrads to use all of the knowledge and experience that they gained at WPI to solve real-world problems.
I have to admit, I have a bit of an obsession with mountain bikes.
Because of this, I knew exactly what I wanted to do for my project the second I learned about the MQP.
Abstract
The objective of this project is to design and build a prototype mountain bike that uses a novel linkage design in order to improve ride characteristics on steep technical terrain while maintaining an efficient pedaling platform for ascents. Historically, downhill performance and uphill efficiency have been mutually exclusive features on mountain bikes. Currently, bikes that strive to maximize uphill and downhill performance will usually end up lacking in both. By designing a bicycle frame that incorporates modern geometry with a complex suspension linkage, I hope to create a mountain bike that excels at both efficient uphill travel and aggressive descents.
Video Presentation
Since Covid-19 happened, my class had to create a final video presentation for our MQPs instead of presenting live. These were published as part of the virtual undergraduate research showcase. You can watch my submission above or click here to go to the Virtual Undergraduate Research site.
