californian bicycle company rungu has launched a pedal-assist version of its three-wheeled ‘fat bike’. equipped with large, soft tires – two of which are located at the front – the electric juggernaut MDV offers riders control on rough surfaces.

rungu's three-wheeled 'fat bike' floats over sand and snow designboom

images courtesy of rungu

 

 

rungu‘s electric juggernaut MDV utilizes a 1,000-watt bafang M610 mid-drive unit and features both throttle and pedal-assist modes. it is is powered by a down-tube-mounted 52v/15ah battery pack, which provides approximately 85km in pedal-assist mode, or 29km when using the throttle.

rungu's three-wheeled 'fat bike' floats over sand and snow designboom

 

 

the MDV is made with a 6061-t6 aluminum frame with dual 60-mm suspension forks. power is transmitted via a shimano deore 10-speed 11-36t drivetrain to 26 x 4.8-inch tires. tektro 180-mm hydraulic disc brakes are featured on all three wheels.

rungu's three-wheeled 'fat bike' floats over sand and snow designboom

 

 

a handlebar-mounted color lcd display lets riders check the necessary stats, including speed and battery level. it also lets them select the amount of electrical pedal assistance.

rungu's three-wheeled 'fat bike' floats over sand and snow designboom

 

 

‘the rungu electric juggernaut started out as a solution to a local problem, ‘how best to transport equipment across the beach to the ocean?‘ in california,’ rungu explains.

 

‘getting surf or fishing gear across the san onofre state beach is a chore for surfers and fisherman. 4x4s aren’t allowed on the beach, and nearest parking is two miles away. to get to the ocean, surfers can follow state park dirt roads by e-bike or cross the beach on foot. e-bikes don’t perform in the soft sand, and quads aren’t allowed within 50 miles of the beach.‘

 

the bike weighs in at 82lbs (37kg), helped by the fact it doesn’t use a hub motor. this keeps the weight more evenly balanced whilst delivering a top speed of 35km/h.

rungu's three-wheeled 'fat bike' floats over sand and snow designboom

 

 

the pedal-assist electric juggernaut MDV adds to the comapny’s juggernaut series of fat-tired trikes. the series was first introduced in 2014, touted for its ability to float over snow and sand.

 

video by rungu

 

 

in its latest iteration rungu has introduced a less-expensive pedal assist version of rungu’s motorized electric juggernaut, which was released in 2015. prices start at US$3,399 whilst prices for the original electric juggernaut, which does have a slightly higher top speed and longer range, start at $3,958.