DISRAELI GEARS

Honda

Japanese Patent 4260068 - Honda main image Japanese Patent 4413657 - Honda main image Japanese Patent 4416604 - Honda main image

As you may well know, the Honda Motor Company was founded by Soichiro Honda in 1946 in Hamamatsu, Japan. Even before the Second World War Soichiro Honda had run a business manufacturing piston rings. Honda is now a huge global corporation making motorcycles, cars and all manner of devices driven by internal combustion engines.

In 2003 Honda developed a radical downhill mountainbike called the Honda RN01, and tested it on the domestic Japanese downhill racing circuit. The Honda RN01 featured a mysterious and, supposedly, highly secret 'gearbox' surrounding the bottom bracket. Inside this gearbox was a fairly straightforward derailleur system, using a custom designed, but surprisingly conventional, derailleur.

In 2004 Honda set up a full-blown world-class downhill mountainbike racing team called Team G Cross Honda. Honda hired the reigning World Champion, Greg Minnaar to head up the team. Team G Cross Honda rode the Honda RN01 - and although they did not sweep all before them, they were moderately successful with it.

I believe that the Honda 'gearbox' evolved through a number of iterations (perhaps three), before Honda disbanded the team at the end of the 2007 season.


see also Japanese Patent # 4286681 - Honda 2004

see also Japanese Patent # 4286681 - Honda 2004

Japanese Patent 4286681 - Honda thumbnail


see also Japanese Patent # 4413657 - Honda 2004

see also Japanese Patent # 4413657 - Honda 2004

Japanese Patent 4413657 - Honda thumbnail


see also Japanese Patent # 4514041 - Honda 2004

see also Japanese Patent # 4514041 - Honda 2004

Japanese Patent 4514041 - Honda thumbnail


see also Japanese Patent # 4260068 - Honda 2004

see also Japanese Patent # 4260068 - Honda 2004

Japanese Patent 4260068 - Honda thumbnail


see also Japanese Patent # 4219310 - Honda 2004

see also Japanese Patent # 4219310 - Honda 2004

Japanese Patent 4219310 - Honda thumbnail


see also Japanese Patent # 4416604 - Honda 2004

see also Japanese Patent # 4416604 - Honda 2004

Japanese Patent 4416604 - Honda thumbnail


see also Japanese Patent # 4353877 - Honda 2004

see also Japanese Patent # 4353877 - Honda 2004

Japanese Patent 4353877 - Honda thumbnail


see also Japanese Patent # 4601480 - Honda 2005

see also Japanese Patent # 4601480 - Honda 2005

Japanese Patent 4601480 - Honda thumbnail


Team G Cross Honda at Lisbon Downtown 2007

Team G Cross Honda at Lisbon Downtown 2007

  • Publisher: Honda
  • Date: July 2007
  • Derailleur brands: Honda
  • Derailleurs: Internal derailleur in Honda RN01
Team G Cross Honda at Lisbon Downtown thumbnail


Honda - web site 2018

Honda - web site 2018

  • Publisher: Honda
  • Date: 2018
  • Derailleur brands: Honda
  • Derailleurs: Internal derailleur in Honda RN01
Honda - web site 2018 image 1 thumbnail