[ratdude747]

Originally Posted by Mike Marandola

I don't know how well you'll be able to go over the ramp with kiwi in the first place.

Easy. Just drive up (a little momentum might help). I do know 1501 ran a small wheeled kiwi drive in 2010 and was able to get up the ramp to the goal... sure they couldn't do the bumps, but that was 45 degrees and much higher than the 16 degree 2" scoring platforms we're talking.

I think people seem to underestimate the ability of rollered wheels (omni and mecanum) to go up ramps and the like... if anything in the "slow" modes act like a gear reduction, similar to how pulleys work (trading speed for transitional force). Sure, wheel contact is an issue... but on a kiwi, unless you bottom out and drag the frame (could happen with lower ride heights), being a 3 point system, all 3 wheels will always be in contact with something.

This is an old argument... people said the same about mecanums in 2010 and 2012 (Bumps and bridges respectively)... and I saw examples of such drives work pretty much flawlessly both years. If you design the drive right, mecanums are plenty capable of ramp handling.