Honest opinion on 2017 drivetrains

[Chris is me]

It is never "what's best", it is always "what's best for your team". The theoretical best drivetrain is just a fun thought experiment.

For the vast majority of teams, it will once again be a tank drive. A drop-center if the wheelbase is longer than it is wide (or squareish); a 4WD is fine if it's wide enough.

Some of the alignment in this game could be made a little easier with a well implemented strafing drivetrain, but I don't think the advantage is so big that the lost practice and build time required to develop this drivetrain would be fully offset.

[I_AM_Clayton]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

It is never "what's best", it is always "what's best for your team". The theoretical best drivetrain is just a fun thought experiment.

I'm not asking "what's best for your team when it comes to experience or time", I'm asking which drivetrain you personally believe will be most competitive when placed on the field. I attached a poll.

[Joe Johnson]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

<snip> a 4WD is fine if it's wide enough.

<snip>

OR if two of the wheels are not super grippy (e.g. omniwheels or just hard plastic wheels)

For that matter, I'm not sure that a simple 2WD with center wheel drives and casters front and back wouldn't be just fine this year. Don't let a ball get you high centered but that is true for pretty much any drive. High centering is never a good thing even if your robot can recover...

FWIW.

Dr. Joe J.

[MARS_James]

What if my teams drive train isn't an option?

[Taylor]

Originally Posted by MARS_James

What if my teams drive train isn't an option?

ah, you're doing a Strandbeest, too?

[EricLeifermann]

Originally Posted by Taylor

ah, you're doing a Strandbeest, too?

Hovercraft

[bobbysq]

Originally Posted by EricLeifermann

Hovercraft

We were planning on using BristleDrive. You attach off balance loads to 6 CIMs and attach floor brushes to the bottom of your robot.

[Mike Schreiber]

Originally Posted by MARS_James

What if my teams drive train isn't an option?

You mean like 8WD?