Abstract:
A golf bike including frame geometry and wheel design that facilitates the use of a bicycle as a golf club carrying vehicle on a golf course. A club carrying frame is incorporated into the golf bike to receive a bifurcated golf bag for holding clubs and appurtenant accessories.

Description:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable 
     CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to the field of apparatuses for transporting golf clubs. More specifically, the present invention relates to a specially configured bicycle and an apparatus attachable to the bicycle that allows for the easy transportation of golf clubs by a bicycle on a golf course. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Golf bags are the traditional vessel for carrying golf clubs. Because golf bags are heavy and cumbersome, they can be difficult to carry. Hence, many types of carts, carriers, and the like have been developed to ease the transportation of golf clubs around a golf course. Generally, there are rolling carriers into which a standard golf bag fits that are pulled or pushed by a player, or that may include an electric motor. Many players opt to use a golf cart, which is a motorized vehicle that typically stores clubs in a rear area, and provides a seating/driving area forward of the club storage area. 
     One criticism of the game of golf is that it simply takes too long to complete a round. Even with a motorized cart, it can take many hours to complete a round. Further, using a motorized cart significantly reduces the amount of exercise a player obtains in completing a round. On the other hand, walking while carrying a full golf bag, particularly in warm weather, is both slow and exhausting. 
     Thus, there is a need for an apparatus that allows for the efficient transportation of golf clubs around a golf course, that speeds a player&#39;s progress around the golf course, and that provides a player with an opportunity to obtain exercise. The present invention meets these needs by providing a rack system that is attachable to a specially configured bicycle, that allows a player to carry a full complement of clubs on a bicycle. Preferably, the bike includes frame geometry, wheel sizing, gearing, and other specialized features that allow the safe and efficient operation of the bicycle on a golf course. Optionally, the bike can include an electric assist. 
     This summary provides, in simplified forms, concepts that are more fully described and detailed below. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is this summary intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope for the claimed subject matter. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the following description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The features and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the appended claims. These and other features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set described in this application. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and features of the invention can be obtained, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a rear view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a rear side view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a rear view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , golf bike  100  is comprised of a bike component  116  to which a club carrying frame  113  is attached. Golf bike  100  is specially adapted to both carry golf clubs, and associated accessories, and to operate effectively as a bicycle on a golf course. Because golf bike  100  is to be used on soft surfaces such as turf grass and will carry a load at the rear of the bike  114 , certain adaptations are required. The wheelbase  110  of golf bike  100  is increased from the wheelbase of a standard bike. The increased wheelbase provides additionally stability on hills and acts to inhibit golf bike  100  from pulling “wheelies,” i.e., having the front wheel come off the ground, either because of the weight associated with a load attached to club carrying frame  113  or because of a rider accelerating golf bike  100 . Preferably, wheelbase  110  is in the range of 114 to 121 centimeters, with a preferred embodiment having a wheelbase  110  of 117 centimeters. 
     Top tube  104  extends between seat tube  101  and head tube  107  and is more or less parallel to down tube  103 . Top tube  104  is positioned to provide a “step through” frame, to facilitate mounting and dismounting of golf bike  100  by a user. The mid point of top tube  104  is at a height from ground in the range of 21 to 26 inches, with a preferred embodiment having a height above ground of 24 inches. 
     As seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , front wheel  111  is positioned at the front of golf bike  100 . Because golf bike  100  is to be used on soft surfaces such as turf grass, and it is necessary that golf bike  100  not damage such turf grass, it is necessary for front wheel  111  and rear wheel  112  to have sufficient surface area in contact with the turf grass such that the combined weight of golf bike  100  and its user are distributed in a manner that does not cause rutting of the turf grass to occur. Accordingly, front wheel  111  and rear wheel  112  have a width that is preferably in the range of 2.0 to 3.0 inches, with a preferred embodiment having a width of three inches. Front wheel  111  and rear wheel  112  are of conventional design for bicycle wheels with an outer tire over an inner tube that holds air. Front tire  116  and rear tire  117  have a width of 2.5 to 3.5 inches, with a preferred embodiment having a width of 3 inches. To increase maneuverability on a golf course, front wheel  111  and rear wheel  112  have a smaller diameter than the tires on a typical road or mountain bike. Preferably, front wheel  111  and rear wheel  112  have a diameter in the range of 16 to 24 inches, with a preferred embodiment having a diameter of 20 inches. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 6 , club carrying frame  113  is comprised of a roughly rectangularly shaped upper platform  302  that is positioned above rear tire  117  and that is connected to and supported by a pair of vertical supports  301  that extend above and below upper platform  302 . Upper platform  302  further includes a pair of upper platform extensions  402  that extend from upper platform  302  and connect to seat tube clamp  114 . Vertical supports  301  are generally U-shaped, with the upper, open end of the U connected to upper platform  302 . The lower portion of vertical supports  302  are positioned on either side of rear wheel  112  and are positioned rearward from rear axle  303 . The lower, inward portion of each vertical support  301  are connected to rear axle  303 . One or more intermediate stays  304  extend horizontally between each vertical support  301  below the level of upper platform  302 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , golf bag  401  is shown attached to club carrying frame  113 . Golf bag  401  is comprised of two, independent sections that connect to vertical supports  301  and extend vertically along the outside length of vertical supports  301 . The upper, inward side of golf bag  401  includes a sleeve  510  that is sized to slidingly engage with the U-shape portion of of upper frame  115  that extends above upper platform  302 . Each section of golf bag  401  is sized to receive a plurality of golf clubs  501  and may include dividers or tube members to segregate and stabilize golf clubs disposed therein. Each section of golf bag  401  may also include one or more outer pockets  403  that are sized to accommodate typical golf accessories such as balls, gloves, tees, and the like. Because golf bag  401  is a bifurcated design that is attached only to the outside of upper frame  115 , upper platform  302  is not covered by golf bag  401 . Thus, upper platform  302  is free to accept various accessories such as a drink cooler  502  or a bucket containing sand for divot repairs. 
     Electric assists for bicycles are well know in the art. Optionally, an electric motor assist can be attached to golf bike  100  to provide, when needed, additional motive force. 
     The appended drawings and pictures depict these and other aspects of the present invention, and this description is not intended to be limiting, but rather to be representative of at least one preferred embodiment of the invention.