01
Static & business
Technical inspection, design judging, a cost report and a sales presentation, defended in front of industry judges.
About us
Engineering you can drive.
Classroom theory, applied to a complete vehicle, under strict rules, a limited budget and fixed deadlines.
The competition
What is Baja SAE?
Baja SAE is an international collegiate design competition organized by SAE International (bajasae.net). Student teams design, manufacture and race a single-seat, all-terrain vehicle that has to withstand rough terrain, jumps, rocks and mud, and complete a multi-hour endurance race.
Every team uses the engine specified by the rules (currently a Kohler CH440, 14 hp stock but restricted to 10 hp by a restrictor plate) and meets the same safety and design requirements. Differences in performance come down to vehicle design, weight, reliability and team execution, not the powertrain.
Teams are also judged on cost, design justification and a sales presentation, all evaluated by practising engineers from industry. It's a head-to-head test of engineering judgement, manufacturing quality and project management.
Endurance
One seat.
Four hours.
Competition format
Judged three ways
A Baja SAE event scores the whole program, from the engineering report and cost sheet to how the car holds up after hours of abuse.
02
Dynamic events
Acceleration, hill climb or traction, manoeuvrability and suspension events under demanding off-road conditions.
03
Endurance
A four-hour wheel-to-wheel race where reliability and pit-crew coordination count as much as outright speed.
The team
Who we are
Rough Rider Racing (RRR) is the University of Ottawa's Baja SAE team and one of the Faculty of Engineering's competitive design teams, with members from mechanical, electrical, software and computer engineering and other programs.
- Design, manufacture and race a competitive Baja SAE vehicle that complies with the current rules.
- Give students practical experience in design, fabrication, testing and project management.
- Represent the University of Ottawa at competitions across North America and build a program that lasts for future students.
The crewWhat members learn
Can't learn this in a lecture
Members graduate with a portfolio of real, tested hardware and the experience of delivering a vehicle to a fixed deadline.
01
Engineering practice
CAD modelling, hand calculations, finite element analysis, design reviews and technical documentation.
02
Manufacturing skills
Machining, welding, fabrication, wiring, assembly and troubleshooting.
03
Project execution
Budgeting, scheduling, risk management, communication and delivery to fixed deadlines.
The process
How we work
The program runs on a one-year vehicle cycle: every season the team designs, builds and races a brand-new car. Starting fresh each year raises the design challenge and pushes members toward new solutions instead of carrying old ones forward.
The team is organized into four technical subteams (Chassis, Suspension, Drivetrain and Electrical) and an Administration group responsible for finance, sponsorship, outreach and logistics.
- Design
Concept & analysis
CAD, hand calcs, FEA and design reviews.
- Build
Manufacture
Machining, welding, fabrication and wiring, all by students.
- Test
Validate & tune
Track days and off-road testing to find failures before competition does.
- Race
Compete
Static judging, dynamic events and endurance, then feed it into the next car.