E-Trike Project

[Bobocop]

That looks a lot better (not that it didn't look good before)
you made it look sharper, nice job.

The idea of towing your wheel chair is great.
it will come handy (the wheel chair) when you go to the store or pub.

 

[Bobocop]

...OH...larger 3in tirerz look the business i thinkz Might have to follow ol' safes
lead in respect to joining a couple of rimz together and lace em up, the larger tires would
flatten out more... shall keep a keen eye on how safe goes with his attempts at this,
i think it should work very well, make for a strong rim to i guess with possibly t
he added benefit? :: shrugs :: of running two tubes in the one tire :: wink ::

What kind of rims are you planning to put together, steel or aluminum ?

I have dozens of rims off of scrap bikes here (mostly bmx 20")
I also have the hub and spokes off of my 4" wheel that i put the hub motor on.
so i might try and put 2 20" rims together and see how it works.
if it comes out ok, i'll post pics

 

[AussieJester]

Yeah the wheelchair is a necessity if i am going to the shops pub and the like...

I think steel would prolly be the shot something around 1.5in width i guess, i
can weld them here if i went for ali i would have to get a local mob to do it,
weights the thing though double walled ali rims tig welded would be alot lighter i think...
shall go bike shop tomorrow and suss the situation out regarding rimz i think.

Courier was VERY late today 7-45PM he dropped off my newly won Nokia E65
mobile phone $132 what a score things in MINT condition...AND my aviation goggles
i bought to go with the spiked helmet-->

I look like a right twit don't i hahaha love it

More soonz..

Kim

Apprentice Gangsta 8)

 

[safe]

$34.99

http://www.choppersus.com/store/product/121/Tire-20-x-4.25-Fat-Cat-/

$29.99

http://www.choppersus.com/store/product/919/Rim-Only-20-x-4.25-Black/

I've actually seen these Fat Cat tires on a chopper bicycle in my neighborhood. They fully deliver on the wide and strong ideal. I've been buying more parts... more tires... rims... so that my garage is getting to be like a bike shop because of all the extras I've got laying around.

It's frustrating to have just bought something and then start to ponder other options.

But after realizing the potential of the Cool Cat tire with it's slim 1" sidewall (3.25" contact patch) it definitely made me think about the additional strength it should deliver for me with a wide rim. The 3.0" balloon type tires I'm running now have about 2.5" of sidewall which means a lot of flexing happens that shouldn't.

On a trike I would guess that less sideways flex is a good thing because you would be throwing the weight sideways to turn.

 

[Bobocop]

$29.99

http://www.choppersus.com/store/product/919/Rim-Only-20-x-4.25-Black/

Thats a nice rim, but do they have any in stock.

I'm surprised no one makes these rims, you can get tires but no rims.

 

[AussieJester]

Thats a nice rim, but do they have any in stock.

I'm surprised no one makes these rims, you can get tires but no rims.

No they dont or i would have them. Alan @ choppersUS told me the only time they have these rims now is when they get a damaged bike in...here's the email i received from Alan regarding it when i wanted to purchase the rimz...

From: Alan Discount [mailto:alan@choppersus.com]
Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2008 12:03 AM
To: 'AussieJester'
Subject: RE: Freight Charge Please Mate

"Kim –
We do not currently have any of the rims you are interested in in stock. We typically only get them when we have a damaged new bike that the rear rim can be salvaged off of. So they are hard to come by. Sorry! Would you like a quote for shipping the balance of the items?
Alan"

I'll be happy with the 3inch setup though...

Kim

 

[Bobocop]

My rims are in the backyard under 4' of snow,
when i can get at them, i'll weld 2 together (i might be able to use them on something)
but i don't think running 2 tubes in one tire (as you mentioned above) will work.
i think the tire will be soft in the center because the tubes will not fill in the space in the middle side by side.

I'll be happy with the 3inch setup though...

3" looks great, but 4" looks better

 

[safe]

Used Chopper $30

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/bik/979050273.html

Used Chopper $85

http://providence.craigslist.org/bik/978787448.html

Unicycle $170

https://shop.sunrisecyclery.com/item/13004/

...searching far and wide those rims are not easy to get.

 

[AussieJester]

I may be wrong, but I doubt that there are any amount of pictures that can capture the niggling fart-about work that is involved in setting stuff like chain alignment or repositioning metal work that has been welded together once already.

HAHA too true...tack grind hammer tack grind hammer tack grind hammer... rarely is it right the first time
those shots dont make the worklog though hehehe... :: wink ::

When is it back on the road?

Should of been on the roqad days ago, i need to make an 'extension' bracket for the derailleur to hang from
and also extend the mounting bracket for the chain tensioner... havent been enthusiastic enough to brave
the heat in the workshop...

Won't be alot longer though..


Kim

 

[Reid Welch]

These are total labours of like. Well, in Kim's example: it's a labour of necessity plus perseverance and


beer!

Keep up the spirit/s, Kim! Your trike is strikingly wonderful and we are all rooting* for the finished (?) perfection.
Inventors never really finish. They just keep kicking the tires! :wink:

*rooting is not the same word in the USA as it is in Oz, I know!
I'm a *fuckadoodle, myself.

*definition of fuckadoodle: one who claims to know what he's doing
and spends endless time in not completing his project.

 

[AussieJester]

Wellz...i got the trike running today I now have a
ride i can fang the crap out of and the chainz both stay where they are supposed to AND thats WITHOUT a chain tensioner on the motor side chain I'll try get some video over the weekend, have my mate followz me in the car so i can showz off ma 'Gangsta Helmet' hehehe... OH...other Doc... i now have a Delta trike that corners like shez on rails Feelz like the ass end will slide out before the thing tipz Have lost all wheel spin now too :-( Good thing i guess since it costz me a small fortune to get these 3 inch 20s from US of A LoL.. ~120amp on take off and she just gripz and takez off....till something SNAPz I'm sure hehehe...i still want to play around with a larger sprokect on the motor side, will have a play with this tomorrow, will involve swapping out the #25 size 9 tooth scooter sprocket for a nine tooth bike chain compatible sprocket i picked up last order from TNC Scooters, this will enable me to pop a 'standard' bicycle sprocket on the motor side, will be slightly larger than the large 80ish? tooth scooter sprocket i have on there now...more on that next time ...

Back soonz anywayz ladies

Kim

Apprentice Gangsta 8)

 

[Bobocop]

Good to see you have it back on the road.
Is the motor turning one wheel or you changed it to turn both wheels ?
and if it's one wheel how does it handle on start offs ?

 

[AussieJester]

Good to see you have it back on the road.
Is the motor turning one wheel or you changed it to turn both wheels ?
and if it's one wheel how does it handle on start offs ?

Only the right rear is driven, wouldn't know it by the way it takes off though, be a different story if it didn't
have 25kilo of SLAs holding the front on the ground i guess hahaha..Already "christened' the "new configuration" with a ride to the local Bottlo for a 6 pack...for...for celebratory purposes you understand hehee ...

Kim

Apprentice Gangsta 8)

 

[AussieJester]

Australia Day in OZ today couple mates around for the traditional Australia Day bar-b-q and beerz ...and NO we DON'T "throw shrimps" on the barby WE DO throw prawnz on the barby though along with half a side of a cow with a slab of sheep to keeps the moomoo company...but i digress...I tend to do that when i have had a few beerz

SO..we took time off from downing beer NOT Fosters...actually NO we didnt uhm...yes, uhm...we decided the sensible thing to do would be do the video BEFORE drinking ... yes yes they will buy that...

..I popped on my 'Gangsta Helmet and Goggles" and did a lap around the block with my mates following in the Turbo Diesel Toyota Hilux ...

[youtube]_kJb_Y3YWPM[/youtube]

Apologies about the quality, all i had today was my Canon A630 in video mode...That and Renwick had to juggle the camera and a can of beer ;-| AND NO putting the beer down isn't an option! i have heard rumors people have been deported from OZ for this offense in the future ill have another mate up with his full blown video camera

The chain issue raised its ugly head again but this wasn't due to alignment issues, rather me being in a hurry for a test and not taking links out to shorten it, Due to this, when rounding a corner and giving it a fist full it throws the chain ...not a problem when going in a straight line and wont be a problem on corners oncez i remove a few links.. the chassis has been shortened some 50mm the chain is the same size as on previous config :-S My 'new' quick fire shifter is also knackered so again i am still stuck in 1st gear :-S I will be taking another run to Movement Systems and have them replace the shifter, the metal part that holds the end of the cable is snapped, was like this when i opened it, was a second hand item so no biggy, ill take a screw driver with me and open the one he gives me to replace it, they have a cane basket full of shifters in the shop LoL

ONE thing i had an issue with maybe Methods could explain...when i have been riding about and the controller gets warm, if i turnz off the switch and the power then turn it back on it wont work, i get the LED flashing, i have to do the wait till the flashing finishes then immediately flick the main isolation switch on to get it to work ONLY does this after i have ridden it and its warm. Any ideas Mr Methods my electrical guru Gangsta 8) buddy?

Hope you enjoy the vid anywayz chaps...I know i'm pleased with the handling now and the chain issue wont be an issue once i break the chain and remove a few linkz

More soon...

Kim

Apprentice Gangsta 8)

 

[Bobocop]

SO..we took time off from downing beer NOT Fosters...actually NO we didnt uhm...yes, uhm...we decided the sensible thing to do would be do the video BEFORE drinking ... yes yes they will buy that...

:lol:

Awsome Kim
Can (roughly) see how fast you were going by the wind hitting your pants.
That was first gear, do you really need to go faster then that (2nd, 3rd etc gear) ?
To bad about the chain but i know you'll have that fixed soon.

 

[AussieJester]

Awsome Kim
Can (roughly) see how fast you were going by the wind hitting your pants.
That was first gear, do you really need to go faster then that (2nd, 3rd etc gear) ?
To bad about the chain but i know you'll have that fixed soon.

haha yeah, she fairly moves along, love to get it on a long flat road but need to go down off the hillz to do that so will pop it on the back of the 4x4 and do it soonz...I want to see how quick it WILL go, but yeah, anything quicker than seen in the video is really not necessary TBH, i'm happy with the speed in first, will do 43km/hr uphill in first, i personally get a kick out of the power zapping take offs, used to loved the acceleration of my motorcycles more than hitting 280km/hr, the trike aint a patch on them but its all i can do these dayz and itz still putz a grin on my face i must admit Should line up a 'drag' with my mates Hilux over 100meters, i reckon ill be in front for the first 20 meters then he'll fly by hahaha..

cheers mate...

Kim

Apprentice Gangsta 8)

 

[safe]

These LiPoly packs are starting to get cheap. If you haven't heard about them you ought to take a look. The prices have come way down and the discharge rate is way up. It's now only about double the price of NiCads, but less than half the weight and they should last a long time too. (if you take good care of them)

Just want to be sure you are aware of them.

http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=7639&Product_Name=ZIPPY_5000mAh_6S1P_15C_

$76.85

 

[AussieJester]

HAHAHA aaaahhhh Safe... i woould LOVE to but i have been
given 'orders' from my "Gangsta Mentor" Methods to leave Lipos alone...

Kim

 

[safe]

My trike will very soon be fitted with a 80cc (66cc) ICE motor

Blasphemy!

How can you abandon the electric vehicle revolution and side with gasoline?

Hmmmmmm.... Australia..... flat..... huge.... long distances between towns.... okay, I get the idea.

The outback doesn't have electricity. :?

(with gasoline your range is unlimited)

Okay, I get it.

------------------------

On my old MB5 (50cc motorcycle) I used to be able to ride for 200 miles and it would cost me about $2. There's no way to beat that with electric power.

 

[recumpence]

HAHAHA aaaahhhh Safe... i woould LOVE to but i have been
given 'orders' from my "Gangsta Mentor" Methods to leave Lipos alone...

Kim

Bah Humbug!

Lipo forever!

Matt

 

[AussieJester]

On my old MB5 (50cc motorcycle) I used to be able to ride for 200 miles and it would cost me about $2. There's no way to beat that with electric power.

YES im afraid you electric loverz will be waiting many moonz before you get the range that ICE motors give you
The lipos i was interested in were dirt cheap i could have had 10 packs (22v 4500mah) for under $au600 BUT haha BUT i emailed the seller for a quote on freight and got the reply of FOUR HUNDRED and FIFTY THREE dollars thankyou very much ..

The ICE motor will probqably happen unless something extraordinary happens in the battery department in the next few months, while summer is here though not alot will happen too damn hot to be in the workshop...

Kim

 

[Zoot Katz]

Kim,
Your build project became a subject I regularly follow shortly after joining ES. I've just not chimed in before because I'm basically a plug-and-play player with a great local ebike shop, (ebikes.ca.) The pix of your trike's progress have their own folder on my hard drive. Your work is inspirational and blows more than a few minds. I look forward to your posts and thank you for your sharing with us your experiences.

ICE? Petrol? What are we talking about here?
I spent more than I could afford on batteries but have been delighted with their performance. Rice, lentils and less beer for a week . . .it's done.
They're NiMH and have a service life of about three years. I figured they'd last until LiFePO4 gets cheaper and BMS issues get sorted out.
We're awaiting to hear how you resolve your controller "issues".
Keep the faith. Srew ICE. Think solar to run your rig for FREE!

 

[AussieJester]

Appreciate the kind words, support & the interest you have in the 'project' Zoot Katz
Hopefully i can workout a reasonably cheap battery arrangement thats
suitable to my needz...But yeah, the weather atm here in Australia is shockin
we are in the height of Summer here and its stinkin' hot in my workshop
i think a future 'project' will have to be fitting up some form of air conditioning...
Shall keep the trike assembled for the next few weeks at least when it
starts too cool down a bit i'll get more enthusiastic about doing some more
work on it ...thanks again matey

Kim

Apprentice Gangsta 8)

 

[AussieJester]

If it happens Frank i will still have electric also
albeit a smaller motor most likely a front hub motor
this i would use when i get to the carpark of where im going for example..
Not set in stone just an idea i have been toying with
~$AU260 for a 48cc engine kit is very attractive
100mpg couple bucks to fill the tank... Too hot for anything at
present so have time to ponder what i'll do...

Kim

Apprentice Gangsta 8)

 

[safe]

From an economic sense it's very hard to justify electric vehicles.

----------------------

I'm afraid this is just the tip of the iceburg of people at first wanting to go electric, but then when reason prevails and the "bottom line" is looked at more closely the choice for the lower priced option is taken.

The only way to be SURE that people switch to electric is to get gas prices higher... most likely with taxes... so that the economic forces favor electric as the wiser option.

We are mostly idealistic fools right now chasing after a Green Dream.

Hopefully here in America the leaders get a clue that Going Green will only work if it involves "chasing the green" money.

Idealism always loses to practicality in the end.

---------------------

Don't worry... I'm going to remain an idealistic fool... :lol: