Feddyflatfoot's homemade trike

[Freddyflatfoot]

Ok,
wasn't going to start posting on this one quite yet.
But I have been busy building a recumbent trike out of some old bikes, and square tube steel.
Trike is 26" rear, 20" BMX wheels on front. 21 speed friction gears, and caliper brakes. Weighs about 22 Kg.
Hardly earth shattering specs, but is my first homebrew bike!
Needs a bit of fine tuning, but goes along fairly well.
Was thinking that I will add power at some stage, just not sure if it will be another chain drive, or something like a Puma!
Just finished the trike yesterday, and after about 40 k's of riding, seems to be holding up ok, and feels nice and solid. No boom flex at all.
Handling needs a little sorting out, feels a bit twitchy, and pulls to the left a bit. Might need a steering damper, or something similar to centre the steering.

 

[Rassy]

Rob, that's a great looking trike you made. To me, it just begs for a pair of little hub motors on those front wheels! I know you have to be concerned with the low allowed watts, but two motors running from the same controller, with a CA limiting the max current would allow you to goose it a little on steep hills, and make changes as the law allows.

I also like the looks of these kits, that allow full gearing for a modest motor, plus two shorter chains, with free-wheeling for the pedals and the motor:

http://www.ecospeed.net/products.html

 

[Freddyflatfoot]

Thanks rassy, appreciate the comments!
was thinking about two small hub motors, but will just use one motor for simplicity. was also thinking of a mid drive, and still might go down that path. I have an old wheelchair motor, not sure of the specs, but when I find out will know if its suitable. Otherwise, will get something around the 350 - 400 watt mark.
Rob

 

[Mark_A_W]

Yeah, it REALLY needs a motor....

...and a SIREN and FLASHING LIGHTS

 

[Geebee]

Nice job Rob,
The steering tends to feel twitchy on direct steer trikes until you adjust to them, also pedaling smoothly in circles will stop the wagging from pedal steer.
One thing get clippless pedals on fast, if a leg drops to the ground at speed due to a bump the crossbar will snap your leg. One of the riders at Bentrideronline.com did it a couple of weeks ago.

 

[fechter]

I love the use of recycled bike parts. The wheelchair motor might be geared so you could use it as a BB or mid drive. You might be able to make use of that empty BB behind the seat to mount a jackshaft with freewheels.

 

[TylerDurden]

That - is - sweeeet.

 

[xyster]

Freddyflatfoot, just once you should move the lights from your police cruiser to your trike and try to pull over some SUV driver.

 

[Freddyflatfoot]

Oh you guys can be so funny! Red and blues on a recumbent trike! :lol:
Geebee, appreciate the comments on pedaling, was already thinking of putting some clipless on the cranks. My toe clips are useless, they don't hang the right way on the trike!
Any idea on why the trike would be pulling to the left? Was thinking that maybe I still have a small amount of toe in, dunno if this causing it.
Anyway, gotta go and play with my new LiPo pack!
Rob

 

[docnjoj]

Thats one neat trike! maybe if U dont use the rear bottom bracket for a jackshaft, U can convert to rear suspension! Really helps with the bumpies! Also, Power Straps work very well to help prevent the dreaded "trike leg-suck"! I think they are about $30 USD and are good insurance!
David

 

[Jozzer]

Great work, I like it
How does it handle?

 

[lazarus2405]

Now I understand that you may not want to hear this, but...

That thing is absolutely begging for a 5304, painted orange of course.

 

[fechter]

I suspect the left hand pull is due to a minor difference in the angle of the steering pins or distance between the steering axis and the tire contact point. It would be good if there was a way to measure this very precisely to see where the difference is.

It would also be good if there was some provision to adjust this. You might be able to drill a new hole in one of the knuckle arms to change the distance from the tie rod to the pivot axis. This might correct the pull. I'm not sure which side you'd do, but swag that shortening the right side would do it.

Otherwise you could try adjusting the 'dish' on the wheels. You'd want the left wheel rim to be closer to center and/or the right wheel to be further from center. If the existing wheels aren't perfectly centered, you could possibly simply unbolt one and turn it 180 deg. and bolt it back in.

Adjusting spokes is a PITA, but easier than re-welding part of the frame.

 

[docnjoj]

As for pull and twitchy steering, it looks like U have centerpoint and adequate caster angle. These mainly control tracking. U might check tire pressures, although this seems obvious! I have just lowered my Tricruiser about 3", and narrowed the track by 6", and find the handling much better, even with only a 28" track. I have been running 0 degree toe-in, but 1-2mm could help the twitchiness, and this looks easy to do on Ur bike!
David

 

[Freddyflatfoot]

Thanks for the tips! I'll check out the angles later, and see if there is any difference.
Adjusted the toe/in out a fraction yesterday, nowhere near as twitchy, but still has a pull to the left. BTW, running 100 psi tyres.
What are Power Straps, never heard of them! I have put clipless pedals on. Apparently can be a PITA if your foot comes off at speed.
Handling seems to be ok, once i get used to the direct steering, should be better! Have lifted the inside wheel in a sharp turn, but nothing too dramatic.
I think I made the track too wide,its about 36", and with the stirrups, makes it about 40" wide!

 

[docnjoj]

Heres powerstraps!
http://powergrips.mrpbike.com/pg_benefits.shtml

I narrowed my trike so as to get it indoors when I needed to. I believe that lowering the bike caused the handling to remain good. I do "hike out" (shift my weight) more than I used to, but, hey, thats exercise for an old guy!
David

 

[Freddyflatfoot]

David ,
thanks for the link on power straps. never seen these before! All the guys I ride with use clipless pedals, so I went down the same path.
Just used the same ones that I had on my MTB, that is now my electric commuter! (So don't need clipless pedals on that one)
Once I get power to my trike, I can see this becoming a commuter vehicle as well. At least it has usable carrying capacity. A very versatile piece of machinery indeed.
Rob

 

[docnjoj]

Ive never used clipless pedals, only clips. The power straps seem to be a reasonable compromise, but special shoes and clipless pedals seem to be a little safer. On a trike, one never has to worry about doing an "Artie Johnson" at a stoplight!
David

 

[Freddyflatfoot]

Ok, time for an update!
Now got a rack and panniers on the bike, Now makes for a great little shopping trolley. :lol:
Anyway, got the steering sorted, was a bit too much toe out! So now tracks nice and straight and no brake steer.
Put a bid on a motor on e-bay, and got it with only one bid!
Is a lightweight brushless, gheared hub motor. Weighs all of 2.3 Kg's (About 5 lbs). They reckon the motor is good for 350 watts at 36v, so we'll see how we go, but should make for a nice 'stealth' look!
With a velo kit on it, should be all I need.
Rob

 

[Mark_A_W]

Rob, got a link to the Auction?

Sounds interesting...

 

[Freddyflatfoot]

Mark,
Auction has ended, but here is the link,
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=160171673985&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=006
Rob

 

[Mark_A_W]

Oh, realised the auction was over, I was just curious.

Looks like a Tongxin motor?

The other one I found looking at completed auctions was a P2b
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/500-watt-electric-hub-motor-kit-REGEN-braking_W0QQitemZ220161330220QQihZ012QQcategoryZ22703QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I guess if the copper is running 350w then it's ok for me to do so as well? We really gotta get that law changed...

 

[Mark_A_W]

Actually yours llooks like a P2-B, and the one in the autction I found is NOT a P2-B and looks almost, but not quite, like my 9 continents motor.

 

[Freddyflatfoot]

Mark,
Power is another story!
did look at that P2B, but Brett said it would be too slow, so didn't bid.
And yes, I thought that this motor I won might be a Tongxin as well. Hope its not as bad as Brett has made out!
Evehicle sells them, and they reckon they're pretty good, so I guess time will tell!
The good thing is, is that I'm not hard on bikes or motors,
Rob

 

[Freddyflatfoot]

9 continents motor? got a link?
Thanks