My solar-assisted custom tricycle FOLLIES
- Thread starter ddk
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ddk
100 kW
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received the nuvinci today!
ya!
-no more screwing around with sprocket adapters
expected delivery on additional speakons before today but alas, they won't show up until the 2nd.
In addition to the ones from parts express just for giggles I also ordered speakons from deals extreme just to see how long they'll take to be shipped (pretty gud prices for knockoffs).
More speakons the merrier.
Consulted with the local builders today about creating the superstructure supports for the solar roof (yes I believe I shall make MT#2 the long-ranger. Just have to imitate a black mask, smelt some silver bullets and add more "horse" power)
Battery cases are to be interchangeable between MT#1 and MT#2.
Somebody asked me if the battery cases were speakers -lol.
ya!
-no more screwing around with sprocket adapters
expected delivery on additional speakons before today but alas, they won't show up until the 2nd.
In addition to the ones from parts express just for giggles I also ordered speakons from deals extreme just to see how long they'll take to be shipped (pretty gud prices for knockoffs).
More speakons the merrier.
Consulted with the local builders today about creating the superstructure supports for the solar roof (yes I believe I shall make MT#2 the long-ranger. Just have to imitate a black mask, smelt some silver bullets and add more "horse" power)
Battery cases are to be interchangeable between MT#1 and MT#2.
Somebody asked me if the battery cases were speakers -lol.
ddk
100 kW
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talking to me self is always fun...
between the NuVinci, the batteries, the solar panel and it's superstructure I'll be adding at least 100 pounds of weight.
Something under my sub-par consciousness keeps nagging me about the mini-motor but I'm refusing to acknowledge reality.
between the NuVinci, the batteries, the solar panel and it's superstructure I'll be adding at least 100 pounds of weight.
Something under my sub-par consciousness keeps nagging me about the mini-motor but I'm refusing to acknowledge reality.
ddk
100 kW
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Attachments
The fingers
10 TW
Much less destructive than the other animals and good eatin' too!
ddk
100 kW
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...and lots quieter than the owl hoot likes to sit on my opened roof vent some nights.
I'm really disappointed with the springer forks this time. The spring-holder-thingy is already worn enough to require replacement on MT#1 and it's only seen 6 weeks use.
Gonna have to have welder-fella build me 2 extra heavy duty versions.
I'm really disappointed with the springer forks this time. The spring-holder-thingy is already worn enough to require replacement on MT#1 and it's only seen 6 weeks use.
Gonna have to have welder-fella build me 2 extra heavy duty versions.
winkinatcha
10 kW
Dude!
that
Is
Beutiful
Joe
that
Is
Beutiful
Joe
winkinatcha
10 kW
haha all of that, but your build quality is the one that leaves me gasping the most, and yer photography is purty
Joe
Joe
ddk
100 kW
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... it all changes when I add the electrics
I made a futile search through all the trike's stuff for the NuVinci control cable sheaths.
Only after I couldn't find them did I explore my memory whether or not I even saw them in the box (I always do this last because that IS an exercise in futility)
-I'm gonna conclude I never received the control sheaths in the first place...
bummer
Too late for the LBS so I started working on the electrics
This time around I'm using two throttles because I'm having doubts about the mini motor's ability to accelerate with the additional poundage I'm adding.
(To the trike!. I already sport more than enough poundage)
I'm using a MY1018 motor on the rear drive for testing because Mr Wishy-Washy hasn't made a decision about what type/power motor should be used.
View attachment 1
As you might discern from the photos, the fog became nore of a drizzle so I started cleaning up for the day
meaning the drizzle stopped as soon as I finished putting away the last tool.
oh well, I needed a break anyways.
I made a futile search through all the trike's stuff for the NuVinci control cable sheaths.
Only after I couldn't find them did I explore my memory whether or not I even saw them in the box (I always do this last because that IS an exercise in futility)
-I'm gonna conclude I never received the control sheaths in the first place...
bummer
Too late for the LBS so I started working on the electrics
This time around I'm using two throttles because I'm having doubts about the mini motor's ability to accelerate with the additional poundage I'm adding.
(To the trike!. I already sport more than enough poundage)
I'm using a MY1018 motor on the rear drive for testing because Mr Wishy-Washy hasn't made a decision about what type/power motor should be used.
View attachment 1
As you might discern from the photos, the fog became nore of a drizzle so I started cleaning up for the day
meaning the drizzle stopped as soon as I finished putting away the last tool.
oh well, I needed a break anyways.
John in CR
100 TW
ddk,
Do you already have experience with a trike using that kind of steering geometry? I realize trikes steer differently, but different enough for about a foot of negative trail to steer well, especially with a lot of weight, is a new one on me. Be careful and keep it really slow on those initial test rides. Good to see the drive train parts coming together so nicely.
John
Do you already have experience with a trike using that kind of steering geometry? I realize trikes steer differently, but different enough for about a foot of negative trail to steer well, especially with a lot of weight, is a new one on me. Be careful and keep it really slow on those initial test rides. Good to see the drive train parts coming together so nicely.
John
Rassy
1 MW
Yep, for some reason they don't supply the cable sheaths in the kit. I think their logic is you will get the custom length you need from your LBS, and then just trim the cables to the right size.
Even though the cables are already attached at the shifter end, they are still pretty hard to attach/wind onto the pullies at the transmission end.
I thought you were going for an auto shift. I have a complete manual shift on the shelf that I haven't decided what to do with yet. I installed it on my trike, took one or two test rides, and put the Nexus 8 back on. It takes two full turns to shift and requires a firm grip. Plus, it can't even be turned when under power. However, the shifter works pretty good on standard type (horizontal) handle bars. On my tadpole the bars point up, so the half shifter was at the little finger end of my left hand and I couldn't even twist it with gloves on. True, I am really old and not very strong.
Anyway, keep in mind that I have that spare unit if (when?) you break a key part of the NuVinci.
ddk
100 kW
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:lol:Rassy said:
- you're likely stronger than me, old man
Although I wanted an autoshift transmission, I settled for the NuVinci instead, thinking gear ratios and hills to climb.
At least it's not a derailleur.
...good to know missing parts wasn't just my poor memory.
I wonder why failbrook didn't fold after this lil' gem they foistered on the biking community.
Sancho's Horse
1 kW
ddk,
I am glad you put 1018 on that picture description, because I actually said out loud, "Is that aluminum?"
Can a washer go over that "wallered out" hole? That...would help me sleep at night. Whew!! Exciting stuff seeing the drivetrain come together. It is like watching Evel Knievel, except its engineering.
Actually, I just read a bunch of Evel Knievel quotes, and I wanted to use one. So, here goes:
I recently have had a full hip replacement and a liver transplant, and I'm getting used to the medication.
Evel Knievel
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/e/evel_knievel.html#HoPRL2E42wCwVYtW.99
I am glad you put 1018 on that picture description, because I actually said out loud, "Is that aluminum?"
Can a washer go over that "wallered out" hole? That...would help me sleep at night. Whew!! Exciting stuff seeing the drivetrain come together. It is like watching Evel Knievel, except its engineering.
Actually, I just read a bunch of Evel Knievel quotes, and I wanted to use one. So, here goes:
I recently have had a full hip replacement and a liver transplant, and I'm getting used to the medication.
Evel Knievel
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/e/evel_knievel.html#HoPRL2E42wCwVYtW.99
ddk
100 kW
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yep, it was a quick guide construction I used on MT#1.Sancho's Horse said:
Temporary was it's intention...
But then I forgot about it.
200 or more km later (on the MY1018 motor/aluminum mount that was only used going up steep hills) I took it off the MT#1 to use for testing on this trike.
You just reminded me I once worked with one of his nieces, where she taught a Japanese language class.Sancho's Horse said:
strange... but true.
John in CR
100 TW
ddk said:
On #3 I'd suggest adding enough slack in the head tube angle to put the trail out a positive 1-2" at full compression. I think you'll find a significant improvement in handling, while retaining the cool look.
In the meantime, make your rear brakes nice and strong, because I really worry about you trying to stop your full load with the front wheel. Gravity keeps the wheel pointed forward at rest, but it has only a small leverage, so it won't take much force pushing at the steering pivot for the wheel to inherently want to flip around the other way just like the front wheels on a shopping cart.
I've messed around with some pretty radical steering geometries to understand and feel the effects of changes. Some were terrifying even at just a few mph. That was with 2 wheelers, but I think a lot of it would still apply to a trike.
Be really careful on any significant downhill grades,
John
ddk
100 kW
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John,John in CR said:...
On #3 I'd suggest adding enough slack in the head tube angle to put the trail out a positive 1-2" at full compression. I think you'll find a significant improvement in handling, while retaining the cool look.
In the meantime, make your rear brakes nice and strong, because I really worry about you trying to stop your full load with the front wheel. Gravity keeps the wheel pointed forward at rest, but it has only a small leverage, so it won't take much force pushing at the steering pivot for the wheel to inherently want to flip around the other way just like the front wheels on a shopping cart.
I've messed around with some pretty radical steering geometries to understand and feel the effects of changes. Some were terrifying even at just a few mph. That was with 2 wheelers, but I think a lot of it would still apply to a trike.
Be really careful on any significant downhill grades,
John
You just reminded me of my analysis of MT#1 and one of the changes I intended on this one.
-And on MT#1 after I get this one road-worthy.
Welder-fella wanted mr wishy-washy to assemble the trike further before he took measurements for the roof superstructure and considered the mods to the front end geometry. I want the head tube positioned slightly more radical than what you're indicating but week-minds think alike!.
As I mentioned in the pm the only reason the existing MT#1 is reasonably stable is because the front-wheel drive force pulls the wheel forward.
Gets squirrely with no motor force.
As for brakes:
the band brake is exceptionally strong after it's been wetted a few times.
I added a disc brake to MT#1 but took it off because it was difficult to get all three brakes working together and it really didn't add much to the party.
I can add a disc brake to the NuVinci hub, but that has to wait until I exchange the freewheel gear cage on the axle with a fixed gear. (used to play with gear ratios until I'm satisfied)
- In addition,the NuVinci hub came with a poorly-made disc brake adapter that needs some finessing and clean up of the bolt threads (too much paint in the bores)
For long-distance mountain roads my final project for the MTs is a trailer with DD hubs for controlled regen braking and sporting the other half of a 300w solar panel system.
I don't intend to use the DD hubs as actual motors.
I was fitting out the other stuff on the trike because welder-fella's closed on the weekends and I wanted to make control cables etc.- which in the end I couldn't because as Rassy kindly pointed out, Failbrook didn't add the control cable sheath to yet another incomplete, expensive POS that's stupidly hard to install.
winkinatcha
10 kW
hohoho! very inspirational Dude.
A big part of my love for your trike work is that my main "carrier vehicle" is based on a very similar frame, though I have modded it so that it (almost) can be ridden by a 6ft Aussie, in a close to bicycle type stance... No welding though so is a bit of a "grown like Topsy" mess.
back of my trike is a strong square mesh "crate" liberated from a liquuor distributors customer shopping cart, and to the back of that I have bolted a spokeless hub with one of those quick release pin thingies, so i can take the front wheel off a bike I need to transport, slip the forks onto the spokeless bolted hub, and secure it with the pin thingy, and thereby "tow" the bicycle, using the tricycle.
Unfortunately said trike is currently languishing and has been for a week or so, as I blew something up in the electrics last week on my way to the post office, carrying a kit which I had just sold...
this is a good thing as I want to replace the trike's controller and pretty it up a bit, it being a higly visible vehicle and ripe for signage to promote my e-bikieness.
Pleased to say that despite the electrics hassle, I was still able to ride the trike back to the workshop a couple of miles, purely human powered without more hassle than a reduction in speed.
Go the trikes
Love yer work, you're a champion
Joe
A big part of my love for your trike work is that my main "carrier vehicle" is based on a very similar frame, though I have modded it so that it (almost) can be ridden by a 6ft Aussie, in a close to bicycle type stance... No welding though so is a bit of a "grown like Topsy" mess.
back of my trike is a strong square mesh "crate" liberated from a liquuor distributors customer shopping cart, and to the back of that I have bolted a spokeless hub with one of those quick release pin thingies, so i can take the front wheel off a bike I need to transport, slip the forks onto the spokeless bolted hub, and secure it with the pin thingy, and thereby "tow" the bicycle, using the tricycle.
Unfortunately said trike is currently languishing and has been for a week or so, as I blew something up in the electrics last week on my way to the post office, carrying a kit which I had just sold...
this is a good thing as I want to replace the trike's controller and pretty it up a bit, it being a higly visible vehicle and ripe for signage to promote my e-bikieness.
Pleased to say that despite the electrics hassle, I was still able to ride the trike back to the workshop a couple of miles, purely human powered without more hassle than a reduction in speed.
Go the trikes
Love yer work, you're a champion
Joe
ddk
100 kW
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fixed that for ya.winkinatcha said:
When one considers replacing an automobile with an e-powered contraption, trikes are the only sensible solution imo.
I went to pick up the trike and welder-fella was busy conspiring with the pipe supplier about increasing the number of tubes on the trike
-dog actually does the work-
ddk
100 kW
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couldn't say it better...winkinatcha said:...
Go the trikes
sorry for my earlier short response
I was kinda upset about the trike's progress at the welder's but I continue to smile anyways.
He progressed farther than we'd discussed and the 'head' piece he made, although it looks great, isn't what I wanted done.
-though we'll see how it works before I go into self-pity mode.
Afterwords I rode the MT#1 70 miles using some 750w of battery (according to the kill-a-watt, not accounting for charge inefficiencies)
If I was in AU I'd buy a couple of your kits, since I need to build the braking trailer system.
As I see it, the easiest way to remote the trailer brakes is to use motor regen for it's braking force, using a simple e-brake switch to activate the trailer brakes (simple to operate and install but expensive to implement)
When I returned I realized I had little to do since the trike is still at the shop getting the roof supports fitted.
I manufactured the controller handlebar mounts is all, using some recycled aluminum tubing.
The controller mount will also sport an iCharger 1010B+, two headlights (flashlights, actually) and some sort of voltmeter. Mr Wishy-Washy hasn't made a decision on meters for the trike.
Switching will be under the seat and the rear motor controller will be... in the rear (lolololol)
I started on a travel case for the bulk charger but realized after the fact it needs to ne a bit bigger to contain the charger's suspension system
winkinatcha
10 kW
Heh, all good re shortness of response, they say a pic is worth 1k words so the "weight" of yer reply was over 4K anyways.
Ya trailer braking, have been letting my subconscious play with trailer breaking ideas for a while, n the thing I want to try to impliment eventually once my brain stops playing, is somewhat similar to some cage-based (aus motorcycle term for cars) heavy trailer braking system, IE a way of actuating the brakes using the trailer's weight when the towing vehicle decelerates...
Dunno if I can paint a picture with words, but imagine you have one stanchion of a suspension fork somehow hooked twixt trailer and bike, between hitch and body of trailer, so, as the TRIKE brakes, the trailer pushes against the hitch, causing the fork stanchion to compress and become shorter, this "shortening" is used to activate a cable through to the brakes on the trailer..
So say you had one end of fork on hitch (and for simlicity a single wheel brake at this stage) lets say you mount a brake lever close to the hitch, and have a rod from the other end of the stanchion, mounted via a post or somesuch and spanning over the comppression section of forks, back to brake lever...
As trike brakes, and trailer tries to overtake trike, weight of trailer compresses fork, rod compresses brake lever, brake lever pulls tight cable that actuates brakes on trailer wheel...
Brain still needs to play with it more but methinks a seed of an idea...
Also regarding running two cables to brakes on seperate two wheels of trailer... saw an episode of monster garage a whiles back where they had two brake levers mounted opposite each other, (imagine if you had break levers on each end of handlebars, you chop handlebars in half and line up brake levers so pivots are facing each other), so if you had something between em you could push one way to activate one brake, and pull the other way to activate the other. Then, with a pivoting rod between 'em that pivoted on a 90 degree axis to the way the brake levers would be pulled you put a trianglur shaped block at the same level as the brake levers, pointy end between the levers and wide end just touching the outer ends of both levers. If you move the rod towards the Brake lever pivots, the triangular block compresses each lever at the same time, thus applying braking force to both cables and onto the trailer wheels...
Damn.. too bad I cant draw.. let me know if that made no sense and I will try to whip summink pictorial up for better explanation...
Joe
Ya trailer braking, have been letting my subconscious play with trailer breaking ideas for a while, n the thing I want to try to impliment eventually once my brain stops playing, is somewhat similar to some cage-based (aus motorcycle term for cars) heavy trailer braking system, IE a way of actuating the brakes using the trailer's weight when the towing vehicle decelerates...
Dunno if I can paint a picture with words, but imagine you have one stanchion of a suspension fork somehow hooked twixt trailer and bike, between hitch and body of trailer, so, as the TRIKE brakes, the trailer pushes against the hitch, causing the fork stanchion to compress and become shorter, this "shortening" is used to activate a cable through to the brakes on the trailer..
So say you had one end of fork on hitch (and for simlicity a single wheel brake at this stage) lets say you mount a brake lever close to the hitch, and have a rod from the other end of the stanchion, mounted via a post or somesuch and spanning over the comppression section of forks, back to brake lever...
As trike brakes, and trailer tries to overtake trike, weight of trailer compresses fork, rod compresses brake lever, brake lever pulls tight cable that actuates brakes on trailer wheel...
Brain still needs to play with it more but methinks a seed of an idea...
Also regarding running two cables to brakes on seperate two wheels of trailer... saw an episode of monster garage a whiles back where they had two brake levers mounted opposite each other, (imagine if you had break levers on each end of handlebars, you chop handlebars in half and line up brake levers so pivots are facing each other), so if you had something between em you could push one way to activate one brake, and pull the other way to activate the other. Then, with a pivoting rod between 'em that pivoted on a 90 degree axis to the way the brake levers would be pulled you put a trianglur shaped block at the same level as the brake levers, pointy end between the levers and wide end just touching the outer ends of both levers. If you move the rod towards the Brake lever pivots, the triangular block compresses each lever at the same time, thus applying braking force to both cables and onto the trailer wheels...
Damn.. too bad I cant draw.. let me know if that made no sense and I will try to whip summink pictorial up for better explanation...
Joe
