Trike trucks

[SimpleSimon]

Well, yes and no, as regards being a pain in the arse to car drivers. The roads are public right of ways, open to users on all sorts of transport. There are of course limited access highways, which any responsible bike rider stays off of - just like a guy on a horse should.

Bicycles predate autos as widely used transport, and the law accomodates them (grudgingly, at times). Responsible auto operators need too be aware of their presence, and be prepared to deal with a bit of delay if need be. By that same token, responsible riders need to be aware of the cars around them, and when needed be prepared to pull over into a driveway or such to let cars by. Courtesy extended both ways goes a long ways toward alleviating the problems.

 

[srdavo]

Well said.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Here's another interpretation of the tricycle truck idea. 26" rear wheels, 16" front, forks raked 30 degrees. As sketched, the bed is 24" wide by 25.5" long by 13" high, deck is drawn as 1/8 patterned steel. Wheelbase is 40.75" long by 30 wide (outer ends of axle stubs). Seat height at the front edge is 16" with a 15 degree rake on the seat/back angle (seat can move forward/back to adjust pedal stroke length between 16" and 23"). Step through height is 13", overall length is 73.75".

As envisaged, it would use a NuVinci mid-drive to a 3-speed internal hub modified with gear rings mounted on each spoke flange, driving seperate half axles with one way bearing mounted wheels. The combination of the 3-speed hub and the split axle/freewheel design acts as a differential. For most town uses, it would be best as electrically powered, for which there is plenty of room under the main tube and bed.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Yet another idea. Popuna built an articulated sidecar bike with the engine mounted on the sidecar, powering that wheel. Got me to thinking, so I sketched up a semi-recumbent bike, 56.5" wheelbase, then added a secondary frame with an articulated freight deck between them. As drawn, it is a self-regulating leaner with a fixed length drag link that will hold both frames in the same angle of lean - if you lean the bike, either way, the outrider wheel and frame tube leans the same amount.

Seat height is only 14.5 inches, and the rear wheels are 26 inchers, so the CoG is quite low. To simplify chain issues, I've drawn it with a mid-drive using a multi-geared internal hub. Put a 7 speed there, another 7 speed in the rear wheel, you effectively have 49 gears. I envisage it as powered with an HT engine mounted on the secondary frame, powering the outboard wheel. Disc brakes all around, and it will stop very whell.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Another view, engine added.

 

[srdavo]

awesome stuff!!

(just so you know, I have a folder, on my PC, of your drawings. )

thanks

 

[SimpleSimon]

awesome stuff!!

(just so you know, I have a folder, on my PC, of your drawings. )

thanks

That's really flattering. I wish I had a shop and a few bucks - I'd be prototyping some of these things as fast as I could build them. Since I don't, I build them in my head.

By the way, that gas tank as drawn I'm having made up - it started life as two stainless steel half gallon goat milking pails from Tractor Supply. Took the bales and the bale hangers off, and a guy I know is going to weld them together for me at the rims. Makes an interesting biconical one gallon keg type tank - internal slosh baffle from expanded metal tacked in place. The filler pipe is just a piece of 1 inch OD stainless tubing I got for free from a contractor renovating a hospital surgery ward, threaded at the exposed end for a bronze pipe cap.

When I get it back, and finish grinding the welds smooth and polishing it up, I'll likely post a pic. I plan to use either it or the Heineken mini-keg tank I built on the trike - whichever seems to fit better.

 

[SimpleSimon]

My Little Red Wagon

When I was a kid, my folks asked me what I wanted for my 5th birthday, to which my response was, "I want a Red Wagon too haul my stuff in!" As it happened, that conversation was at a family gathering which my bachelor maternal uncle was attending, and my maternal grandparents as well, about a month before my birthday.

My Mom arranged the only party I ever got for my birthday a month later, and BOY, Howdy!! - did I ever hauli it in. I got THREE red wagons - one really fancy one with stake sides and the works. I was ecstatic! So, the next weekend, Dad and I modified my oldest brothers tote gote trail bike with a hitch, and modified all three wagon handles so I could hook them together in a train behind that tote gote and we'd all go flying down the dirt lanes in the area. It was also really useful for hauling firewood from the wood lot a half mile from the house. I remember those wagons with much nostalgic fondness.

I guess I'm in my 2nd childhood (hey, when did the first one end?) because I want a little red wagon again. So, since I can't do much else right now, I've sketched up a red wagon that combines the best of that tote gote and those wagons. Here it is:

 

[jawnn]

USX trike with motors

I need to see photos of the usx trke with motors....

like mine, but I need a small motor to fit under the seat.

http://commutercycling.blogspot.com/2007/10/ez3-usx-trike-users-guide.html

 

[SimpleSimon]

I need to see photos of the usx trke with motors....

like mine, but I need a small motor to fit under the seat.

http://commutercycling.blogspot.com/2007/10/ez3-usx-trike-users-guide.html

When you say motor, do you mean an electric motor, or do you mean a gas engine?

Electric motors to fit under the seat are easily obtainable. Gas engines to fit that space are another beast entirely, although there are some that might work. Very few will have much usable power, comparatively speaking.