Ruh Roh.. Electric Tadpole?

I'm just bored as f**k today, had to put a Forrest Gump reference somewhere 😄. Anyways I'm diggin' that tadpole! My friend wants to build one so bad except with a gas engine. But I like the electric ones.

Yeah, i'm a bit sensitive about that one, i guess. Sorry for being abrupt on that one. If i could do a Forrest Gump and break out of those 'bindings' i would.. they are now built-in.

I'm looking for solutions, in dealing with this 10 year cramped lifestyle problem - real cramp to what was a very active motorsports oriented life, up until 10 years ago.. but i think i am coming a little bit closer to finding it again, with this Tadpole.

A few years back, these Trikes were pretty much unobtanium here, Regionally - no Dealer network carried them at that time i looked last at Tadpoles, and they were generally shipped in from USA or individual imported by a Trip over the border at significant additional expense - on top of a devalued $$ over USD. One comparable trike that i looked at prior to this one that i bought, came from California, and this one came from PA - and it wasn't even really used, after being put together.

Currently, there is one Regional dealer carrying Tadpole trikes - this is for a market population of ~14,000,000 people in Ontario.. it's literally someone's converted farmhouse barn - the overall market demand is that small. With relative unobtanium status, came high resale $$$.

I just so happened to luck out, at the dead of Winter.. winning.

Back when i was first looking at them - i couldn't get one for luck or money. Back then, electric drive conversions weren't all that common yet either.. the price was high, end product certainly less refined. I had also considered a gas-build in my first musing of a motorized Tadpole trike. I've had/have a few Honda Cub engines sitting on a shelf that could have been considered.. I'm glad to have waited for ebike technology to have matured.

Anyway, i see a sister-board has been setup for the ebike crowd.. so i might transfer this build thread over there.. i'm not yet ready to get a start on this build, as i'm still wrapping up the Hybrid mid-drive/GT5A build... but i'm already eyeballing a parts-list for the Tadpole.
 
Purchased.


This is one heavy 'Mother'. It'll certainly help keep the rear end planted under heavy front braking, if that's ever a concern. I have ordered a 20x2.40" tire to mount on this. The original rim has a 20x1.75".... LOL.

The front rims are also 20x1.75. I will be looking at replacing with 1.95's, perhaps 2.15's with a touch more tread for lateral traction under power in corners.

I am still considering Battery options at this point.

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... and tire is mounted.

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Edit - February 5th, 2021. Lightbar brackets came in, today. Will help with integrating aftermarket DRL's onto front steering booms, for maximum frontal visibility (sorely needed with low to ground recumbent, IMHO).

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Edit - February 18th, 2021. Hard-shell seat came in today, from Poland. This beats the speed of a part coming in from Terratrike in Wisconsin... about a 1/10th of the distance. This is going to need a combination of HD rear rack parts, Heim Joints and modification of components to make up a new mounting system utilizing the adjustable Base mount, only. I prefer a more minimalist seat, vs the fabric seat type of this Terratrike.

I also received the Big Ben 2.15" Plus front tires - significantly more cross-section evident.

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I haven't made a new update post lately - just iterative updates on existing posts. As such, if actually interested in my posts - recheck earlier to see my additions.

Today, i'm squeezing the front rubber on the original rims - going from the original 1.75" Cheng Shin to 2.15" Schwalbe Big Ben Plus. The Big Ben's are rated for 50mph... not that'll ever get it to that high a speed... but more rubber on the front, might be of stability benefit, with rear-drive. Worthy of the experiment, anyway.

Before:

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After:

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Everything so far ordered, with exception of batteries, and the TerraTrike rack i intend to hang them on, have come in.. so i can pretty much get a good start on it, starting now..

Still haven't finished my Hybrid - just wiring to do, on that... but i've got a new creative 'pretty shiny' to play with this, in this new project.

Edit February 20th, 2021: The Hard Shell seat that i sourced, i appear to have successfully track-backed to origin Recumbent Trike - this one.

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That gives me ideas to make adaptive mounts for my Trike frame, versus the obviously different frame setup of my Terra Trike. The base mount will work - the rear mount however, definitely won't. I'll get it figured out in a day or two of fabricating.
 
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It begins.. my Assistant's are giving it a preliminary Technical Evaluation, apparently.

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Let There Be Light. The DRL's, brought into play on a test basis. This works for me! Great light-throw, just for DRL's.

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They won't miss you at night. Did you here about the guy on a recumbent bike that got ran over by the tractor trailer? Cyclist was at fault, the semi was waiting at a light to make a right turn and the cyclist pulled up beside him on the right and the driver couldn't see him.
 
They won't miss you at night. Did you here about the guy on a recumbent bike that got ran over by the tractor trailer? Cyclist was at fault, the semi was waiting at a light to make a right turn and the cyclist pulled up beside him on the right and the driver couldn't see him.


Absolutely, always have to be situationally aware, for such scenarios. 25 years of motorcycling taught me one thing - Ride like they DON'T see you, no matter how many lights that you hang on the ride itself... don't put yourself in places that put you in harm, or you can't get out of. Some of those lessons were learned in a practical manner, early on and i was a quick learner... pain tends to help with not repeating harmful behaviors.

The most dangerous zone for accident risk involving collision with another vehicle, i believe is the intersection - any visible lighting, or anything sticking out of the norm, will catch the eye easier than merging into the background. It allows other semi-attentive motorists to better judge approaching speed (this isn't a ~20km/h pedal trike any longer - but now potentially ~40km/h) .. it will simply stand out better, during the day time, as the lights are designed to do.

Nothing will save you from your own potential stupidity, arising out of lack of situational awareness.
 
Major Update:

While i'm on pause, essentially in holding pattern waiting for a new round of parts to make an appearance, I got started on the seat mounts when the low mount rack came in. This will be where i mount my Battery packs, saddle-pack style. Since everything else basically fits around the seat and rack, it seemed appropriate to get a start with those mounts.

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Keeping in mind, i am using my same familiar project formula of bespoke bracketry. That formula consists of lots of time and elbow-grease, a drill and variety of bits, hacksaw blades, and lots of files to create that which does not exist. It generally looks a bit industrial and overbuilt.. but i've never had a failure, so not complaining. I start with a general idea, and go where the Ruler guides me.

First, i had to construct the rudimentary start to the adapter bracket, for the top seat supports from the chain-stays. It got an add-on bracket for a 12v running/brake light in the process. This mount is not done, and very much a work in progress/process.

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The other mount point i have to work with, is a fairly substantial tube pinch mount directly under the seat.

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I first got to work, making a bracket collar to fit tightly around the above mount. It's in a layered 1/8" aluminum sheet setup for adequate strength/rigidity

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I then added a box-section base to the collar, to mount the seat.

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Work will turn to the rear seat mount fabrication to finish. Stay tuned...

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It's been a while since i updated this thread...

Major mods since then, have been the dual battery saddle mount, and an electrical junction box/voltage down-converter buck enclosure, to run the electrics.

The battery saddle mount took a full month of thinking, and freestyle fabricating out of the scrap metal bucket.


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..and part of the dual battery setup's raison d'etre was that i wanted to run a peripheral electrical system on the tadpole trike for lighting/safety purposes.. the electrical enclosure is part of that.

All functions are switchable, with a master switch for master power disconnection. No battery contact sparking with disconnection/connection of the battery lead.

Photos show the existing functions, so far.

In the remote situation of having to do a quick inspect on the rear end or pump a tire up in the dark, or whatever, i've got a couple of rear facing white Chip LCD modules.

On the top of the electrical box, i had a Cigarette Lighter 3-1 function gadget that i converted - shows voltage output, and case temperature, as well as a USB charge port. I've got three computer fans in this, pulling air in from one side, passing it over the down-voltage buck converter, and dumping it out the other side. Switches are Master Power, and Fan/rear facing white Chip LED's.

I've got a red LED strip wrapping around the box, and an illuminated amber reflector on either side, also. Both will be switchable from the front.. Red LED strip will also be tied into a red LED whip/visibility flag, to be added yet. I still have to wire out to the front lights, and the rear running light.



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Finit.



Short 10 minute ride video, mostly on the throttle, or gravity coasting down the Escarpment using a former road now a trail connector.



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WOW! Color me jealous! I would love to find one of those- especially the Path version- It would get a hub-motor anyway. VERY nice. Would it be rude of me to ask how much these things go for used? I never seem to find any at all.
 
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