Full suspension bent trike?

[Alaskavan]

I'm thinking about my next commuter vehicle. I hope to get to working on this project some time this winter. I have 2 identical cheap full suspension 26" MTBs. I figure to use parts of them for the rear of a delta trike. I plan to find a suspension fork from a 20" bike for the front (but I might decide to build the front fork). The plan at this point is to drive one rear wheel from the pedals, and the other from an engine (50cc Honda, chain drive, using a cassette). I plan to have the seat height about 10" from the ground, hoping for decent cornering at highway speeds.

This project will probly develop very slowly, so there will be lots of time, and opportunity, to make changes/ improvements as it goes.

Opinions/observations/suggestions welcomed.

 

[srdavo]

sounds like a fun project. I need to start/decide on a "project".

a wise man just said:

Take lots of pics. Make it easy for us to copy you.

 

[stude13]

greetings van; with fuel falling like it is there is a possibility ferry pricing to haines might be more manageable in 2009. have you thought more about the us/can race? my occ trike should be able to make it. im using the lifan 70 also. im trying to figure a bent seat for it otherwise the distance would cripple me. have you found a home for the ht? keep in touch. mitch

 

[stude13]

i just read the anchorage daily news artical-oct/30- about a recumbent rider in anch. his rig is fully enclosed and he rides it year round. with vidio.

 

[vegaspaddy]

hi stude13 if you take alook at goblinareos link that is what he is designing as well, a enclosed capsule for his usx trike.

 

[Alaskavan]

Hi Mitch. The HT is going to go on my aluminum Trek with a Shift Kit. Jim is just waiting for me to send the money on that. Should be assembling next month. Thanks for reminding me about the Kluane to Haines bike Race. I'll make a note to start bugging them tomorrow about letting us ride the route. I haven't seen the article in the ADN, but I heard about it. I'll take a look.

 

[SimpleSimon]

I'm thinking about my next commuter vehicle. I hope to get to working on this project some time this winter. I have 2 identical cheap full suspension 26" MTBs. I figure to use parts of them for the rear of a delta trike. I plan to find a suspension fork from a 20" bike for the front (but I might decide to build the front fork). The plan at this point is to drive one rear wheel from the pedals, and the other from an engine (50cc Honda, chain drive, using a cassette). I plan to have the seat height about 10" from the ground, hoping for decent cornering at highway speeds.

This project will probly develop very slowly, so there will be lots of time, and opportunity, to make changes/ improvements as it goes.

Opinions/observations/suggestions welcomed.

Van, this post caught my attention, and I spent most of this afternoon sketching up my own interpretation on SketchUp. As pictured, the rear wheels both pivot independently on the jackshaft axis, supported by the crossmember, with pivot links to small shocks (could easily use the spring type shocks). Haven't really decided what sort of front fork suspension I'd prefer.

The blue translucent zone is the chain area from the chainring to the NuVinci hub (seperately modelled per the specs doc), the orange translucency is the chain area from the NuVinci to the jackshaft, and the two red translucencies are the chain areas from the jackshaft to the rear wheels. Seat post height is 10.5 inches, and the top of the seatpost is 5 1/2 inches forward of the axis of rotation of the rear wheels. Not sketched, but the secondary input ring on the NuVinci is intended to be driven by something like the Staton engine/gearbox (to be mounted pretty much wherever works best), plus a 1 HP electric motor to be mounted just forward of the fixed crossmember and driving a 2ndary chainring inboard of the primary pedal chainring.

Lots of room for batteries, the Staton gearbox can be readily set up to drive a DC generator to keep them trickle charged, and virtually the entire weight of the trike is below the wheel axis height. Silent running with electric assist when desired, engine power when that makes more sense. Lots of cargo area as well, how much depends on engine/gearbox dimensions and placement.

Thought I'd toss this out and invite comment.

I've been daydreaming a lot lately about doing some seriously long road trips, and I think a vehicle such as this would be great.

 

[Alaskavan]

Interesting. Lots of parallels to my present idea.

 

[T-BONE]

That looks awesome be sure to post some in progress pictures.

 

[pumpbuilder]

How come my Sketchup never looks that nice?