trike as base for DIY velomobile

. one of my main distractions from software work
has been getting a cheap car for this old man,
and I decided on a base of
the trice Q recumbent tadpole trike with a faring .

. from that base, I'm using tent-making tech to build a shell,
much of it from camping mat foam, as can be seen on the hubcap .


. the shell will come up to my neck,
while my head is covered by this helmet
which you can see here covered in reflective tape
and neon orange spray paint .



. after figuring out that a trike could be a very comfortable
exercise machine, I ordered a trike trainer for it
that allows your rear wheel to turn a fan .
. it will make a fine activity while reading;
and with the ergo.keyboard that comes in left and right pieces
I may also be able to do keyboarding
with my hands comfortable by my side
instead of having to reach over my recumbent cycling legs .

security strategies

. I'm evaluating security systems that both lock and alarm,

using an alarm that pages me rather than screaming,
and some pick-resistant locking device for a loop-chain
-- notice that a chain that can resist bolt cutters
must be atleast 16mm thick .

4.11: security lock:

. for security on high-priced vehicles,

may need to tow a cart with a security box,

and fold up the trike to fit in the box;

the cart would then stay with you

this would mean that the velo needs to be

foldable with rhino panels .

4.23: mobi/security/summary:

. if the trike is tightly shelled,

-- including the addition of front hubcaps

to hide the quick-releases --

has an alarm system

and a lock to some part of it,

then it may be suitable for

leaving in place without disassembling .

. most of the use cases are quick runs to the groc'store,

or some other store where the stays will be brief,

and the parking lot busy .

researching components

. in preparing for what options I should get for the trike,
I was really glad to hear from this peter.ca's guide:

I ride with short cranks of 130mm.
This allows me to spin (pedal faster)
with no extra effort and eliminates the devastating effect
that steep hills can have on knees.
If you are unsure of how long you want your cranks,
get crank shorteners (available at several places online).
Crank shorteners attach to the crank
and have multiple positions for the pedals
. I have used my shortener for tens of thousands of miles
with no problems at all.

. I'd never heard of crank shorteners before,
but, I've always enjoyed putting more action into ankles
rather than knees .
. one complained that crank shorteners
move the pedals outward too much; increasing "(Q factor)
and causing "(medial knee pain)
-- trice does provide shorter cranks as an option .

. peter.ca's site also mentioned clipless pedals,
but other 'bent users claimed I could get away with Powergrips,
which I feel comfortable with but have not spent much time with yet .
(the reason being I'm busy developing a shell for my trice Q,
which, BTW, reduces my concern about having bumps in the road
throw my feet out of the pedals and pulled violently under the trike! ) .

8.22: powergrips causing foot numbness

. I was able to use powergrips without them being excessively tight;

if you have deep waffles on your hiking shoes, or cleats on track shoes

then it helps keep you in without heavily tightening the strap .

. my personal adaptation was to find some old hiking shoes

which have a hard surface but are mostly a soft foam

then I used shears to jab into the soft part

and cut away the hard parts to better grip onto the pedals .

. the shears are out of production, but these are similar:

Fiskars 9613 Shop Shear

Westward 4YP37 Multi Purpose Shear

8.22: [beyond powergrips]

. one way to do much better without supporting the bike shop

[by getting expensive clipless shoes]

is to take a tip from boat rowers:

. they and trikers, unlike bikers,

are not afraid of needing loose feet;

so, they perm'ly attach their shoes to their vehicle;

trikers could do that too;

and, once you get over the design effort,

there's much less maintenance with stock pedals .

. maybe our online trike shops could help us with that ?

10.29: trike/pedal straps:

. instead of straps, bolt-on sandals to pedals

by drilling 2 holes on each side [of each shoe]

and wiring sandal to pedal's axle .

. the TerraCycle Idler kit was said to be an improvement on the trice Q;
it allows you to dispense with most or all of your chain tubes
and optimize the drive train for the least friction;
however,
after installing that, I found that it rubs against a cable,
which I promptly fixed with string that repositions the cable .

. one reason for some chain`tubing is when wearing jeans,
it will prevent chain grease stains .

8.31:

. the only reason I don't have chain tubes

is that the Terracycle dual idler is not designed to include them .

. the point of dual idlers is to have all rubbing parts on bearings .

. I'm in the process of building a chain housing,

preferably one that doesn't rub against the chain .

6.26: transmission noise:

. when the front gear is large,

then having the rear gear large too will make the chain taut

(because it is too short for the boom length I'm using)

so that it's no longer riding on the derailleur's upper gear .

. this has it clanking on the derailleur's cage,

rather than rolling in the gear .

--. if you need full range in back,

you might try using the middle gear up front .

. my Q was ordered with the quick release kit
but afterward I wondered if I should have gotten that separately
since I might later decide I want the stock hardware .
. I've had quick-release spindles break in the past (not from ICE);
and, I was disappointed after realizing that since you have to
completely unscrew the nuts rather than just loosen the lever,
the quick-releasing action is not that quick on the front wheels .

. part of my security includes covering all the details of the trike
with the same shell that is covering the driver;
and that includes the use of hubcaps .
. I found it was easier to add hubcaps by
putting the quick-release handles on the inside:


. I figured out it's not possible to build fenders into my shell,
because on my trike, the steering space intersects
the front.wheel.well space .
. the front fenders designed for the trike are rather pricey,
but then I'm imagining the rain puddles going right in my face
during a sharp turn .
. then again, using those fenders might affect turning radius
if the fender bumps into your handlebar configuration .


. I thought if I got rear disk brakes,
it'd give me a chance during non-emergency situations
to give my front drum brakes some time-off;
and, maybe I'd never have to replace them .
. the rear brake I got from utahtrikes.com comes with a dual-purpose
{ brake lever, parking brake pin that hold the lever down } .
. they installed it next to the left-front brake
. I flipped the lever around and lowered it,
so then I could push on it with my palm to brake,
and it would still be out of my way
when I went to grab both front brakes .

custom trike rack

5.18: intro:

. the luggage rack is meant not for

the usual saddlebags, but as a trailer hitch,

by strapping down the handle of a dolly .

. it reuses a cannondale rack that is easily reconfigurable

by having many drill holes like pegboard .

. there are 4 legs so that each side can have some triangulation,

it's meant for 27" bike,

and I'm using it on a 20" recumbent,

which means the deck has to be much longer;

and, this was done by using 2 of the 4 legs as extensions .

. the legs fit inside the U-bar that makes up the deck,

and by strapping the the deck sides together,

it will force the deck to hug the legs,

. additionally, each leg will be rope-bound

to the U-bar it is fitting within,

thereby forming a rigid extension to the deck .

5.17: sci:

. how much of the aluminum rack kit is here ?

. the rack rods need adjustable lengths to fit the mounts on this trike .

. I have screws to fit the mounts on the trike;

but they are of different threading sizes

and different locations, as if not intended for the same purpose;

so the rack legs need to be different lengths

or I need to build extensions;

eg, 1st idea:

. use pieces of handle bar pipe because strong yet easy to drill .

[this idea was seeming pretty complicated after a while

so I was lucky to find a better one ]

leg mounts:

. finally solved mount-point difference by varying the leg angles;

ie, while one leg was connected to rear of rack,

the other leg was 1 inch from rear of rack .

--. thanks to cannondale modular design,

which had holes everywhere like an erector set .

front mount:

. might attach to base of fender .

5.18: finishing touches to skeleton:

. parts are in short supply,

one rod with integrated female threads

is too short to fit near the rear of the rack,

so I had just one end of it being used as a nut,

the other end is now no longer hanging in mid air,

as I found a bolt that extends it to rest on the rack;

it's not long eno' to reach through the rack,

unless I loosened the other bolt,

but I wondered if it would be weakened that way .

. the end piece that connects the rack

to the trike`fender`base, has female threads;

are these the same threads used elsewhere?

no, I got it in, and then it froze from the

heat expansion from ripping things;

in any case, I'm just using it as an additional anchor point

for a rope-binding connection, so it works great as-is .

. there's a tail bar which gives the deck a vertical plane;

had its bolts rearranged so that

there were 2 bolts for each side,

and both bolts finally had nuts .

5.27: proj.mobi/trike`rack/final assembly:

. rearrange bolts to swap too-short's with too-long's;

. use rope to bind the rack to base of fender .

. bind the rack body to the legs at the front

by using rope remaining to threading through hole in rack body,

then wrapping around the rack body and the front legs

to make them hug each other .

6.1: mobi/trike`rack/interacts with suspension:

. having rear suspension means the rack and rear fork

are changing location relative to the rest of the trike .

. this could be more significant than prev'ly estimated

given that constant minor movements could cause fatigue stress

on threads and metal twists, or cause annoying noises .

[6.20:

. actually, the bolts aren't threaded onto the rack`legs;

so if there are any problems, they'll be solved by

backing the bolts out a bit,

then keeping them in that position with locknut goop . ]

6.4: changing shape with suspension dynamics:

. the suspension`movement may wear at the screws .

. maybe it would be extra security to the rack`bolts

to make fiber-matrix caps for them:

. loop string around structs that a bolt is holding together,

and then smear caulking into the bundle .

. however, such pivot points need to be lubed

and stay accessable to lubing in the future;

plus, you need to see if the freaky is happening:

the forces are unscrewing the bolt even as it pushes against the cap .

put a tube to the bolt and do the cap around that,

so then you can see the bolt and lube it .

speedometer:

6.9:

pos: speedometers are not a priority!!! (obsessive!)

6.19:

. but I did decide on one to go with trainer for mileage, awa speedometer;

I noticed utahtrikes had a cheap one, and amazon gave it good reviews;

said the batt lasted a year -- time to think what to do about it ]

6.19: co.net/amazon/Planet Bike Protege 5.0/comment:

. under product details (the manual.pdf) it explains how it will fit any tire size:

roll your wheel a full revolution and measure milimeters .

it also gives some handy rough estimates,

. uses a cr2032 lithium battery without recharging it .

[ . thinking about buying the Planet Bike

Protege 5.0 Computer with Recumbent Cable Kit

and it got 2 stars by one who wasn't sure if it handled all tires .]

6.19: mounting:

. where can sensor be mounted for the trice ?

on the disk brake .

proj.gear/speedometer/installation prep:

. the instructions seemed a bit chaotic,

and assured you that the battery was preinstalled,

but when I saw a spare battery,

I guessed correctly that I would need to install it myself .

. they took a lot of words to say

that once you install the battery,

then hitting the mode.button will change the value,

and hitting the red.button will move to the next variable .

. the first variable is whether you want your dimensions in {miles, km},

the next is digits of the wheel size setting

then digits of the odometer,

finally, digits of the time (12hr mode only)

. they warn you that the magnet that is installed on a spoke

should be lined up with a certain dot on the sensor,

not in the middle of the sensor's head;

but, what I noticed really mattered,

is that the head's vertical be parallel with the passing spoke;

ie, the head's vertical is parallel with its cord,

and when the magnet goes from side to side past the sensor,

that is normal,

but when it goes from top to bottom or vice-versa,

that doubles the perceived speed .

. it came with gear for attaching it to the front fork of a 10speed,

but since I want to use it in exercise mode too,

it needs to be on the back tire .

. in any case the provided gear doesn't fit my very unusual trice frame .

. from staring at the disk brake,

it appears I can use wire sculpture based on a loop in the brake

to create a structure that is similar to a typical front fork's

orientation to the spokes .

6.29: installation:

. the brake has, in addition to the loop,

a peg-like formation of which the loop is a part .

. the peg will help hold in place a piece of tube,

and a tube of the right diameter will bring the sensor

the right distance to the magnet .

. the exact distance can be further controled by

wiring the brake`loop to tube .

. the tubing needed to be 1.5" diameter;

and, I had one a bit over that size

from extras that came with the homedepot`shelving systems .

. the brake also had a hook-like formation

which provided another place to help anchor the tube to the brake .

. a wedge was cut to leave room for the brake`cable .

. all wiring to the tube was done with the walmart wire

after drilling holes into the tube (pvc?)

and cutting out the wedge for the the brake`cable .

. after wiring the sensor to the tube,

wire the tube to the loop;

finally, wire the tube to the hook

without a drill hole by using the wedge for the the brake`cable .

spoke guard:

. I was worried that my rear wheel didn't come with a spoke guard
as I once had the chain get trapped between the gears and the spokes
. it was explained that real men know
how to keep their derailleur adjusted,
(and they never fall victim to sabotage or freaky road obstructions);
so, I threw one together using nylon rope weaved among the spokes,
and stapled into place with a wire twist .

6.17: intro':

. the spokes on the rear wheel beside the sprocket set

need a guard to prevent the chain from falling off the lowest gear

and chewing up the spokes .

. spoke guards are often scoffed at as unneeded;

but, neglect or misadjustements of the derailler

are not the only way to lose control of the chain:

there accidents that could throw a chain,

and there could even be pranksters that dis-adjust a bike .

6.11: impl':

. using a foam mat hub`cap was my first idea at a guard;

but, the foam I had in mind is too thick;

so, the next thing to try is the string wrap .

6.15: exe'd:

. some 3ft of very thick nylon rope was used (3/8"?)

. following the spokes up from the hub,

where pairs of spokes cross each other,

a loop of rope was made all around the wheel;

then another round of loops above the first set .

. that is, I used any rope configuration that would get hard fiber

as close to the sprocket set as possible

without having rope rubbing up against the free-spinning sprocket set;

then I was using up the rest of rope by winding around spokes randomly .

. both ends of the rope were held in place by

stapling a loop of rope together, using a straightened paper clip .

getting through doors

7.28: mis.gear/trike`cart/sideways through door:

. moving trike with dolly is messy and awkward! .

8.3:

. needs coasterwheels attached to one side of the rear,

so that it lands on them when turned on its side .

seat webbing getting sticky

11.1: mis.trike/seat/lumpy:

. dreading trike seat's back support?

lay coats for cushioning .

11.2: mis.trike/seat has a ripple:

. the webbing is stretched out by the multi-strap design,

so I placed a winter vest between back and the straps .

. this is the same thing they suggest for the seat,

but I haven't felt a need for help there .

. I think it's going to work,

but in the summer it will heat things up;

what I really needed is to replace the connection

so that the webbing ends in stiff tubing,

and then the tubes are strapped or laced together .

11.11: co.trice/sheepskin pelt from Penney's:

date Tue, Nov 10, 2009 at 1:30 PM

> By the way I love your la-z-boy seat cushion!!!

It's a $70 large sheepskin pelt from Penney's.

Well worth the extra to get the larger size.

I put some brass grommets on the sides

and fastened it down with 5/8th cord.

11.23: trike/shell/scraps reuse:

. after cutting foam for shell,

scraps can be used for upholstry purposes

as long as against grain of bump,

eg, on chair back put long sides vert'ly,

stitch pieces to a backing

then strap backing sheet to chair .

1.1(2010): news.trike/seat/foam between mesh and frame:

date Wed, Dec 30, 2009 at 11:36 AM

. 2" x 1 metre lengths of pipe insulation.

Remove the seat mesh and push the insulation

down along the length of the side tubes.

Then tape each end to secure

and replace the seat mesh.

...

. for roll cages in cars they sell asymmetric padding,

(only padded on the side it's needed)

books

7.20: aq.gear/amazon.com:

The Art of Wheelbuilding $14.93

Park Tool BBB-2 The Big Blue Book of Repair - 2nd Edition $18.83

7.24: aq.gear/librarycatalog.pima.gov

Bicycling magazine's complete guide to bicycle maintenance and repair

for road and mountain bikes :

over 1,000 tips, tricks, and techniques to maximize performance,

minimize repairs, and save money / by Jim Langley

motivation

4.1: vid.trike/dog taser on youtube:

. dog taser on youtube:

shows dogs attacking people and getting taser dart gunned:

. the dog is a swift runner, but the officer is good at

kicking the dog back until he can draw his taser gun .

. watching this gave me the idea that

a taser or stun gun might require

special training with a live attack dog

that tests your ability to apply the weapon .

. much better to just stay in your [velo]car if you can .

Dog Bite Victim Realities - DogsBite.org

. Sticks are not very good weapons in general

and you may just make the situation worse;

so they are best used to keep distance between you and the dog,

rather than to attack.

. if with a heavy stick and defending another?

aim for the back of neck or snout .

. may use a hunting knife, but not pepper spray or mace;

because,

the odds of hitting dog in the face before it can attack you are very small;

and, you are more likely just to make the dog angry, and more persistent .

. The owners of aggressive dogs can be worse than the dogs.

If you have to injure or kill an attacking dog,

get away from the area and call the police as soon as possible.

4.6: comments:

. I called animal control the other day,

and they said I shouldn't really worry about it

-- nor would I get a quick response --

unless I'm starting to see them collect in packs .

. in spokane I had my bike fencing off a dog confrontation,

but there was 2 of them, I was getting worried;

so I stood in the middle of busy traffic to get help;

some of the drivers were very angry

and yelled about "(f*ing stupid);

hello,

I'm being attacked by loose dogs,

but problem stupid .

. from seeing a picture of a dog attacking the police,

you may not have the sense to hold off the dog long eno'

to draw a weapon .

. from seeing a parade of loose dogs in my life time,

and knowing that most victims are children

I think the best way to avoid bites is to stay in your vehicle .

. now that the currency exchanges are more favorable,

I was thinking again about getting a british trike

then make a fabric shell like a dome tent does

up to my neck, and wear a motorcycle helmit .

researching the purchase options

4.6: fairing selection

[1.10(2010):

. need a professionally engineered fairing for trike,

since the front involves a compound curve

which is not easily obtained by the

tent-style construction that I have in mind .

. the greatest need however,

is something that would sturdily

extend the trike's frame

beyond the bubble of the pedal space .

. without a strong anchor out front,

the tent-style design would be missing

one of the 3 essential anchor points .

]

. besides the preferred but expensive windwrap gx

there isn't much .

. zzipper.com has a Ryan Fairing for trice .

(but not much help on that site) ...

there is the $419 clear PETG

Streamer -- that needs tinting to not crack in the sun .

. for a good view over the fairing

your crank axle should not be higher than

18 cm above your seat base .

.The rear strut is a telescopic pressure fit

and mounts onto the main boom of the bike

by means of a rubber coated jubilee clip .

. Because of the positioning of the mounting brackets

they are able to take large

front or side loads without moving,

making a structure that is extremely rigid.

4.6: turning radius

http://www.bentrideronline.com

. the qnt[quick narrow-track] has a

terrible turning radius,

get the q wide-track [that's what I did]

or go with greenspeed .[16"wheels]

--. even with the best turning radius

you may need to do a reverse using hands

to both steer and propel the wheels

so then a narrow-track version

could help by keeping wheels inside the shell .

. to reverse by hand

either you can't have fenders;

or you need to use a push stick

like they drive boats with .

[..., or have doors on the bottom

for letting feet touch the ground ]

Turning radius vs high-speed stability

Turning radius is ...

noticeably better than the ICE trikes ?

. a design that can do a tight U-turn like 7 feet

might not be so stable downhill at 50 MPH....

4.6: collection of pages by trice owners.

$$$ is there a cheaper velo'base than trice?

4.7: proj.mobi/dog.guard/sum of recent web:

. the prices are up for brits,

not down much for usa .

. for keeping under budget,

forget .com trikes:

find a cheap recumbent base, likely from workbike ideas .

. weight is not a major concern, nor is speed;

comfort and attractiveness are the best .

4.9 (morning):

4.9: sci.mobi/www.trailmate.com Fun Cycle 20":

. compare mobi with www.trailmate.com Fun Cycle 20",

to see how my front-wheel design would sag under weight

by seeing if the funcycle found a way to the avoid that .

. it then occurred to me that front-wheel drive

is not good for heavies .

(noon)

trailmate`fun.cycle.cheap tilting trike ?

. but can't be upgraded

# Seat Adjustment: No

# Inseam to Extended Pedal: 41"

-- it's here:

AJO BIKES 1301 E AJO WAY SUITE 117, TUCSON, AZ 520-294-1434

Fun Cycle 20" (From $557.95)

4.13:

. funcycle uses low-quality parts

and isn't adjustable for low knee`angle .

web.gear/mobi/gocarts as base for velo car?:

summary:

. the external frames are short and lightweight,

sensible wheels, but convertable to pedals?

a cheap go-cart kit:

. I'd have more confidence in the quality of

my own welding of bikes .

besides go-karts are buggies:

. today's buggys are really large adult go karts

but they are so much more capable than a true kart.

eg, chassis kits, without engines (or wheels, ...) $1300:

Hydraulic disc brake system w Foot Controls .

--. fine features but they weigh a ton,

and they are too wide for slow use .

mini buggy? ultra-light kits are 530lb

. it reminds you to make sure

your invention is legal;

and also not a hassle

-- is it a continuing source of irritation ?

. so then if you can brave that,

buggy and kart parts and kits

may give the welder a chance .

ad absurdum

Razor Ground Force Electric Go-Kart

. there is a review from moviedemo.com

showing that this is suitable for adults,

but the steering linkage is loose,

and the ground clearance is too low for general use .

{26ft 18ft} turning radius depending on direction!

4.9: Pedal-Car Gets Pulled Over By Toronto Cops

. they changed a car to be quad-pedaled,

with no license plates;

but when pulled over,

they couldn't find a way to pop the hood,

and then it was deemed unsafe .

. the Express is a delta trike with a

high bottom bracket ("HBB") in order to

accommodate the Rainshadow winter shell .

4.9 (noon): welding dual recumbent bikes:

. comparison of velocars;

comparison of recumbents

(find all bikes under $1k) .

Delta GreenSpeed -- too high but a good start to a quad;

[4.13: really?

delta recumbent trikes cost just as much as tadpoles,

yet are tipping over more in city traffic;

better to start with a dual-bikes architecture

than consider converting delta to quad .]

4.9(afternoon): cheaper ideas are played out

. a recumbent tadpole trike

is the only serious base for a velo';

and the trice Q is my choice in that category;

but I'm still worried about the Q's

Turning Circle being too wide: 16' diameter

. the tightest in that class is 12'

[4.13: ice`s site explains

you can't have better high-speed stability

without widening the turning radius .]

trice accessories for changing seat position?

. FB Bracket -- moves front seat mount backwards .

FF - moves front seat mount forward .

130mm crank set

. unsure how long you want your cranks?

get crank shorteners

. otherwise, there are short cranks (130mm):

and a mountain bike crank set works well with them ?

[4.13:

. could be a headache changing gear sets

without matching derailers .

utahtrikes.com -- nice site --

has a shortener that fits the trice guaranteed .]

Drum Brakes ?

allows wider spoke triangulation for a strong wheel;

[4.13:

. getting a new wheel is how to change those brakes:

$100 /ea ?

but, they are quite maint' free;

they'll likely last a "(lifetime) .

. getting a parking brake ?

it's a simple add-on that doesn't change the wheel dish,

and may also serve as emergency brake

[and as a city-traffic brake

to conserve the life of the drum brakes .]

clip-less pedals ?

. besides Look[brand] clipless pedals

some are into powergrips:

you come in from the side and twist

which snugs the band firmly around your foot .

Power Grips [strap replacmements (no pedals) $24]

Sport Pedal kit from Power Grips $40 [straps with pedals]

. pedals on sale for $32

at Price Point Mail Order Ltd .

4.9: aq.gear/nashbar.com

. having tried various ideas about how to get a dog.guard,

finally getting serious about an ice trice Q .

[-- try nashbar's version powergrips to be used also on trice .]

quick-release kit?

. this helps remove the wheels for locking

(although that might not help if

thieves want to saw the tire&rim to get the hub) .

getting a trice through ice.uk ?

4.11:

. another option is working with usa mail-order ?

... utahtrikes.com

-- pbwbikes.com site doesn't customize easily .

. the currency exchange rates won't be

good until june, or longer;

for now,

ICE has the same prices as dealing with usa mailorder,

eg utahtrikes.com;

[4.13: and, waiting time is risk and money

as I really need to have the trike in my hands

to develope the shell .]

here is the price for built from scratch:

1224.68 + 126.86 + 156.05 + 108.74 + 53.25 + 25.13 + 78.77

= 1774 euro => $2,600

Trice Q, 20 inch frameset only

1,224.68

Front wheels built complete with tyres fitted

(drum hubs come with the frameset)

126.86

20 inch rear wheel built complete,

tyre fitted and 9-32 cassette

156.05

152mm short crank chainset and bottom bracket

108.74

Gear shifters, brake levers and grips

53.25

Chain - 9 speed total length for 1 trike

25.13

Front and rear derailleur, cables,

78.77

but I only went that itemized route

because I misunderstood the ordering sheet,

an didn't know you could do it this way:

Trice Q 20 inch Suspension,

1,675.74

Change to short crank chainset (152mm 22/32/44)

31.99

QR Kit quick release kit

42.55

[the accessories I eventually nixed]

Spare suspension Elastomers -- this is not a std part .

9.35

Front mudguards

79.23

20" rear mudguard with stay wires, quick release -- not std .

15.40

4.11: mobi/trike/fender choice:

. if adding a tail box

then maybe a fender isn't needed ?

the fender might better protect

the gears and chain from splash?

. ask if they can keep the larger gears

on the smaller crank

or if they can recommend a crank shortener

set to fit their cranks .

4.11: what about utahtrikes' short cranks?

$99.95 Ride2 Crank Arm shorteners

for up to 43mm wide 9/16 arms

. sent msg to them:

can trice q stock crank be installed with your

Ride2 Crank Arm shorteners for up to 43mm wide 9/16 arms ?

[4.13:

. no reply emailed, but a phone call confirmed

things would be assembled .]

135mm Crank Arm Set 110bcd

These $49.95 Sinz Expert Square Taper cranks

use a standard 5-hole 110BCD bolt pattern

and can accomodate a wide variety of chainrings.

( bcd is the bolt circle diameter )

. the above short crank takes only one or 2 chainrings not 3 .

or shorteners from elswhere?

. 6860-14602: Up to 28mm wide cranks

, 6860-14603: Up to 43mm wide cranks .

the terracycle idler for trice:

"(I found the toothed idler lasted far longer than the rubber lined one)

Trice are usually fitted with Polyurethane idlers;

this replaces the high-tension side

with an aluminum toothed pulley .

. while the normal place for the

low-tension pulley is under the high-tension pulley,

they have them mounted side-by-side;

. from this pict you can see

that during a bottom-out

the idler is above the lowest part

so it won't get smashed;

and with the double idler,

the return chain is no longer under bottom.tube

affectively giving you more clearance .

. All TerraCycle idlers utilize

industry grade ABEC-7 bearings-

which are replaceable- as well as

industrial grade urethane beds on the return side

. Idler plates are machined aluminum

and high grade polycarbonate

. All fasteners are stainless steel.

Idler cogs are 7075 Aluminum.

We have idler replacement kits for most brands of recumbents

and experimenter kits for homebuilders or those bikes not listed.

dual idler (only the return chain sits on rubber)

fairings for velo'shell starter kit

4.11: the full velo'shell for trice:

. in case you have $ 3500[canadian], meet The Borealis

. there's a blog of the design's evolution .

[... and a vid of it racing another trike .]

HP Velotechnik Streamer in usa?

. one for $450 at bentupcycles.com .

[4.13:

. another is at hostelshoppe.com ...]

[1.10(2010):

but that place also says

don't even try to fit the hpvelotechnik to the trice .]

4.11: windwrap xt

. from the pictures of fairings

I'm wondering if low riders (with very reclined seating)

can see over these fairings .

4.13:

. the windwrap xt is confirmed to be

not fit for low-riders (it's positioned too high),

but the shell's nose.cone needs to be sturdy,

and the xt is the cheapest way

to do just that .

. I'm hoping I can modify it in radical ways,

eg turning it up`side-down,

cutting the bar to shorten it,

or drilling the lexan

to place the bar on top of rather than under it .

. it's aluminum so there's not much chance of bending it,

but the other options are hopeful .

[...: by shifting the attachments,

I was able to slide it well below line of sight]

4.13: xt fitting advice

. for sight of the road about 20 feet ahead of you,

toes should be 2" lower than your eyes,

knees should be an 1.5" lower than your eyes.

. a clear view of the mini (xt) fairing (pdf)

. and the large is here too (pdf).

4.13: web.gear/trike/customizations selection:[call]

. do the crank shorteners fit the trice?

may be more than size, will install what fits .

. 1.75" is a softer ride than the thinner 1.35" tires;

but that's as balloon as you need;

(get marathon plus 1.75 all around)

. he thought the hp-v'tech streamer would only fit hp`s bikes .

but others differed 7th Nov 2008: "(I use a Streamer on my QNT;)

4.13: Utah Trikes Custom Trike order

Base Model: Ice Q

Rear Wheel: 20 Inch Suspension

--stock

Front Gearing: Truvativ Xfire 170 crank with X.9 derailleur

Rear Gearing: SRAM X.9 w/X.9 Shifters

Tires: Schwalbe Marathon Racer tires

Front Brakes: Sturmey Archer Drum Brakes

Fenders: Basic Rear Mudguard

Mirrors: Single Mirricle Mirror [came with 2]

-- stock declines:

Chain Guard, Seat Brackets, Computer Mount, Neck Rest,

Front Fenders, --[replaced by the planned fairing .]

Rack, Side Bags, Light Mount

-- add-on's:

Pedals: PowerGrip Pedals

Rear/Parking Brake: Rear Disc Brake w/Parking Lever

Mueller Windwrap XT Fairing with Mount 6mm

Ride2 Crank Arm shorteners

Trice Dual Idler Kit - Aluminum Cog

Trice quick release kit for enhanced tool-less folding / split down

--. (I mistakenly thought)

utahtrikes has no spare elastomeres .

Order comments:

. thanks for help on the phone,

I didn't see any spare elastomers

used by trice`s rear suspension .

[...:

I just didn't look everywhere, they're in the catalog]

http://www.utahtrikes.com/PRODINFO-Trice_Rear_Suspension_Elastomers.html

from trikes@utahtrikes.com

date Mon, Apr 13, 2009 at 3:34 PM

Date : 13 Apr 2009 - 16:34

4.13: trikes@utahtrikes.com/Utah Trikes Order ID: 1576010,

4.14: mis.aq.gear/trike/custom cussed 'em:

. if the trike place installs the parts for me,

I'm going to feel off if they

don't give me the parts they replace,

unless you could say the spare part was worth their labor?

. some might think the assembly deal was just

part of buying your main trike from them .

4.20(10:54): call:

. needed to contact by phone before making delivery;

but utahtrikes didn't have my phone;

so they were going to do it 13..15 tomorrow

but they just now told me they can still do it later today .

4.20: proj.gear/trike/delivered:

. helped get it off truck,

I came out to greet him

and he almost took me for gone

because he didn't see a car in the driveway?

"(this pkg you brought me is my new car!)

I exclaimed .

. I helped him slide it off the truck

and then I thought he'd use the dolly,

thought he thought we should each carry an end? ok;

I am so happy to see him .

. this box is huge, but very lightweight

-- that whole trike came completely assembled!

more motivation

6.1: apt`wildlife/another pair of loose dogs:

. picts of a couple loose dogs

they were first spotted at yard across the street

(the neighbors with the solar heating)

and then they headed north when a pedal.cyclist passed them without incident;

I asked if he knew those dogs;

no, he said, in high (perhaps nervous) voice .

7.9: co.apt/dog brings in trash:

. found dog prints as sw corner of shed in fresh puddle .

. around back of shed there was the doggy-shredded remains

of an old trashed fryes 12-pack eggs foam container

where there was shell glued to the foam

from several broken eggs .

. fryes is not my brand and I never trash foam anyway;

though if it was decomposed like this,

I would have bagged the trash

-- without being bagged,

such foam is likely to fly away when the dumpster comes

and automatically shakes the trash cans high in the air

in order to give the lid room to swing out of the way .

9.5: gear/dog.guard/walking stick with stun baton:

. a walking stick with a stun baton

integrated on the top

might be good for deterring stray dogs;

but, vaguely recall similars are illegal in AZ.state .

9.24: co.net/trice/Protection:

crowqnt date Thu, Sep 24, 2009 at 12:49 AM

I rolled my QNT avoiding a Recycling lorry

which pulled out directly in my path from a secondary road.

Ended up with free B&B in local hospital.

Suffering lacerated index finger and gravel rash.

4 stitches in finger and arm looking like a patchwork quilt.

If I'd worn gloves I would have avoided the stitches!

Damage to Trike was LH front QR nearly abraded through

and similar damage to rear QR.

Did'nt wear a helmet but my head never contacted the tarmac

but shoulder was bruised.

Back to 98% now so all in all a lucky escape.

Frightening when view of the world

suddenly changes to a four foot dimeter tyre!

Ted

my reply:

. have you ever wished there was an affordable

shell option for the trice?

I'm trying to plan one like a tent .

. my main reason is protection from wind, sun, and dogs;

not sure if a shell would help a roll-over:

maybe it would be safer being thrown from the vehicle

if it didn't include a roll bar .