Metamorphosis

[Buffo]

Several months ago a mate sold me a cheap mountain bike. The first ride on the thing convinced me to definitely keep the ancient road bike that had served me for so long.

What to do with the mountain bike?

I've always found tadpoles an interesting design, but I've never had the chance to test one. A bit of searching on the internet several weeks ago turned up Atomic Zombie and the plans for the "Street Fox."

Now I know what to do with a cheap, uncomfortable Chinese mountain bike!!!...

[gbbwolf]

Looking good keep it up you be riding in no time.

Nelson

[Buffo]

I'm considering building a mesh seat frame from aluminium which will also act as a reinforcement for the front axle. Our roads in the far northern part of Queensland, Australia are pretty rough. Me thinks that the small surface area of the axle/boom weld could use a bit of reinforcement. Bolting the forward runners of a mesh seat to the axle might help preserve the integrity of the weld.

A bit more progress. The project rolls and tracks nicely. I'm trying to keep the weight down by using aluminium wherever possible.

[Odd Man Out]

.I'm trying to keep the weight down by using aluminium wherever possible.
Excellent!!! Are you TIGgin everything? What machine are you using? Glad to welcome another AL aficionado to the forum.

[Buffo]

"Excellent!!! Are you TIGgin everything? What machine are you using? Glad to welcome another AL aficionado to the forum."

Sorry, I should have written wherever I don't have to weld it!<g>

I was planning to bend a mesh seat frame out of Aluminum tubing and get a local machine shop to do the welds. I'd love to make the whole thing from aluminium, but access to a TIG and gas is not availiable to me. I've also use an aluminium alloy for the tie rod.

[Odd Man Out]

Hey, it's all good
A hearty welcome to the forum and remember,
We Love Pictures :punk:

[Buffo]

I'm not sure where to place this question in the forum, so I'll just add it to my build thread...

I've made my seat by bending and forming a nice bit of hand laminated local wood. I don't want to cover the bugger with ugly staples and the usual cover material. I can get black EVA foam locally. Anybody ever just glue and form EVA and leave it uncovered?

I was stmulated by this photo of a commercial recumbent tandem rear seat (http://www.calfeedesign.com/stiletto.htm)...

[Buffo]

Here are a couple of photos of the build with the laminated seat minus any padding (ouch!)...

[Buffo]

Did my first test run today. No rear brake yet and no front derailleur, but it works! I was amazed at the tight fast turns you can make. I'll have to play with the cogs because I haven't the grunt to get up the hill yet. Any hints with gearing for hill climbing?

Also note that I've changed the steering from the original plan. Might as well put those brake supports to double use and cut out a little extra weight. I also prefer this control position to the original plan.

Here's the YouTube URL for the test run. Turn on your speakers and you can hear the gravel "fang" on the sharper turns<g>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEdxHzm7lZs

[KoolKat]

Looking really good! Just wait until you get up some serious speed! :sunny:

[GregLWB]

Did my first test run today. No rear brake yet and no front derailleur, but it works! I was amazed at the tight fast turns you can make. I'll have to play with the cogs because I haven't the grunt to get up the hill yet. Any hints with gearing for hill climbing?

Thanks for the video. The trike looks good.:)

What gearing do you have now?

Greg

[Patrike]

Nice! Looking really good -- I like how you kept the cross arms on top of the frame - if I am not mistaken from the picture. Who was the videographer behind the vidcam -- looking forward to some more detailed pics. What size wall tube is that frame- do you know how much it weighs in at?

Cheers
Patrick

[Buffo]

The person behind the camera was me "support team" also known as the "Missus'."<g>

The wall thickness of the tubing used is 1.6mm. I'd be guessing that the weight is close to 60 pounds for the entire machine (???!!!).

[John Lewis]

Looking good there Buffo. Much better than the old chain store MTB.:)

For comparison the trike I built used 1.6mm wall by 40mm muffler tube. I didn't have suspension and it had 20" wheels all round. The weight came in at 20kg if I recall right. It's in the gallery.

John Lewis

[savarin]

Looking damn fine, you will have to pop down and ride with us on our excellent routes.
Weather is perfect now.

[Buffo]

Finally got some good weather today and managed a run of close to 35 "clicks."
Good fun, a real change from the 'ol two wheel, bum-on-seat pushie! The trike performed well. The only thing that might improve the ride is some good face protection from the tropical sun. I might take my gas welding shield and rivet it to my bicycle helmet... boy, this will really attract the stares!<G>

[SirJoey]

Looks great, Buffo!
Gonna be tons o' fun! :)


http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/7131/sirjoeysigmedij1.gif

[John Lewis]

Nice ride Buffo. You'll have to take Savarin up on the offer and shoot off down to Townsville. Trikes are heaps of fun.

My better half is over in QLD at the moment with her parents visiting her aunt. They are all in their 80's (Not the wife though. :jester:) Not sure where Gold Coast I think Isle of Capri ?

John Lewis

[savarin]

Nice ride Buffo. You'll have to take Savarin up on the offer and shoot off down to Townsville. Trikes are heaps of fun.

My better half is over in QLD at the moment with her parents visiting her aunt. They are all in their 80's (Not the wife though. :jester:) Not sure where Gold Coast I think Isle of Capri ?

John Lewis

What, on that canal development? Very swanky.
SWMBO tried her trike with the packing tape seat at the weekend, definitely had the start of the recumbent grin

[Buffo]

"SWMBO tried her trike with the packing tape seat at the weekend..."

Packing tape seat!!!???

As Pauline would say..."Please explain"<g>

................

Curious... has anyone clocked a tadpole like the Streetfox in comparison to a conventional pushie? I ask because a run I made several days ago was actually completed slightly faster then I've done it before with me trusty 'ol road bike. Does the riding height (low down) give the illusion that the trike is slightly slower? I thought the lower seating position would create the opposite feeling (more speed).

I'm really rapted in this machine. I'm amazed there aren't more of these things around my area. Thanks Brad for the excellent plans and this website! And thanks to all the feedback from fellow recumbent fans.

[savarin]

"SWMBO tried her trike with the packing tape seat at the weekend..."

Packing tape seat!!!???

As Pauline would say..."Please explain"<g>

................



It was an idea from John.
I wrapped that brown thin plastic 50mm wide parcel tape around the seat rails.
I was surprised how strong it was. It held up my 108Kg