Howdy from a Newb in Texas

[moonrunner]

Hi Folks,

I just recently decided to try my hand at building some bikes as therapy. I am looking to build something easy for a first build, a LWB recumbent, or a tadpole style trike. Eventually I want to add a hub motor on as well to make it easier for me to go longer distances.

I'm a big guy so I need to make sure it can stand up to my weight (330 lbs, I need to ride to get the weight down). I have a Brain injury, so I get tired easily, so the electric motor will help out then.

I was looking for any advice you guys can offer and suggestions on what would be a good starter project for me. Keep in mind I am a bit of a klutz, but I am very mechanically minded.

I look forward to sharing my work with you guys..

[PeterT]

welcome to AZ Moonrunner!

the great part of being here is that you can ask any question at all, and there is usually somebody who has an answer of sorts for you.

PeterT

[badcheese]

It's great that you're looking into building a bike! I would say that for a first build, for your size, and for adding power assist in the future, the Tour Master is probably the way to go. Here's a post from another builder when comparing the Tour Master vs. Meridian:
Here is my zwei pfennigs:

Similarities:
Both designs are LWB in nature that puts the rider in the same general position as the LWB design Easyracers TourEasy which is considered the best LWB design so far. This indicates that both mounts will be superb designs.

Differences;
TourMaster has two 26 inch wheels, Meridian has 26 on the back and 20 inch on the front. It is said that having two larger wheels reduces rolling resistance and so can result in greater speed. I have seen no scientific evidence of this but a lot of people believe this. What is a benefit if you ride long distances is the fact that with the TM, you only have to carry 1 type of tube and tire to change or replace. With the M you need two different types.

The TM has more tubing to it so by inference can be said to wiegh more than the M. Having more tubing means two things; 1. it takes more welding to complete the project and 2. The TM will probably be the more reliable of the two mounts for long distance touring. The TM has a triangulated frame just like tried and true DF's and is much stronger than the Meridian's. For long distance touring this is a critical factor. For fun personal riding not so much.

The TM frame can be utilized much easier for electrification. The Meridian's aesthetics would have to be altered to electrify it.

It depends on what you want and how you want to use it. I would choose the TM for any long disctance jaunt and the Meridian for around town puttin around. Again just my zwei pfennigs. Hope this helped.

Notice the parts about the Tour Master frame being triangulated for strength and being easy to add electrification. The Tour Master is not a lightweight bike, but it's bulletproof and it's a smoth ride, according to those who have built one, like GregLWB.

Tadpole trikes are great too, but they're among the more complicated machines to build because of the steering components and alignment issues and they're very low to the ground, so they might be harder to mount and dismount. Mounting a tadpole trike is a bit like sitting down onto a curb or a step, whereas mounting a Tour Master is more like sitting on a tall stool. Maybe the tadpole should be your second build.

Good luck, and keep us updated!

[Odd Man Out]

MoonRunner
Welcome
You are among friends

[trikeman]

I would probably start with something simple, such as the Meridian. You can always make it with thicker tubing (3/16") and/or some extra supports in critical areas. The heavier guys here can give you some suggestions there. I haven't built a TM, but I thick aligning and welding all those round tubes may be more challenging for a beginner than the simple square steel tube on something like the Meridian, and most of Brad's other designs. Square tubing makes your life easier, and most humans can't bend or break a 1.5"x1.5" 16 ga tube or a decent weld on it, let alone a 3/16" one. I am somewhat of a lightweight here (only tipping the scales at 200), but most of Brad's designs seem massively over-designed for my weight.

Of course, as badcheese says, there is more room on a TM for eventual electrification.

If you have any balance issues from your injury, you may wish to stay with a trike. That way, if you must stop and rest on a ride, you are already sitting in an easy chair. As already mentioned, getting the steering aligned properly when welding it up is a bit of a chore with the StreetFox, but lots of beginners seem to have successfully gotten through it. Brad's new Warrior Trike may be easier to build, but I haven't seen the plans yet, so I can't really say.

[GregLWB]

First off, Welcome.

I have built three of the two wheeled bikes that Brad has designed but haven't completed a trike yet. They are a little more work as I am finding out. I built a High Roller first (in a 26/20 configuration) and really enjoy riding it around town and for shorter rides (sub 10 miles). I built a Meridian style bike for my mother which was fun to ride and really stable, but I am a big guy (6'8" and ~300 lbs) and there was a small amount of frame flex when I rode it.

The bike that I put the most miles on is my Tour Master. It is the most stable two wheeled bike I have ever ridden. I built it with a suspension fork in the front which makes it really smooth and the frame is absolutely rigid with no flex at all. I also have a 35cc, 4-stroke assist motor on it and use it for a 53 mile round trip commute (I am diabetic so I know what you mean about needing an assist).

After all that I guess that you need to decide how/what you want to ride. The TM isn't a sports car but is extremely stable and will handle any road you throw at it comfortably and not leave you worn out. The Meridian is more sporty, gives a good ride and is a little lighter. The HR is all about sporty-ness(?), speed and fun.

For me I think the TourMaster was also the easiest to build. YMMV.

Greg

[trikeman]

Interesting perspective on the TM Greg - and you should know, since you are one of the few that have built one. Its good to hear you found it easy to build. I know one of our old members (Brian?) had one heck of a time getting his WildCat build right. Did you use a jig when doing your TM?

My RANS Wave also flexes some when I ride it, but RANS calls it "passive suspension," and supposedly it is designed that way. Was the flex you got on the Meridian too much or just noticeable?

[GregLWB]

Interesting perspective on the TM Greg - and you should know, since you are one of the few that have built one. Its good to hear you found it easy to build. I know one of our old members (Brian?) had one heck of a time getting his WildCat build right. Did you use a jig when doing your TM?

My RANS Wave also flexes some when I ride it, but RANS calls it "passive suspension," and supposedly it is designed that way. Was the flex you got on the Meridian too much or just noticeable?

I didn't use a jig but that would have made it even faster. To be honest though, I'm not sure if it would be faster as a first build or that it was faster because I had already built the HR and had been commuting on a LWB bike for a year and really knew what I wanted this bike to do for me.

On the 'passive suspension' it wasn't too bad (the bike that my TM replaced had a similar amount) but I personally like a stiff frame and prefer to let my tires or a real suspension do that job. Just my personal preference.

Greg

[moonrunner]

Thanks for all the advice guys.

Yes Balance for me is an issue, that is why I really think I would prefer a bike with a lower center of gravity. Mostly to start I will be riding short distances around the neighborhood just to impress the neighbors with my cool ride, working my way up to rides to the store, and eventually some longer rides just for fun.

I am 6'1" so I need some leg room on the bike. I am also a complete novice at welding. I have done some Oxy-acetylene welding a long time ago, but never had a chance to work with an arc welder.

I think I will save electrification for my second project bike. I really want a trike since it makes the balance thing easier. I also think the square tubing will be easier for me to work with.

Eventually I plan on building a Kyoto trike for me and my fiancee to ride together.

Thanks for all the advice guys.
Moon

[Radical Brad]

Welcome!

A Meridian with 3/16 wall tubing as TrikeMan suggested would be an easy start, and with a good set of rims would certainly be a lot stronger than any store bought upright bike.

The DeltaRunner Trike will also handle your requirements without any mods to the frame tubing. No matter which bike you build, just keep the rims on the good quality side (get advice from your bike shop), and you will have no problems.

Brad

[KoolKat]

Hi MoonRunner and welcome! Lots of help here. Be prepared to spend some quality time here every day! :punk:

[Locutus]

Welcome to the Krew, Moonrunner.

If balance is an issue for you, you may want to reconsider building a low two-wheeler. It may be counterintuitive to think about, but a taller bike is actually easier to balance than an extremely low bike (like the Marauder). Riding a low bike takes some getting used to, to get rid of "the shakes." That was certainly true for me when I finished my Marauder, but I'm used to it now and have no balance problems (although I would never ride it "no-handed!").

I think I read an explanation for this phenomenon somewhere...something about the tipover time being slower on a taller bike and quicker on a low bike, making it necessary for those little adjustments a rider makes, both continuously and subconciously, to be done quicker on a low bike.

I've built both a Marauder and a Street Fox trike. I like the Marauder a lot, but I LOVE the Street Fox, which also has electric assist. It is, however, a more complex build. I haven't seen the Warrior Trike plans yet since they haven't yet been released, but based on the photos in Brad's thread on it, I'd venture to speculate that it's an easier build than the Street Fox.

[moonrunner]

I've built both a Marauder and a Street Fox trike. I like the Marauder a lot, but I LOVE the Street Fox, which also has electric assist. It is, however, a more complex build. I haven't seen the Warrior Trike plans yet since they haven't yet been released, but based on the photos in Brad's thread on it, I'd venture to speculate that it's an easier build than the Street Fox.

Yeah the Warrior trike definitely looks like my kind of trike. I am leaning towards the Meridian for my first bike. Now just need the tools and the material.

Oh yeah and energy, that's my biggest deficit right now next to money :rolleyes4:

[trikeman]

I second what Locutus said about balance and a low two-wheeler. I fell several times trying to learn to ride my low long wheel base bike, and finally had to take off my clipless pedals for several months, until I got the hang of it.

[badcheese]

Since you're doing this more for therapy than for practical transportation, maybe the biggest factor is which bike sparks your excitement and keeps you motivated to work on it and eventually ride it.

[JayinTexas]

Hi there...welcome aboard from a fellow Texan.

Jay

[PeterT]

NewbTX,
For stability, you can't go past a quad, just look at how many cars are out there, compared to three wheel cars:cheesy:
Wait for Brad to finalise the Warrior plans, then purchase the Streetfighter plans as well, and marry the steering/front section of the Warrior to the rear end of the Streetfighter, joining them at the rear member. Then you will have the best steering, with the total stability of a quad.

PeterT

[moonrunner]

Well my balance is bad, but not *that* bad. I should point out here that I have been living with my brain injury for 35 years. I am pretty safe, and most people wouldn't know I have a problem unless I told them. I have plenty of problems to be sure, but they are manageable. My real problems are lack of energy, lack of initiation, and social problems.

My hope for this is that by having a project that interests me, I can stimulate myself to work on the project and get moving. Then maybe I can translate that into momentum for other parts of my life as well.

I would say to everyone here though that I hope you wear your helmets when riding, even a Mild TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) can drastically change your life. I am not here to preach to you guys though, just to get your advice and help.
Thanks
Moon

[GregLWB]

.....My real problems are lack of energy, lack of initiation, and social problems.
Moon

If you build one of these bikes you will need to get over your social problems as you will be swamped with people asking questions and asking (most of the time) to look closer at your bike.:jester::jester:

Greg

[GregLWB]

If you build one of these bikes you will need to get over your social problems as you will be swamped with people asking questions and asking (most of the time) to look closer at your bike.:jester::jester:

Greg

See this link for an example. http://forum.atomiczombie.com/showthread.php?t=2976:jester:

Greg

[jimFPU]

My real problems are lack of energy, lack of initiation, and social problems.

Then you should fit right in here!!!

[Sparky]

welcome aboard!

im not too far away from ya, in longview.

build anything. just going outside and turning on the grinder is usually motivation enough for me to reallly start in on serious building.

ive built a streetfighter and a chopper, and a currently planning a kyoto/streetfighter hybrid with a body on it.

ive always liked the lines of the meridian. logic says i should build one of those, but who wants to be logical and practical?

[moonrunner]

Yeah, part of my motivation is to learn how to weld so I can transfer these skills to other projects. Anything that motivates me to move is a good thing.

[John Lewis]

Hello moonrunner. Welcome to this crazy bike building forum. Once you are hooked thats it. You will never escape.

I will concur with the others that a low bike may be harder to ride. That said it really boils down to what takes your fancy. No matter which I'm sure you'd be able to ride it. It might just take more practice.

The important thing is not to agonize over the details. Pick a bike and get started. Learn by doing and your mistakes. That is pretty much how we all began. You will amaze yourself and end up with a great bike to boot.

John Lewis