Building Yet?

[Freth]

Has anyone else started building one yet?

I purchased the plans, read them through yesterday, and built the rear fork today. Yes, I modified it somewhat ... I used smaller tubing and put the 45 degree slant cut 2-1/2" from the end. Then welded a 3/16" plate to the thin little inside wall ... and angled it a bit so I would have a straight section that is 5-1/4". I can still weld the dropouts on top ... but it gives me clearance to mount a GEBE engine.

click on the link to my website to see what I mean ... :sunny:

[Bodhi]

I'm cutting up my donor bikes and getting ready to build. :punk: :rockon:

[trikeman]

Has anyone else started building one yet?


click on the link to my website to see what I mean ... :sunny:

Nice blog Freth. Lots of good building ideas there.

[ken will]

I have trimmed up the headsets and ordered the hubs.
Hopefully today I can get the tubing and if we don't lose electricity from Hurricane Danny I can start welding on Monday.

[John Lewis]

You're quick off the mark Freth. Looking forward to how your build shapes up. Enjoyed looking at your Blog. I too have built two Bentecs and several of AD Carson's Recycled Recumbents. All very good fun.

John Lewis

[jimFPU]

So I suppose 1.25 will work OK then? I like your Redondo low racer. Build that from 1.25?

[Freth]

The 1.25 tubing was left over from the DeltaWolf that I built (entirely from 1.25). Altho I did weld a strip of 3/4" angle iron under the main tube to reinforce it.

The Redondo lowracer was 1-1/8" (1.125) cromo tubing from aircraft spruce. TIG welded by my friend Jack. I don't have one of those welders ... just a wire-feed MIG. With which I slop on lots of metal in each weld and then grind it smooth (sort of). I figure sandblast, body putty, and a layer of powder coat and it will look wonderful!

[Freth]

I wouldn't bet on building the entire Warrior trike out of 1.25 ... my seat tube, main tube, boom etc. will be 1.5 !! It's all a big experiment ...

How many bikes and trikes have you made and ridden where the rear forks were made out of mild steel A LOT SMALLER than 1.5? Even my Bentech SWB rear forks (without triangulation ... other than seat stays) was made with the rounded front forks from a Huffy MTB ... way smaller. So I figured I could go with 1.25 on the rear forks ... maybe later I'll put in a gusset between the forks and the seat tube.

[dakidd1]

Will be following your progress. I think this will be a good candidate for a GEBE. Lots of pics, please.

Ron

[dynodon]

I think the trike with a GEBE would be great fun! and my kids would be on the area most wanted list....

[dakidd1]

I think the trike with a GEBE would be great fun! and my kids would be on the area most wanted list....

You can get smaller engines. How fast you go depends a lot on the cc's an engine has, allong with the gear you chose to run with. I have found out that say a 40cc can go 40mph with a larger gear installed on straight aways. A "EHO25 25cc Robin/Subaru Mini 4" they say goes "Top speed of 26 MPH - 30 miles per tank - Up to 225 MPG"

Ron

[joebiker]

I am just getting started. Built two StreetFox's, wonderful bikes. Warrior looks great. It will be my first build with an electric motor (Ezip). I will be needing to modify rear forks to accept the motor similar to Freth's build, so keep the pictures coming Freth. Another excellent set of plans from Brad.

[Freth]

So, this morning (after breakfast) I cut out the seat tube, the main tube and the boom. Notched the seat tube. Started looking for suitable props ... You have to prop this thing up correctly to get the next couple of angles correct. Went shopping with the wife after lunch. Came back with some props ... the small one was a container for storing leftover food. Then I spent some time shimming up the rear fork to to attempt to get the correct angle between the seat tube and the main tube. Eventually got the angles marked, cut, and welded the seat tube on. That's all for today ... more adventures coming up tomorrow. I imagine this will all come to a screeching halt while I wait on getting and assembling the front wheels. That will give me a few days to doctor my scratches and cuts ... ready to acquire more.

[SirJoey]

Well, I'm a little late to the party, having only gotten the plans a couple of nights ago, but I'm here!
Now I see what everyone's raving about! FANTASTIC job on the plans, Brad & Kat!!!

Haven't cut any steel yet. Still studying the plans. Besides, I'm trying to wrap up another project first.

Normally, I'd be working on 2 at once, but I expect this to be a major project, along the lines of the DW,
so I wanna give it my undivided attention, once I finally "break ground". :)

Besides, a ride of this caliber deserves my very best effort! :punk:


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

[Freth]

You've got that right, Sir Joey! I've actually ordered a few better parts than what I currently have available from my cheap WalMart class donor bikes. Like try to find 20mm front disc hubs for less than $34.95 each (plus S&H) ... there is no way around it, I need them. The rear wheel I have requires a cassette instead of a free wheel. I'm still thinking about the shifters ... bar ends? twistgrip? friction? How would all of this change if I used a steering stick instead of USS? And none of my donor bikes has a brake lever set up to pull 2 cables at once ... :-)

[Locutus]

Like try to find 20mm front disc hubs for less than $34.95 each (plus S&H) ... there is no way around it, I need them.

Get the hubs from Bitex. I think they're less than 20 bucks each. Good hubs too...I have them on my Street Fox.

[SirJoey]

I'm still thinking about the shifters ... bar ends? twistgrip? friction? And none of my donor bikes has a brake lever set up to pull 2 cables at once ... :-)
I love the bar-ends on my AB, but I can't afford to buy any. I wish, though!

Personally, I wouldn't bother with a rear brake.


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

[John Lewis]

Our Logo trikes use Bar end shifters. I also have them on my SWB Bentech. I like them better than twist grips. Also good is that you can flip them to friction shift if your indexing plays up. They seem to work very well with USS.

The trikes only have hydraulic disk brakes on the front wheels. Bitex by the way. In my opinion the rear brake is unnecessary. Greenspeed and Logo don't use them. These trikes don't use two into one. The right brake lever controls right brake and the left the left. The trikes stop pretty well straight ahead even using only one brake if centre point steering is halfway right. Having brakes on separate circuits means if one fails you still have the other. That's not the case with two into one.

There has been some discussion, I think it may have been on BROL, that suggests that a rear brake on a tadpole can be dangerous. Can't recall the reasoning now.

John Lewis

[Freth]

Thx. I emailed the USA BITEX rep and I'll go looking for bar-end shifters .... :-)

[Locutus]

If you have USS with bar ends that point upward, you can put el-cheapo friction shifters at the very ends of the bars. Just cut off the ends of the rubber grips so you can slide them down the bars about 3/4 inch so that there's room at the end to clamp on the shifters. Put a plastic cap on the end of the bar. The friction shift lever will stick up above the bar (albeit on the side) and will make a nice substitute for actual bar end shifters. You'll save about 80 bucks this way too.

Or if you don't want to cut the ends off your grips, mount the shifters just below the grips. I've found this to work just as well. I have a setup like this on my Street Fox with the shifter just below the throttle for the electric motor.

[ken will]

Progress so far..........

Bitex Hubs, Niagara Cycle Works wheels and spokes, Nashbar disc, True Value nuts and bolts, Dumpster tires and tubes

http://2qnfgw.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p5O4ORmm4DEmp-Kq2KhPHIAB8Zc-8vxE1LcsfJ5xv4-9Z_FatK5J1lnkMFhzmm_8SM-L6g-LYTvUDCfp980H56xktUf0GqBQC/Trike%202%2002.JPG

[SirJoey]

Nice work, Ken.
Wish I could afford to go that route, but I'm saving
up to replace the truck I totalled 2 years ago.


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

[Freth]

Here's what the USA/Mexico Rep just quoted me on price:

Thanks for your e-mail. BITEX DH20M/36H is $18/pc (USD) so 2 will be $36 (USD). Can you please provide your mailing address so that I can quote you on the shipping cost.

Best Regards,
Judy
hsiehjudy@gmail.com

[SirJoey]

Freth, you are cruisin' right along, dude!

I like your rear fork mod! :)


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

[PeterT]

What is the actual site address for Bitex, please?

PeterT

[ken will]

What is the actual site address for Bitex, please?

http://www.bitexhubs.com/

[PeterT]

TY

PeterT

[jimFPU]

Freth, tried to publish a comment on your blog to no avail...so I'll be watching the build with great interest!

I love my new Tanaka engine, and was looking at doing the same thing, with the addition of a full fairing for the colder months!

Awesome!

[Freth]

I cut off "anonymous" entries ... but otherwise you should be able to make a comment if you login. I've been caught up in "honey-do's" ... still have to finish the BB unit. Then start on the arms for the front wheels mechanism.

You bet! Putting that Tanaka engine on will really open up hill riding ... And the whole fairing idea sounds really sweet for the winter!

[nineball]

Ken, looks like a nice setup, whats the spoke length?

[ken will]

Ken, looks like a nice setup, whats the spoke length?

I have no idea....They came with the $17 wheels, I just unlaced those cheap hubs and reused the spokes to lace in the Bitex hubs.
http://www.amazon.com/Wheel-Master-Front-Bicycle-Silver/dp/B000AO5FCE/ref=sr_1_23?ie=UTF8&m=A2TE9IQP68MWQU&s=sporting-goods&qid=1249909163&sr=1-23

To finish up I threw on some tires I found in a dumpster.

[dynodon]

holy shipping rip off Batman!!!!

[joebiker]

Freth, thanks for the graphic picture on your blog of the sanding accident with the flap disk. I went right out and bought a flap disk for my grinder, figured if it can do that much damage to your skin, then it must be good on metal. Can't believe that I have made several bikes and never used a flap disk! That's how Brad gets all his shiny metal pictures in his plans.

Do you use different grit sizes for finishing?

[nineball]

Can't believe that I have made several bikes and never used a flap disk!

Me too, been grinding stuff for years, never used one before, ordered 10 from Bullet...got um....I think I must have been living in a cave, work the nuts.

[Freth]

Lowes & Home Depot only have 60 grit (blue) ... really course ... and eats into the metal FAST. Harbor Freight has 120 grit flap disks which I really like. Found that they take off rust and slowly sand metal very nicely (but sand skin quickly). I think various grits would be handy ... but certainly like the 120's that I have now.

[rebuilt]

I got my materials together, the only things missing are the bearing races for the headsets and the gripshifters. Work commenced last night.

I did make some small changes I'd like to pass along.

The frame will have cable guides and stops, likely silver soldered on, as well as a loop to pass a lock through, by the rear fork.

There will also be a small 12v battery to operate blinkers, headlight, and a brake light.

Derailed

[trikeman]

Lowes & Home Depot only have 60 grit (blue) ... really course ... and eats into the metal FAST. Harbor Freight has 120 grit flap disks which I really like. Found that they take off rust and slowly sand metal very nicely (but sand skin quickly). I think various grits would be handy ... but certainly like the 120's that I have now.

Freth - one thing that I have found is the 80 grits or coarser make good smoothing disks once they wear down a lot.

[Bodhi]

I got started this week. My brake parts finally arrived. Tubes are cut and donor bikes are waiting to be sacrificed.:devil:
http://www.beavenenterprises.com/warrior_trike_1.jpg
http://www.beavenenterprises.com/warrior_trike_4.jpg
http://www.beavenenterprises.com/warrior_trike_5.jpg
http://www.beavenenterprises.com/warrior_trike_6.jpg
http://www.beavenenterprises.com/warrior_trike_7.jpg

[Freth]

Bodhi ... you haven't been wasting your time ... nice prep work!

[Freth]

Got the two front wheel headsets finished ... still need to scrounge up another one for the under-seat steering. And yes, I'm still procrastinating on the adjustable BB ...

[Freth]

The wheels showed up today ... bought some 1/2" scrap steel to make axle mounting tabs ... drilled a couple of 5/8" holes (don't have a 20mm bit ... but it IS bigger than 1/2" -- a little less filing) ... and bought some 20mm bolts to use as axles. Those things are HUGE!! The little bolt is 1/4" diameter ... desktop/image/100_4383.jpg (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_--YKLYZn8dE/Srqzwjmc4hI/AAAAAAAAAuY/7jUCGTScQgU/s1600-h/100_4383.JPG)

[SirJoey]

Those things are HUGE!!I guess you won't be worrying about bending 'em, eh? :laugh3:


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

[Radical Brad]

If you don't mind a little grinder work, you can take out some of the center material since only the the bearing races need support. That's why I used the smaller diameter bolts and then built them up with weld metal.

Brad

[Freth]

I've been stymied by my hubs and axles bolts ... the problem was in getting everything close enough to the disk brake rotors. I found a shorter length bolt ... then had to take the hacksaw to both sides of the hubs. Finally got it where I can work with it. On my next trike I think I'll try Bitex 15mm hubs. Gotta put some tires on the rims, and then I'll start working on attaching the headsets to the axle mount tabs.

[rebuilt]

Cool! Lots of us are getting this thing done before the weather kills the fun.

I have my steel cut, my rear welded, bottom bracket done, my cycle parts all in stock except the brake levers.

I'm using a layout table and protractor, though. The lack of numbers to work from is seriously uncomfortable.
Tomorrow I notch the seat-back tube, mount the rear dropouts, and shorten up the headsets. If I have time, and there is enough oxygen in the tanks, I'll likely also cut out my tabs for the kingpins.

The only thing truly eluding me is those 20mm bolts. Even Grainger couldn't source them for me. The end user is quite large, and would prefer the meat of a hardened bolt as his hub. If anyone has a source in the US, I'd be appreciative of a note.

[Freth]

A full-size 20mm hardened bolt should handle a heavyweight.
I purchased mine at my local Industrial Fastener store ... located in an industrial area ... near a trucking company. Near heavy equipment company. Ask some of those places where they buy parts ... This is way bigger than anything you buy in the local box store ... but small to average for industrial equipment.

Of course, in re-reading the plans :rolleyes4: ... I noticed that Brad simply took the ends off instead of shortening them. DUH! But I do like the closed look after I shortened them. (I hadn't realized what he was talking about [thought it was that silver thing in the middle which wasn't there on mine] until I clamped one end of these in the vice to cut it off and found that I could pull it out.)

However, since I can only get 20mm bolts in certain lengths ... (for us heavier riders) ... 130mm is too short, 140mm works with the remnants of my dust caps, 160mm is way too long. So there you have it. That's just specific to me and my hubs. you'll have to figure out what works with yours. :1eye:

[Freth]

Seat Issues -- I built the wooden seat and put closed-cell foam on it. Just not comfortable for me. I also started on the steering arm attachment to the main tube. Got one on, but the other one isn't working with it. Going to have to take it off and try again.

[Freth]

For today, it is standing on it's own 3 wheels.
I'm still measuring and debating on grinding the tack-welds and keep trying ... then again, maybe I'll just leave it alone and continue on ...http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_--YKLYZn8dE/SwyGq-EJagI/AAAAAAAAAyo/PSLKzvAGQNg/s1600/100_4582.JPG

[Radical Brad]

It feels good to be at this stage. Now the rest will be easy!

Brad

[rebuilt]

I don't know how to post photos, but it's coming along.

I am about to mount the steering booms to the main frame.
I put slugs of steel into the former head tubes and tigged them in for more meat to weld the axle mounting tabs to.

My local hardware store found some 20mm bolts hidden in the basement. They were the perfect length at 155mm.

Angle iron gussetts for the bottom joint act as seam insurance and seat mounts.

I have a lot of fussy stuff to do, steering and brake mounts, filling over welds and repolishing, locating and setting chain guides, and so on.

[Freth]

Finally had a chance to work on the steering headset ... chopped it off a bike with 16" wheels, cut it down, re-welded it, and tacked it on the underside of the frame. A little ugly, but it works. Couldn't get the image in here this time ... still don't quite have that figured out. Click on link below to go see ...