Cost of building

Joined
Oct 12, 2020
Messages
6
I am thinking about having someone build a Street Fox for me. Any thoughts on how much I might have to pay someone to build it?
 

SirJoey

Super Moderator
Joined
Feb 8, 2008
Messages
4,781
Location
My cozy little nook in the corner!
Probably end up costing you more than a factory-built trike,
& end up with a heavier trike sporting lower quality paint & finish.
Probably. IMO.

I'd suggest (if possible) investing your money in a welder & a few
other tools, & learn how to build it yourself! You'll be glad you did! :)

***
 
Joined
Sep 16, 2018
Messages
1,352
Location
Netherlands
I agree with SirJoey. Probably best to build it yourself or build it with someone that can help you. The metal and the parts can be very cheap, but the building costs time and I don't knie what you want to pay for that time, but that can be very expensive.
Also, building it yourself makes the bike really your bike. It has your signature and that is shy you will not see 2 the same trikes out here. Everyone had an other build even with using the same building manual.
 
Joined
Jan 16, 2011
Messages
712
Location
Vilvoorde / Flanders / Belgium
I am thinking about having someone build a Street Fox for me. Any thoughts on how much I might have to pay someone to build it?
Hm,, calculated it on a napkin.
For the price a Streetfox would cost in time for scavanged parts and the time constructing it, I would buy myself an Azub TiFly X , and mate it with a Bafang Ultra and 2x 48V 24Ah Samsung batteries. Maybe adding a HP velotechnic streamer.
 
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
2,384
Location
Wakefield, UK
I agree with those saying it's not a viable way of getting one. I've seen a small number of older recumbent trikes go through ebay sub £400 if building is not viable for you. They are few and far between so be prepared to wait and travel far to collect one. Bear in mind that these will also likely require work to fix or modify to suit.
 
Joined
Oct 12, 2020
Messages
6
I believe you guys are pointing me in the right direction. When I first discovered recumbent trikes I thought wow that looks cool, Then the prices made me wither like a snowflake on a hot summer's day. I thought wow there is so little actual material in a trike , how in the world can it be so expensive? But then i considered people happily plunk down a 1000 plus on telephones all the time. But still a bike with an extra wheel? Why so much? Any way I am mostly past that now. Onward I go ! At some point I will have a trike and most likely it will be an Atomic Zombie. I already have the bikes and plans. My initial thought was to do all the cutting and prep work myself and then have someone do the welding. Then after that I would assemble the rest, Then I thought maybe a local fabricator could just build it for me. ..... I think you guys have pretty much convinced me to tackle as much of it as I can myself.
 
Joined
Sep 16, 2018
Messages
1,352
Location
Netherlands
Find someone that can weld for you, then you safe a lot of money.
Or try welding it yourself. It is something you can learn.
 
Joined
Jan 16, 2011
Messages
712
Location
Vilvoorde / Flanders / Belgium
I did offer this before. But a repeat doesn't hurt.
If anybody wants to build something fun but lacks tool/knowledge/experience. Be welcome at House of Chaos.
Unfortunately, it's nearby Brussels.
And of course, the Covid restrictions ain't lifted.
 
Joined
Oct 12, 2020
Messages
6
lol... unfortunately I am in the US so I will not be coming to Brussels any time soon. But for those much closer that seems to be a very generous offer / opportunity. I did get i touch with a local fabricating business. The fellow indicated that the labor costs would likely be prohibitive but said he has another fellow he is going to talk to who might be willing to help me for considerably less money. So we will see how it all works out. Hopefully in a months I will be able to post pictures.
 

SirJoey

Super Moderator
Joined
Feb 8, 2008
Messages
4,781
Location
My cozy little nook in the corner!
Chucko, you're right about one thing. The welding. If you can do all the prep work yourself, there's nothing wrong with
hiring out just the welding itself, at least initially. That's what I did on my first one. I had everything ready, & had a guy
weld it all together for me. That's all he did. Just the welding. Nothing else.

Then I decided to buy my own welder, learned to weld, & never looked back! Good luck with whatever path you take,
& remember, you have a great support team here, always willing to help in any way we can! May the force be with you!
;)
***
 
Joined
Apr 15, 2013
Messages
2,054
Location
Washington state
Chucko, where are you located?
I am in Washington state and have a street fox that is basically done but need to revamp the front axles. Has a 36 volt battery pack and rear hub motor. ALL for $2000 or best offer. Front axles are 20mm grade 8.
 
Joined
Jan 16, 2011
Messages
712
Location
Vilvoorde / Flanders / Belgium
lol... unfortunately I am in the US so I will not be coming to Brussels any time soon. But for those much closer that seems to be a very generous offer / opportunity. I did get i touch with a local fabricating business. The fellow indicated that the labor costs would likely be prohibitive but said he has another fellow he is going to talk to who might be willing to help me for considerably less money. So we will see how it all works out. Hopefully in a months I will be able to post pictures.
Distance didn't stop my Russian compatriot Mark traveling over a few times to build Bananaking. (Russian alternative for a Battlebots heavyweight, ) Nor did it stop Markus from Sweden. Or Ellis from Malaga (young Brit Expat living there) or a whole lot of Dutch and UK roboteers.

The offer stands for all Atomic Zombies and Roboteers. (or Hobbybrewers, or anybody with a good idea, I'm not discriminating on hobbies, gender or color)
 
Joined
Oct 12, 2020
Messages
6
Mridaho I am in Ohio. Thanks for the offer but if I were to spend 2000 dollars on a trike it would be a new factory made one. 2000 dollars is exactly why I am here chatting with you guys to begin with. lol
 
Joined
Oct 12, 2020
Messages
6
maddox i guess I am just not much of a traveler ! lol Seriously I would love to come visit you. I genuinely like meeting people from around the world. I simply do not have the financial wherewithal to make a trip like that.
 
Joined
Feb 5, 2008
Messages
563
Location
Fernley, NV
Website
miscdotgeek.com
I built my Tri-Meridian for under $1k including all tooling. Steel: About $100. Welder and supplies: About $200. Donor bikes and parts: $100 or so. New bike parts: $50ish. I'm probably forgetting somethings. But that which I tallied up is under $500. I'm sure there's more that I didn't tally up! So that's why I say "under $1k". If you could set aside $1k you could build one, no problem, and you could buy your way out of almost any issue you'd have. If I had to do it again I'd get the Titanium 125 at HF https://www.harborfreight.com/easy-flux-125-amp-welder-56355.html and the welding would have gone a lot easier I think. Arc welding is great though and I don't regret the little $115 welder I got on Amazon. It's great! I also got my grinder at a garage sale but also bought a couple of $20 HF 4.5" grinders. Consumables were bought there too. I probably have at least $100 in consumables, gloves, etc. Those can add up fast unfortunately. And if I can weld... you can weld. Trust me on this :p

Link to my "build complete" post: https://atomiczombie.com/forum/threads/az-inspired-trike-build-the-tri-meridian-is-complete.525/
 
Joined
Apr 16, 2017
Messages
424
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba
The initial buy in for any sport is usually costly especially if it involves anything with wheels. To begin building bikes a welder is pretty much essential, I have a MIG welder that can use gas or flux core wire. It runs on household current and is fine for the thin steel used in Brads plans. Then you need a drill, a hacksaw, a small say 5" handheld grinder, one at least but 2 is better. Good gloves, eye protection and hearing protection. In my case I already had these items plus lots more because I do like to build things. But the items I listed would in Canada where I live run you around $700. Then you buy the steel, find yourself some old steel donor bikes. I prefer to add an electric assist to all my projects partially because I tend to overbuild (that means heavy). My latest build is a 2 wd delta trike capable of some storage space. The only delta that comes to mind that is similar is a Hase made in Germany. To buy one here would set me back over $10,000. Mine with some new parts plus a new Bafang geared hub motor but otherwise using recycled parts from previous projects cost me under $1000. It's not pretty and I'm not including the 48V battery since I already had it and swap the battery between different bikes.
 
Top