# Wooden recumbent trike



## mowo (23 Nov 2015)

Hi guys! All new here.

Looks like i just found the right place to be hangin. Hard to find solid info in Denmark.
In the near future i´m going to build me a wooden recumbent trike, and i intent to suck your souls out regarding info. (Just Kidding) Hope that´s okay. 

I´m in the finnishing process of my "vintage" wooden bike and as soon as it´s done, i´m going to work on a trike. Really want to do this, and it´s probably going to be one of the first.






My almost finnished "vintage bike"






I´ll use my regular bike in the city and the trike for a bit longer commutes. A least that´s my plan..

If any of you guys know of any good diy sites or trike part dealers in the UK, I would greatly appreciate it. 

Cheers, and may the wind be with you.

Morten.


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## voyager (23 Nov 2015)

Hi Morten 

There are at least a couple of wooden trikes on the Atomic Zombie forum the international home built bike forum , take a look in the gallery 

Mostly metal but a few wooden trikes - see you there maybe 

regard 

emma or twinkle on the AZ site


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## mowo (23 Nov 2015)

Thanks alot. I´ll check it out.


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## raleighnut (23 Nov 2015)

Should be do-able, I'd use Ash for the main crucifix, then probably ply (marine spec) for the rear triangle unless you use a rear end from an MTB (suspension type triangle)


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## steveindenmark (23 Nov 2015)

Hi Morten,

You could drop Kevin a line at DTek near Cambridge. He deals in everything recumbent. He is very well known in the UK. Nice guy to deal with.

dtekhpvs@btconnect.com


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## mowo (23 Nov 2015)

raleighnut said:


> Should be do-able, I'd use Ash for the main crucifix, then probably ply (marine spec) for the rear triangle unless you use a rear end from an MTB (suspension type triangle)



Thanks. I already know how I´m going to build the frame. Basicly as i did the bike above. Plywood.


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## mowo (23 Nov 2015)

steveindenmark said:


> Hi Morten,
> 
> You could drop Kevin a line at DTek near Cambridge. He deals in everything recumbent. He is very well known in the UK. Nice guy to deal with.
> 
> dtekhpvs@btconnect.com



Great stuff, thank you. Notes have been taken here.


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## Falco Frank (23 Nov 2015)

Superb work.

For a contact a little further North (Ok, Scotland):

http://www.laid-back-bikes.scot/


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## steveindenmark (24 Nov 2015)

Morten,

I would like to come up and have a test ride when the weather improves.

You supply the coffee and I will supply the cakes.

I am in Haderslev.

Maybe we can discuss your next project 

I can supply the scooter and all the parts you need.


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## mowo (24 Nov 2015)

Thanks Falco Frank. 




steveindenmark said:


> Morten,
> 
> I would like to come up and have a test ride when the weather improves.
> 
> ...



That sounds fantastic Steve! 
And that "bike" you have, that´s sick. Awesome ride. 
Never seen one before but it looks like ton of fun. 
I always have lots of coffee and my brew is good. Would be amazing to meet and have a chat about the different rides. 

Now you also mention parts! You start sounding like a dream. Do you have alot of spares or are you connected?


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## steveindenmark (24 Nov 2015)

I have a few spare parts for scooters. In fact I have 2 scooters. They take standard bike parts.


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## Falco Frank (25 Nov 2015)

Sounds like a Great party shaping up LoL - I can get a ferry to Ijmuiden


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## steveindenmark (25 Nov 2015)

You can ride the North Sea Cycle route up to Denmark Frank :O)


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## mowo (26 Nov 2015)

# Steve: What kind of scooters is that? I get a feeling that i get it wrong. Like scooters with engines and stuff. 

Looking forward to the trike party.


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## steveindenmark (26 Nov 2015)

Morten,

I restored this moto guzzi from a heap of junk.





And I have almost finished this Moto Guzzi Trotter.





My scooter is called a Kickbike.

How long did it take to make your wooden bike?


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## mowo (28 Nov 2015)

Wow that´s awesome. So great to see. And great work!
Do you ride them?



steveindenmark said:


> How long did it take to make your wooden bike?



Well that´s a hard one. The actual frame in it self, didnt take me that long. I would say around 80 hours give or take.
The time consuming part is all about the finnish. Hand sanding and shaping takes time. Mine is nowhere near perfect, but i was also afraid to spend what felt like a million hours on a bike that actually might brake in peices on the first ride. All in all I´m guite pleased with it as it is. It makes me proud i guess.
The bike hasn´t had any real road riding yet, so time will tell. 

I must say though, I really learnt alot during this build and it is by far one of the most giving projects I have ever done.


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## jayjay (28 Nov 2015)

A fellow called Lothar Ko has been posting photos over on Facebook of his trike, which has a large section box plywood frame around the sides. Think of a velomobile with the top and bottom thirds sliced off. It avoids the use of bendy struts holding the parts together. It does use a metal front axle and rear wheel mount though. Lovely work. I don't know if this link will work, especially if you don't have Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009816187658&fref=hovercard


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## jonny jeez (28 Nov 2015)

jayjay said:


> A fellow called Lothar Ko has been posting photos over on Facebook of his trike, which has a large section box plywood frame around the sides. Think of a velomobile with the top and bottom thirds sliced off. It avoids the use of bendy struts holding the parts together. It does use a metal front axle and rear wheel mount though. Lovely work. I don't know if this link will work, especially if you don't have Facebook.
> https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009816187658&fref=hovercard


Ooo, my eyes...it looks like a bed!


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## jonny jeez (28 Nov 2015)

mowo said:


> Hi guys! All new here.
> 
> Looks like i just found the right place to be hangin. Hard to find solid info in Denmark.
> In the near future i´m going to build me a wooden recumbent trike, and i intent to suck your souls out regarding info. (Just Kidding) Hope that´s okay.
> ...


Very nice, chains slack though.

I've often looked at the "borin bikes" in schiphol and wondered if they are really made of wood or just some clever paint?


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## raleighnut (29 Nov 2015)

The Japanese make some lovely bikes in wood


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## Recycle (8 Dec 2015)

Here's a wooden velo. The idea was inspired by the WWII mosquito aircraft which had a wooden frame. It has rear steering which makes the front wheel drive engineering easier. and I remember one of the objectives was to produce a sub 20kg velo but I'm not sure if they achieved that.
http://www.mosquito-velomobiles.com/


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## Recycle (8 Dec 2015)

Recycle said:


> It has rear steering which makes the front wheel drive engineering easier.


Whoops I'm wrong, reading through FAQ I see it's front steered.


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## EatSleepRideRepeat (18 Dec 2015)

Heres something to inspire you, a safer, stronger and much faster machine than a trike, and no 'chassis'.
https://picasaweb.google.com/105053136520471653574/FriendWoodWoodenVMMkII


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## Wobbly John (18 Dec 2015)

I built a wooden recumbent from James Robinson's plans. He was working on a trike based on the same idea - he sent me some draft drawings, but I don,t have them any longer and I haven't seen a trike built from the plans.

The velomobile above looks good. It makes sense to exploit the properties of wood rather than try to mimic metal tube construction.


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