# Acquired a quadricycle.



## Bigsharn (6 Aug 2011)

Ok, it's a rental thing from Holland. She needs a touch up of paint and a larger front chainring (and a jockey wheel so the chain doesn't catch) soon for day to day use. (26-26t won't cut it for daily use in honesty).

I will be installing a permanent set of lights at a later date, and possibly a towbar (I bought her with the intention of turning her into an articulated cargo bike), though depending how she does on the first road test tomorrow I may even make her into a velomobile 

I realise it'll be a lot of work before she's ready... But am I part of the club yet?


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## markg0vbr (6 Aug 2011)

beard, sandals and beer belly help 

it is certainly a recumbent hpv, paint it green and put land rover stickers on it and the horsey set will invite you in as well


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## irw (6 Aug 2011)

Certainly a little more compact than mine! How does that steering arrangement work? Do the the two poles either side act directly onto their respective rear tyres?

Ian


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## palinurus (6 Aug 2011)

Strange-looking machine!

What kind of brakes has it got?


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## byegad (7 Aug 2011)

Doesn't look particularly fast, or particularly light.


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## Bigsharn (7 Aug 2011)

markg0vbr said:


> beard, sandals and beer belly help



Well... I've got the beer belly 



irw said:


> Certainly a little more compact than mine! How does that steering arrangement work? Do the the two poles either side act directly onto their respective rear tyres?
> 
> Ian



It's very much the same setup as in a car, as one lever comes back, the other moves forward. It's incredibly easy to get used to and driveable with one hand (rather than one side of a steering wheel going up and one going down). It is very compact compared to most recumbents, but this will be advantageous for when I put a trailer on.



palinurus said:


> Strange-looking machine!
> 
> What kind of brakes has it got?



I *think* they're called shoe brakes... You pull a huge lever and a plate rubs on both of the rear wheels. Which is a relief as it's driven by both rear wheels 



byegad said:


> Doesn't look particularly fast, or particularly light.



It isn't at the moment, but I hope that this will be changed soon enough... and weight isn't really too much of an issue, I don't plan on touring any time soon


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## markg0vbr (7 Aug 2011)

it would make a fantastic hp ride on lawn mower, it looks like for around town it would be imminence fun.


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## Gareth (7 Aug 2011)

Any chance of a few more photos of the quad from different angles please.


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## Bigsharn (7 Aug 2011)

I'll provide tomorrow after work, when my camera batteries are charged


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## ufkacbln (7 Aug 2011)

markg0vbr said:


> beard, sandals and beer belly * aerobelly* help
> 
> it is certainly a recumbent hpv, paint it green and put land rover stickers on it and the horsey set will invite you in as well



FTFY


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## Bigsharn (11 Aug 2011)

* Photos, as promised*





The outer levers are the steering mechanism, the middle is the brake (follow the bar across and you'll see the braking system)





The incredibly comfy seat (With a backpack attached behind as a pannier)




More detailed view of the steering mechanism




The pedals and front crank (Not measured the crank arms, but they're certainly not 175mm )

I think it's a 25t, soon to be replaced with a triple (though how I'm attaching that and a front mech is still a mystery)


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## markg0vbr (12 Aug 2011)

"I think it's a 25t, soon to be replaced with a triple (though how I'm attaching that and a front mech is still a mystery) "
the bottom bracket is bolted on, you could rotate it around so it is on top then all you need is a post for the front changer.


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## Bigsharn (12 Aug 2011)

I may have to go and get an old road bike for donor parts XD


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## starhawk (13 Aug 2011)

When I was out once with my trike a passing bicyklist said: At first I thought it was a wheelchair on the run, looks good.
That quad really looks like a wheelchar


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## byegad (14 Aug 2011)

I'd also look at fitting bike wheels and narrower tyres of you are going to ride far. The wheel barrow tyres will sap energy at an enormous rate.


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## Arch (14 Aug 2011)

Oh! Oh! I saw you last week!

Didn't occur to me to check on here when I was driving Beryl the Yellow recycling truck round past Clifford's Tower - was it Monday or Wednesday afternoon? - and saw a chap pedalling like crazy in a four wheeled recumbent. I gawped out of the window, and I think you saw me looking and grinned? I meant to post what I'd seen, but it went out of my head, I forgot all about it.

Excellent! I reckon it'll make a great basis for a load carrying project - a bit Brox-like.


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## Arch (14 Aug 2011)

Bigsharn said:


> I may have to go and get an old road bike for donor parts XD




BikeRescue might be able to help. What sort of parts are you looking for? We do get dumped wrecked bikes at St Nicks, which we send to the Rescue, but if there was any bits I could pull off for you, in return for a small donation to St Nicks...


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## Arch (14 Aug 2011)

Oh, and where in the name of heck did you get it?


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## bedrock (14 Aug 2011)

Bigsharn said:


> Ok, it's a rental thing from Holland. She needs a touch up of paint and a larger front chainring (and a jockey wheel so the chain doesn't catch) soon for day to day use. (26-26t won't cut it for daily use in honesty).
> 
> I will be installing a permanent set of lights at a later date, and possibly a towbar (I bought her with the intention of turning her into an articulated cargo bike), though depending how she does on the first road test tomorrow I may even make her into a velomobile
> 
> I realise it'll be a lot of work before she's ready... But am I part of the club yet?



Quadricycle? Is that a new name for go-kart? Looks fun anyway. 

As another poster said, I would ditch the fat wheels ASAP, but in doing so you'll also need new brakes.


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## Bigsharn (14 Aug 2011)

byegad said:


> I'd also look at fitting bike wheels and narrower tyres of you are going to ride far. The wheel barrow tyres will sap energy at an enormous rate.



In honesty I'm not sure that smaller wheels will fit on the axles... Or take the weight of it for that matter. I was discussing it with Arch earlier today and the steering isn't the most stable in the world (as I'm sure she'll attest to)



Arch said:


> Oh! Oh! I saw you last week!
> 
> Didn't occur to me to check on here when I was driving Beryl the Yellow recycling truck round past Clifford's Tower - was it Monday or Wednesday afternoon? - and saw a chap pedalling like crazy in a four wheeled recumbent. I gawped out of the window, and I think you saw me looking and grinned? I meant to post what I'd seen, but it went out of my head, I forgot all about it.
> 
> ...



It clicked that you were in a little yellow buggy and that you looked familiar, hence the grin  I actually have a trailer of sorts as well, I just don't use it day to day.

It'd be appreciated, I need to find someone with a welder to extend the legroom and fit me a downtube though, to change gears. Of course I'd donate a little something to St Nick's in return 

And the answer to that is Wigan. It's not the normal place that you'd think of for eccentric vehicles, but originally it was made in Holland (according to the stickers at least).




bedrock said:


> Quadricycle? Is that a new name for go-kart? Looks fun anyway.



A quadricycle is a four-wheeled cycle, a go-kart is a name for a 4-wheeled pedal toy... By the time I'm finished this will be a fair bit more than a toy


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## Night Train (14 Aug 2011)

Bigsharn said:


> I need to find someone with a welder to extend the legroom and fit me a downtube though, to change gears.


I can weld if you want, I have a farily large mig welder that should be up to working that heavy gauge tube, It manages 6mm plate so it might do!

Alternatively you could try oak for the deraileur post as I did on the Ratrike.


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## Arch (14 Aug 2011)

It's certainly... interesting! I did fear for its safety braking down the slope, hence my ultra cautious descent!

I've been googling in Dutch. My hazarded guess at Oostkapelle meaning cheesehead is, sadly, far off the mark - it's a place, and translates as East Chapel. Gueze ( I think that's the word on the sticker?), is apparently a type of Belgian beer (maybe you need a few inside you before taking it out on the road...), but adding quadricycle to the search got me link among others, to a seaside resort... (mainly because they seem to refer to having both quadricycles and beer....)

So basically, I have no idea....

Brilliant to see it and meet you. I was only saying as we came round the corner that it was there that I'd seen you, and lo and behold, there it was!


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## Bigsharn (14 Aug 2011)

Night Train said:


> I can weld if you want, I have a farily large mig welder that should be up to working that heavy gauge tube, It manages 6mm plate so it might do!
> 
> Alternatively you could try oak for the deraileur post as I did on the Ratrike.




Thanks for the offer, but transport may be a problem. Mum took me to get the quad in the first place from Wigan. There's a place none-too far away that weld cracked bike frames for a small charge, so I'm planning on phoning him up and seeing what he can do as regards to modifications. I think I may get the front wheels moved forward as well while he's at it (again, if at all possible).

I could use oak, but on the other hand if I'm getting it lengthened to fit me properly, I mightaswell use a metal downtube and use a top tube and some square profile for lengthening her 




Arch said:


> It's certainly... interesting! I did fear for its safety braking down the slope, hence my ultra cautious descent!
> 
> I've been googling in Dutch. My hazarded guess at Oostkapelle meaning cheesehead is, sadly, far off the mark - it's a place, and translates as East Chapel. Gueze ( I think that's the word on the sticker?), is apparently a type of Belgian beer (maybe you need a few inside you before taking it out on the road...), but adding quadricycle to the search got me link among others, to a seaside resort... (mainly because they seem to refer to having both quadricycles and beer....)
> 
> ...



Your knowledge of Dutch is much better than mine so thanks for giving it a go 

And likewise, it's nice to meet someone that I've seen before but never *actually* been introduced to


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## Banjo (14 Aug 2011)

Looks a lot of fun but with that short wheelbase I think it will be lethal at speed.


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## markg0vbr (15 Aug 2011)

Banjo said:


> Looks a lot of fun but with that short wheelbase I think it will be lethal at speed.



just needs a couple of them concrete blocks out of a old washing machine bolting under the seat to lower the c/g then a 24lb block of led just in-front of the crank to move it forward, it will be steady as a rock. and legs like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

this is what we need out and about, some one how looks slightly more extrinsic than me, this will reduce my eccentricity 
have a blast with it


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## markg0vbr (15 Aug 2011)

are we going to have a stripy sun rain canopy on it with............. _tassels, brocade ones?_


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## Bigsharn (16 Aug 2011)

As much as I would LOVE to turn her into the Chucklemobile, I promised myself I wouldn't


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## Bigsharn (22 Aug 2011)

I've had an idea to gear it on the extreme cheap (and it'll work), but to do it I'll need to find an alternative braking system... Does anyone have any ideas on how to stop a wheelbarrow wheel without resorting to the BMX (jam your foot between the seat stays and tyre) approach?


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## markg0vbr (23 Aug 2011)

there are always disc brakes, or a drum brake taken from a old moped, the drum part welded on the axle and the shoe part fixed to the frame.


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## Bigsharn (23 Aug 2011)

The plan (so far):

I have two three-speed sturmey archer hubs on the way, to create a 9 speed setup

The current brake lever will be cut up so that it no longer makes contact with anything else on the quad, and I will be using this as a differential (hence there being no braking system)

Rather than have larger front wheels to aid with stability, I'm thinking less weight at the back and more at the front, this should put more weight on the steering, making it a bit more stable. To do this I'll be replacing the current rear wheel with some from a moped.

This will affect the centre of gravity, so getting the seat made into a more recumbent setup (I slouch anyway for comfort), and putting a boom out front for the chainring solves the cramping problem and puts the centre of gravity closer to the front wheels.

And a hastily drawn diagram:


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## irw (23 Aug 2011)

Why all the talk of moped and wheelbarrow wheels? 

Some 20" BMX wheels should be well up to the job (preferably with no dishing on the spokes)- this is what I've got on mine (after some trial and error!). Think about what BMX wheels are designed to withstand, and think about the sort of use your quad will be getting!


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## Night Train (23 Aug 2011)

Your two SA hub gears may not give you 9 gears. If there are the same then there will only be 6 different ratios, the other three being duplicated.

Can you get BMX wheels with a disc brake hub?

You could get some made up I guess but they will need to be singlesided.

Maybe find out if Company of Cyclists (Mickle) still have some old dead KMXs. You could use the front wheels off one of them, plastic, 16" and disc braked. It is where I got the 'pile of scrap' that became the Ratrike.


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## Bigsharn (24 Aug 2011)

irw said:


> Why all the talk of moped and wheelbarrow wheels?
> 
> Some 20" BMX wheels should be well up to the job (preferably with no dishing on the spokes)- this is what I've got on mine (after some trial and error!). Think about what BMX wheels are designed to withstand, and think about the sort of use your quad will be getting!



I want the lowest centre of gravity possible, then I can take corners at decent speed. The quad currently has wheelbarrow wheels with off-road tread (I have no idea where the tyres came from, however) and are the perfect width to not overturn taking a corner at 15mph. BMX wheels are all well and good, but they're far too big (diameter) and far too thin to still be stable... and there's no way to adjust camber on the steering (I'm guessing that's how recumbent makers get away with it), that's the main problem I have with using thinner wheels.




Night Train said:


> Your two SA hub gears may not give you 9 gears. If there are the same then there will only be 6 different ratios, the other three being duplicated.
> 
> Can you get BMX wheels with a disc brake hub?
> 
> ...



I know, I worked it out last night and it's actually only a 6-speed. Actual ratios depend on which order I put them on (One's a 13t and one's a 16)

If someone told me that he had some dead KMXs lying about I'd have got in contact before getting the quad 
I'll have a word because I could do with a boom with a hole in already  Cheers


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