# first electric recumbent trike.



## billym0404 (27 Jul 2017)

neally finished, put a legal 250w wheel on and glad i did as its a bit twitchy. had about 23mph on PAS and 18 on the trottle. and ive already tipped it once lol.


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## Rooster1 (27 Jul 2017)

that is amazing!


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## numbnuts (27 Jul 2017)

It need to be adjusted to get it down the the legal 15.5 MPH when using the throttle and no PAS


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## billym0404 (27 Jul 2017)

yes the lcd screen lets you do that. im just to lazy to adjust it. also ive found that the screens arnt that accurate. to be honest, its my first and i'm not keeping it long got 2 more on the way but i just wanted a bit mess about.


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## voyager (27 Jul 2017)

it's twitchy because you have increased the caster angle fitting a much bigger wheel 

regards Emma


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## voyager (27 Jul 2017)

numbnuts said:


> It need to be adjusted to get it down the the legal 15.5 MPH when using the throttle and no PAS



it's 15mph +/- 10 % eapc regs 
how's your back brake now Mr nuts 

regards Emma


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## billym0404 (27 Jul 2017)

voyager said:


> it's twitchy because you have increased the caster angle fitting a much bigger wheel
> 
> regards Emma


 yes thats part of it, but i think you said this type of steering wasnt the best. the trike neds to be longer to make it more stable.


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## 404 Not Found Anywhere (27 Jul 2017)

I suspect a heavy battery over the rear wheel won't help either. Sticking it down low behind the seat might improve things?


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## numbnuts (27 Jul 2017)

voyager said:


> it's 15mph +/- 10 % eapc regs
> how's your back brake now Mr nuts
> 
> regards Emma


Still the same brakeless, I haven't had time to look it it may have a look at it next week as I do miss having a hand brake.


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## billym0404 (27 Jul 2017)

rear bloody brakes, i was playing tonight slammed the back brake on skidded to the side and ended up on the road lol


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## voyager (27 Jul 2017)

billym0404 said:


> rear bloody brakes, i was playing tonight slammed the back brake on skidded to the side and ended up on the road lol



you need to lean with the trike or you flip it , don't ask .

emma


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## midlife (27 Jul 2017)

voyager said:


> you need to lean with the trike or you flip it , don't ask .
> 
> emma



Just out of curiosity is it like cornering on a trike from my era?


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## billym0404 (27 Jul 2017)

voyager said:


> you need to lean with the trike or you flip it , don't ask .
> 
> emma


 i learned that tonight lol, though i was being a smart ar trying to skid the back end round.


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## voyager (27 Jul 2017)

midlife said:


> Just out of curiosity is it like cornering on a trike from my era?
> 
> View attachment 364588



barrows are a blast from the past of our eras , similar idea but taddies are lower , more stable and much faster if treated with respect.
wound love a barrow , but no room.


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## starhawk (1 Aug 2017)

I have had my e-trike upgrade for a number of years now, I carry the battery on my rear rack and I don't find it twitchy ?!

I have heard that advise to lean in during turns, but I have never done it regardless of speed can it be that the Trice Q is impossible to flip ?


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## Tigerbiten (1 Aug 2017)

starhawk said:


> Can it be that the Trice Q is impossible to flip ?


No, I've done it by hitting a curb at an angle.
As I was leaning the wrong way at the time, this flipped the trike.


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## billym0404 (1 Aug 2017)

let the tyres down a little and its better. i think its because id never riden one before, so i will change my word to responsive. if you hit a bump you know about it.


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## Andrew1971 (1 Aug 2017)

Look's like you have 20inch wheels up front is that about right. If so make's your KMX a little higher than mine 20in rear 16in front.
Andrew


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## billym0404 (2 Aug 2017)

yes andrew. i changed them to 20s and its a 26inch rear


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## billym0404 (5 Aug 2017)

ive nearly finish my second conversion, few small bits to do. its a performer, but being honest if i new now what i no when i ordered it i would have bought it. the trike itself is ok though all in with dutys and VAT it ended up costing £1400. it does have a couple of issues or worrys. the front axles are very thin, i would like to hammer them. it also has no rear brake and no fitments for one. i did devise one but what i used was 2 thin and it bent first time i broke hard. anyway i squeezed a 700c 500w rear wheel in. and squeezed is the word. about 1mm left. Ive fitted 2 dolphin batteries, need to find a DPDT switch to fit them properly. it pops along canny. ive got another KMX to do but thinking about chopping the back end of and fitting a suspension back end.


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## 404 Not Found Anywhere (5 Aug 2017)

Out of interest, how much drag is there in a hub motor wheel when the motor's not running? Hub dynamo level, more? I can't help but think that all the magnets and windings inside must generate a bit of resistance.


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## billym0404 (6 Aug 2017)

i tend to keep it on setting 1 at the least as that seems to counter act any drag. just been out on my first big run 14 miles. keeped it on 3+ constant to test the battery range. does about 14mph on setting 3 on the flat. top speed peddling 21 and down a hill 29mph lol. could maybe do with a bigger front spoke, may be 48t.


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## voyager (6 Aug 2017)

EAPC regs states on an electric trike all wheels should be braked .

On a standard "geared brushless motor " there should be almost zero drag as the motor drives though a spray clutch system that allows the system to freewheel when not in use.

I had a rather heavy battery pack rack mounted above a 26" wheel and yes it flipped very easy .
The 36v 10ah LiPo4 batteries l have on a couple of trikes are mounted about 4" above the ground . They keep the cg low.
My bottle batteries screw into the seat back and the weight doesn't affect the handling , even when thrown about .
we have had 40+ mph on down hill runs and the trikes are still stable with 160 - 203mm discs fitted , 180 front and rear are enough to stop you in a hurry!

regards Emma


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## fatjel (9 Aug 2017)

I've been thinking of converting my trike to electric for a while now. 
Is very interesting to watch how you all get on


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## billym0404 (10 Aug 2017)

almost done, the white KMX has done about 50 miles now few teething issues with gears but seems sorted now. the performers all done and flys but having trouble fitting a rear brake. and my other KMX is also finished apart from i had a problem with the PAS senor but fixed now just needs some cable ties. so i now have a 250w new KMX typhon with larger wheels, a used 500w KMX viper and a performers 500w lol


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## billym0404 (10 Aug 2017)

voyager said:


> EAPC regs states on an electric trike all wheels should be braked .
> 
> On a standard "geared brushless motor " there should be almost zero drag as the motor drives though a spray clutch system that allows the system to freewheel when not in use.
> 
> ...


the little KMX has a rack battery done about 50 miles now and the balace seems great. the performer has 2 dolphins attached to the seat. and the other kmx has another rack battery. have had a big run yet but seems steady enough.


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## numbnuts (11 Aug 2017)

voyager said:


> EAPC regs states on an electric trike all wheels should be braked .
> regards Emma


I haz a handbrake  
I moved the battery/rack forwards a wee bit and had to file a small slot in the brake adapter and it fit's OK now........back to my handbrake turns


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## voyager (11 Aug 2017)

numbnuts said:


> I haz a handbrake
> now........back to my handbrake turns





tee hee.


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## fixedfixer (11 Aug 2017)

numbnuts said:


> ........back to my handbrake turns



Grin . The youth of today


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## voyager (11 Aug 2017)

fixedfixer said:


> Grin . The youth of today



No , more like :- 

The misspent youth of yesterday

tee hee

regards Emma


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## fixedfixer (11 Aug 2017)

Smirks, must be the home bike builder trait. Chop, Hack, Weld, Ride it like you stole it kind of thing? I should really have grown out of it.


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## Drago (12 Aug 2017)

numbnuts said:


> It need to be adjusted to get it down the the legal 15.5 MPH when using the throttle and no PAS



Absolutely. What the OP has at present is a moped.


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## billym0404 (13 Aug 2017)

so my second build KMX cobra is turning into a right pain in the bum. i bought it second hand and its not been maintained in a while. first the rear brake, changed the cable still crap, changed the caliper still crap, in the end it was a lever. cant see what wrong with it but once changed it was great. so next the back wheel. i put a 26 inch with a big Tyre and no matter what it caught the mudguard. in the end i cut 3 inches of the end and its ok now. i changed the front crank to a new single 42t i had. which was a big help and the front derailleur was crap. the steering felt really tight. i checked the tracking and it was a mile out. did that still not great. so i stripped the front end and greased everything. feels better now. now just the chain and gears to sort. i put a 9 speed cog on the back and i think because its an 8 speed chain that's very warn and only an 8 speed shiftier, it causing a lot of jumping and the gears arnt right. so ive ordered some new chains and a new 9 speed shifter and hopefully that's gonna finish it. i have just done 10 miles on it (500w rear) and it was fun still lol


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## voyager (13 Aug 2017)

Technically and legally its 15 mph +/- 10% therefore IF you can calibrate to 16.45mph its still LEGAL.

regards emma


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## voyager (13 Aug 2017)

fixedfixer said:


> Smirks, must be the home bike builder trait. Chop, Hack, Weld, Ride it like you stole it kind of thing? I should really have grown out of it.



WHY ?  ..... The only motor we had when we were younger was a fag card in the spokes and a peg.

Later morning trike ride  complete ,  and dinner  over ......

Now for afternoon tea on the patio. ..... .... ... 

regards emma


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## Drago (13 Aug 2017)

voyager said:


> Technically and legally its 15 mph +/- 10% therefore IF you can calibrate to 16.45mph its still LEGAL.
> 
> regards emma



It must be calibrated to 15.5. The 10% threshold is a _performance _allowance to account for variances in accuracy of the systems. 

The legislation does not permit the user to deliberately calibrate to 10% higher to exploit that threshold. It is not a _calibration_ allowance.


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## voyager (13 Aug 2017)

my only comment:-

Volkswagen

Later's emma


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## 404 Not Found Anywhere (15 Aug 2017)

voyager said:


> EAPC regs states on an electric trike all wheels should be braked .



Do you have a link to the relevant section? All I could find was a vague reference to power output. The reason I ask is I'm thinking of putting an electric motor in a Kettwiesel which has no brake on the front wheel; I could add a hub brake to the front but then there would be non room for a motor. I do see that the current Kettwiesels from Hase now do have a front disk brake if they have e-assist.


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## voyager (15 Aug 2017)

http://www.cyclinguk.org/cyclists-library/regulations/construction-use

note this is not completely up to date 

emma


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## machew (15 Aug 2017)

This is what you can do when you turn it up to 11!!


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## billym0404 (16 Aug 2017)

i almost finished my performer yesterday couple of little jobs left. took it for a run. 4 mile had a fag. decided to sine round with a fast 180 using the throttle on gravel. oops ended up on the floor looking a fool. grazed my arm but my carf must of hit the peddle or something as i have a bruise and a limp this morning. it did shift quite well, nothing like the one above but happily pops along at 20+ with little effort. now i'm going to end up with 5 conversions (lol) so i plan to keep 2 and sell the rest when fully tested and finished. to date i do like the KMX a bit better as it tends to handle the cycle tracks a bit better. ive good a 500w KMX to finish waiting for some new bits. also got a trice which i'm waiting for parts. im also picking up a TWBents today all being well. the last 2 are just going to be 250w. i'm fancying doing something more. i may have a look at fiting a trike back end and Turing one into a quad


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## voyager (16 Aug 2017)

converting to a quad you will have a few problems as you might find a lack of grip over rough ground and with swd even more problems with traction .

Been there done that and wore the tee shirt , (quadem )

later's Emma


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## billym0404 (16 Aug 2017)

i was out on the KMX 500 the other day. went up a really steep graverly hill, and i had theat problem back wheel couldnt get traction. ended up having to push it pat way.


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