# Trike Modifications



## Cullin (14 Mar 2009)

I am sure there are plenty of us out there that have done various modifications to the Trike.
Share your photos, and lets see what has been done.


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## Cullin (14 Mar 2009)

Here is my contribution for armrests using ICE bar bag mounts and some home made armrests from Steel and high density foam padding.


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## ufkacbln (14 Mar 2009)

My Catrike has a small "Windwrap XT" fairning for the Summer with a Garmin 305 and a Spacegrip to support the lights








In the Winter I have a larger Windwrap fairing, and as the support slopes I have mounted the spacebar on the upright, and to getthe lights outside the fairing I have mounted a "bar end" to support the lights.






I have also adapted the head rest suport to hold the rear rack. The light fitting is a "t plate" with the bar from a Spacegrip allowing a Dinotte to be fitted






Finally I have mounted a platform for Pendergast my mascot....


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## ufkacbln (14 Mar 2009)

Not mine, but for sale in an LBS near Chichester is n Optima Rhino with heavy modifications.






The two balls are a wind down maintenance stand, withthe weight of the motor and battery I can see why!


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## sunnyjim (16 Mar 2009)

Here's a couple:

4th chainring - originally an 18 tooth steel sprocket, bored out with brazed on collar bolted to the smallest(26t) chainring. It overhangs the bottom bracket, so the pedal spacing and chain run stays as it was. With a 34t rear, lowest gear is a shade under 10 inches. Also visible on the pic is repositioned pedal to give 145mm crank. -I haven't got round to cutting the end off the original crank yet.

Downtube friction shifters on the handlebars are easy to reach with fingers or palms while allowing hands to stay within comfortable reach of brake levers. Do need to beware of not sticking fingers into the front wheels.


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## dataretriever (30 Mar 2009)

I know this is a bit arse about face but I bought a couple of these in Germany last week and am now trying to find something to do with them... They looked dead useful in the shop.....


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## Cullin (30 Mar 2009)

What about a grab handle to lift the trike with.


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## dataretriever (30 Mar 2009)

Good idea, but the larger of the two holes is too small to fit over the main tubes of the 'Q'.


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## 3tyretrackterry (31 Mar 2009)

i have made a couple of light brackets but dont know how to post pics any help appreciated in picture posting. i have a digital camera and can download pics onto pc but thats where my knowledge ends


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## ufkacbln (31 Mar 2009)

To post piccies.

Open an account with "Flickr", "Photobucket"or similar

Upload piccie to the account.

When you select the poiccie on the account you will see a number of links givingh the options to link.

If one has (img)Adddress(/img) but with square brackets, then this can simply be pasted here. If it is a simple "web address" then slectthe small picture icon in the bar above (square with mountains) and simply paste in.

For example

THis is a photobucket pic of my Catrike... I have again replaced the square brackets so you can see the method

(IMG)http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b60/Cunobelin/Catrike008a.jpg(/IMG)

With square brackets you get:







If youiwant a more detailed step by step, or to cover points - PM me.


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## Auntie Helen (31 Mar 2009)

I know for my Trice Q I keep trying to come up with a better rear light mount than the headrest which works with the rack/panniers on or off and the sidepods on or off. Quite a challenge! I wonder if your widget would allow a fixing on the seat tube at the top on the rhs for a rear-facing light (assuming you could fit it under the webbing).


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## dataretriever (31 Mar 2009)

now there's a thought, I'll have a fiddle later and see if that works. If it does I'll let you have the spare one for the idea!


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## byegad (31 Mar 2009)

Auntie Helen said:


> I know for my Trice Q I keep trying to come up with a better rear light mount than the headrest which works with the rack/panniers on or off and the sidepods on or off. Quite a challenge! I wonder if your widget would allow a fixing on the seat tube at the top on the rhs for a rear-facing light (assuming you could fit it under the webbing).



Helen, try a Space Grip. I know they're not known for their robust buld but I've used a few for years and so long as they're mounted away from knocks and bangs they've lasted me well. None of mine have failed.

I'm thinking mount one to the right of the head rest and you can pitch it up high enough to be seen over anything. That said I have one mounted on the head rest upright and two on the top seat bar, but I don't use a rack prefering a trailer.


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## Cullin (15 Apr 2009)

You can always look for some to fit your helmet, there are some that do not make you look like a Cyberman/woman.
At least the lights will always be with you...


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## dataretriever (24 Aug 2009)

*A Weekend of Tinkering*

I've just spent the weekend fiddling with various things (ooeer!). I wasn't happy with the original Microshift Shifters and front mech on my TRICE Q and further examination showed they only let me use 7 of the 9 rear gears. No amount of spannering would let me use all 9, oddly gear 2 and 7 just wouldn't work. So seeing as Chain Reaction Cycles were offering them for much cheapness I replaced the twist shifts and rear mech with SRAM X7s, I did try and get the front mech changed but it just won't cope with the ring sizes on the Q so I'm stuck with the no-name mech there, unless anyone knows of a fix?






They work fantastically getting all the gears and is more positive than the old microshifts.

Fitting and adjusting the new bits on my own required the construction of the Dataretriever Q Stand Mk 1. It's so much easier working stood up:






The front crossmember fits in the grooved planks and the rear pivot slots onto the copper pipe, like so:






I intend to make a neater version, with padding but it'll have to be in wood again as I'm rubbish at welding, perhaps fitting it onto a workmate or similar. There are no plans as it was made by eye to fit the wood I had available, I might try and do some plans for Mk 2 if anyone is interested.

The next bits are minor:

The installation of my new flag (last one was rudely snatched away by some Sarf Lahndon Oiks) from Helen at Raindrop Kites The pocket contains a £2 tesco LED red light and illuminates the flag at night.






Lastly, I've attached a Camelbak pouch behind the seat and attached my pump. 






The pouch is a M.O.L.L.E (Molly) Pouch and is the new type of military webbing (its what the horizontal webbing is for on body armour). It weaves onto the adjustment straps and is extremely secure. Back view:






A 3 litre bladder fits in with room for puncture kit and a couple of spare tubes. The pump does fit vertically but is a git to get out when the pouch is full so I've attached it to one of the seat bars lower down.

And I even managed to hoover the house, walk the dogs and bake a cake. All in all a productive weekend!


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## squeaker (25 Aug 2009)

dataretriever said:


> I did try and get the front mech changed but it just won't cope with the ring sizes on the Q so I'm stuck with the no-name mech there, unless anyone knows of a fix?


It's a Microshift, I suspect, and it's worth checking that the cable run is correct (see my pix). I think you need to look at Road mechs if you really want to replace it.


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## 3tyretrackterry (25 Aug 2009)

a couple of modifications i have made to my trike all homemade or using something in a different way to its origional use see my album http://photobucket.com/triker1_2009
any probs let me know
Ian


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## dataretriever (25 Aug 2009)

The front mech seems to be working ok with the new SRAM shifter so I'll leave it be. I checked the cable run and it was as per the ICE instruction manual, It must have been a knackered shifter.


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## ufkacbln (25 Aug 2009)

I remember conversing with Helen at Raindrop some years ago some years ago - my first creation (Dragon) on my Trice is on the website.


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## wafflycat (26 Aug 2009)

Auntie Helen said:


> I know for my Trice Q I keep trying to come up with a better rear light mount than the headrest which works with the rack/panniers on or off and the sidepods on or off. Quite a challenge! I wonder if your widget would allow a fixing on the seat tube at the top on the rhs for a rear-facing light (assuming you could fit it under the webbing).









Minoura spacegrip carries the brackets for my two Cateye EL530s. Works a treat.


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## dataretriever (26 Aug 2009)

I had a spacegrip on the front but it kept vibrating loose no matter how tight it was on, I tried putting a piece of inner tube round the tube to dampen it but it didn't help. I now have a fenix mount which I broke refitting the other day after fiddling with the front mech. (dropped a hammer on it!) It holds the tesco Kree torch (discussed elsewhere on this forum) I use on all my bikes as front lights but will hold any AA maglite sized torch. It grips both the light and tube really firmly and hasn't shaken loose yet.

They do a simpler moulded rubber and velcro but that needs straight bars so wouldn't work on the Q, but I have that on my uprights and foldies.


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## wafflycat (26 Aug 2009)

I know some people do have that problem, but I have Minoura Spacegrips on both the 'bent and my upright tourer - have had for several years & have never had the vibration/loosening problem described.


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## ufkacbln (26 Aug 2009)

wafflycat said:


> I know some people do have that problem, but I have Minoura Spacegrips on both the 'bent and my upright tourer - have had for several years & have never had the vibration/loosening problem described.



Nor me, however I did ave problems with the SwingGrip.


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## Auntie Helen (26 Aug 2009)

I've got ICE's proper front light mount which works really well.

I have now created an utterly genius 'skirt' for the back of my trike, which sports a reflector/light as well which is plenty bright enough.

The 'skirt' is made out of an old fluorescent vest with some poppers sewn on so I can remove it for washing, although the light is screwed through it (so has to be taken off to remove the 'skirt').

I feel MUCH more visible with this now and it saves having to put extra high-vis on my panniers.


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## sunnyjim (27 Aug 2009)

Auntie Helen said:


> I've got ICE's proper front light mount which works really well.
> 
> I have now created an utterly genius 'skirt' for the back of my trike, which sports a reflector/light as well which is plenty bright enough.
> 
> ...


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## Auntie Helen (27 Aug 2009)

User said:


> There's nowt 'pleated and chintzy' about our Auntie Helen....


Nope, I'm a regular down-to-earth kinda lass. Rough hessian or basic cotton with wrinkles for me!


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## sunnyjim (27 Aug 2009)

Auntie Helen said:


> Nope, I'm a regular down-to-earth kinda lass. Rough hessian or basic cotton with wrinkles for me!




I was thinking of it round the trike, not you . A bit like a loose cover -it would add to the comfy chair look.


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## dataretriever (27 Aug 2009)

Does this mean it's OK to put the antimacassar back on my head rest? it saves the Bryl cream staining it......


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