fixedfixer
Veteran
Sounds like you are getting there with the build. Some clever stuff going on with the brakes. Excellent work stuee. 
recumbent trike build
- Thread starter stuee147
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stuee147
Senior Member
- Location
- north ayrshire
thanks im pleased with it so far as for the brakes i would like to say it was my idea but really i found this pic on the netSounds like you are getting there with the build. Some clever stuff going on with the brakes. Excellent work stuee.
unfortunately this has been the only image i have found showing the duel cabled leaver and iv mad something similar. now that iv had a try and got it working really well im going to make a better version that is cosmetically better looking, TBH i dont think i could get it working any better lol.
well the last couple of days iv made a new chain guide to replace the one that bent, i was considering making a C section out of some 6mm plate i have laying around, but then i thought if at some point i change the type of guide im using and its a slightly different diameter i could have problems with the C section and there was also the issue the if i used c section and bolted threw it i would need some spacers to hold the guide in the centre of the c section, and i have enough trouble trying to put a nut on without the washer falling off so it could take me a week to slide spacers in as i feed the bolt threw lol
so i sat outside next to my trike with a box full of bits and bobs, and eventually came up with what i think is a neat and strong method.
i found i had an m6 bolt with a hoop at one end and the hole in the hoop is 9mm so just slightly bigger than the 8mm guide axle so it slides on nice and snug then a nylock washer holds the m6 bolt in place on the m8 axle, then a 2penny washer and m6 nut secure against the seat support which when the trike is on its wheels is directly above the guide axle so hopefully that will give a good downward pressure and help prevent the axle from bending up like it did under pressure. so far its been working really well i went out yesterday for a ride and i went to the same slope in the woods and did the same thing as before but this time the guide axle stayed firmly where it is. so hopefully thats that sorted
iv also fitted my dynamo and connected it all up today. and it works lovely charging my phone while i was out today. i use my phone as a gps and speedo and it charges off the dynamo via a usb socket on the handlebars. its a system i have had and used for a few years now and its never let me down, and it means iv not got half a dozen bits like speedometer gps phone ect its all in one.
iv also been working on a head rest not got far with it yet its still in the idea design stage but hopefully ill work something out soon lol
fixedfixer
Veteran
You have done well to turn that one photo into a working dual pull lever. Good man.
fixedfixer
Veteran
I was thinking about the brakes and how to get an equal / balanced pull on each side. Found this diagram on another site. The red line seems to be a continuous cable and a second (blue cable in diagram) pulls towards to the top (a standard brake lever) to provide the balance. Should automatically adjust itself for pad wear.
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stuee147
Senior Member
- Location
- north ayrshire
@fixedfixer i was wondering about getting an even pull so far it seems ok but as i was building it and setting it up i made sure everything was as even as possible, on that diagram it looks like a pulley at the top and a single cable to the lever, my biggest concern is that if the cable brakes then you lose all front brakes. thats what i like about the way i have done it at the moment, if one cable brakes i still have the second cable to keep braking,
i wonder if there is a way to have one cable from the lever and then somehow changing to 2 independent cables one to each front wheel but some how having an system to keep an even pull on the 2 cables so i dont over brake on one side more than the other.
i think im gona be doing some serious head scratching and playing about with bits and bobs.
another idea i have had is to have a lever for each front wheel and not having a lever for the rear brake. iv been considering using a friction gear lever on the rear brake and using it as a parking brake. but thats just one of the million silly ideas that run round my head lol
i wonder if there is a way to have one cable from the lever and then somehow changing to 2 independent cables one to each front wheel but some how having an system to keep an even pull on the 2 cables so i dont over brake on one side more than the other.
i think im gona be doing some serious head scratching and playing about with bits and bobs.
another idea i have had is to have a lever for each front wheel and not having a lever for the rear brake. iv been considering using a friction gear lever on the rear brake and using it as a parking brake. but thats just one of the million silly ideas that run round my head lol
fixedfixer
Veteran
For a parking brake try an old toe strap and clamp lever back on handle bars. Touring bike trick. Light simple 
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stuee147
Senior Member
- Location
- north ayrshire
For a parking brake try an old toe strap and clamp lever back on handle bars. Touring bike trick. Light simple
at the moment i have a piece of inner tube on the handlebar grip all i do is pull the rear brake lever and pop the inner tube round it to hold it closed. it was more because i was thinking of having a separate lever for each front brake it would be strange to see a 3rd lever for the rear and thats when i thought of a gear lever as that will hold the brake on with minimal setting up sort of thing i was thinking i could even have the lever on the main frame infront of the seat or even just a short cable and have it nearer the rear wheel,
but like i say iv a thousand and one ideas its just getting round to making or finding the parts and getting round to testing them lol
talking of trying and testing my first idea for a neck rest has taken shape im not sure if its a good shape yet or not i need more testing lol here are a couple of pics
i just used what i had laying around, namely an ally seat post, an off cut from one of the bikes i used to make the trike, a suction mount for a mobile phone and a padded thingy that goes on your seat belt in the car im not sure where it came from but i found it in the kitchen draw lol its amazing the rubbish i keep lol
it works really well even though at the moment its held on the trike with cable ties lol im thinking of cleaning it up a bit and giving it a proper try. unless i find something better lol
Are you bringing the trike to Pedal on Parliament on Saturday ? 
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stuee147
Senior Member
- Location
- north ayrshire
I would love to but I'm not sure if I can make it I have been hopeing to go but it really depends on my health if I'm haveing a bad day I struggle to even get out into the garden if its a good day ill ride the trike the 10 miles or so there and home again and make a day of it. I hate things like this I would love to go but can never say how I will be on the day lolAre you bringing the trike to Pedal on Parliament on Saturday ?
fixedfixer
Veteran
Fingers crossed for you having a good day. Looks like a good event and would be nice to show off your new trike. If you get there pictures are required otherwise it never happened.
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stuee147
Senior Member
- Location
- north ayrshire
thanks i hope its a good day to but i have a slight problem today i went out for a ride and look whats happened
as i took a turn (luckily at slow speed) the right front wheel buckled up underneath me. it turns out the head tube has separated if you look close its a nice clean brake
the two pieces slide back together quite nicely and the head tube goes into the base section around about 25mm (1")
now i have a destitution to make and i would appreciate and feed back or ideas
the way i see it i have 5 options
1) i go out and try get another set of forks and cut them down and weld the wheels dropouts onto that . (lot of work + need to find forks to match, but is going to give me the strongest end results )
2) cut the dropouts and frame away insert the tubes and weld from underneath then reset the angels and weld the frame and dropouts back on (this is what should of happened to start with but as i had no plans or anything to go by i wasn't aware there was two tubes like that )
3) carefully drill threw the 2 tubes just bellow where the bearing seat goes and insert a pin (poss 2 at 90degrees to each other) and weld the steal pins into place (i would need to use about a 6mm steal pin )
4) i could drill an 8mm hole in the centre of the base just above the wheel nut (the base is 6mm steal plate) then cut down a handlebar stem and fit it so the inner tube is held down (the nut holding the inner tube would be upside down just above the wheel nut)
5) with a 2mm cutting disk cut about 1/2 way threw the 2 tubes (when inserted together) and fill the cut with weld binding the 2 tubes together ( i know my welds are strong but will the cut weaken the tubes ????)
im not sure which way to go 3 and 5 are the easiest and quickest ( take me about 1/2 hour ) but will they be strong enough ???????
method 4 i think is a stroke of genius i mean the handlebar stem is designed to go inside the tube and lock onto it and as long as i cut the bolt and bits down it shouldn't inter fear with the handlebar stem with the handlebars fitted in the top
i did have another idea iv got a tube of that chemical steal stuff that you mould together and when it sets its like steal and can be drilled and taped just like steal, well i did consider stuffing a load in the bottom and fitting the tubes together then with a bit of dowel or something push it down the tube so it fills all the gaps, that would work maybe combined with idea 3 so it would mould round the pins.
anyway there just ideas i would love to hear your thoughts and ideas im hoping to sort it one method or another either tomorrow or sat that way it up and running for sunday
stu
as i took a turn (luckily at slow speed) the right front wheel buckled up underneath me. it turns out the head tube has separated if you look close its a nice clean brake
the two pieces slide back together quite nicely and the head tube goes into the base section around about 25mm (1")
now i have a destitution to make and i would appreciate and feed back or ideas
the way i see it i have 5 options
1) i go out and try get another set of forks and cut them down and weld the wheels dropouts onto that . (lot of work + need to find forks to match, but is going to give me the strongest end results )
2) cut the dropouts and frame away insert the tubes and weld from underneath then reset the angels and weld the frame and dropouts back on (this is what should of happened to start with but as i had no plans or anything to go by i wasn't aware there was two tubes like that )
3) carefully drill threw the 2 tubes just bellow where the bearing seat goes and insert a pin (poss 2 at 90degrees to each other) and weld the steal pins into place (i would need to use about a 6mm steal pin )
4) i could drill an 8mm hole in the centre of the base just above the wheel nut (the base is 6mm steal plate) then cut down a handlebar stem and fit it so the inner tube is held down (the nut holding the inner tube would be upside down just above the wheel nut)
5) with a 2mm cutting disk cut about 1/2 way threw the 2 tubes (when inserted together) and fill the cut with weld binding the 2 tubes together ( i know my welds are strong but will the cut weaken the tubes ????)
im not sure which way to go 3 and 5 are the easiest and quickest ( take me about 1/2 hour ) but will they be strong enough ???????
method 4 i think is a stroke of genius i mean the handlebar stem is designed to go inside the tube and lock onto it and as long as i cut the bolt and bits down it shouldn't inter fear with the handlebar stem with the handlebars fitted in the top
i did have another idea iv got a tube of that chemical steal stuff that you mould together and when it sets its like steal and can be drilled and taped just like steal, well i did consider stuffing a load in the bottom and fitting the tubes together then with a bit of dowel or something push it down the tube so it fills all the gaps, that would work maybe combined with idea 3 so it would mould round the pins.
anyway there just ideas i would love to hear your thoughts and ideas im hoping to sort it one method or another either tomorrow or sat that way it up and running for sunday
stu
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stuee147
Senior Member
- Location
- north ayrshire
where's the fun in having a fully equipped workshop and all the parts, you get more fun trying to make things out of something else. or is i i just grew up watching to much A team lolstopped getting alerts from this thread so sort of forgot about itbut looks like you are doing well!
sorry no help what so ever on above problem without seeing it in person in a well equipped workshop behind a very well stocked bike shop!
Cheers Ed
