Chainless Tilting Tadpole Velo

Joined
Nov 10, 2019
Messages
94
Location
charlotte, nc
you can use 1/8" wall aluminum for the bottom frame, but for the top part that holds your roof, doors, etc 1/16 or thinner tubing is more than enough. I am working on a velo top that is using 3/4" square tube with 0.040" thin walls Ten feet of this is about 1.5 lbs in weight
 
Joined
Aug 20, 2013
Messages
75
Location
Richmond Hill, Ontario
Website
patrike.synthasite.com
you can use 1/8" wall aluminum for the bottom frame, but for the top part that holds your roof, doors, etc 1/16 or thinner tubing is more than enough. I am working on a velo top that is using 3/4" square tube with 0.040" thin walls Ten feet of this is about 1.5 lbs in weight
Thx.
Since the frame/body will be the a single super structure, I was thinking minimum 1/8. With the plexi cover riveted to the outside to add to the rigidity I might be able to get away with 1/16. I thought I had a ton of 1/8 in the garage but I put my finger in the end and I feels like it is 1/16.
Cheers
 
Joined
Nov 10, 2019
Messages
94
Location
charlotte, nc
maximum 1/8" not really any reason to go thicker
6061 is available in 3/32 walls which is what I plan to use. even then I have to wait 2 weeks for it to be shuttled up from Florida to NC. I would use 1/16, but no one stocks it in that wall thickness locally.
 
Joined
Aug 20, 2013
Messages
75
Location
Richmond Hill, Ontario
Website
patrike.synthasite.com
I would use 1/16, but no one stocks it in that wall thickness locally.
I think that is what I have a huge stock of in my garage from a camper project that I never finished (King of unfinished projects) -- up in rafters now so cant check it till I go to use it. I also have some 1/8 bits should I need, maybe the front and rear wheel pieces need 1/8 as they will take a pounding.
I am currently putting up some new shelving and doing a massive basement/garage reorg - then I need to build a car hitch propane carrier to bring to get my 100lb tank refilled at Costco - then I think I will build a new wheeled work table/welding station. the last table I built it was too big and heavy(500lbs) for my garage and I got rid of it. Need one that is light with folding extension. Hopefully I will have a working trike for early spring.
Cheers
 
Joined
Nov 10, 2019
Messages
94
Location
charlotte, nc
6063 alloy tube can easily be found in 1/16 wall thickness, howevber 6061 alloy is more of a structural grade and is very hard to find in thinner wall locally.
6061 is stronger and what most aluminum bikes are made of.
 
Joined
Jul 28, 2012
Messages
46
Location
seattle
When I learned to ride my recumbent bicycle I had to learn to lean by steering a lot more than leaning my body over. So this kind of machine would be similar to riding a recumbent bicycle with improved road grip on the front wheels. It is a lot of fun to whip around a corner while laying back at 35 degrees.

If you climb steep hills with cargo and using a direct drive hub motor, two are much better than one.



If you need tow motors on a single drive wheel, think about using a hub motor and a single reduction ration 415 chain drive. That would give you a low gear for hill climbing. Ya I know ....chains are a headache at times. But if they don't shift it is not as big of a problem.



I thought you might be interested in this Open Source trike project just in case you haven't seen it before: opensourceecology.org/wiki/Velocar
 
Joined
Aug 20, 2013
Messages
75
Location
Richmond Hill, Ontario
Website
patrike.synthasite.com
If you need tow motors on a single drive wheel, think about using a hub motor and a single reduction ration 415 chain drive. That would give you a low gear for hill climbing. Ya I know ....chains are a headache at times. But if they don't shift it is not as big of a problem.

I thought you might be interested in this Open Source trike project just in case you haven't seen it before: opensourceecology.org/wiki/Velocar
Thanks for your interest
I did think of a single gear - on of my favorite ride developments to watch uses one, Electrom - but then decided no -- I hate chains that much! We live in the 21st century with some amazing tech. As far as I am concerned, chains are just another, noisy, greasy point of maintenance I dont want.

I looked at the link -- looks interesting -- I did not see much development for 6 years.

Cheers
 
Joined
Feb 20, 2013
Messages
869
Location
Axedale, Victoria, Australia
Website
axerail.coffeecup.com
Appears to be a lot of mass in that one. It looks like he has pedals ultimately connected to a Fisher & Paykel electric motor drive and then to the rear wheel but there certainly seems to be some intermediate complexity. The last half of the video mentions pedal generator +2 years later, so he made some changes.
 
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