- Joined
- Feb 20, 2013
- Messages
- 869
- Location
- Axedale, Victoria, Australia
- Website
- axerail.coffeecup.com
So that's not what is meant when they talk about riding a "bent". Bummer.
Ahhhh...... with the front end attached only below the axis of the top tube I am afraid that was very likely to happen, although I did think 6mm plate would have been a bit "stiffer" than that.So first assembly where I can sit on it .......
Oh sh*t look at the angle of the front end .almost 90' !
As Popshot predicted the tilting has increased the turning ability of the front end.
Around the back these 2 tubes should be parallel whoever you can see the top one is displaced to the right , it turns out this is only 7' of lean ? I was puzzled for a while as to why so little ?
That small amount of tilt seems to lift the front end up somewhat , not sure if that is desirable or not ?
So I took the dog for a walk and after ringing Southern accomplice with euphoric tales of hours from a test ride , realised what was happening the tilt/lean was hampered by the pedal crank hitting the ground !!!
Plonker , if I just sat on it with the front end vertical facing forwards then I could experience the full lean potential ?
So that's when it started to go wrong .....
Currently it has no pedals , needed for controlling the front tilt
and
Currently no rear brakes which are needed to stop it rolling forward.
With my hands on the rear wheels I explored the tilt , WOW can it tilt a long way and would seem to stay up right just with a wheel braked so it cannot roll ???
However when getting off ...
........ there was a sort of soft movement , in an unexpected direction , not sort of sprung'springing just like something giving .........
The 6mm pivot plate is bent big time !
without a wheel turning ......
Not unexpected but disappointing never the less
Hoping it can be cold bent back into position , it will need to be fairly accurate as obviously it needs bracing over the bend in some way.
Paul
Ahhhh...... with the front end attached only below the axis of the top tube I am afraid that was very likely to happen, although I did think 6mm plate would have been a bit "stiffer" than that.
Dilemma front face or rear face ?As you say, bend it back and put some side plates on
Is that a split infinitive ?Looking almost good.
yes that picture is the extreme , even my legs can't fold like that.In real use you'll almost never have much turn on the front as it'll now lean cutting actual turning down to very little.
Please go and wash your mouth out , more than once !Of course the lean itself will push one crank arm closer the pavement. You may need to raise the BB.
Now where's the fun in that ?It still looks to me like the bars need to be on the fixed rear part allowing you to control the lean with the hands.
I'm not sure.Is that a split infinitive ?
I think my front needs to be like this :-You may need to raise the BB.
Paul,Ok so cleaned up and bit more welding and now been reassembled.
No brakes but pedals added , so gripped rear wheels to stop it falling over and tried a tilt ......
Scary !!!! it just tilts and keeps on tilting , I could have fallen out
Got off and when I had stopped crying I took the tiltometer to the seat , it was quite capable of staying leaned over @ 20' and would have gone further if pushed lightly !
So it can stand almost upright on it's own , but does no like the pilot
I am considering adding the second elastomer I have .
Like this.
It will:-
Stop the suspension - not a good thing
It will add resistance to the tilt , hopefully making it easier to ride for a novice.
As it can be bolted in and out it can be easily removed later if I get the hang of riding it ?
quaking in my boots Paul
Sadly not valid , he could ride a Python 2 wheeler before he built his hybrid.Paul,
Does our man in the states have the same experience I wonder? His elastomer is miles away from the rod-end IIRC?
We may yet prove the validity in that observation ?It may also be why people often opt to have their bars on the rear half as it means they can automatically apply the steadying force as required.
Only because they chose a steering angle with no self centring when being ridden , so it has even less with no one on it !They ad also a dempener on the frond to limit the steering. With the tilt, the little steering is enough to make a corner.
Wow!Ok it has been ridden very briefly.
snagging list :-
brakes cables drag on floor when corning/tilting
brake levers need raising on bar extensions
gear lever not tight enough so changing up as ridden
tops of bar extensions [ open ] need stoppers as trying to use them with mu thumbs on top to control the tilt is painful
so the ride ?
very brown trousers with above problems , tilt hard to control and like a very novice bike rider tending to slow down when in trouble only adding to the tilt instability I think.
On the way back I realised I could hold the rear dead axle with both hands , the tilt was immediately NOT TO scary however then there were no brakes available.
So conclusions ?
Two choices either.
a) Learn to ride with the bars on the front - possible ?
b) Add bars to no tilting portion and trust my feet will always be in control of the steering.
The coward in me wants option a) however if I tried option b) it may lead to me being able to ride a 2 wheeled Python ?
Paul
ThanksWow!
Congratulations on getting it ridden Paul. Well done that man!
Sadly yes ! It leaned and I had insufficient authority to get it verticalDespite the "brown-trousered" moments, was the general "Straight-line" ride any different?
No idea smooth road and fighting for control do not allow time for noticing ANY finer points !Was the suspension effect evident?
As aboveOn gentle cornering did it just want to keep tipping over?
To slow to judge ?Were the turns tighter?
Secondary ?I do think that a secondary set of bars off the fixed non-tilting section might be the answer or part of an answer.
Yes and good job !As it is only the "mule" you do get the opportunity to try a few things out before committing to any specific solution. So the mule proves its worth.
It is a shame none of us can be there to film youstruggling & falling offenjoying the new riding experience.