The Perfect Trike Design

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Feb 20, 2013
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Axedale, Victoria, Australia
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axerail.coffeecup.com
You are provided with 3 wheels, not necessarily all the same size. Your task is to come up with what might be considered the best, either operationally or aesthetically, design for holding the wheels, seat, steering, including suspension if desired, together. Hand drawings are all that is required.

Is the standard cruciform tadpole or delta the best way of doing it?
 
Joined
Sep 12, 2012
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Location
Apple Valley, California, USA
Does this qualify? 😄

I enter this for your consideration.

It has 3 wheels
Not all the same size
Is considered the best operationally, and especially aesthetically....though that might be a bit biased .
Hand drawings are available if called for.
 
Joined
Feb 20, 2013
Messages
869
Location
Axedale, Victoria, Australia
Website
axerail.coffeecup.com
No judging being given. Just a think/ideas tank to see if there is a better/best way. There are many, many different designs on the Internet and also being manufactured but, is there a better way that hasn't surfaced yet? There is a certain sameness about many design aspects of what is out there.

What about those that aren't out there, yet?
 
Joined
Sep 12, 2012
Messages
3,058
Location
Apple Valley, California, USA
No judging being given. Just a think/ideas tank to see if there is a better/best way. There are many, many different designs on the Internet and also being manufactured but, is there a better way that hasn't surfaced yet? There is a certain sameness about many design aspects of what is out there.

What about those that aren't out there, yet?
SO ! What you're really saying is, you want to reinvent the tricycle :D.
OK, no more playing around. I know your serious, so will leave well enough alone.....for now.
 
Joined
Feb 20, 2013
Messages
869
Location
Axedale, Victoria, Australia
Website
axerail.coffeecup.com
Well, not necessarily, maybe just improve on what it is. Some recent interesting suggestions and links have woken up a few resting brain cells that are now making their presence felt and, if you don't keep re-inventing, you become more historical.

For instance, a complex part of tadpole trikes is the front wheels setup, combined with steering requirements. It becomes even more complex if you want/need front wheel drive. Providing rear wheel steering alleviates most of those problems but it brings its own problems. There are two links in recent times that I will have to dig out. One was to a video of a rear wheel steering technique that might alleviate the rear wheel shimmy problem and the other was a tilting rear wheel setup with suspension that might be usable up front with a couple of modifications if up front is not steered. A better trike - or fork lift?

That is what gave me the idea for this thread: a place where general ideas can be suggested, explored, canned with good, supplied reasons, etc.
 
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