Trike rebuild.

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Sep 16, 2018
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Today I took my trike apart and started with help from Geert, with changing my trike.

This is his it was. Well without the fenders. I took them off.

The first thing I did today, was changing the front.
I made 2 cuts and bended the front part as the 2 red arrows.

This raised the front. Now I don't touch the ground with my feed anymore. This also made, that I could switch back from my 145mm spring, to 165mm. This makes that also behind the seas is again higher from the ground and that gives me more play with the chain.

Next thing I did, was putting my wheels more straight. Thay still have a bit of an angle, but a lot less. Now also both sides are equal in angle.
Solling with my trike holding the rear up, showed that the wheels are better lined out now.
I forgot to make pictures from that.


This is with the 165mm spring and the 1000w hub motor.
The 12v that sits below my seat, will be removed. There comes the controler. It will be hidden in between the 2 batteries behind my seat.
In the front comes also a battery.
That gives my over 2kw.

I removed the handle bars. It will be replaced with one from a bike. So no more high handlebars. It will be below my seat. I need to get new mirrors, so I still have mirrors, but I can also change my current mirrors and place them low.
With the handle bars gone, I have it easier to get in and out of my seat. My handle bars where narrow and my jacket could hang behind them as I get on or off my trike.
The only thing I need to do now, is replacing the controler display and my phonemount.
It will come in front by my pedals.
The Trike looks different with no high handle bars. More as a racer.

I still need to do a lot, but it goes faster than I expected.
I do now everything I wanted, because before I didn't do that and some things never happened. That is why I do now everything.

My changes must make that I can fit an other seat, have better steering, more comfortable hand position, able to take more with me in bags and let my trike cruise without pedaling. That is more for as I visit someone and not for touring.
I still need to order an other spring. The one that is now on it, is to stiff.

Tomorrow I go further with my trike.
As I don't forget it, I will make some photos.
 
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I personally like air springs as they can be set just right with little effort and are light. Not the cheap option though.
 
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I personally like air springs as they can be set just right with little effort and are light. Not the cheap option though.
Me to, but the money is the problem and more than before. Costs of living went up a lot out here, so I can't spend that much. I also need parts for my quad build.
So I need to make choices.

I removed the high handlebars today and replaced them with other ones.
That us a lot better for my arms. I can now let them hang.

It is now more like the warrior Trike.
I need to sand it and paint it, but I want the complete Trike repainted. But that comes as I have money again.
For now I fixe up some places.

I testfitted my controller. It fits nicely behind the seat.


All took more work than I expected. It looks like if I did less than yesterday, but I had to change My steering mount and adjust it for the new hangle bars.
I need to replace one thing and than is all the play in the steering gone.
Bearings are now fixed.

I hope that I have Friday time. Then I want to work on my chain line in the front and ad mounting holes for the battery in the front.
After that, I start with the rear bag mounts and an other rear fender.
I also need do make a mirror mount. I make one this time.

As that is all done, I start with wiring and connecting the brakes.
8 October my throttle arrives according the one that sold the motor. They messed up and added extra brake levers instead a throttle, so they ship it later.
 
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I didn't do much today.
The handlebars where't level, so I changed that a bit.
I connected to front brakes, so I could decide the cable length.

Sunday I will start with the drive train. I want to change the chain line, so I do that Sunday. Tomorrow I need to buy a few parts for that.

Second thing I hope to do, is adding somethibg to fix the rear wheel better.

Tomorrow I start making a front light mount.
I found a rear light with brake light and indicators. That is what I will put on the back of the bag mounts.

Cables will be mounted with mounts i will print and fix on the Deane with m5 bolds. Thus makes that I can guide the cables better and don't need cable ties. It will give a cleaner look.

I will let my frame be powder coated. It will be about 80 to 100 euro, but it looks good and it is way better than paint.
I will still paint some parts on the frame for text and removing the gloss. I will go for a dark gray with some black parts.
 
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Steering is now good.
There is no play any more and everything fits.
I replaced these 2

Both had some play on them and even do it was very limited, it was enough to anoy me. So I replaced them and now there is 0 play. It feels like direct steering.

Today I worked on the drive train. I added 2 chain wheels to guide the top chain. This is now not hitting the frame and the steering anymore.
The frontt one also makes that it is better in line with the front derailleur. The middle big one raises it above the steering.




Here some images with the steering as it is now.
The bar end shifter will be the rear parking brake.







Next step is adding the torque mounts for the hub motor. I will probably do this Wednesday.
Then I will also mount the chain, to see how I do the bottom chain. I know how I want it, but I need to print some parts for it.

After that, I need to get some tube for the bag mounts and the seat mounts for the other seat.

I olso need to drill some holes for the mounting of the front battery and the cables. But I do that, when I start working on all the cables.

As that is all done, it is time to ride it again.
I want to powdercoad my trike, but that needs to wait. I am now ordering parts for the quad.

I tested the brakes and they worked good. I will replace them with the bb5, but that is only because the ones I have now on it, are mounted a bit to high.

I can't wait to ride my trike again.
Even just rolling it, I noticed the improvements.
 
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Today I added the torque mounts on the rear hub motor. I only need to drill 2 holes and fix them with m6 boles, but then it is ready.

Further I worked on the chain line. I placed the chain on it and it sits good. The chain runs very smooth. Tomorrow to the shop for some hose clamps to fix the tubes. Friday I will finish that.
The 7 speed is connected and it seems to work well.

Friday I connect all the electronics and the front derailleur.
After that I can take my trike home.
There I will print some parts for the cabling, display and phone mount.

Because I use a surten cassette, I can't fit the rear disk brake. Tgag is no problem, because I will use my V brake as parking brake.
That will be controlled with a tumbshifter.

I will also drill holes in the frame, for m5 insurts. There will I mount my wires and cables.
I also need to ad 2 holes for my battery in the front.

The bag holders come later. I need to get somet tubing. I will order that, next week.
I hope to have all other things ready, before that.

Printing now a headrest and I will test that also. I probably need to make a new one, but I will see.

I can't wait to test ride it.
 
Joined
Feb 7, 2008
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4,576
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Nottinghamshire England
Emiel

Looking good , I occasionally ride my trike using the horizontal part of the bars rather than the upright parts , does not seem as uncomfortable as I expected.
However you need to keep your bars out of the front wheels , I have problems at maximum turn the bars disappear under the seat

Paul
 
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Thanks Paul, I was afraid that I would be to close to my tires and that it would be under my seat. But after testing it, my hands are further from the tires than I had the handlebars upright. Also, it is still good to hold as I do max steering.

I like it better than the upright. With upright, I let my arms hang or hold it ad the bottom. Because the steering was ad the bottom further away, it was also not that comfortable.
I am thinking of adding bar ends on the ends that make it even more comfortable, but I need to test that first.
 
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The Trike rides. We'll not with the motor yet, but I did a test ride and it went good.
Steering feels good and so does the shifting.
My hand position is way more comfortable and the Trike doesn't pull to one side any more. Turning circle seems better and now the play is out of the steering, it feels way better.
I didn't test it ad high speeds yet, but I will do that next week as the motor is connected.

I used a bar end shifter for the V brake that I use as parking brake and that works very good, way better than any other system I tried.





I need to get m6 bolds to fix the torque mounts for the rear wheel and then it is fixed.


I made a test mount for my phone and that works great. I need to change it a bit, but I do that Sunday or Monday. One of those days I picup my trike and start working home ad it. I need to measure some things.





I fixed the top tube to the frame. I used some 3D prints I made and that works good. I didn't fix it directly to the feame. This So there is some pay in the tube and the chain can finds its way. This make that the chain runs a lot smoother now.


For the bottom tube, I need to ad one ring ad the middle chain guide wheel. This do it doesn't hit it.

Next thing I do is going to make a display mount. I will mot mount a battery in front any more. There comes a bottle holder and noting more.
2 batteries behind my seat and a 3rd one probably in my bag, or on top of the bag mounts. I haven't decided yet.
Now I have more space in the front, I can mount my display there easier.
I will also connect the motor. Next week.

By the end of the week, I will get materials for the bag mounts.

I also need to paint some parts, till I have money for the powder coat. It will be fray and I will ad a mat coat over it.
 
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Joined
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I am thinking to ad front fenders again. I had them, but removed them after the mounting arms wheren't that great.
This time, I am thinking to weld thicker round mounting arms to the frame.
I was planning to weld one to the frame, to mount a mirror on, but now I am thinking to ad more and use them for front fenders.
 
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I just drove my trike home and wow it was riding great. The trike rides better than it ever did and I didn't expect this big of a difference. I noticed it now better, because I had a longer ride and didn't ride just around the corner as what I did when I tested it.
The steering is a big improvement and so is the drive train.
The tires rub way less in the corners and tight corners go a lot smoother.

Now I need to work on the electronics, so I can ride with e-assist.
I made a mount for the headlight and that works good. I made it, so you slide it in the mount, than ad a plug from the back and after that, you mount it to the frame. This way, the lamp is hold in the mount.

It isn't good to see, but the mount works good and is easy to make.

Tomorrow I start with the electronics, so controler and display. As they are mounted, i test it first, before I do something with the wires. As everything is OK, than I shorten them and make it look nice. I make cad holders that are mounted to the frame. I want to remove all cable ties from the frame. That looks cleaner.
 
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I am so happy with my 3D printer. I printed a pass sensor mount, because the metal holder didn't fit. Phone mount holder, lamp mounting point and now I have mounted my display mounted with a 3D print.
The next step, is printing cable holders. I have in front 7 cables. A shifter cable, USB cable for the phone, 2 cables that come from my display, pass sensor and the lamp. All will be mounted under the frame and hold to it with 3D prints that are bolted into the frame with m5 bolds.

I will probably connect the co toller tonight, after I printed a mount for it. Then I can test and setup the motor. Wednesday I will do all the cabling. Making them shorter and see how I want them. I wanted to do that af home, but as my trike us hanging in the air, it works a lot better.
I want cables nice and clean this time.

I also need a new control box that holds my switch for the batteries, an on/off switch for the cruise control and a switch for changing the rotation direction of the wheel. I can ad a lock, but I will put that on my quad.

Next week the bag mounts and I hope to have my other spring and a rear light. Than I can finish it all and ride it again.
The powder coat will come, but I am still thinking about the color. I am thinking about dark gray and only the handlebar and the steering parts, all black.
 
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Just connected te controler. First a 1000w on 48v and after that a 350w /500w on 48 and 36v. Motor is silent and runs smooth. Tomorrow I will cleanup the wires and mount the controler.
Hopefully it is dry tomorrow, so I can make a test ride.

Wile doing that all, I noticed something on my coga, when I tested the other display.
I need to check that also.
 
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My printer was jammed, so I had to clean it. That made that I couldn't finish my print yesterday.
But now it is finished.
The switch with on and off is the switch to turn on the cruise control option.
It will be mostly off, but nice to have the option.
The other
The other switch is the reverse.
Just need to switch it and than use the throttle.



Now I am connecting the cables and mount them to the frame. Tomorrow I hope to shorten them.
 
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I like the idea of a reverse.
It is on the controler and first I didn't want it, but thinking back of the times that I needed to unclip my shoes as I had to turn around on a narrow street, made that I added it.

I just did a test ride on 36v and the controler ad Max power. It was great. My trike did very well ad high speeds as it did before. I need to test it mire, but it felt very good.
Tomorrow I lower the power output of my controller. 800+ Watt on 36v is a bit to much for my use. I can always set it higher as I want more power, but for now is that not needed. I think that I am thinking of putting it ad 250 to 450w.

I missed riding on my trike. It was just a few weeks, but I am glad that it rides again.


Cables are still a mess, but I hope to solve most of that, tomorrow.
 
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I need to swap my rear casset and that will make that I will change the crackset in the front. I go from 11-28 to 13-28. This because the 11t is having problems as I ride over a bit bumpy road.
On 13t, this isn't a problem.
To keep the sand gaer ratio, I need to go from 44 on the biggest in the front, to a 52t. This will make that I need to replace the crackset.
I am even thinking of getting bigger than 52t.

I needed an other gear ratio overall, so changing it now is probably better.

I got my throttle, so I swapped it out with the old throttle. I also added the grips.
The other thing I did, was swapping the front brakes for the bb5's.
I changed the angle of the handlebars a bit and did a test ride. The speed on the display is 1 to 1,5km higher than on my GPS. Tomorrow I can test it again with a small change to see if I have it now equal.

I found the setting for adjusting the power. I tested it and got it just below 250w. Nice for as I need to set it to that. For now I leave it on power. Just to much fun.
Tomorrow adding the rear light and connecting front light. Later I will put it on the switch, but I need it for Friday. Than can I ride with my trike to visit some people. Else I need to use my Koga Miata.
 
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Printing a front light mount for my flashlight. I will connect the front light when I receive my rear light. Ordered it today, so I hope to get it in 15 days.

I also ordered a new krankset. 2 gears instead of 3. I can always put my current one back.
I will also change the 53t to a 58t. The 39t stays the same.
The rear will be a 13t to 28t instead 11t to 28t.
The chain will be better centered. The casset on it, is mounted different from the other one I have. The other one will put it more to the center and improves the chain line.

Today I did a longer trip.
Tested the speed and it is fast. I have changed the setti gs on the controler. It is now closer to the GPS. It shows max 1kmh lower speed, so that is fine for me.
Cruise control is nice. 37 to 38kmh without pedaling or holding the throttle. It is so nice. I could go faster, but this was fine. Tomorrow to Eindhoven and tgen I can test it even better.

The pisitive thing I noticed, was the wattage that the motor used while in cruise control. It was oy about 350w and I wasn't pedaling ad all. My koga uses 550w and I need to pedal.
This is a lot less and gives me way more range. Now I went extreme, but this means that I can ride long distances.
So very happy with that.
 
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We added a bag mount. Badass-cycles helpt me.

Painting didn't go that well, but it gets a powder coat, so it will be fine.

Also added the second battery mount. It can hold also my 2,3kwh 48v battery that I am building now.
Battery is made possible by Maddox.

Next step is finishing the wires and put my other rear light on the trike.

I love this trike. Especially now I replaced the rear suspension with a softer spring.
It is fast, it rides smooth and steering is very direct and very precise. Also very high cornering speed. It can lift a wheel, but you must go fast trough a corner.
With my steering under my seat, I can let my arms hang and I like that a lot.
The bag mount makes that I finally can take stuff with me.
 
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My trike is on 48v a monster. Over 45kmh with no problem. The bags on the back are great. Now I can do my grosery shopping with my trike.
 
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