Bike builders news Dec. 17 - Build a velo Part 4

In this issue: 

Feature article by RadicalBrad of AtomicZombie.com: Building a Velomobile - Part 4

In this week's issue, bending angle iron to make the frame. Brad invents an ingenious way to curve the iron.

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Hub flanges and axle adapters for your trike and quad bike projects
Bike builders community chat - stimulating conversations

Builders Feedback - you tell us what's on your mind
Bike builders gallery - new additions: recumbents, trikes, choppers, cargo bikes & more

Show us your workshop - Rod from Saskatoon takes us on a tour 

This and archived newsletters are here.

***

Thanks for your feedback, and keep those suggestions coming.

  See you in the Builders Forum.

Bike builders news Dec.10: Build a velo, Part 3

In this issue: 

Feature article by RadicalBrad of AtomicZombie.com: Building a Velomobile - Part 3

In this week's issue, choosing a material to make the skin. Coroplast vs. luan. Decisions, decisions.

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Hub flanges and axle adapters for your trike and quad bike projects
Bike builders community chat - stimulating conversations

Builders Feedback - you tell us what's on your mind
Bike builders gallery - new additions: recumbents, trikes, choppers, cargo bikes & more 

This and archived newsletters are here.

***

Thanks for your feedback, and keep those suggestions coming.

  See you in the Builders Forum. 

Bike builders news November 23

In this issue: 

Feature article by RadicalBrad of AtomicZombie.com: Building a Velomobile - Part 2

In this week's issue, Brad makes a scale model of the velo body shape and design considerations.

***

Hub flanges and axle adapters for your bike projects
Bike builders community chat
Bike builders gallery - new additions: recumbents, trikes, choppers, tall bikes, kids' bikes, cargo bikes & more 

This and archived newsletters are here.

***

Thanks for your feedback, and keep those suggestions coming.

  See you in the Builders Forum.

Most cost-effective currently available lithium battery source and/or configuration

From the AtomicZombie bike building forum:

"Well, another spell in the repair dock gave me more time to think about possible add-ons (or more correctly build-ins) to the Timberwolf languishing in what I laughingly call my workshop. I've been giving a lot of thought to various possible additions to Brad's basic design, including a geared mid-drive, but mostly about how best to incorporate electric assist right from the get-go.

The logical first idea is to use an electric hub motor on the front. This has the advantage of simplicity, but on the other hand, it puts the motor at the part of the trike where ground contact weight is lightest. I don't know how much of an issue this will be, but its fair to say that the majority of the weight in any of the Deltas is carried at the rear, and so traction at the front wheel is a question mark.

The second idea is to use one, or two, Currie-style external motors either directly driving one or both rear wheels, or else connected into the chain/derailleur drive train at some point between the pedals and the rear axle.

However, the biggest single consideration is batteries. I have the wreck of an e-scooter that will, I hope, become a tadpole recumbent trike at some point; its all-up weight without passenger is over 200 lbs, and of this probably 2/3 is lead-acid batteries. I just can't see building a Timberwolf, which with rider will mass somewhere between 135 and 150 kg., and then adding a great whacking load of lead-acid batteries. Even if the tires would stand up to the load, it would be a tremendously heavy vehicle.

So, we then come to the lightest currently available battery technology, the various lithium-based types. These have an astonishing power-to-weight ratio, but they are new technology, and as such there's a lot of mis-information floating around. There's also the question of cost: what form of lithium cell offers the best "bang for the buck" in terms of watt-hours stored vs. dollars (not forgetting overall weight).

It's a basic truism that for a given power rating, using a higher voltage means a lower current draw. Since with most types of batteries the rate of current draw or discharge is a big factor, using a higher voltage would allow the use of cells with less amp draw capability.

The brick wall that I keep coming up to, and banging my head against is this: What form of lithium pack is the lowest cost for a given current draw, and what form of lithium battery is the most flexible in terms of series-connecting the packs to achieve higher output voltages. I have read various "opinions" and "reports" until I'm drowning in hyperbole, and I'm no closer to the answer: what's the best available form or configuration of lithium battery to start with.

For example, there are a wide variety of lithium cells used in RC model aircraft, robots, etc. There are any number of different lithium cells available for commercial-grade power tools. There are lithium batteries available in various ratings for laptop computers - and the list goes on. The common denominator is that they're all expensive, and so if one is going to bit the bullet and invest in a lithium battery system as an integral part of the build, it would make sense to try and maximize the power storage capacity and ease of recharging for a given dollar expenditure.

Once upon a time, I had a shingle that said I knew something about electrical engineering, and I suppose I still do know some parts of it. But I'm having tremendous difficulty in separating fact from hype in discussions about lithium technologies, and even more difficulty in finding out how best, and from whom, to source the batteries for the least cost without buying junk.

I've considered other options, from lead-acid, NiMH, Nickel Cadmium, etc. - and all are expensive if purchased new. So although lithium technology is expensive, any discussion of cost vs. weight vs. energy storage capacity has to take into account that, unless you stumble across a free or very cheap source, the battery pack is going to be the largest single expense in an electric drive system for a bigg-ish delta trike. Even if motors are purchased new, controllors likewise, the battery is going to be the big expense, according to all the research I've done so far."

More>>

Human Powered Transportation Projects

New in the Atomic Zombie builders gallery

"Sociable dual velo project. Kyoto Trike rear was modified to fit into a double wide Stormy Weather shell. The Quad is just a fun thing to build in two weeks. One seat has been removed so the drive train can be seen. I have since changed to Sturmey 8 speed internal hubs as a mid drive to reduce my chain handling issues.This version of the Kyoto should fit into the Stormy shell we are building. You can see both the shell and the sociable at the Toronto bike show in March."

"Seat cover idea made from an old work coat." Pictures submitted by HPTA.

Build a velomobile

Four wheels – The Quadcycle

A quadcycle or “quad” is a four wheeled bike with two front steering wheels and one or more rear drive wheels. The obvious advantage of such a vehicle is stability, since it has four points on the road at all times. My initial idea was to start with a quadcycle like our StreetFighter and just bring up the seat height and overall track width a little more for visibility and stability. I had a lot of fun carving up the corners in the StreetFighter, and knew that it to be a very robust and stable vehicle for just about any kind of riding and terrain. 

But, after giving more consideration of the goals for this project, it became apparent that there would be no real advantage to having two wheels at the front and a quad configuration would make using an electric assist hub motor impossible. So, the quadcycle idea was abandoned in favor of a trike, which now left only two choices: delta or tadpole configuration.

Two wheels in front – The Tadpole Trike

A tadpole style trike places the two steering wheels in front beside the pilot and places the single drive wheel at the rear behind the pilot. This type of trike offers great handling and allows for the use of mostly standard bicycle components in the rear end and transmission system. As for aerodynamics, a tadpole trike is better than a delta trike because a teardrop body shape can be used, which places the tapered end at the rear of the vehicle for optimal travel through the air.

Another nice thing about the tadpole trike configuration is that a full fairing looks nice as it wraps around the pilot, leaving the large end in the front with plenty of room to install a full view windshield. Most of these advantages are more aligned to a vehicle designed for looks and speed, and not so much to a practical velomobile designed for everyday use and cargo carrying. A teardrop shape leaves almost no room in the rear for a cargo area, and although rear hub motors area available, they are less common and more expensive. This leaves only one other configuration to examine, the delta trike.

Two wheels in the rear – The Delta Trike

 

A DeltaWolf trike velo is the best design for cargo carrying.

A delta style trike placed one or more drive wheels behind the pilot and has a single front steering wheel ahead of the pilot. This type of trike offers stable handling using standard bicycle components in the steering system and a great deal of cargo carrying ability. Having the wider end placed at the rear of the vehicle means that a delta configuration is less aerodynamic than a tadpole configuration, but this is hardly noticeable at the typical riding speeds that will be seen in city traffic. For a racing vehicle designed for optimal speed, this teardrop shape is the ultimate design factor, but for a utility vehicle, it will be of little concern.

The load bearing wheels and drive system at the rear where the pilot sits are a great advantage of the delta configuration because it will offer the most traction and braking possible as well as keeping the load centered between two wheels. Since there is nothing except for the single front wheel and pilot’s feet at the front of the vehicle, the body shape can taper towards the front and keep the total volume much lower than that of a quadcycle configuration.

A delta trike is also the most robust of the three possible configurations because it uses standard bicycle components in the steering system with axles and industrial grade bearings in the rear. Having a standard set of bicycle forks in the front means that a commonly available electric hub motor kit can be easily installed to offer an electric assist drive.

So, it became obvious that a delta trike would offer the best base vehicle to use for a practical velomobile with load carrying capacity and an electric assist dive. Making the final decision on the base vehicle meant that I could now come up with my wish list of other features I wanted to have in my practical velomobile, which would include rear suspension, dual disc brakes, a suspended cargo bay, over-seat steering, long range electric drive, a trailer hitch, a head light, turn signals, rear view mirrors, and of course a full body with easy access when getting in or out. All of these features would be easy to integrate into a delta trike design.

Since winter has now set in around here and I normally work outdoors, I plan to build myself a velomobile in what would be considered reverse order – making the body first and then building the base trike to fit into the body. Typically, I’d build a body over a trike, but since I have to work indoors for the next six months and I already have a trike to use as a reference (my Aurora Delta Trike), I feel confident that this order of operations will turn out fine. The Aurora trike already has most of the features I want such as rear suspension and dual disc brakes. I only need to decide on a seat height and track width to use in the final design.

For my practical velomobile, I want a slightly higher seat height (similar to a car) for optimal visibility in traffic as well as a slightly wider track width for cornering stability and increased cargo capacity. Other than those changes, the Aurora trike is a good fit with its rear suspension, a recumbent seating position, and a robust transmission system.

I’m able to remove the rear suspension spring and simply prop up the rear of the trike to the height I want, so now I have a base vehicle that can be used to take measurements and work out the size and shape of the body. Using a few photos taken from the side, I can make several mock-ups in Photoshop to help me decide on a general shape of the body.

With a base vehicle to take measurements from and a clear set of design goals, I can concentrate on the side profile of the body, which will involve some practical thinking as well as artistic abilities. The final design will become a combination of both aesthetics and ergonomics, allowing the rider to get in and out of the vehicle easily, while maintaining a sleek modern look with pleasing curves and proportions.

Some of the other factors that will influence the final design will be the type and strength of the materials used, plus costs and complexity.

Once I decide on a final body shape, it will then be a matter of choosing the best possible materials to build a lightweight and robust body for my practical velomobile.

For the next installment of this build blog, I’ll have a decision on a final body shape as well as the materials that will be used to create it.  This project also needs an official name, but we intend to let our community choose one in the near future, so please visit our forum and offer your moniker for our practical velomobile project.

Build a velomobile

Every time I find myself standing at the gas pump, holding down the lever while the dollars spin past, I tell myself that there must be a better way. Let’s face it, the cost of using a gas guzzler adds up to a lot more than just a dent in your wallet each time you fill ’er up, although the pain you feel at the pump is certainly instant. How about all of the effects to the environment?

Using a gas powered vehicle to pick something up from the store a few blocks away is certainly convenient, especially on a cold day when you can just press a button on your car remote starter and let the interior heat up for you. But, with millions of people doing this, what is the net cost on the environment? Call me paranoid, but with the crazy worldwide weather we have been experiencing in recent years, I think the answer is obvious. From this point forward, I will use the word “car” to refer to all gas guzzling ground transportation vehicles.

Environmental issues aside, there are many good personal reasons to be leaving the gas guzzler parked more often. My health has been impacted by the convenience of the car since the first day I passed my road test. How did I get around in the days before becoming enslaved to my car? Well, besides begging for an occasional ride, I got around on foot or by bike! 

I remember how simple things were back then. My main concerns were usually how long it would take to get from point A to B and making sure that my tires had air. I had no expensive repairs, no insurance costs, no parking problems, and didn’t have to work overtime just to pay for fuel. Ironically, I had more free time even though it took a lot longer by bike because I didn’t have to schedule in time for exercise because it came with the lifestyle! That extra body weight was a direct result of using a car, too. Sure, the car helps me get around in a hurry, but I end up either wasting more time and money to sweat over a treadmill or consulting with a doctor on how to fix my health.

Seems as though in our later years we have things backwards, don’t you think? “DING!”Oh, hold on a minute, the truck is filled now. I have to go give the attendant another $70 bucks!

I’ve decided to get a grip on my shrinking wallet and ever expanding waistline, and find a practical way to leave the car at home as much as possible. Now, the key word here is “practical”. Living in the a rural area of Northern Ontario means that I will always need a reliable car or truck to move large cargo and to travel large distances to the city in the winter, but since there are some local stores within riding distance a bike could certainly be used for many journeys.

For those who live in the city, a practical human powered vehicle with some cargo capacity could also be used for many local trips, such as grocery runs or social calls. For me, practical also means affordable and robust, which almost always translates to home built, which to us DIY types is great news. Of course, there are commercially available human powered vehicles “velomobiles” for those who can afford them, but since they tend to be as costly as a decent used car, they are out of reach for most.
 

All of these velomobiles pictured above are obvious works of art, but there is no way I would ever part with ten grand for something that I could build myself. Obviously, there will be tradeoffs between cost and aesthetics, but there is no reason why a very practical and sturdy velomobile could not be built using readily available parts by anyone with a few basic tools and a lot of motivation. 

In fact, I have seen some home built velos that are streamlined works of art, but often the cost of materials used and the skill set needed are beyond most of use weekend garage hackers, and the end product is more like a hotrod than a bike you would want to take out in traffic or ride around in the rain.

My goal is to build a body using basic materials that is both aesthetically pleasing yet at the same time tough enough to live in the real world. Living in the real world means taking Mother Nature’s wrath of rain, sleet, hail, wind, and constant bombardment of UV radiation. Living in the real world means surviving the odd ding, dent, or scratch from crowded urban environments, being able to bounce over a curb and take the abuse of a poorly maintained road without shaking to pieces. Living in the real world also means living in the urban jungle, so the vehicle will need to be visible in traffic and include the usual safety gear such as rear view mirrors, brake lights, head lights, turn signals and a horn. Living in the real world means offering the pilot some shelter from the elements without requiring any acrobatic maneuvers to climb in and out of the vehicle. And of course, living in the real world means that the vehicle must include some practical cargo carrying capacity for such things as groceries, a battery pack, and personal items.

So with all of these goals in mind, the first choice becomes - delta, tadpole or quad?

The type of base vehicle will determine the overall shape of the body as well as its load carrying capabilities, handling characteristics and aerodynamic advantages.  Choosing one of the three configurations was actually quite a chore as they all offered advantages and disadvantages when it came to costs, aesthetics, practicality, and ease of building. In the end, I decided that a delta trike would be the most practical base vehicle, but I will discuss all three possibilities, as well as their strengths and weaknesses.

More tomorrow

Bike builders news November 12

  

In this issue:

 Feature article by RadicalBrad of AtomicZombie.com:
Building a Velomobile - Part 1

Do you want to save money and leave the gas guzzler at home more often or for good? Do you want to learn how to build an eco efficient transportation alternative? Atomic Zombie will show you how!

This issue features our newest project, an electric assist velo for a delta trike similar to the Aurora Delta Trike. The build blog will include videos later this month. The velo build will be a regular feature in our newsletter and blogs. The brainstorming sessions have begun. Read all about it in this week's issue.

***

Hub flanges and axle adapters for your bike projects
Bike builders community chat
Bike builders gallery - new additions: recumbents, trikes, choppers, tall bikes, kids' bikes, cargo bikes & more 

This and archived newsletters are here.

***

Thanks for your feedback, and keep those suggestions coming.

  See you in the Builders Forum.

Show us your workshop!

Take a look at one bike builder's workshop. "My son Jesse's black and yellow powder coated 20'' bike frame, orange buckets, work bench, air compressor, Clarke 110 wire feed welder."

 

Share pictures of your workshop in the AZ builders gallery. More >>

 

 

Hurricane Sandy "Frankenstorm" bearing down on Eastern U.S.

Eastern U.S. braces for Hurricane Sandy

Red Cross officials urge Canadians to prepare for coming storm

"The mayor of New York City ordered the mandatory evacuation of hundreds of thousands of residents as Hurricane Sandy roars towards the east coast of the U.S. and parts of Canada, bringing punishing winds, heavy rainfall and storm surges. At a press conference Sunday, Michael Bloomberg said some 375,000 people in a number of coastal areas including Coney Island, lower Manhattan and parts of the borough of Queens would need to leave their homes. He said those affected would have to stay with family and friends outside of the evacuation area or at one of the 72 shelters the city has set up.

Forecasters said that because of giant waves and high tides made worse by a full moon, the metropolitan area of about 20 million people, could get hit with a 3.4-meter wall of water."

More >>


A shout out to our Atomic Zombie family - stock up, stay safe and stay in touch.

Bike builders news October 26

In this issue:

 Feature article by RadicalBrad of AtomicZombie.com:

New Tutorial:  Using a chain link tool to modify chain length

Table of Contents

Introduction

Opening the chain

Joining the chain

Opening on a bike

Around the derailleur

Stiff link problem

Stiff link repair 

Optimal chain length

  

Hub flanges and axle adapters for your bike projects

Bike builders community chat

Bike builders gallery - new additions:

recumbents, trikes, choppers, tall bikes, kids' bikes, cargo bikes & more

This and archived newsletters are here.

Evolution of the StreetFox Tadpole Trike

From the Builders Gallery:  "This started out as a StreetFox. Every time I rode her I went home and started modifying. Here's where it is today."

Another great handmade tadpole trike built from our own AtomicZombie do-it-yourself plan!

The StreetFox Recumbent Trike is a fast and comfortable version of the classic "tadpole" style trike (two wheels in the front), which includes rear suspension, three wheel braking, and 26 inch rear wheel for optimal gear range. The StreetFox looks and handles as good as any commercially produced trike, and can be completely made using commonly available and inexpensive bicycle components and some square tubing. Not one single machined part is needed. The StreetFox has an adjustable bottom bracket so it can fit riders of most heights, from 5 feet to well over 6 feet tall. Due to the rugged construction and use of sturdy 14 mm axle, 48 spoke front wheels, the StreetFox can easily accommodate riders over 250 pounds.

Because this project only requires a basic welder, an angle grinder and a hand drill, the StreetFox can be built by anyone with the desire to put a little effort into this rewarding hobby. Because of the simple mono tube main frame, the StreetFox is highly customizable, allowing the builder to alter the plan to suit his or her own needs, or simply to try new ideas. 

The most complex part of the trike is obviously the steering, but the StreetFox uses commonly available and "bullet proof" BMX wheels and hubs, so you don't need to source hard-to-find, expensive front wheel parts. All three wheels have standard bicycle brakes and cables as well, so you can find most of your parts by salvaging old bicycles or at most bicycle stores.

Every step of the build is detailed in high resolution photos, with clear instructions on how to calculate critical angles and lengths based on the parts you have on hand. The final product is a very sleek looking tadpole style trike that looks professionally built and rides like a dream. Enjoying the scenery on a comfortable recumbent trike is like sitting in your favorite chair, but you can always put your ankle to the pedals and get the wind in your hair because the StreetFox is as fast as it is comfortable.

Take a look at our Builder's Gallery to see other StreetFox examples, including many creative modifications to the plan. Our international builders community ranges from students to retired engineers, but they all have one thing in common - the desire to build their own stuff!

All of Atomic Zombie Extreme Machines plans are downloadable PDF format. Multiple plan discounts, free tutorials, videos, gallery, newsletters, blog and more.

Bike building addicts

When you start building bikes, it becomes an addiction. Most builders can't seem to just build only one project. We bike freaks love to build stuff.

This is the case of member "cjjunkie" who has a real passion for making bikes and trikes of all sizes. Here are some of his handmade rides and some happy riders who are all smiles about their rides:

Captain America tall bike - I now fly a flag off the back on a 10 foot mast.

Hammerhead trike - Built for a local girl with Cerebral Palsy who couldn't ride a normal bike.

 Birthday trike - The best presents are handmade.

 Bikefest ride - One of the Owosso, MI, Bikefest rides.

Cinco de Mayo - From the Saginaw, MI, Cinco de Mayo parade.

Cool bus - The youngest gets picked up every day from school on this (picture is about 3 years old). It's painted black and yellow now.

Great stuff and thanks for sharing. We hope that your creativity will inspire others to take up this rewarding hobby.

You can upload pictures of your own bike pictures to the Atomic Zombie builders gallery - free! Check out all of the great bikes, trikes, recumbents, choppers, motorized bikes, kids' bikes, tall bikes and fun rides. See you there.

Cardboard bicycle can change the world, says Israeli inventor

A bicycle made of cardboard? I thought it was a spoof story at first, but after doing some research, I've discovered that it just may be possible.

It's an interesting concept, but no mention how much wear and tear this type of bicycle can take, or how it will hold up under severe weather. It's an interesting concept, though. Kudos to the inventor. We need more out-of-the-box thinkers in the world to create green transportation possibilities.

Read more>>

Bike builders news October 15

In this issue:

Wheel building and truing tutorial

Hub flanges and axle adapters for your bike projects

Bike builders community chat

Bike builders gallery - new additions:

recumbents, trikes, choppers, tall bikes, kids' bikes, cargo bikes & more

This and archived newsletters are here.

Bicycle wheel building and truing tutorial

3 Cross Wheel Lacing

This wheel lacing tutorial will show you how to take apart a 36 spoke 3-cross wheel and then put it back together again. Never built your own bicycle wheels? No problem. Thanks to AtomicZombie's latest tutorial, you will learn how to spoke and true your own bicycle wheels affordably. No experience is necessary.

Our wheel building tutorial has high quality pictures and 17 videos detailing the process step-by-step. You asked for this tutorial and AtomicZombie delivers! 

Table of Contents:

•     Identifying Parts
•     Removing The Spokes
•     The First 9 Spokes
•     The Key Spoke Location
•     The Crossing Spokes
•     The Other Side
•     Other Crossing Spokes
•     Truing The Wheel
•     Final Wheel Truing

Here's an excerpt of our tutorial:

"This tutorial will show you how to remove all of the spokes in a wheel and then reinstall them in the common 3-cross lacing pattern. This tutorial will also demonstrate some of the techniques used to true the wheel after it has been put back together. To follow along, you will need a wheel of any diameter with 36 spokes and a sharp flat head screwdriver. 

The 3-cross lacing pattern is the most commonly used wheel lacing pattern, and it will yield a strong wheel that will work well on both a 2 wheel cycle as well as a trike or quadcycle. Building a wheel from scratch is not a difficult job; it just requires some careful counting and patience. Your first try may take several hours, but once you memorize the lacing pattern, you will be able to build up your own wheels in less than an hour from start to finish. Learning to lace your own wheels is both cost effective and fun, so grab a wheel, lean back, and enjoy this tutorial." More >>

Freewheel axle adapters are in stock

Freewheel axle adapters

Shipments went out on October 4 to anyone who had back ordered the adapters. If your order contained freewheel adapters and other parts, your order was also shipped on October 4.

You will receive an email from Purolator (Canada Post for domestic orders) with tracking information within 48 hours. Thanks for your patience.

The freewheel axle adapters fit any Shimano style thread-on freewheel and a standard 6 bolt bicycle disc brake rotor. Drilled for a 3/4 inch axle and includes a 1/4 inch mounting bolt. Disc brake mounting holes are tapped for standard M5 bolts.  

To add a transmission to your trike or quadcycle, you will need to install a freewheel onto one of the rear axles. A freewheel is a single speed or multi-speed sprocket that can ratchet in reverse so that drive power is only applied to the axle when it turns in the clockwise rotation. A standard Shimano type freewheel is installed by threading it on in the clockwise rotation. A more detailed description of a Shimano thread-on freewheel can be seen on our DIY tutorials page.

The freewheel axle adapter is used for these projects: StreetFighter Racing Quad, Kyoto Cruiser Tandem Trike, LodeRunner Cargo Bike, LodeRunner Tandem Cargo Bike and Aurora Delta Racing Trike.

The axle adapter can fit with these projects with some modifications: TimberWolf Suspension Trike, DeltaWolf Racing Trike, DeltaRunner Delta Trike and Gladiator Chopper Trike. More >>

Disc brake adapters

Our Delta Trike Axle Disc brake Adapter fits onto any 3/4 inch axle and allows for the installation of a standard ISO standard 6 bolt bicycle disc brake rotor. With this part, you can add reliable disc brake stopping power to any trike or quadcycle using only standard bicycle components. The included locking bolt secures the part to the axle and allows for easy removal at a later time. The 6 disc rotor mounting holes are also tapped so you can mount your bicycle disc brake rotor using the standard M5 bolts that are supplied with it. The DBAX34 Delta Trike Disc Brake Adapter is a high quality machined part made of aluminum and anodized black. 

Bicycle disc brakes are widely used and fairly inexpensive, so they are the perfect option for adding brakes to a delta trike or any other DIY project that has more than one wheel in the back. Bicycle disc brakes are also highly effective on even the largest cargo trike, and will offer superior breaking power for many years without needing any adjustment. Our Trike Axle Disc Brake Adapter will fit any diameter disc brake rotor that uses the ISO standard 6 bolt mounting pattern. More >>

Bike builders news for October 1

In this issue:

NEW DIY plan - Short and tall unicycle

Hub flanges and axle adapters for your bike projects

Bike builders community chat

Bike builders gallery - new additions

AtomicZombie family mourns

The Deacons of Deadwoods Chopper - Houston's Chopper Shop

This and archived newsletters are here.

A long bike in AFrica

Hi Kathy (and Brad),

I've attached some pictures and a pdf file that shows some of the things that I've ended up doing here involving bikes. Here's some more info, feel free to edit and use.



Myself and my wife and 2 kids (with a third due this fall) live and work as volunteers in a village of about 7000 in The Gambia. We work with a Christian organization called Youth with a Mission (see www.ywam.org). My main work is with erosion control and tree planting which are very interconnected and a key issue in this part of the world. I work with villagers to tackle the erosion and we plant trees together. I also try my hand at some farming and gardening, testing out new ideas to see how they work in this degraded soil and hot temperatures. Since 2010, I have also been involved in training some guys in making compressed stabilized earth blocks and have had my hand in building 4 houses out of these blocks.



I have always loved bikes and grew up (in Minnesota) riding and fixing them, but it wasn't until coming to Africa that I really got into them learning the intricacies of repair such as wheel lacing (thanks sheldonbrown.com) and derailleur adjustment, etc. The next logical step was modifying and building them! I learned to weld out of necessity in 2010 (in order to finish up the trusses and ceiling structure of our house) and soon after started being called on to repair or modify bikes in the village.

Bikes here are pretty pricey for African standards and the good ones come used from the US and other western countries. They end their life here and don't die fast as folks continue to fix them until way beyond repair. A common repair is cutting out an old, stripped bottom bracket and welding in a new Chinese one that you can buy for a couple of bucks. Another one is converting a former mountain bike into a single speed which can involve welding rear dropouts on it in order to adjust chain tension. Read more>>

Hub flanges for your bike project

Our laser cut Hub Flange Discs will make it easier for you to build your own delta trike wheels and save you time on your project. This Hub Flange Disc is made with 24 spoke holes so that you can build wheels directly onto any 3/4" axle using rims with 48 spokes.

The Hub Flange Discs are made of steel and are approximately 1/8 inch thick as required by the plans. Spoke holes are 7/64" in diameter so that standard bicycles spokes can be used.

Our Hub Flange Discs come in several varieties with various spoke hole counts and axle hole diameters. Each of our DIY plans offer a recommended axle size and spoke count, but you can certainly change this to suit your design needs or parts availability. For instance, the Aurora Trike can be built using rims with 36 spokes rather than 48 spokes, or the DeltaWolf can be made using a 3/4 inch axle rather than a 5/8 inch axle. Please make sure that you order the correct Hub Flange Disc size for your project.

To keep costs to a minimum, our Hub Flange Discs are laser cut from flat sheet metal. Each disc will have a small imperfection on the outer edge and inner edge where the laser started cutting out the disc. There is also a mill scale on the surface of the metal that will need to be removed using sandpaper or a sanding disc. Neither of these imperfections will compromise the strength of the disc, and once they are built onto your hubs and painted, the imperfections will be unnoticeable.

The surfaces of the Hub Flange Discs are coated with a mill scale at the factory to help protect the metal from oxidation. This coating easily be removed using a sanding disc to prepare the part for painting. The laser cut edges are also somewhat sharp, so they need to be smoothed off using the sanding disc by running it lightly around the edge once.

Once the mill scale has been removed from the Hub Flange Discs, the spoke holes will need to be beveled slightly to remove the sharp edges around the holes. This is done so that the spoke exiting the flange is not cut by the sharp edges of the hole. To bevel the spoke holes, use a 3/16 inch drill bit and push lightly into the hole until a small bevel is made.

The beveled spoke holes are shown here after running pressing lightly with the 3/16 inch drill bit to remove the sharp edges. The Hub Flange Disc is now ready to be welded to your delta trike axle.

Remember, our Hub Flange Discs are sold as a set of four matching discs, and there are several versions available, so please choose the correct number of spoke holes and axle diameter for your project. These discs are manufactured to keep costs to a minimum, so you will need to bevel the spoke holes and prep the surface for painting, an operation that will only take a few minutes per disc.

All of our DIY Delta Trike Plans make use of these Hub Flange Discs, which allow you to lace a rim directly to the rear axle. By integrating the flanges directly onto the axles, you’ll save some money instead of needing to have complex and expensive machined hub parts made. Our trike plans also include instructions on how to make these parts from scratch, as well as a drawing that can be sent to a machine shop in case you want to make your own hub flanges.

Our goal is to offer parts that save you both time and money when building your own DIY bike or trike project. For more details and to order, visit the AtomicZombie store.

Bike builders newsletter September 17

 

In this issue:

NEW DIY bike plan - Aurora Delta Racing Trike

Hub flange discs now for sale

 Bike builders chat

Bike builders gallery: recumbents, choppers, quads, trikes, motorized, tall bikes, trailers, cargo bikes and more

Atomic Zombie manufactured parts for your bike projects

This and other newsletters are here.

NEW DIY Plan - The Aurora Delta Racing Trike

Typically, high performance trikes have been of the tadpole type (two wheels in the front), but the Aurora shatters this stereotype with its ultra low seating position and amazing corning abilities. With our easy-to-follow DIY delta trike plans, you can build your own racing delta trike using typical bicycle components and steel tubing, and you can do so at a fraction of the cost of an equivalent factory produced trike.

Under seat steering offers complete control over the handling at any speed and places your arms in a comfortable and relaxed position. For rugged terrain, the Aurora is equipped with rear suspension and a low climbing gear range that will smooth out the ride and allow you to climb hills with ease. All of the steering parts used on our DIY racing trike are standard bicycle components.

 

The Aurora Racing Delta Trike is a low and laid back recumbent trike will perform equally well on both the road and the trail. The low center of gravity allows the Aurora to race into corners at full speed, hugging the road like a performance race car while you keep on pedaling. You can also cheat the wind thanks to the aerodynamic recumbent seating position.

More >>

Bike builders newsletter Sept. 4

In this issue:

Featured article: "New AZ Parts & Plans"

Freewheel and disc brake adapters for your bike projects for sale.

More parts coming in September.

Aurora Delta Trike - new AtomicZombie bike project

The Giraffe and Shorty - new Atomic Zombie bike projects

Builders Gallery bicycles around the world

Builders community chat

AtomicZombie Facebook group

 

Summer special: 6 plans for only $36!

This and other AZ newsletters are here.

Build a Kids' Electric Trike - Part 3

This image shows the drive motor and all three wheels installed on the basic trike frame. If I hold up the drive wheel and drop the motor wires across the battery, the drive wheel hums along, and seems to power the trike with a reasonable amount of force when it is on the ground.

Take note of which way the wheel turns according to wire polarity, so you don’t end up with a backwards moving vehicle after finalizing the wiring. Yes, the scooter wheel must turn in the opposite direction of the trikes rear wheel, or counterclockwise to move forward. If you have a large double pole, double throw switch, then you could even add a reverse function to the trike.

Trike seating

A very simple foot rest can be made with a piece of bent tubing, or a pair of conduit elbows welded together as shown here. Again, I try to use up whatever bits of scrap tubing are laying around the garage, so feel free to experiment with whatever foot rest designs you think will work.

The seat will be placed over the battery, helping protect the wiring, and to keep meddling hands out of the electrical bits. Using some ¾ tubing, or whatever scraps you have in the junk pile, make a basic seat frame like the one shown here that can be welded to the frame, allowing the seat to cover the battery, yet also allow the removal of the battery. An old kitchen chair with metal legs is a good source of metal for the seat frame as well as the seat cushion.

There is nothing critical about the seat frame other than allowing a comfortable sitting position and easy removal of the battery for charging or swapping. The simple seat frame shown in this photo allows the battery to drop into the battery box from the front of the trike once the seat cover has been removed.

The completed trike

Once you finish all of the welds and paint your trike, the young pilot will be able to hit the trails on a long running environmentally friendly vehicle. Of course, you have to do a bit of electrical wiring first in order to transfer electrical power from the battery to the motor, but since it is a simple matter of adding a switch in series between the two, there is no need for a circuit diagram. Just run one wire from the battery to the motor and then one from the other battery terminal to you switch, and then from your switch to the other wire on the motor.

If your scooter came with a throttle switch like mine did, then simply install the electrical system exactly the way it was on the scooter. If you have no throttle switch, then find a contact switch that can handle your motor’s power (5-10 amps typically), and you are ready to roll. I also added a front pull brake to the completed trike shown here although it was probably not really necessary due to the limited top speed and the fact that it stops moving within a few feet once the throttle is off.

The completed kid’s electric trike runs for many fun hours on a single battery charge. Top speed is limited to a “kid safe” level due to the lower voltage, and even if the trike stalls, the motor will not burn out because there is a limited amount of slip in the friction drive. This trike is so well behaved that it could be used indoors, and if you install white rubber tires, there will be no track marks on hardwood or linoleum floors. Oh, and yes, the trike can also move a fully grown kid around, as I have found out! Be safe and have fun.

Build a Kids' Electric Trike - Part 2

The basic triangular frame needs three tubes to hold it together, one at the rear to join the two rear forks, and two more tubes at the front to form a triangle between the fork crown area and the head tube. Shown in this photo is the tube that will join together the two rear forks, creating the frame to whatever width you like. A fishmouth cut is ground out at the ends that mate with the round fork tubing. The tube should be placed about half an inch from the end of the fork leg tube so there is room to make a weld.

With the parts sitting on a flat surface, tack weld the rear frame tube to the two rear forks as shown here so that the fork legs are at 90 degrees to the rear frame tube. Because both forks are sitting on the same flat surface, vertical wheel alignment will be almost perfect, and as long as you get both forks running parallel, horizontal wheel alignment will also be perfect. If the two rear wheels are badly out of alignment, there will be scrubbing on the road, which will decrease battery run time, so try to get the wheels running as true as possible.

Once you have completely welded the rear frame tube, join the two rear forks together so that you can continue the frame layout, adding the two front frame tubes that will form the triangle as shown here. The two front frame tubes will determine the wheelbase (length) of your trike, which should be fairly close to the original bicycle wheelbase so that your pilot can reach the handlebars comfortably. Also shown in this photo is the front head tube which should be set at 90 degrees to the frame tubing, which will result in a final angle of about 65 degrees once all three wheels are installed. The joint between the head tube and the two front frame tubes needs to be ground out (fish-mouthed) to conform to the head tube so that you can make a decent weld along the joint.

Once the head tube has been welded to the frame, insert the forks and three wheels to check your rolling frame. The head tube angle is now close to that of a standard bicycle (between 65 and 68 degrees), so your trike will handle just like a regular bicycle. Now you can finish all the frame welding to secure the main frame triangle to the head tube and rear forks.

Motor and battery

The biggest complaint when it comes to kids and their electric vehicles is how quickly the battery goes dead. On the original stand up scooter, you could barely go around the block once before the battery started to give it up. By using a much larger battery and half the voltage, the new trike will run almost all day on a single charge, and allow the vehicle to get up hills that would normally exceed the smaller battery packs immediate discharge capacity.

Sure, the large battery is quite heavy, but that simply adds stability to the trike, so it won’t tip over as three kids try to stand on it as they roll over the curb. Another very important thing to note when choosing a battery is to ensure you use Gel cell, or non-spillable battery, which is a must for a kid’s vehicle. Unlike a typical lead acid battery, this battery will not leak any dangerous chemicals, even if turned upside down, so don’t use any other type of battery.

The battery will live between the two rear forks as shown here, supported by a few bits of flat bar which have been welded to a battery support base made of angle iron. The battery box base should place the battery at least 4 inches from the ground, so it doesn’t bang on small objects which may roll under the trike as your kids drive it through hostile territory.

The drive motor can practically anywhere on the trike, on any one of the three wheels, but it stays neatly out of sight when positioned under one of the rear forks as shown in this photo. Use whatever means necessary to place the scooter’s drive wheel up against the trike’s wheel so that there is a decent amount of friction between the two wheels.

Inflate the tire to the proper pressure before you do this, and try to keep both the drive wheel and trike wheel inline, so that sideways friction is avoided. There should be enough friction between the two wheels that it takes a bit of force to make them slip, but not so much that they are difficult to turn by hand. The little scooter motor is not very powerful, so a little slipping off the start is better than so much friction that the motor overheats and burns out. A nice smooth tire or at least minimal tread at the point of contact is also a good thing.

Part 3 in tomorrow's blog

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