Building a couple of 20" wheel tadpole e-trike from scratch

[voyager]

we used quando mtb disc hubs (cheap Halfords bikes ) hubs these accept a BMX 14mm axle using smaller balls . If you join Atomic Zombie forum there are several good threads on conversions etc . Some of the Shimano hubs can also be used with an anticrush tube installed.

regards Emma

 

[AndyBa]

Thanks for your prompt reply. I'll take a look at those for replacing my mag wheels on my Tornado. But will probably stick with Hope ones for my x class.

Andy

 

[voyager]

The start of the long ( for us as we took Friday as well ) weekend started off well a 35 mile trike ride with a picnic lunch at the wide water , followed by a short while listening to a busker in Shoreham before returning home via an italian ice cream parlour for a nice icecream tub .
Saturday was equally good with a trip up the local flying field with a RC model aircraft and a couple of fights before bringing it back home in one piece , using the trailer and trike we can reduce the distance by using the farm tracks from 18 mile round trip to just 3 miles .

All in all a good start to the weekend .

Its nice when 2 or more hobbies can co-exist in a long weekend ,

 

[voyager]

The first week of September we went down the new forest for a triking holiday and to spend a few hours on the roads.
This plan appeared to be unfavourable to the man upstairs who decided to make the weather unpleasant for us . Not to be out done we managed a few miles on the forest roads despite being water blasted by the front wheels and rain down the neck .some of the brighter points were ,
brie , bacon and cranberry toasties at red shoot , bolderswood , and the Canadian memorial while we stayed at Ocknell campsite , more photos to follow. Charging the e-trikes on solar and a small generator was not the easiest things to do but it did keep the batteries up for the week away.

 

[voyager]

Another few photos from the camera, including one of my favourite spots janesmoor pond , only a couple of miles from the campsite, a small pond with a couple of trees and always a few ponies around.The last two at putticks bridge at the bottom of rhinefield drive . All within triking distance of the campsite.

Next project is changing all the halogen bulbs for led lamps if we intend going to non electric sites.

regards Emma

 

[voyager]

Hi folks
Another long weekend break at Selsey , with 40 miles more under our wheels and several inches of rain , mostly at night . We met up with John the velo for a cup of tea and had hoped to see the Searchers, sadly they cancelled due to ill health.
Otherwise a good weekend with a couple of good rides and good food.

 

[voyager]

Yesterdays morning ride to Brighton

proved interesting as the new Volks railway station/ visitors centre was open , and a 1907 train was just loading it's passengers for it's short ride to the carpark at the other end of madeira drive. Then back to the cafe at ovingdean for a well earned cup of tea before riding home for dinner.

regards Emma

 

[voyager]

With temperatures just over 0'c and after repairing Ken's ageing Volvo's rear exhaust mount we decided to get an hour or so out on the trikes with an eight mile round trip to the cafe on the under cliff way , The sun was forcing itself through the rather overcast clouds to try and show us it had not forgotten it's purpose in providing light and some warmth . Sitting low in the sky it was still a little murky as we set off about two pm , we still had almost a couple of hours daylight left . It was ******* cold through out the ride but the warm tea helped us get back before it got dark ,
The trikes were covered in a chalky and salty mixture of dust and after a wash down were put away. Probably one of the last rides of the year unless we can get out for our Xmas day Santa run before dinner. The trikes proved to be a conversation piece with some of the walkers and bikers also out enjoying the last of the cold but sunny afternoon.

 

[Andrew1971]

Hi Emma
Now let's see if you can resist the temptation to build any more next year. and enjoy the one's you have hmmm
Andrew

 

[voyager]

I have 2 ideas running around in my mind , a 20/18f (2018) e-assist tadpole (smaller) and l still have the single seater quad velo to finish. But then plans can change.

 

[voyager]

Hi Folks

Another Saturday afternoon ride out to Ovingdean cafe in less than favourable weather just to make my annual mileage up ,
( Air temps of 3 - 4 degrees, a south westerly wind and a suggestion of possible rain later in the day ) Long Joans were the preferred clothing added before we left , I hate the cold ( my ageing body complains bitterly about it )
Thankfully the cafe was open and the hot mug of tea was used first to warm my hands before the liquid helped to warm my body .

Another 8 miles at an average of 10+ mph despite the combined climbs of 1800ft to get back into Peacehaven . On the way back (yes ) it rained and we stopped to put on our weather gear . The first 4 miles to the cafe was into wind and for 2 miles along the sea front path the swirling sand caught up by the wind sand blasted our faces , and stung our eyes . Still we still returned with a grin on our faces and came home to a real log fire to warm ourselves with . before starting Dinner . We are thinking about some of the "yellow sun glasses" to help with both the poor visabilty and the sand problem .

The next modification to my trike is the twin rear lamp and reflector bracket to fit to the rear of the seat , I have purchase some of these very bright alloy bodied lamps with 2032 batteries they are small but very bright and work well , especially the fact they do not get broken as the body is a 2 part machined alloy unit that attaches vertically to my new bracket . Last week we fitted 2 of these lamps to the rear of Ken's trike and they perform well and are not expensive from China ( £6 for 4 )

Hopefully in the new year we will service both trikes for the 2018 season . And clean up some of the rust patches that have been caused by the sand and salty air of the coastal cycle paths .

Later's Emma

 

[voyager]

With outside temperatures rangeing between cold and even colder we limited ourselves to some diy inside the house but the sound of neglected trikes from the garage become unbearable so we spent an hour or so fitting twin rear lamps to both trikes .
The trike storage stand helps reduce space and makes it easier to work on , being on casters

now to get a couple of new batteries for the other lamp . Still have some cleaning and respraying of the black parts once the air temperature rises a little

regards emma

 

[voyager]

Close up of the integrated rear lamp and reflector bracket .
It bolts to the rear of the seat post , sitting nicely between the hamster bags
These little lamps are quite bright and frugal on batteries.
Bought 4 front and 4 rear mini led lamps with batteries , under a tenner delivered from China. Result! ( 5 week lead time )

Later's Emma

 

[voyager]

Hi Folks

With January's weather ranging from cold and wet to very cold , wet and windy , todays slightly warmer but windy was a good day to get a couple of hours trike ride in , It was cold and hard into the SSW wind into Brighton but just plain sailing along the Undercliff way on our way home , stopped at Ovingdean Cafe for a chat with a couple of pair of tandem riders ( on foot today ) before returning home for Lunch .
One of the Li-on batteries ( a 36v 9ah bottle ) seems to be getting tired ( its almost 4 years old and was causing Ken a little grief before it sorted itself out ) This battery will need to be investigated before we start our new season of triking (proper ) Apart from that it was an intersting couple of hours

regards emma

 

[voyager]

BTW currently down to ONLY 4 e-trikes and NOT planning to build any more ( yet )

regards emma