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

[voyager]

Hi folks,
Sunday afternoon and it has now gone dark here ,The morning started with a winter sun cutting it's path through the dark morning. The alarm did go off at 7:58 but it was quickly turned off as we did not feel human enough to rise , a morning cup of tea in bed at 8:45 did get a response of **********. **** . Even a cooked breakfast did not fuel any enthusiasm within me so we started late .
The enthusiasm arrived finally about eleven o'clock after a second mug of tea and a handful of my daily medicinal tablets.
Despite the sun it was not the warmest of winter days and after the blood sports of a passing JW we got a lot more done on both trikes .
By the end of the day both my front brakes were reassembled and cables fitted and seat fitted . Camera won't give me my photos so next job is to forcibly remove them. Grrrrrh !
regards Emma

 

[voyager]

Having submitted this poor old Windows phone to some verbal and physical abuse (go on report me to Microsoft ) or Rspcf , the phone reluctantly returned my photos so .
The photos so far.

Not in order I might add

Finally photo of the day illuminated by a worx led lamp to get the last few bolts ins before putting it away

I hope this thread is still a source of amusement to others .

One thing I have learned is NEVER START TO REFURB TWO TRIKES AT ONCE .

regards Emma with the help of Ken

 

[Nigelnightmare]

Looking good.
My "get up and go" hasn't just gone it's emigrated , without leaving a forwarding address.

 

[voyager]

With the milder weather deciding to move away without leaving a forwarding address . This morning we were waking up to a collection of white cars parked in the road.
It was ten by the time the cars had thawed leaving us plenty of time for a full English breakfast and two mugs of tea each .

Another dump run from the house clearing and locating some metal for the controller mount took up the whole morning leaving only a couple of hours mid afternoon to mount the controller , sort the bag supports and a few other fiddly things .

By five today it was too cold to work , a mug of tea each deemed necessary and dinner was also calling out to be made , l adjourned to dinner duties whilst Ken put the trikes away.

 

[voyager]

The controller has been mounted in a bag behind the seat , this providing protection from the environment and making a tidy installation.
The hamster bags have now been refitted and daylight is really necessary for the next photos , and safety checks before a test run .

The replacement chains ( ALL 6 ) can wait for a warmer day together with Kens replacement tyres

regards Emma and Ken

 

[404 Not Found Anywhere]

I may have missed it earlier in the thread, but what are the two bolted together struts in the pic above for?

 

[voyager]

The strut is on the chain side only and is used to stop the hamster bags being eaten by the chain , the redesign of the mounts needed an extension to make the bag hang better , this is not required on the left side as the battery holds the bag in position.
Ken did a little more to his trike today rerouting the tear brake cable run whilst l made dinner.

regards Emma


Hopefully tomorrow we will spend a few more hours on both trikes after another house clearance dump run .
Safety check and road test are next on my list

 

[voyager]

Hi Folks ,
Today despite the cold ( 2C here ) after a cooked breakfast and a couple of mugs of tea , we performed the safety check and the test ride of a couple of laps around the block on my trike just as the sun started to show its welcome face
The front brakes have been adjusted and balanced .
The brakes seem smooth and powerful ( first impressions ) and the new rear rotor locks up ( as usual ) under normal braking . A forgotten connector stopped the speedo working but that was easily plugged in once the hamster bag was removed and the roswheel bag opened to reveal the cables.
More miles are needed to bed in the pads and rotors .
Only the replacement chains are to be fitted once it gets a tad warmer.

Kens trike is progressing with some of the little but scabby bits getting a clean up and repaint.( we use primer and matt black rattle cans ) The little spray booth is earning it's keep.

Tea and a roll refreshed us at Lunchtime , quite a difference sitting in the Dining room beside the log burner at 22C

Ken has done a little more to his and is currently on its road test .

More will follow .
( Few photos added as the phone released them without a problem today )
Regards Ken and Emma

 

[voyager]

Hi Folks

With Darkness falling around us and temperatures down to 2C again , Ken just finished the day with a test ride and brake balance tests .

He agreed that the bigger discs had improved the braking and the new seat shape proved to be more comfortable on both trikes .

So at the end of the day , both the upgrades have proved successful.

The lack of warmth ( due to the winter weather ) even with the butane heater was a limiting factor in the upgrade.

The final stage will be the new chains and the replacement tyres on Kens trike .
Respraying of the crossboom with replacement decals can wait until the warmer temperature of spring.

 

[voyager]

Todays extended road test of 10 miles round trip was terminated early due to rain setting in at 3miles out ,This shortened the test run to 6 miles. At that point the ride suddenly turned into a who can get home before they are soaked panic ride back from the undercliff path.

On a good note both the trikes upgraded brakes are working well as they bed in and the new shape seats feel more comfortable .

They are ready for the next trip out.
regards Emma

 

[voyager]

Close up of one of the front brake conversions from 160mm to 203 mm and from a handed calliper to a standard caliper . This is part of the reason the upgrade took longer than initially thought.

regards Emma

 

[Nigelnightmare]

You're putting the rest of us to shame!...….


...….For gods sake don't stop, it's damned inspiring!

Having been ill since before Christmas with "old moania" (worse than pneumonia) I have not been able to get out on mine and reading of your exploits has kept me (mostly) sane.
Thank you.

 

[voyager]

@Nigelnightmare
Not to disappoint you , this week has been a mixed bag , snow ( white fluffy stuff that is cold and turns to mud flavour slush puppies ) , and running out of tablets ( didn't help ) more house clearance, this lead to the other two trikes coming home to mine. The first time project "X" ( the youngster ) has met the other 20/20's ( in 20 months) .

Today with temperatures about 4C and the big round warm thing burning it's way through the overcast sky we ventured out . Ken on his trike and l used project X , This has sat at mums for 6 months trapped in the dining room whilst the house was cleared around it.

Nice couple of hours out in the winter sun and a mug of tea on the return leg put 10miles of exercise into the legs and produced a few photos .

regards Emma

 

[voyager]

Another Day and another few miles on the trikes, l am trying to put a few miles on project X and Ken is still playing shake down rides with the 203 mm front brakes, being more powerful they need a little more critical adjustment to get them pulling straight.
Tea stop again on the way home

 

[voyager]

Valentines ride today.


With temperatures around 13C down here in Brighton and a big bright sun shining down on the world .

Valentines day as well made it a special day out

Yesterday we had already decided that a ride was on the list of "to do's" todays.

The house clearance completed earlier this week meant that we can have a few days to rest , recuperate , and enjoy retirement before we get too old .

With two teas and large slices of Cake at Ovingdean ( ouch £8 )

Anyway we put a few more miles on both trikes and on arriving home and found Ken's trike to have a puncture , a perfect opportunity to replace the front tyres before the start of the season .

Later's Emma