DIY low cost " Locust" tadpole trike

[voyager]

Hi Folks
It's Tuesday afternoon and surprise surprise its raining again It started wet and the sun did try and show its face for an hour or so but then the rain started again
Still between the rain I managed to get almost a couple of hours working on the trike , armed with a cup of tea I refitted the painted handlebars , brakes and gear levers and cabled everything up and adjusted the gears and just as the raindrops were starting to get me I managed a quick ride around the block .

Here are the unpainted photographs taken at the end of today session .

Now it needs a few more smiles and lots of miles before its strip and paint time .

regards emma

 

[cyberknight]

Sweet .

 

[Deleted member 26715]

This is so inspiring me to try to build a trike this year, do you have plans or build by eye due to your vast experience?

 

[voyager]

Hi Phaeton

There are many plans available either at the atomic zombie website or by a google search there are a couple out there on free download . (n55 is a bolt together alli trike ) and there is the thunderbolt

The locust - low cost - is an own design chopped from a MTB frame and using a standard DF front down tube in reverse the caster angle is built into the main boom and the camber cut in the cross boom ..
The transportable is loosely based on a warrior/streetfox hybrid with 20" wheels all round
Steel frame is 40mm square with 1.5mm walls and easy to weld with a mig .
You are welcome to ask questions or PM me

regards emma

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Thanks Emma, I have my track car to get back together but once that's done I'll be looking for parts, I did come across http://www.ihpva.org/Projects/PracticalInnovations/index.html in my search.

Alan...

 

[voyager]

Hi Folks

I built and painted the head lamp and mudguard mounts today and I need to cut ,modify and spray a pair of shopper mudguards to fit ,
The mudguard mounts will fit on the brake arms and the top od the head tubes but the headlamp mounts will bolt on under the front wheel tabs

Photos will follow when its daylight..

Roll on the warmer weather and I can spray it as it has had enough miles under its wheels.

regards emma

 

[voyager]

Hi Folks

Between interruptions ( like the vinyl cutter and the Ice cream trike ) I have forced myself to take a photo of the mudguard and headlamp mounts,
The mudguard mounts will attach to the calliper brakes and the top of the head tubes . The headlamp brackets will mount on the wheel spindles and put the lamps just over a foot of the ground - ideal for seeing the bumps ahead even the ends of the short pieces of handlebar tube are plastic plugged for both safety and looks .


imagur

It took longer to spray them then it did to build them .

regards emma

 

[Drago]

Fantastic. I'm good with the spanners, but about as good at welding as the Concordias captain was at navigating.

 

[voyager]

Hi Folks

With the great improvement in the weather ( has spring arrived ) I have managed to strip down the trike to prepare it for spraying , The main frame has gone red with the 6 other parts going matt black ( 2 front wheel mounts , front pedal boom , track rod , chain guide and rear triangle ) once the parts have hardened ( early next week ) I will reassemble the trike and fit the decals ready for the "photo shoot "

I managed to keep the garage at 20 degrees C whilst I sprayed it and for a couple of hours after to start the hardening process , I warmed the paint before I used it to help the paint dry.

regards emma

 

[Saluki]

Wow, that's really coming along. I wouldn't know where to start building a trike, let alone welding.
You have a real talent there.

 

[voyager]

Hi Folks
The decals were applied last Friday to allow the adhesive to reach maximum strength before the frame is handled . It has 3 pairs of decals the Locust on the cross boom and the handbuilt and the AZ logo at the rear .
The frame had 3 coats of Primer and 5 of red followed by 2 coats of lacquer.
The matt black pieces did not need so much paint to achieve a finish ( matt )
By Monday I hope the parts will be hard enough to reassemble.

Assuming the weather is reasonably good to me as I will need to reassemble it outside I can have it done in a few hours .

The nice thing about owning your own Vinyl cutter means its easier to get exactly what you want !
and when you want it .
The hardest part is watching paint dry ...

regards emma

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Looking pretty spiffing there Emma, one of these is on my to-do list this year, so please expect plenty of questions later in the year

 

[voyager]

No problem Phaeton -

Start looking for a scrap suspension MTB and a couple of 14mm wheeled BMX bikes now as it will save time later .

I am hoping the weather will be warmer tomorrow as it was only 6 deg C today .

Regards emma

 

[voyager]

Hi Folks

After a cold and wet start to the morning I reassembled the trike as the sun came out for a couple of hours
Then I took it around the block to check the gears and brakes and to check the camera was working .
Here are the first few photos of the photo shoot

All ends pluged , and with crimped on nipples on all 5 cables its ready to GO

regards emma

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Brilliant so jealous