I'm still waiting to see either trike with rider !
... coming along a road near to me ... 
recumbent trike build
- Thread starter stuee147
- Start date
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... coming along a road near to me ...
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stuee147
Senior Member
- Location
- north ayrshire
oh yea the trailer i have all the parts and metal iv just not got round to putting it all together every time i go to do it i get a new idea for the trike and end up playing with that lol. but i must get round to doing the trailer if i do it right i could paint it at the same time as the trike, now theres a plan
I'm still waiting to see either trike with rider !
we will have to sort a time out im getting fitter slowly so a bit more confident on going for a ride im averaging 7.4mph on my short rides now (between 2 and 5 mile rides) i was only averaging around 4 mph before. iv been doing the biggest hills i have near me to which i always used to struggle on a upright bike but now im not worried about balance at slow speeds up hill it feels a lot easier.
im planing on trying a longer run soon of around 10 to 15 miles once or twice a week, if i can do that then i will be looking for some ride/meets
stuee
fixedfixer
Veteran
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stuee147
Senior Member
- Location
- north ayrshire
iv seen that video before somewhere i would make one of them but i think its a little under powered the back wheel didn't go bang lol
fixedfixer
Veteran
To be honest I'd have been more impressed if he'd done that under pedal power alone....
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stuee147
Senior Member
- Location
- north ayrshire
that would have been impressive lol i can get a little spin on the back wheel on wet grass and in lowest gear ill have to practice a bit more i think 
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stuee147
Senior Member
- Location
- north ayrshire
well here is the latest update for MK2 iv not got much done lately due to ill health and bad weather, iv still not got to paint yet but im getting there.
iv just finished fitting the first stage of the electrical system, under the seat iv fitted a small 6 volt 4ah motorcycle battery. that is wired to a key switch mounted on the side of the seat box so no little scroots can turn my lights on and run the battery down, it then runs to a fuse box also under the seat, then mounted on the side of the seat box near the key switch is 2 toggle switches one is simple on/off for the front and rear lights, the other switch is on/off/on and is wired via flasher units to 2 indicators on the rear of the trike
yes i have indicators and thats not all i also have a brake light that wired via a micro switch on the brake cable the lights i have used are 6 volt motorcycle lights so nice and bright and iv worked it out roughly i should get about 20hrs of continues use of all the lights on one charge oh and iv fitted a usb socket as well so i can charge my phone lol.
but then there is phase 2 of the electrics. i have a dynamo that will charge the battery or at the flick of a switch the dynamo will run all the lights. but thats not all i also have a 3000mah lithium battery that will be a back up and also it has a solar panel to keep it topped up and will also keep the main battery topped up. so when iv done phase 2 i shouldn't have to worry about batteries anymore.
the other thing iv been doing is i had to order some new guide rollers for the chain as the ones i had (for MTBs) were to soft and wore away and split so iv upgraded and i found some nylon ones that are for 200cc gokarts and motorbikes so far they are working well the only issue i have is you can feel the links of the chain going over them its not bad but i would imagine it would get a bit annoying on a long ride i did also get some rubber guides again for motorcycles but i found the rubber to soft and i the chain was cutting into the rubber the up side was they were silent as the chain went over them so im now using one on the return side of the chain and im useing the hard nylon ones for the drive side.
there is one issue that has come up every now and then the free wheel on the rear wheel is not free !! sometimes if i pedal backwards the chain wont run round the wheel and the bottom of the chain pulls tight and more worrying is a couple of times now when iv been going at a good speed on the flats or down hill the free wheel locks up and the pedals try to turn to match the speed of the rear wheel unfortunately my legs dont work that quick and it feels like the rear wheel locks up for a second and then a big clunk and it starts working again. iv not got a clue what it might be im guessing the bearings may have gone in the free wheel but im not sure so any advice will be welcome should i just swap the free wheel for a new one or is there a way to fix it ?
and if i change it for a new one will i need a new gear leaver (the one i have is indexing 7speed ) ?
ill try and get some pics and get them up soon
stuee
iv just finished fitting the first stage of the electrical system, under the seat iv fitted a small 6 volt 4ah motorcycle battery. that is wired to a key switch mounted on the side of the seat box so no little scroots can turn my lights on and run the battery down, it then runs to a fuse box also under the seat, then mounted on the side of the seat box near the key switch is 2 toggle switches one is simple on/off for the front and rear lights, the other switch is on/off/on and is wired via flasher units to 2 indicators on the rear of the trike
yes i have indicators and thats not all i also have a brake light that wired via a micro switch on the brake cable the lights i have used are 6 volt motorcycle lights so nice and bright and iv worked it out roughly i should get about 20hrs of continues use of all the lights on one charge oh and iv fitted a usb socket as well so i can charge my phone lol. but then there is phase 2 of the electrics. i have a dynamo that will charge the battery or at the flick of a switch the dynamo will run all the lights. but thats not all i also have a 3000mah lithium battery that will be a back up and also it has a solar panel to keep it topped up and will also keep the main battery topped up. so when iv done phase 2 i shouldn't have to worry about batteries anymore.
the other thing iv been doing is i had to order some new guide rollers for the chain as the ones i had (for MTBs) were to soft and wore away and split so iv upgraded and i found some nylon ones that are for 200cc gokarts and motorbikes so far they are working well the only issue i have is you can feel the links of the chain going over them its not bad but i would imagine it would get a bit annoying on a long ride i did also get some rubber guides again for motorcycles but i found the rubber to soft and i the chain was cutting into the rubber the up side was they were silent as the chain went over them so im now using one on the return side of the chain and im useing the hard nylon ones for the drive side.
there is one issue that has come up every now and then the free wheel on the rear wheel is not free !! sometimes if i pedal backwards the chain wont run round the wheel and the bottom of the chain pulls tight and more worrying is a couple of times now when iv been going at a good speed on the flats or down hill the free wheel locks up and the pedals try to turn to match the speed of the rear wheel unfortunately my legs dont work that quick and it feels like the rear wheel locks up for a second and then a big clunk and it starts working again. iv not got a clue what it might be im guessing the bearings may have gone in the free wheel but im not sure so any advice will be welcome should i just swap the free wheel for a new one or is there a way to fix it ?
and if i change it for a new one will i need a new gear leaver (the one i have is indexing 7speed ) ?
ill try and get some pics and get them up soon
stuee
young Ed
Veteran
sounds like fun in the electrical department HEHE :tumbsup:
oh and i wouldn't worry about the noise of the chain over the rollers being a pain on longer rides as it will never have any longer rides, you will forever be fettling!
i assume the air con fan and radio and aux mp3 socket are all in the post then? did it pass the MOT and have you got the registration plate sorted?! HAHA
on a more serious note though, all sounds pretty cool and the most technically advanced bike i have heard on yet. surprised you haven't invented the 'stuee electronic shifting system'
as for your free wheel, i assume you know the difference between free wheel and free hub? and as you said free wheel i assume that is what you have as they are not to be mistaken. if it is free wheel then just get special tool for your free wheel and unscrew and purchase and fit a new 7 speed free wheel, that way you get to keep the derrailer, cabling and shifter, this is assuming you are happy with 7 speed and don't want to change?
Cheers Ed
oh and i wouldn't worry about the noise of the chain over the rollers being a pain on longer rides as it will never have any longer rides, you will forever be fettling!
i assume the air con fan and radio and aux mp3 socket are all in the post then? did it pass the MOT and have you got the registration plate sorted?! HAHA
on a more serious note though, all sounds pretty cool and the most technically advanced bike i have heard on yet. surprised you haven't invented the 'stuee electronic shifting system'
as for your free wheel, i assume you know the difference between free wheel and free hub? and as you said free wheel i assume that is what you have as they are not to be mistaken. if it is free wheel then just get special tool for your free wheel and unscrew and purchase and fit a new 7 speed free wheel, that way you get to keep the derrailer, cabling and shifter, this is assuming you are happy with 7 speed and don't want to change?
Cheers Ed
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stuee147
Senior Member
- Location
- north ayrshire
sounds like fun in the electrical department HEHE :tumbsup:
oh and i wouldn't worry about the noise of the chain over the rollers being a pain on longer rides as it will never have any longer rides, you will forever be fettling!
i assume the air con fan and radio and aux mp3 socket are all in the post then? did it pass the MOT and have you got the registration plate sorted?! HAHA
on a more serious note though, all sounds pretty cool and the most technically advanced bike i have heard on yet. surprised you haven't invented the 'stuee electronic shifting system'
as for your free wheel, i assume you know the difference between free wheel and free hub? and as you said free wheel i assume that is what you have as they are not to be mistaken. if it is free wheel then just get special tool for your free wheel and unscrew and purchase and fit a new 7 speed free wheel, that way you get to keep the derrailer, cabling and shifter, this is assuming you are happy with 7 speed and don't want to change?
Cheers Ed
iv got a dvd player with touch screen to fit next lol
and iv no idea what a free hub is compared to a free wheel ?
the link you gave shows what i have infact it looks like the same one
i am happy with the 7 speed but i have a feeling (iv not looked yet) i dont have a 7 speed one i know i have a 9 speed one and i think a 6 but im not sure if iv got another 7 and to be honest it seems silly buying one when i have 3 or 4 good ones laying in my shed but would i need to change the rear derailleur to ???
the idea for the electrics was that i hate when out on a ride you run out of battery in your lights, so i decided a bigger battery was needed with a way to charge on the go hence the dynamo to charge the battery, but then iv always been planing MK2 as more of a tourer so i might be in one place for a day or 2 so the solar cell works great for both when im riding and when iv stopped, also the lithium battery can keep my mobile charged and i can run some 6v led lights so when camping (or for running repairs at night) i have some nice bright lights. i have been toying with the idea of fitting an mp3 player under the seat but i have music on my phone so there is no point lol.
the indicators i thought were a good idea as i have the panniers on the back it could make it hard for anyone behind me to tell which way i want to go and especially seeing as i cant signal with my left arm anyway, i thought the easiest and safest way was to fit indicators and they do look quite good lol i really need to get a horn now i want a musical one like the dukes of hazard lol
- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
For the avoidance of doubt, the late, great Sheldon Brown gives a good explanation of the differences between freewheel & freehub: HERE
Looking back over the photos of the build it seems likely that it is a freewheel but the info in the link should confirm it. Most of them come apart so it may well be fixable but it's time consuming so most people just replace as they aren't expensive. As a quick fix you could try dribbling some oil into it to see if that helps.
The 9 speed you mention will probably be a cassette, so not compatible, as although 9 speed freewheels do exist they are pretty rare.
Looking back over the photos of the build it seems likely that it is a freewheel but the info in the link should confirm it. Most of them come apart so it may well be fixable but it's time consuming so most people just replace as they aren't expensive. As a quick fix you could try dribbling some oil into it to see if that helps.
The 9 speed you mention will probably be a cassette, so not compatible, as although 9 speed freewheels do exist they are pretty rare.
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stuee147
Senior Member
- Location
- north ayrshire
thanks @Rickshaw Phil good link i now know the difference between free hubs and free wheels as a kid in the 70s and 80s i used to strip bikes and rebuild them all the time but over the last 20 or so years the most iv done is the odd puncture and seat adjustment so i didnt know anything about the free hubs or cassettes i just assumed it was different names for the same thing. i should of guessed things would of changed in the last 20 years lol
i can confirm i have a free wheel so today im going to get out there and see if i can find a spare in the shed. and you never know i might even get some paint done today but dont hold your breath lol
here is a couple of pics from yesterday
rear light cluster
switch and key placement on the side of the seat box
inside the seat box electrics one side then tools the other (the tools are just thrown in at the min as im still doing bits and bobs lol)
the new guide rollers the white nylon one is for the drive side of the chain and the black rubber one is for the slack side of the chain iv also made a spacer out of an old plastic chopping board
and on the top of the rack i now have fitted my old hydration pack so i now have 3 ltrs of drink while im out riding
as a kid in the 70s and 80s i used to strip bikes and rebuild them all the time but over the last 20 or so years the most iv done is the odd puncture and seat adjustment so i didnt know anything about the free hubs or cassettes i just assumed it was different names for the same thing. i should of guessed things would of changed in the last 20 years lol i can confirm i have a free wheel
so today im going to get out there and see if i can find a spare in the shed. and you never know i might even get some paint done today but dont hold your breath lol here is a couple of pics from yesterday
rear light cluster
switch and key placement on the side of the seat box
inside the seat box electrics one side then tools the other (the tools are just thrown in at the min as im still doing bits and bobs lol)
the new guide rollers the white nylon one is for the drive side of the chain and the black rubber one is for the slack side of the chain iv also made a spacer out of an old plastic chopping board
and on the top of the rack i now have fitted my old hydration pack so i now have 3 ltrs of drink while im out riding
fixedfixer
Veteran
Impressive additions. I did wonder why the thread had gone quiet but now I Know what you've been up to. As ever good work. Looking forward to next photo's.
OP
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stuee147
Senior Member
- Location
- north ayrshire
well i went out side this morning and i found one 9 speed free wheel(or could be hub not wheel i didnt look TBH) one 5 speed free wheel and two 6 speed free wheels all on wheels but none with disk brakes so i had a look and remembered as a kid removing the free wheels using large nuts with the corners slightly flattened to key in to the freewheel and i thought about it but then decided it was way to hot to be fetteling about making tools to do a job so a quick phone call to the local bike shop and a short bus trip and hey presto the free wheels are removed and a new one fitted all for a couple of quid and a lot less hassle, so another short bus ride home (i love having a bus pass lol) and the rear wheel was fitted and the chain running freely, next step was to change the gear leaver i did ask at the shop but they didnt have any right hand friction leavers, so i decided to use one of the 6 speed grip shift leavers, infact it was the one for the free wheel that i was now using. so on it went and the gears seemed to set themselves up it was the quickest and definitely the easiest indexing gears iv ever done and as you will know by now i dont have a very good history with indexing gears there to high tech for me bit of wet string with a twig tied to one end is more my thing lol. andy way went out for a test run and its all working great gears change and with no jumping or binding of the chain.
the only thing i will say is i miss the old gearing, i knew what gear to use for what hill but now its all different. i found with the old 7 speed free wheel if i stayed in top gear and put the front triple on the middle gear it was great for slight hills around me and it was also a good gear for a gentle ride on the flat doing about 8 to 10 MPH but now i find its way to hard for even the slightest hill the top gear on the free wheel just isnt as high as the old one. but im sure ill get used to it either that or ill buy a new one lol.
apart from that iv not done much today just been for a short ride and enjoyed the sun lol i looked on my ride with gps profile (iv only been using it with MK2 ) and i was surprised to see iv done 22 rides so far with a distance of 37 miles iv climbed 2,311 ft im surprised at how much iv done seeing as most of my rides are under 2 miles it soon mounts up so now im heading for 50 miles and i want to try and get it done before the end of the month so as long as i do 1 mile a day i should make it
the only thing i will say is i miss the old gearing, i knew what gear to use for what hill but now its all different. i found with the old 7 speed free wheel if i stayed in top gear and put the front triple on the middle gear it was great for slight hills around me and it was also a good gear for a gentle ride on the flat doing about 8 to 10 MPH but now i find its way to hard for even the slightest hill the top gear on the free wheel just isnt as high as the old one. but im sure ill get used to it either that or ill buy a new one lol.
apart from that iv not done much today just been for a short ride and enjoyed the sun lol i looked on my ride with gps profile (iv only been using it with MK2 ) and i was surprised to see iv done 22 rides so far with a distance of 37 miles iv climbed 2,311 ft im surprised at how much iv done seeing as most of my rides are under 2 miles it soon mounts up so now im heading for 50 miles and i want to try and get it done before the end of the month so as long as i do 1 mile a day i should make it
fixedfixer
Veteran
I remember as a kid removing all the cogs and spacers off a freewheel and then reassembling them on another working freewheel. Maybe have a go taking your old 7 speed cogs and moving them onto one of your other working ones that you have in the shed.
