Tracer trike Conversion from fixed to 6 gear.

[stearman65]

Four points for you to consider:
1) The sideways travel of the derailleur cage is limited so in its 'relaxed' (ie no tension in gear cable) state it must be close to being directly under the closest sprocket.
2) Chainline - limits to angle for safe changing and avoiding chain drop (off chainwheel).
3) Bar in way (not in your drawing).
4) I said earlier (it would be good project practice to) determine what spread of gear ratios you want (rather than just getting what the 14-28 block gives you.. There are other blocks besides the ubiquitous 14-28 (which I have for normal road cycling with a 54-40 chainwheels). With a 20t on the front and a 26t at present on the back, I don't think you'll use anything lower than an 18t, so effectively only 3 of the 6 sprockets (and all three of those with poor/poorest chainline). If you replace the 20t chainwheel with a 30t, that will bring more into play.

Think actually the hanger needs to be in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the block of sprocket / driven wheel axle, rather than in relation to the bar onto which it's mounted.

Just back into this after watching a hospital programme where a cyclist fell of his bike onto a cattle grid & sustained what looked like severe facial injuries. After 24 hours they repaired his jaw, torn carotid artery, bypassed the blood supply from his heart to his brain, & finally took 50% of his skull off to stop his brain swelling, which was killing him with a massive stroke. 3 months later, his skull is still off & he's trying to regain the use of the L/H side of his body, but alive. I'm not saying a helmet might have alleviated the damage, but one wonders.
Back to the trike. My mechanic is not going to be available for a couple of weeks, so I won't be making much progress. First priority is to sort the tires which I suspect may have two duff tubes.
Your points 1. What I assumed I might do is to position the derailleur in its mid travel under the sprocket with the nearest number of teeth to the original sprocket? I haven't mentioned this to my man, so it's just a theory. that way I could have two lower gears & three higher?
2. As above try to align the middle gear with the chain wheel.?
3. Until I start fitting hardware, I can't be sure. It may look worse in the pictures than it actually is?
4. I think my suggestion in 1 would take care of that?
Thanks again for your interest.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Well glad I missed that programme. Straight and steady across any cattle grid.
The chainline is fairly fixed by your chainwheel which is aligned with your current sprocket. Your largest sprocket will be outboard of that, taking into account the ground down adapted hub, so already 5mm off line. Sprocket spacing is 5.5mm.
The distance from the outside of the hanger to the centre line of the smallest sprocket is ~13mm so your mount will have to 'reach out' towards the axle (where the big nut is now).

 

[stearman65]

Well glad I missed that programme. Straight and steady across any cattle grid.
The chainline is fairly fixed by your chainwheel which is aligned with your current sprocket. Your largest sprocket will be outboard of that, taking into account the ground down adapted hub, so already 5mm off line. Sprocket spacing is 5.5mm.
The distance from the outside of the hanger to the centre line of the smallest sprocket is ~13mm so your mount will have to 'reach out' towards the axle (where the big nut is now).

I'll have to think that one over, seeing my mech' Thursday 8am to sort my tires out, may have another photo session more drawings, but he won't have sorted the gear hardware for another week due to hol'..
Regards S

 

[stearman65]

I managed to get my mechanic round yesterday & he replaced the innertubes.
So after a long chat with the better half & my mechanic, I came to the reluctant decision to abandon the conversion of my trike. The possible costs & lack of facilities to do the work were escalating. I would still like to find a folding recumbent in my price range but will probably settle for a conventional folding trike. To finish off this thread, while searching the internet I came across what looks like a trike fitted with a Sturmey Archer gear set up. It looked quite expensive to accomplish, picture attached.
I have also attached a picture of a trike on my short list, my spec being, must fit in my Citroen Picasso C3 folded & leave room for at least 3 passengers, under £400, at least 6 gears, if new, supplier must be in the disability vat refund scheme.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/331858970401?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[stearman65]

Hi My intention is to collect my trike direct from Jorvik's showroom in York & pay for it on collection. So the damage question wouldn't apply. Did your friend keep the trike, if so how was it, you can't expect it to come up to British standards, especially at the price they sell them for. The trike I have currently I believe is another from a Chinese manufacturer & the quality is not bad, in my opinion, but I haven't had a push bike for almost 60 years . Thanks for the reply.

 

[raleighnut]

[QUOTE 4410001, member: 45"]Seriously, the bikes are very very poor. The cheapest components, incredibly heavy. Jorvik pretend that they're hand built in York. They're not. As a result of contact from this forum they removed some of the lies from their website.

Obviously it's your choice at the end of the day, but I would never recommend them to anyone. The company appears to be a couple who know nothing about bikes. Had ours not been damaged it would still not have functioned properly. Ineffective brakes and gears that could not be set up properly.

Another member recommends a different trike on that thread I linked to. I'd suggest you read the thread before you decide.[/QUOTE]
That'd be me with my Kentex, unfortunately not a folder although I believe they make one.
As for an update, it is still running fine, nothing has broken or worn out in the 2yrs I've had it now and it has been in daily use. I bought mine unassembled and built it up myself and had no issues with any components being damaged or not fit for purpose although the 'band' brake on the rear axle is a bit agricultural it does function adequately (it can squeal a bit too when it gets wet)

 

[stearman65]

I did a search for Kentex & despite the non Asian name, they are Chinese. A further search came up with a UK seller but not of the folding model so I've emailed them to see if they can supply, & are in the disability vat refund scheme. Incidentally the trikes on their site are delivered ready assembled.
http://www.kentex.com.tw/index.php/products/ktt-206-f-detail

 

[Ajax Bay]

Taiwan

 

[raleighnut]

Taiwan

Yep, definitely Taiwan and not China, please also note they make a whole range of dedicated utility pedal powered vehicles as well.

 

[stearman65]

Yep, definitely Taiwan and not China, please also note they make a whole range of dedicated utility pedal powered vehicles as well.

If you use the link you can see all their range, & yes it is Taiwan???

 

[midlife]

I thought the OP had given up completely because of impending knee surgery?

However, impending knee surgery with a possible 12 month rest period means the trike is for sale.

Shaun

 

[stearman65]

I thought the OP had given up completely because of impending knee surgery?

However, impending knee surgery with a possible 12 month rest period means the trike is for sale.

Shaun

It could be 18 weeks before the NHS calls me in, in the mean time a trike with gears would suffice. I have looked at mission trikes, none of theirs is within my spec.

 

[stearman65]

Looking at a Pashley Picador as a possible today, found a good pic of how they fit the Sturmey Archer gears.

 

[TheDoctor]

That's a shame, the Mission trikes are quite good. We've got one, but it's not a folder. The Viking folding trike on eBay at the moment could be worth a look?
I sympathise with the transport problems of a trike. I can advise against trying to ride an unfamiliar trike home from Peterborough. It didn't go well.

 

[stearman65]

That's a shame, the Mission trikes are quite good. We've got one, but it's not a folder. The Viking folding trike on eBay at the moment could be worth a look?
I sympathise with the transport problems of a trike. I can advise against trying to ride an unfamiliar trike home from Peterborough. It didn't go well.

They do actually, see http://www.missioncycles.co.uk/space-genie-folding-trike-inch-wheel-p-65.html but it's £555 inc vat. They also do the disability vat free scheme.