UpDown 2

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Joined
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The idea seemed like a good one, wont know how good until we try it out.
Here are two rough sketches of the concept.
Truth be told, the sketching out of ideas to possibly try is the most fun for me.
updown re 1.JPG
updown re2.JPG
 
Might end up being a real beast. Too heavy and long. Only one way to find out. Just Do It.
The main tubes will be leftovers from a "motoshade" , and bent with a Harbor Freight bender.
The front rider,(stoker) will have independent peddling , and be geared to a slower cadence
than the rear,(captian), as per my wife's preference,
I have used the post steering on the "Frakentrike", and it works. Both bars will be connected
to the forks.
I would gladly use a dual-drive hub, but not so easy to find for cheap.
An option is using a 3-speed hub intermediate, as sketched in.
Planning on 20" wheels.
One disk brake on the drive axle.
 
Hi SwissGuy. How just completely great to be sitting here and also visiting with Berlin.

One step at a time.
Chose a front wheel and fork, the headtube came with the fork, just a random 26"
big box MTB frame.
Ft wheel is 20", 48 spokes, 9/16 axle.
First tube is bent. pic shows test fitting and birds mouth.

The tubing is from a tossed motoshade frame, about 1 3/4 " but metric.
Very thin metal, ( light) will need some kind of sleeve or butting.
first t 1 re.JPG
first t 2 re.JPG
first fit 3 re.JPG
first t 2 re.JPG
 
Took some time to work on UpDown today.
Now that the first tube is resting in place, it's time to fit it.
Then the birds mouth.
So, a good way to start the day off is with a cup of coffee, and a homemade wholegrain muffin.
Yum,Yum.
Does the birds mouth fit ? Well close enough.
first tube 1 re.JPG
first tube2 re.JPG
first tube 3 re.JPG
first tube4 re.JPG
 
Next prepared a sleeve out of the same tubing with about 3/8 inch sliced out of it so
it will slide into the tube.
Left short tabs on the head tube for strength and as a welding backer.
Drilled a couple of holes through the outer tube to "plug weld" as well as edge weld.
Welded.
My welds are not the pretty Tig welds, but strong.
Using an old miller 200 Mig, turned down.
Hey, this thin stuff is not easy for me, do it anyway.
I learned on real metal, 1/4' to 1/2" thick or more. Truck parts, dump truck bodies, flat beds,
90,000 lb rated Pup trailer hitches and such.
Anyway, once the tube is welded, time for clean up.
Use angle grinder, flap sander, and in places a light touch with a cut off wheel.

Now the tube is attached. How will it look in the sunshine?
first tube 6 re.JPG
first tube 7 re.JPG
first tube8 re.JPG
first tube 9 re.JPG
first tube 9 re.JPG
first tube 10 re.JPG
 
Yea !
Now that the first tube is on, and on the fork, they can be clamped to the 'rollie table" I use
for a building jig.
Here are a couple of shots bending the top tube.
Yea again. Both tubes welded, cleaned up, back on the forks, back on the table, and start
of picking out parts.
Rear frame for a trike, needs work, a 3-speed hub, a rear hub with a gear bolted on to drive
the axle, and a crank arm from a "AutoBike" that has a free wheel on it to allow for
independent pedaling up front.

Time to mow more lawn and pull weeds. Yuck.first tube11 re.JPG
first tube11 re.JPG
first tube 14 re.JPG
first tube 15 re.JPG
first tube16 re.JPG
 
Yea again,
Today started out slow, and no thought of working on"updown"
Then UPS came by with a few new parts from Utah Trikes.

The new axle , two freewheel adapters for 15 mm axles, and two tandem length brake cables.

At this rate, i might be finished by September.
new axle 2 re.JPG
new axle re.JPG
 
This looks like a pretty interesting challenge. I am thinking that the Stoker needs to be able to hang off the seat to the inside while cornering, or this thing will tend to flip over.

I built a motorcycle so low once that you really couldn’t ride it around corners because it wouldn’t lay over very far without scraping. So in order to turn I would just hang my whole body off the seat and burn the rear tire a little bit.
 
Yep! That would be a low motor.
And there will be room for the stoker to lean.
I plan to make the seat/backrest and will make it firm, but smooth enough to slide/lean
when the trike twitches in a pothole or corners.
This will not be a fast ride.
Just like the "RedGoose", plan on about .02 to 9.9 Mph when peddling.

The seat on the bent trike "Viking" in "some new builds" is what I mean, and is my work.
Built from scrap plywood, some foam, and new naga cover.

I am concerned about stability. I won't know about this one till we ride it.
If too dangerous, i will cut it up and reuse the parts.
Done that before. Willing to try it out.
 
Also, the stoker will have handlebars that are "connected" to the front wheel and
the rear set.

On to todays work.
Not much done.
The next few days will be filled up with other stuff.

I did extend my "rollie" table / building jig for the longer wheelbase.
When I made the first plan, the wheelbase was going to be 76".
When I set the parts up on blocks, that was just too long.
settled on 72", a solid 6'. Need to find a way to make that work, even if the
rear seat is behind the rear axle.
Do not expect wheelies will be a problem with this.
friday1 re.JPG
friday 2 re.JPG
friday 3 re.JPG
 
Some of the saved up parts are laid out.
Front crank, rear steer stick from the cut up Bike E, rear cranks, 3-speed hub, and cassette
hub with extra cog bolted on to drive the rear axle.

Bought the Bike E just for the dual drive hub, now installed on the "Frakentrike"

This crankarm was a nice find.
Came from an "AutoBike" that had counterweights to shift 6-speed.
Has a threaded on freewheel . This will allow for independent peddling up front.
friday4 re.JPG
 
We were headed to OSU for grad day, about 150 miles one way.
Might as well stop by and make one visit while heading home.
So, asked Ted, "have any spare bike parts to help the up-down build"?
Here is the result. I will find a few parts here to help the build along.

Plus, I brought back the tandem tagalong, (too shaky for the kids) and the chopper.
The chopper never got finished before we moved. The Coles were keeping , (and riding) it
until I could move it.
celest grad.jpg
the pile re.JPG
 
Thanks Kevin,
The "vision" is the easy part. Turning that into a ride able bike sometimes sucks rotten eggs.
Add using used, discarded, or free parts, and things can get complicated.
But that's the way i have chosen to work. Time is my investment.
Sometimes I pay the price, extra trouble.
like today. Took 4 tries to "assemble" one wheel because the spokes were too long for
the combination of hub, rim, and cross. Too long for 3 cross, and too short for 4 cross.
But the rim, hub and spokes were free. Or close to it.
I will need to buy one hub. Also needed a new axle. And freewheel adapters.
So, that's not much. there is bound to be some cost.
I try to keep it as low as I can.

From my point of view, that is part of the challenge.
 
Yes, Tim the tool man.
I read a story saying he was like that in real life also.
Installed a souped up small block chevy in his kitbuilt airplane,
When he tried to take off the first time, there was so much power
the pilot seat ripped loose.
Not hurt too bad, he rebuilt the plane.
 

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