BO15 WAHA-SEDB-3 (TRIKE-TOR...2nd Place)

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Was looking up info on stems the other day, found this:https://road.cc/content/feature/231879-how-choose-right-stem-length
"
Stem length affects handling
Changing the stem length not only impacts your fit and comfort, it affects the handling dynamics of a road bike. A shorter stem will result in snappier steering, a longer stem will produce slower steering. Adjusting the stem length can be used to tailor the handling. That’s generally why cyclocross races use a shorter stem, and long distance road cyclists opt for a longer stem."

So, don't you need slower steering? Maybe keep what you have an construct a new steering wheel shaft and hook it up to existing fork like a rear steer tandem? Use a shorter arm on the steering wheel shaft?
 
^that is correct, with the wheel mounted on the steering axis, you essentially have a size 0 stem. The larger your wheel, the the greater the leverage. Maybe you need one of those tiny chain steering wheels seen on lowrider cars to slow it down
 
Or you could change the input ratio

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Spring dampers added. The turnbuckles allow for resistance tension adjustment. They help the wobble but I guess I see why you don’t see many front wheel tricycle bikes unless there is a lot of load up front to provide resistance.
The turning radius is restricted but the hood will also restrict turning. This sucker may be destined to run straight.
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If this build survives it will never be a long distance bike, maybe more of an oddity 3 wheel contraption. The challenge continues to be stimulating but initial positivity may be waining.
Imagine riding a swing bike with three wheels.
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horsefarmer said:
Was looking up info on stems the other day, found this:https://road.cc/content/feature/231879-how-choose-right-stem-length
"
Stem length affects handling
Changing the stem length not only impacts your fit and comfort, it affects the handling dynamics of a road bike. A shorter stem will result in snappier steering, a longer stem will produce slower steering. Adjusting the stem length can be used to tailor the handling. That’s generally why cyclocross races use a shorter stem, and long distance road cyclists opt for a longer stem."
Click to expand...

What did @OddJob say about learning new stuff in these Build-Off's? :D This sure is a cool lesson!
 
@MazdaFlyer I just found a blast from the (communist) past for your build!

Magdalena_Figur.jpg
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Magdalena Figur - first woman tractor driver in Poland. She also formed the First All-Women Tractor Driver Brigade. She worked as tractor driver for more than 40 years, and inspired a whole propaganda movement "Women on Tractors". And yes, on the 1st picture she is driving a John Deere in the village of Wilanów (now district Wilanów, a part of my Capital City of Warsaw).

Mlodziez.jpg

"Youth - Go fight for a happy, socialist polish countryside"
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Child's book from the 50's - "Hela (short for Helen) Will Be a Tractor Driver"
 
handyandy1100 said:
Maybe the weight of the hood will help settle things down? Would a wider axle help? Would it be be feasible to bend the axle to introduce some camber?

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Click to expand...
Thanks! Had a thought about grabbing a concrete block from backyard to do a ballast test. Axle is 24” at present, had thought about using 36”, that might work better but seemed out of scale with the hood and rest of bike. Would be pretty easy to change out for “Trial and Error”. Don’t really want to bend axle as that really complicates assembly. Steering knuckles on the way.
SpikeFC said:
What did @OddJob say about learning new stuff in these Build-Off's? :D This sure is a cool lesson!
Click to expand...
Yep! Learning experiences here for sure.


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^That's awesome, Spike!^
I ride a Worksman trike, two up front, and it is so stable I can ride it hands free. It is also super complicated under there. The steering is connected to the frame in some way, tilts the frame when you turn, so that you lean into a corner. Also works in reverse, riding hands free, you can steer the trike by shifting your weight on the saddle. What I'm getting at is that a lot of engineering went into the system for it to be rideable. I've been following a person in China who is designing an off road leaning cargo trike, I will find a link for you.
 
I think changing the steering ratio (input ratio as Captain Awesome said) is the way to make it steer/turn normally. The zero stem caused by the steering wheel makes it extremely sharp turning. In addition to that holding the steering wheel of a car gives you a lot of play, just imagine how much you turn it in order for the car to turn - in contrast how little movement is needed on a bike's bars for the bike to steer off the straight. In a way I would say now the steering wheel behaves like handlebars. In order to behave like a steering wheel you need to change the steering input. I think GuitarlCarl did something similar on his Harlequin build.
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I like the looks of the springalizers.
I noticed in the video that when you turn it looks like the bike frame is forced to lean the opposite direction. This could cause a problem at speed.
 
I’m thinking my next trial and error will involve adding some ballast weight to front end to see if that affects stability. I may also experiment with the steering strut anchor points. I think I need a little more tension on the springs. My theory is that tension needs to be maintained on both sides when wheels are turned. I noticed that the spring on the inboard side of a turn was going loose. In the current anchor location there isn’t much adjustment left. The previously mentioned longer axle, wider wheel stance would help the turning radius, may be worth exploring.
I want to feel confident with a steering option before I deal with hood mounting as that’s a whole other issue.
 

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