The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike

[fasteddy]

Re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (build phase)

Wow, that is fantastic. First thing I did was look to see how the front suspension was working. Should handle the frost heaves well.
Motor sounded great with just the right amount of exhaust note that says look at me and doesn't say "chase me" to the police.

I'm wondering if the tricars will have a tire roll over problem but I guess that we will know soon enough. The rims you found look wide enough to be moped rims at least if not a small motorcycle rim. They must have heard that you needed them.

As you were talking about going a little further as you went along all I could picture is most of us thinking that same thing. Just have to show it to those few key friends on it's maiden trip and hope your not sitting on the Titanic.
I would think the nice part is that now the major questions have been answered and now you have an idea if anything needs a fine tuning or should you just leave it the way it is.

Another fantastic build to grace the pages of the forum.

Steve.

 

[BarelyAWake]

Re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (build phase)

Thanks guys & yea, I might be a bit excited lol, there's a bit of time & work in this thing, but it isn't near over yet - it still needs quite a bit of finish detail stuff & fine tuning, then testing, testing & more testing then if that all goes well I still gotta build a custom trailer for it to pull... if I don't cheat & just buy whatever, that'll be a whole 'nother project in itself... but I've said too much and that'll not be till next winter anyway heh

Thanks for your thoughts Steve, the front suspension does seem to be working out well. At the moment it's dialed in tight, more for handling & sudden massive bumps than squishy comfort, I'll find a happy medium after I've some hours on the thing - that's easy enough w/dampening air shocks. I was a bit concerned that I might be overloading the rear one, but as it turns out my worry was needless, the weight & balance turned out far better than I'd ever dared to hope.

The exhaust... well, it's a hair louder than I wish it to be, at some point I've a removable baffle design to help with that - I do really like the way it sounds & I'm sure being a four smoker it loves the low back pressure, then again when under load & at a higher RPM (trailer & hill for example) for hours on a longer trip I suspect I'd start liking it less & less lol

One of the nifty aspects of the hy/tribrid setup is I can cut down on ICE noise by running it in "too high" a gear, keeping it to a very low RPM and taking the edge off "lugging" the ICE with the electric motor & pedaling as needed for medium speed cruising. For lower speeds I can use it as a near silent pedal electric & for high speed/power applications (like a day at the track) it's all to the wall, even pulling the baffles that I've not made yet for that raw power sound... the multiple drive systems have already come in handy (redundancy in case of failure), but I'm really looking forward to trying out their intended application, reduced fuel consumption & quiet comfort

The front tire sidewall roll is a concern, part of the issue I suspect is that bicycle tires aren't designed with side load in mind, given that bicycles normally lean into turns n'all. This issue is compounded by my slightly too narrow front rims, which makes the tire's cross section very rounded, it'd be almost a perfect circle if completed. When I upgraded the rear rim to a wider one the tire's profile was changed from a similar very rounded sidewall to a much flatter overall shape, the sidewall having a much lessened curvature & the contact patch flatter as well - far better for a vehicle that doesn't lean.

I'd not be too worried about your tricars just yet - I wasn't 100% satisfied with this rim style even before I test rode the thing, so I jumped right to buying new ones without even bothering to try different tires first, I bet that alone could have sorted it out - remember my first lap or two they were low anyway, only 40psi out of a possible 60 & after airing them up a bit they were far better. I also suspect you might not abuse the tricars quite as much as my taddy's planning is trying to account for, "worst case scenarios" far from home and/or chasing gokarts around a track at breakneck speeds... but I could be wrong & if so, I'll see ya'll at the track ya madman

 

[paul]

Re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (build phase)

"might be a bit excited" lol ba you are like me you are dancing and a lot mor then a bit excited. you got the fever and excitement big time glued to the weather channel waiting for winter to end so you can really get out and play. that is one awesome motorized hybrid thats for sure, has the best of all the worlds. the fine tuning part is fun i am always changing things on my bikes. as i said great job ba!

 

[killercanuck]

Re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (build phase)

Shakedown runs can be nerve wrecking, for sure. The ol' "will it make it, or fail" has to be the most stressful part. Besides waiting weeks on end for parts (Lol@ the Titanic reference Steve!)

You could go with a lower profile tire if the "emergency roll" still bugs ya. With your front suspension the lack of "bounciness" shouldn't be a worry. Just a thought.

 

[BarelyAWake]

Re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (build phase)

Jackshaft oopsie sorted & my new front rims built, this time indexed out (spoke/hub alignment) as much as safely possible to widen the front wheelbase width & gained just a lil over 3/4" (10mm each side = 0.39"x2 = 20mm or 0.78"). The thing was rock stable in turns already, but every lil bit helps & they'd originally been built indexed centered, typical for bicycles.

Dragged the thing outside into a balmy 30°F "spring" morning, I started out doing laps in the lot at 5:30am, tiring of the NASCAR action & everything seeming to be holding together I took off down the road to the corner inconvenience store to grab a cawfee and ran into a problem...

...I didn't get my cawfee till almost an hour later, I made it to the store just fine, never made in the door as apparently the public finds this thing somewhat interesting, I hadn't even managed to shut her down and had the store clerk, a random customer & a cop all eyeballin' every inch & askin' a billion questions while I was trying to clean the windsnot off my face... well 'cept the cop whom just nodded, said "nice" with a smile & wandered off to do whatever law officers do 6am Easter Sunday lol

About an hour & a half later (one small cawfee?) I was left w/a dilemma, I didn't really want to head off to parts unknown with a test vehicle but I really didn't feel like doing anymore lot laps & after some musing decided it was time to take the back road I always use for shakedown & speed runs, hilly & twisty but with pavement that's mostly ok I've a friend that lives around the halfway point in case Murphy attacks... a touch early for a surprise visit maybe, but I didn't think they'd mind.

It's quite a rush riding this thing, feet first & ass less than a foot off the ground I'm comfy but disconcerted and even pedal speeds feels like mach 1, starting out with a long but gentle uphill grade the lil 49cc four stroke & electric worked in harmony even while I tried to figure out which gear range worked best for the incline. Clearing the hill top the road goes into a coupla gentle curves, a mild downhill & then another long uphill, this one no joke it gets gradually steeper & it drops my 66cc two smokers down to 15mph, my ebike to about 11 (if I don't help) - but the hybrid tadpole shrugged it off & maintained 20 to 25mph all the way up, which may not sound amazing - but then again none of my two smokers could manage that, not even my geared & built "fast" one, the torque advantage of both the electric and the four stroke really coming into play on hills, the takeoff acceleration from a stop impressive as well.

A couple more unremarkable hills, a few more twisties and I found myself at the turn to my friends house, the turn drops right into a short but crazy steep downhill, the one I blame for so many burned out tires as I try to slow at the base to cut into my friend's driveway - no worries with the taddy as the front discs work wonderfully well, doubled up as they are with the two front wheels n'all... but it was getting back up it from a near dead stop that gave me pause as no bike I've built can take that monster, every single one requires me to stand on the pedals & pedaling as furiously hard as I can just to make it to the top.

Ah well I figured, I'll chill w/my friend and see what happens & after some time shootin' the bull & checkin' the ride over for problems it was time to try - and after making a big deal about how "I might not make it up, don't worry", crossing my fingers & hoping I wasn't about to smoke the ehub or pop the four smoker I dropped her down into low/low range and...

...trucked right on up that hill like nobody's business, I didn't even pedal a stroke! Stunned I sat at the intersection at the top for a moment thinking "did that just happen?" & chuckling, shifted into cruse range & took off, still laughing to myself, my foolishness & what to all appearances seems like a successful build FTW

Not that the tinkerin' is over ofc, not by a long shot I'd just doubled width in rims, lightly wider wheelbase and while the results were amazing with no sidewall flex or rollover, I've still got to adjust the alignment as it's only eyeballed & I'm scrubbing, which makes it a lil twitchy, drags down my speed & wears the fronts - given that and my "testing phase" heeby-jeebys, not to mention this is the first tadpole recumbent, or any recumbent I've ever ridden, I didn't exceed 30mph... which again as it's just a 49cc four stroke really isn't bad at all (e assist konks out at about 25), she had more but I wasn't ready for that yet, time enough for speed tests after I weld my rear brake caliper mount on & sort the alignment.

Still, a good day indeed lol, and finally I feel it's time to change the thread title from "build phase" to 'The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike Testing Phase'! Whoohoo!

new rims: vs old:

Out n'about at last;


Sorry, no vids at all this time - although had the cam & tripod with me I was so preoccupied it just didn't happen, I'm sure ya'll understand heh

 

[silverbear]

Re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (testing phase)

I'm so glad for you that everything is working out so well. You may need to make up cards or some kind of printout to save you time answering questions. I can see that would be a problem when you want to make a quick stop someplace, step back outside and have to part the crowd to get to your bike, then pull the crying ten year old off the seat.
What a major accomplishment! Wow, sir... it's a wowzer!
SB

 

[paul]

Re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (testing phase)

that is awesome ba! i love when we make a motorized bicycle and it exceeds our expectations. sounds like your hybrid motorized bicycle is the perfect set up and its going to give you a lot of good times. great job!

 

[fasteddy]

Re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (testing phase)

An engineering marvel. You will have to add at least an hour and a half to any trip just to allow for the question period at every stop and for the police pulling you over to ask what it is.

With a trailer, that is a cross country trike. When will you be taking orders?

Steve.

 

[BarelyAWake]

Re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (testing phase)

Thanks guys, I'm both psyched & relieved TBH, there was a terrible amount of improvisation, guesswork, winging it & hoping for the best while I was building this thing lol

silverbear - yea, you're right I'm gonna hafta make new bike cards at the least, but I tend to send 'em here to the forum anyway as it's a heck of a thing to explain & they'll likely find something they like even better than mine madness

Thanks paul! I can only hope it's "going to give me a lot of good times"... then again it already has, even as but a project in bits & pieces this was a fun one for sure

Glad ya dig it fasteddy, I've some ideas & basic plans for a trailer (ssh, super secret), but I suspect this summer will be consumed with refinements & just playing with the taddy itself, so the trailer will hafta wait till the long, cold dark comes around again.

As for "taking orders" I'm flattered you'd think it's marketable, but I'll be honest, this is defo one of those gizmos that simply isn't cost effective as anything other than a personal hobby. I've figured out how to build it faster & cheaper ofc, but it's still not even remotely a "sensible" expense, unless folks are into DIY projects, they'd be waaay better off w/a moped or w/e & Mainers aren't known for frivolous purchases heh (omg stereotype)




...and I just spent a couple few hours fiddlin' around with the alignment and a coupla other minor whatsits, come dawn I'll be takin' the taddy for the work commute for the first time... thing is as psyched as I am I just realized I've no cargo carrying ability w/this thing yet... not really sure what I'm gonna do with my lunch & trusty thermos...

...ah well, these are "problems" I really don't mind at all

 

[paul]

Re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (testing phase)

make a bag to go behind the seat ba. i am sure you will figure out something that works for all your needs. i keep looking at the pictures and seeing more detail. that is one heck of a motorized hybrid bicycle is all i can say. friggen cool as heck looking to

 

[BarelyAWake]

Re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (testing phase)

Thanks paul, I do have saddlebags for it... not "panniers" but actual small pony saddlebags lol, as they fit the thickness of this taddy better. I've yet to make the mount & heat shield for 'em yet as I've been tinkerin' other stuff - but here's an older pic for the concept;



As it turns out my alignment being a "little" bit off may have been a bit understated, not really a shocker as I only threw the tie rods on and ballparked them by eye. Breaking out the string, T square & ruler showed quite clearly why she was a lil twitchy & why the front tires were wearing so fast;



...but it was an easy if somewhat tedious fix, the setup taking far longer than the actual adjustment I got it really close to perfect, right front still needs a tweak but it handles so sweetly now that after yesterday's commute I decided rather than bring it back into the shop for more tuning, to just play for a change, some wandering about & some more runs down "Shakedown Rd"...

...which isn't only "just" fun, it teaches me a bit more about this thing I've abomineered - such as I'm starting to revise it's hybrid usage. In the concept/R&D phase so long ago I'd assumed I'd use the four stroke primarily with the electric as an assist on takeoff, perhaps it's due to Mongo the ebike but it seems I'm starting to use the electric drive as it's primary with the four stroke coming in to play only if I need hard acceleration (street/intersection crossing) and/or during "high speed" cruise & hills. It's still too early to know for sure it's optimum use as I'm still learning how to "fly" the thing, but at the moment it seems I'm liking to have the four stroke running but in a really tall gear, barely off idle w/a finger on the trigger throttle & just taking the edge off the ehub's work load, which results in really smooth & quiet operation at a moderate but respectable speed. With the alignment fixed, she just rolls along as pretty as you please.

Another interesting learning experience was the first need for traffic courtesy. The taddy is wide, I know it & I'm a firm believer that while I've a right to the road it doesn't preclude simple physics or manners. Few of our roads have shoulders to speak of and yesterday was the first time I was out and playing during the busiest times of a work day (morning & lunch rushes) and sure enough I found myself in a situation where there was a car coming up on my six while I was approaching the blind side of a hill without even a semblance of a paved shoulder to retreat to. Releasing the throttles I let the base of the hill scrub just a little speed and with a wince, stuffed the right front wheel into the busted up asphalt, rocks and dirt on the side of the road, followed shortly by the rear wheel with just left front runnin' the painted stripe.

While I'd designed the suspension for this exact reason, to actually do it - to run myself off the road, into the ruff at speed for the first time with this thing that's taken so much of my time and pennies to build, this thing I really don't know how to ride yet... well, suffice to say I had to think to myself "aw, screw everything" just do it anyway & take whatever happens.

As it turns out it was an absolute non-event. The dual A arms with their adjustable dampening RockShox set to max rebound & pumped to just a little over half their maximum air pressure took the sudden, hard impacts in stride and from my perspective it was as if it hadn't happened, no wrenching of the steering, no jolts, no instabilities - I could run the ditch all day and still be comfy, there's little difference between the dirt and the road it seems, the taddy just doesn't care lol

Funny how testing this build has been a joy mixed with an almost constant sense of relief heh

So what did I do to thank my creation for it's accomplishments so far? Left her out in the cold (24 °F/-4°C) overnight, where she sits ready & waiting to take me into work on the morrow;

...and my lil shop looks so strange, empty for the first time in what, a bit over two years? *shrug* All I know is it won't stay empty for long;

 

[BarelyAWake]

Re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (testing phase)

...and jus' an interesting study in contrasts lol;

 

[paul]

Re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (testing phase)

i bet you left big pucker prints in that seat when you decided you needed to leave the road lol. it is scary i have had to do it more then once.
your trike looks more comfortable and complicated then the harley lol

 

[BarelyAWake]

Re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (testing phase)

Threw together a longer vid of the thing in action, it's hard to see but the original footage helped immensely in diagnosing some quirks, such as I've my shocks' dampening set waaay too tight, gotta take 'em down a notch and depressurize the rear one a few pounds - but that's a wonderful thing as I worried if the RockShox would be enough, turns out they're more than enough lol;

http://youtu.be/bNLTLRx8sTI

 

[silverbear]

Re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (testing phase)

Barely,
Thanks for putting together and sharing the great video. It, too, is superlative and raises the bar on bike videos. Love it and can only imagine what a satisfying rush it must be to ride yer bike. How many artists get to ride their paintings, or their music? But you get to ride off into the sunset on your rolling sculpture, your fantasy machine, your cosmic tadpole. Did I hear some Gypsy jazz guitar licks in the riding music? Echoes of Django Rheinhart methinks...
SB

 

[paul]

Re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (testing phase)

that was a great video ba! loved it from beginning to end. the zombie tribrid tadpole trike is truly a work of genius!

 

[Dan]

Re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (testing phase)

Man! So much more then just amazing.
Honestly, functional art and amazing work just don't cover that piece of brilliance..

The vid is great and really well done too!

 

[BarelyAWake]

Re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (testing phase)

Thanks, ya'll are too kind

There's still much to be done, so many minor finishing touches & adjustments need be attended to but it's good to be at the "dialing in" stage that's for sure... one of the hinky bits is I'm still learning how to ride the thing - for example in the vid, that first hard turn where the tires are just starting to protest I could have taken faster, but the counter-banked turn was freaking me out & I wasn't leaning nearly enough, being bundled up in my winter gear wasn't helping any lol

I'm glad you liked the vid, I was a little disappointed to find my wonderful camera doesn't like "in flight action" shots, there's very little vibration w/the four stroke electric... I think the wind pressure on the lens assembly/cold environment might have screwed the vid up a bit but I'm only guessing, the wind noise alone kills any audio & I've tried a bunch of things to fix that and it isn't happening. Ah well, silly technology

Barely,
Did I hear some Gypsy jazz guitar licks in the riding music? Echoes of Django Rheinhart methinks...
SB

Defo, Reinhardt sure had some sweet licks! The bands used are composing a bit more contemporary interpretations of 30-40's jazz & swing, usually called "boomswing" or "electroswing" - the intro clip is a snippet of Caro Emerald - Dream a Little Dream of Me & the riding music was Dirty Honkers - Gingerbread Man.

Thanks again for watching & your support

 

[silverbear]

Re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (testing phase)

Defo, Reinhardt sure had some sweet licks! The bands used are composing a bit more contemporary interpretations of 30-40's jazz & swing, usually called "boomswing" or "electroswing" - the intro clip is a snippet of Caro Emerald - Dream a Little Dream of Me & the riding music was Dirty Honkers - Gingerbread Man.

Thanks again for watching & your support [/QUOTE]

I remember Dream a Little Dream of me from when it was new by the Mamas & Papas (that was a while ago) and was happy to hear that Django's guitar magic is alive and well. Thanks for the video link which has led me to wander around in electro swing for the past hour or so. I'm not what you'd call real hip on what's going on in music today as so much of what I hear most of the time is crap, a kind of barely organized noise. But I like some of what I heard this morning a lot and will do more exploring. For anybody not familiar with Django Reinhart (and why would you be) do yourself a favor and google some of his music. Break through stuff back when. I ran across him by pleasant accident some years back and often listen to his original tracks... some amazing stuff. There was a gypsy violinist he played with who was great, too. All the jazz greats of the time wanted to jam with him, Louis Armstrong, etc. If I'm feeling low and want to pick myself up I listen to some Fats Waller from an even earlier time. If Yo Feets Too Big doesn't bring a smile then you don't have one. Ha. Thanks again for sharing your skill, your build and your music. Good stuff, all.
SB

 

[BarelyAWake]

Re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (testing phase)

Yea, it's defo tough looking for new music as how do ya know what ya wanna look for if you don't know what it is yet?

I threw together a quick list (in no particular order) of stuff I've been diggin' lately, hope it helps;

http://motorbicycling.com/showpost.php?p=474742&postcount=32