The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike

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

...and I think I've finally achieved an acceptable compromise with my handlebar controls - tho it does mean ordering yet more stuff, it also means a reduction of clutter with all controls easy to use w/o looking or releasing my hold on the bars... which I think somewhat important whilst turning & other silly things heh

The moped blinker switch assembly (chrome) that I had previously ordered was in fact a decent lil unit, sturdy & simple & I'd defo recommend it as a solution for anyone lookin' to put blinkers on their bike - but with my vertical bars & space constraints, it wasn't quite ideal... so I gave the alternate a shot, the switch housing & three way toggle & it worked out so well I'm gonna roll with it, even order another to sort out some issues with the other bar's controls as well.

TBH, the switch housing isn't something I'd recommend - for the money, it's a bit underwhelming. Sure, it's only 12 bucks - but it's just a lil chunk of somewhat poorly molded plastic & a coupla fasteners. While I can (and did ofc) trim off the sloppy casting flash, I still think it a touch overpriced & at 24 bucks for the two I'm gonna use... well, suffice to say the only reason I've decided that's OK is a lack of a viable alternative *shrug*



There's a very small & hard to see black button on the side of the red three way switch pictured above (the one for my headlights) & with the addition of another switch housing on the other side w/a horn button - I can use that for the electric hub's cruise control/reverse feature & rid myself completely of the last of the kit supplied electric hub controls, the red & green buttons in this pic;



...which will reduce the amount of room taken up by all the assorted buttons, add a symmetrical feel to the controls & allow me to use whatever switch I choose, hopefully a higher quality than the ones supplied w/the hub. I will hafta drill a hole in the "back" of the housing & plug the old one to reverse it, but that's no big deal, it is after all jus' plastic;


Handlebar Mount Switch Housing

& here's the button I ordered as my new horn button, I can only hope it's better then the one I'm replacing - but even if it isn't, momentary on push buttons are commonplace to say the least lol;


Momentary N.O. Raised Push Button Switch Black

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

It's true I'm thinkin' about velcro straps, but I'm not 100% confident they'll hold securely under "normal" use & eventually work free... given the roads around here "normal" may well constitute "extreme"

Silver - I'm admittedly a bit of a word geek, which means that not only are those various translations for coffee fascinating (I particularly like "mukkaday mooshkiikii waaboo" heh), but also they are not useless as I will now score points with other coffee & word fanatics

Thanks for the knowledge man

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

Speaking of more useless, but hopefully interesting bits of information lol I've been kinda 1/2 slackin' and 1/2 keepin' an eye out for just the perfect buttons, wiring & connectors for the taddy for a while now...

...and decided what I've got is close e'nuff & will hafta do - finally heh

I received the other button & mount in the mail a lil while ago, fortunately the horn button was exactly what I'd hoped, but ofc the mount had to be modded as it'd be upside down/backwards/whatever if I used it "as is" - so some drilling, filling, sanding & painting was involved w/that 'un as well as addin' some grommets to the both of 'em for the heck of it (relocating the wire's exit to the bottom of the housing);

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

...as well as adding/replacing all the connectors for my handlebar controls w/the Delphi weatherproof ones. The connectors are just a bit larger than what I wanted but given their quality I can't really complain.

They're supposed to be just crimped fittings, but I figured I'd play it safe & solder 'em all anyway - might as well & it's prolly a good thing as I don't have the extra fancy crimping tool "required" for this type & I hadta fudge 'em, which was both time consuming (32 crimps for this batch alone) as well as a bit untrustworthy heh

*shrug* End result? At long last my handlebar controls are finalized, condensing a full lighting system and all the buttons needed for two different motors into as neat & tidy a setup as I could mange, using the least space possible yet still being easily reached & used - as well as being easy to repair if needed. One of the things I very much didn't like about the kit supplied ebike controls was they didn't come apart in halves, you had to remove everything else off the bar to slide 'em off... which w/the twist shifters & trigger throttles was a touch annoying to put it lightly

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

silverbear said:

Dan,
I hope Barely doesn't mind this pothole in the winding road of his thread...

Click to expand...

No worries & I've gotten a lol outa 'em in any case - I've jus' been tinkerin' on, attending to the boring, but needful things the taddy demands *shrug*

...like hacking up a 'puter's mobo to make one of the connectors I so need, but naturally didn't have - namely a 20 pin that's not too large to fit through the pedal boom's receiver... so I can easily unplug & remove the pedal boom & all it's doodads ofc.

Desoldering the connector half out of the mobo proved way too tedious, so I jus' hacked it out with the trusty dremel & cleaned it up w/a thin cutoff wheel - not the most professional approach granted but it worked, not like I wanted to save the outdated 'puter anyway heh

Then came the fun part, soldering twenty, color matched wires to alla those tiny, close packed pins w/o melting it or driving myself insane... I succeeded in the former anyway & sealed it all up with some liquid electrical tape, which I may be becoming downright addicted to *shrug* Little bit of shrink wrap to keep things tidy & it's now ready to splice into the taddy's harness, taking up it's new duties powering everything on the boom save the high power halogen light which gets it's own, heavier gauge wiring & 2 pin connector;

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

lol Ale, I bet ya woulda ifn ya needed to, there's jus' not much call for a 20 pin on most MBs... desperation is the mother of invention & all that and as there's a couple few dead puters settin' about my shop - it was jus' a matter of time before some bits were abomaneered into the taddy


Well... I was gonna splice in that pedal boom harness & connector this mornin' but as it turns out I'm runnin' outa solder & shrink wrap surprise, surprise. I prolly have just enough to finish that particular job... prolly, but I'd hate like heck to get most of the way through it and hafta call it quits. So, I copped out & decided to jus' fix a mistake instead.

When I was makin' up the harness connectors for all of the assorted handlebar controls, I kinda got into a groove & wasn't paying enough attention - I'd measured out all the wiring & knew one set needed to be 6" longer than it was, and promptly forgot to add that 6" before I soldered up the connector. I s'pose it'd been better to take the connector apart & redo all the crimps & soldering so there'd be only one splice... but t'heck w/it, w/o the proper crimping tool I really didn't feel it worth the effort lol

Beware the groove o.o

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

...more solder, wires & shrink wrap - and a chunk of expandable wiring loom thingie whateveryacall it stuff this time, which was also salvaged out of a dead puter. I'm using it as it's really flexible yet keeps the harness neat & tidy, w/it the pedal boom is a piece of cake to adjust (length), install & remove.

With the pedal boom & control harnesses completed it's now jus' a matter of connecting 'em all together to the relay & breaker panel behind the seat... which naturally means yet more solder, connectors & shrink wrap >.< Guess ifn ya want all the groovy flashy lights & buttons there's a price to pay heh, still it's going far better than expected *shrug*

Ah well, jus' keep soldering on right? lol