My latest build.

[caduceus]

Are the tandem 3 speeds stronger than the single 3 speeds or do they have better gearing?

Steve.

I don't know. I took Peerless Leader down the road for ten miles today on a shake-out run and found a few problems with chain lines and stuff. The most important thing I found is to shift while coasting. Just like when I was a kid pedaling these bicycles around. But as to gearing, what's in the Hercules is pretty good. It isn't hugely different, but when I shift to Low there's a bunch more power. And in High, the engine just putts along. I had problems with the primary drive chain so I'm now replacing it with #40 ag chain just like the secondary, and with a better tensioner.

However, I've always figured tandem parts to be more robust because of that extra effort on the second crank. Instead of 2/5ths horsepower pushing the rear wheel there's 4/5ths.

 

[fasteddy]

Caduceus,
Glad the Peerless Leader is working so well. Will you have to change the sprocket when you go to a 40 chain?
All we had in Canada when I was a kid is single speed bikes and 3 speeds and they all had skinny tires. The real pain was when the 3 speeds jammed in 3rd or you were in third when the shifter cable broke. When you put the new shifter cable in it was alway's trial and error to get it adjusted properly.

Steve.

 

[Scott.D.Lang]

loveing what Im seeing with your build man gives me hopes for the trike I have planed to build in late winter early spring

 

[caduceus]

Caduceus,
Glad the Peerless Leader is working so well. Will you have to change the sprocket when you go to a 40 chain?
All we had in Canada when I was a kid is single speed bikes and 3 speeds and they all had skinny tires. The real pain was when the 3 speeds jammed in 3rd or you were in third when the shifter cable broke. When you put the new shifter cable in it was alway's trial and error to get it adjusted properly.

Steve.

The #40 chain is a 1/2" pitch, just like the bicycle chains, it's just wider and very much stronger. The extra width allows some leeway lining things up. I'm setting up a slipper tensioner/guide to keep it straight and level. The setup's worked pretty good for the last 400 miles on the Auffenauger.

As far as adjusting the shifter, I'm finding out how finicky these things are. I keep expecting to hear a Bang and then nothing but freewheeling or grinding out of one of the speeds, so I'm being extra careful when rolling the throttle on after changing gears.

I have two or three more three-speed hubs on junk bikes laying around so during this working-the-bugs-out phase I'll probably prepare another one just to have in case disaster strikes.

As for shifter cables, the stock cables that came with these things were skinny little things, probably .032" in diameter. Once they got some rust on them they'd break when trying to shift to a lower gear when going up hill. Then it was walk it the rest of the way up the hill. I've been making my own brake, shifter and throttle cables out of 1/16" galvanized hardware store cable. It's available at $0.69/foot and I turn 1/4 or 5/16" round steel bar stock down to the particular diameter I need for the end fitting, then weld it to the cable. After I weld the cable to the end I grind off the excess weld metal and cut the end to the required length. The crimp-on cable ends available at any bicycle parts web site just fit on the other end of this cable to keep the cut-off from unraveling. I made a crimping tool out of an old set of diagonal side cutters by sanding the edges off the jaws to leave a .045" (more or less) gap.

 

[fasteddy]

Ahh, the screaming of the engine as you slowly glide to a stop,the frantic search for a gear, any gear and then the realization that there are none to be had. Then the long push home!
As I type this a shudder is going up and down my spine as the memories flood back from the past. Usually it seems to happen mostly on cold and wet evenings when it's late.

Rusty or frayed cables were the usual culprits leading to the broken shifter cables on our bikes when we were kids. I had never thought about making my own cables but I'll be up to Home Depot soon to see what they have for cable.

I think the Peerless Leader will lead many to build a trike.

Steve.

 

[silverbear]

Fishing was good as it always is on Basswood Lake (22,000 acres worth of fresh water and everything from lake trout to walleye, large and smallmouth bass, northern pike, panfish... what a great fishing lake. Foul weather sent us home early. Just caught up on the thread and am delighted to hear of your initial success! Steve, the pattern is set for us on our trikes... differential rear end with a three speed transmission. Woohoo! More photos, please.
SB

 

[caduceus]

Not so fast guys.

In short, the three speed hub bit the big one about two miles into the latest shakedown cruise. While pedaling the two miles back home I came to the decision that three speed hubs are great for what they were designed for, but aren't setup for the kind of power a Honda puts out.

I was almost at the two mile turn around for my mid-range shakedown rides when I slowed and shifted into low. Nothing, the engine revved but nothing else happened. Now if I'd been smart I'd have stopped there and pedaled back, but I wasn't smart. I tried shifting back up into second and there was this as described bang with associated sounds of metal things coming into rather violent contact. Then the rear wheels locked solid as the chain bound up under the three speed hub.

What happened, I think, is when I tried down shifting that little chain fitting that slides into the three-speed hub broke. Anyway it was missing. I know it was tightened prior to the ride because I'd had that link come apart before. The hub lifted out of the mounts slightly causing a misalignment of the chains and everything came together with a whomp. I was able to do a good enough roadside repair that I could pedal the thing home whereupon I pulled out the three speed stuff and set things up for a single speed with the 48-tooth sprocket on the differential.

I might have just had a bad hub, but this was the second failure at the point where the shift cable threads into the hub, and since winter's coming I'd rather have a reliable winter ride than the three speeds. Here's a few more pictures. I'd run the thing up on jack stands and made sure all three speeds worked well, but there's no way short of a dynomometer that can apply torque while running it in the shop.

Several valuable lessons learned though; the simpler the chain guides and tensioners the better. For the trike, a 48-tooth sprocket works better than the 40. And I had to figure out a quick removal mount for the wooden package rack. All in all it's been a positive experience, and I'm not done messing around with gearing yet.

Peerless also makes small transmissions.

 

[silverbear]

Don't give up on the 3 speed internally geared hub just yet. I recall discussion about how wimpy the old Sturmey Archer 3 speed hubs were in relation to using them with the SBP shift kits. Someone tried and they would not hold up. However, Sturmey Archer sells a heavy duty modern version of the three speed and also a 5 speed and if I remember right maybe even a 7 or 8. BarelyAWake used a Sturmey Archer three speed with his Rollfast build some years back with great success... this was with the SBP shift kit. I bought one myself to use with the SBP parts on a 1934 Elgin powered by a 98CC British antique motor which I have not yet run so I can't report anything myself. Not all 3 speed hubs are the same in other words. I have an old Bendix 2 speed I was thinking about trying with my trike. When and if it dies I could always buy a new heavy duty 3 speed. I'd love to see this work for you... I'd love to see this work for me...
SB

 

[caduceus]

Don't give up on the 3 speed internally geared hub just yet. I recall discussion about how wimpy the old Sturmey Archer 3 speed hubs were in relation to using them with the SBP shift kits. Someone tried and they would not hold up. However, Sturmey Archer sells a heavy duty modern version of the three speed and also a 5 speed and if I remember right maybe even a 7 or 8. BarelyAWake used a Sturmey Archer three speed with his Rollfast build some years back with great success... this was with the SBP shift kit. I bought one myself to use with the SBP parts on a 1934 Elgin powered by a 98CC British antique motor which I have not yet run so I can't report anything myself. Not all 3 speed hubs are the same in other words. I have an old Bendix 2 speed I was thinking about trying with my trike. When and if it dies I could always buy a new heavy duty 3 speed. I'd love to see this work for you... I'd love to see this work for me...
SB

Not a problem. I'm going to disassemble the hub itself with an eye towards using the planetary gearset. I'd love to try to incorporate the planetary set with one of the gears in the skyhawk gear box. Now if I can just talk my better half into letting me get a metal lathe........

 

[caduceus]

Spent the last day and a half putting this trailer together for the Auffenauger and Peerless Leader. Photos were taken after a four-mile trouble-free shakedown run.

 

[Dan]

Congrats on the successful shakedown cruise.


Looking at your pictures, was thinking interchangeable "pods" that can fit in the trailer. A grill, a cooler, a weapons cache container for away missions making beeg trouble ford moose and sqwarle.....

 

[caduceus]

Congrats on the successful shakedown cruise.


Looking at your pictures, was thinking interchangeable "pods" that can fit in the trailer. A grill, a cooler, a weapons cache container for away missions making beeg trouble ford moose and sqwarle.....

The frame/axle/wheels for this trailer have been around awhile. But while making the new RADIO FLYER body I was thinking about a dropped-axle type mini camper.

Also, #1 Kid is coming over today with a Peerless 4-speed transmission out of a John Deere R70 mower. I gave my daughter that mower years ago and she has since blown the engine to smithereens. But the gearbox is good. Couple that to an old vertical-crank lawn mower engine I've got sitting in the barn and the next trike/camper project is starting to take shape in my mind.

I'm not thinking anything large, but something with just enough room in which I can stand up, recline, sit, cook a light meal or play an acoustic guitar and drink a six-pack of beer on a rainy day.

Something along the lines of the picture. But motorized. With a gearbox. And maybe a top that can be raised and a clamshell type door that can open it up to the outside world weather and insects permitting.

 

[fasteddy]

Good to see that you got the Peerless Leader back in order. Nice trailer and that sure increases the carrying capacity.
What did you use for hubs?

Steve.

 

[Dan]

How cool would that be!

I have toyed with the idea of a pop-up trailer/camper. Kind of a double wide, coffin shape with a pop top.

https://www.google.com/search?q=pop...soCYBw&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=499&dpr=1

http://www.rvt.com/2008-Columbia No...+center+feed&gclid=CIPI59DXy7kCFeqDQgodWCsAaw

But man, your picture is great!

LOL, camper pod?


Didn't mean to ramble on your thread. Just such a cool thought.

 

[silverbear]

Glad the shake down run was successful. Trailer looks good and the camper is crazy fun!
SB

 

[fasteddy]

While I was asking the question you were typing the answer. I've often looked at that trike and thought it would be a fun build but motorized. I had a pop top camper in mind with canvas sides or hard sides that could be stored inside and then installed when the top was raised and then the top would set back down a little to hold the sides in place.

It will be a fun build and I'm looking forward to seeing you build it.

Steve.