Need Ideas for Trike

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Saddletramp1200

Custom MB Buiilder
May 7, 2008
1,451
83
48
Houston, Texas
I was out riding and met a man in a sports wheel chair. He liked my ride and asked if there are trikes also. I'm thinking Schwinn with Spookytooths trike kit.
Schwinn wants a Zillion dollars for one:( Starting it is the thing. No use of his legs at all. Ideas, good, bad, any? Maybe a pull starter? Thanks for any ideas:ride2: Later Tramp (c)
 

Walter F.

New Member
Jun 4, 2008
326
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Connecticut
You might look at bicycledesigner.com, they have a kit to make a regular bike into a trike. It's kinda cool looking and has a lot of possibilities. (c) Walter F.
 

Jemma Hawtrey

New Member
Dec 29, 2007
288
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0
Essex, UK
Electric start pocketbike motor would be the best way to go - It *might* be possible to cobble together an electric start HT with a little ingenuity.

You can get trike conversion kits fairly easily from custom bike suppliers in either 20" or 24/26" wheel sizes - these would work great with the SickBike shifter kit.

I cant see any particular problems, the only slight worry is how the guy would get off and on the machine...

Jemma xx
 

azbill

Active Member
May 18, 2008
3,358
5
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Fountain Hills, Arizona
having built trikes with both rear ends (2 electrics and one gas-electric hybrid), spooky's is a much stronger piece
the kit from bicycle designer is less robust (had to brace it with support bars just to carry 3x 12v-14ah batteries)
spooky also solves the problem of getting power to the rear wheel (the other is not condusive to motoring as the drive axle is entirely enclosed... no where to add a sprocket)
one solution for a disabled would be electric front hub to take-off and get up to speed, then, engage a china-fire to go at speed
 

Saddletramp1200

Custom MB Buiilder
May 7, 2008
1,451
83
48
Houston, Texas
Thanks Bill! Man this guy is going to twist it to the outside. I just got to tell someone, I was talking with some friends this morning and to my dis belief one of them shows up about 30 min. ago with 2 Huffy 26" Cruiser bikes. 1 male 1 female. I have pretty much made the choice for female for this one.
I think spooky will get back to me monday. 200 clams wont be needed now.
Other parts can be had with the $$. The lower frame rail will be a help to him.
I have watched him Very Close and he uses his arms to lift from his chair to any place he wants to be. There is doubt he can lift himself on too the bike.
The bikes are a long way from cherry, but it's a start! I can't do anything till spooky gets me the info, but I think, Know:) I have seen a lot of love here lately, and it's just getting better. New members, same Sprit we have so much tryed to instill in the forum.:) We are ALL bikers, helping ourselves and others. To be better people, better bike riders. Better people! All over the world we are doing the same. We have the chance to show everyone, everywhere, how we can improve the environment, and be less depending on the rich mans oil. It's all up to us.Got 2 bags of M&M's says we can:):ride2:
 

motorman

New Member
May 31, 2008
12
0
0
Wisconsin
I bought a brand new Schwinn Meridian Trike and put a 4 cycle engine on the back. It was a bit tricky to make everything fit. A go-kart gear calculator says it will top out at 88 mph, which is way too fast for my blood. As of right now, she will cruise at 25 mph just above idle with the clutch engaged. I have pictures on my email account, how do I get them on this website? Clicking on Manage Attachments (which is the tab below this reply box) got me nowhere since none of my pics would upload because my pixel sizes are above 19.9kb. The sooner I get pics posted the better.....please help! Thanks.
 

OSCAR383

New Member
Jul 22, 2008
243
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40
WEST FRANKFORT, IL
save pics from your email to your computer . start a photobucket account upload pics to photobucket. next to each picture there will be four addresses copy the bottom address should say image code. and paste it to the text box here on this forum when you hit submit and it shows you your message your picture will be there not the image code.
 

Dave31

Active Member
Mar 1, 2008
11,199
47
38
Aztlán, Arizona
I bought a brand new Schwinn Meridian Trike and put a 4 cycle engine on the back. It was a bit tricky to make everything fit. A go-kart gear calculator says it will top out at 88 mph, which is way too fast for my blood. As of right now, she will cruise at 25 mph just above idle with the clutch engaged. I have pictures on my email account, how do I get them on this website? Clicking on Manage Attachments (which is the tab below this reply box) got me nowhere since none of my pics would upload because my pixel sizes are above 19.9kb. The sooner I get pics posted the better.....please help! Thanks.
You will have to re-size your pics to post them.

I use photobucket to re-size and post my pics

Links.....http://motorbicycling.com/f28/post-more-pictures-how-post-pics-916.html

http://motorbicycling.com/f15/how-post-pictures-61.html

http://motorbicycling.com/f28/how-post-pictures-3446.html#post32930

Need more help just ask :)
 

eDJ

Member
Jul 8, 2008
530
1
18
Wayne National Forest
Wouldn't an electric front hub motor serve him well ? I'm thinking for it's reliability, ease of op's, simplicity, weight, tooling required for maintenance, and ease of recharging for him. These considerations would fit into the parameters
of his needs, limitations and safety and provide him with a successful first experience with a motorized bike.

If he wanted to go on with a fuel motor then he could pursue that and understand from reading this forum and others like it what he's getting into
with these Chinese motor systems knowing he will likely be his own builder/mechanic. (I'm sure others would be willing to assist him)

I just don't know if these geared electric hub motors provide for a dynamic brake
when throttled back. I would think that could be a pluss for this fellow too.
 

Michigan Mike

New Member
Dec 9, 2008
509
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0
Michigan
I bought a brand new Schwinn Meridian Trike and put a 4 cycle engine on the back. It was a bit tricky to make everything fit. A go-kart gear calculator says it will top out at 88 mph, which is way too fast for my blood. As of right now, she will cruise at 25 mph just above idle with the clutch engaged. I have pictures on my email account, how do I get them on this website? Clicking on Manage Attachments (which is the tab below this reply box) got me nowhere since none of my pics would upload because my pixel sizes are above 19.9kb. The sooner I get pics posted the better.....please help! Thanks.
Hey Motorman,
I'm thinking of putting a motor on a Shcwinn Meridian trike too. I'll probably go with a front wheel friction mount in the beginning though just to keep things simple ... maybe do a chain drive later. I'd really like to hear what you think of this trike. Hope you get the pictures uploaded soon.
 

KDC1956

New Member
Dec 7, 2008
30
0
0
Arkansas
Hey Motorman,
I'm thinking of putting a motor on a Shcwinn Meridian trike too. I'll probably go with a front wheel friction mount in the beginning though just to keep things simple ... maybe do a chain drive later. I'd really like to hear what you think of this trike. Hope you get the pictures uploaded soon.
The Shcwinn Meridian trike is a great trike my wife has one but she does not like to go to fast on it. Wal-Mart has them pretty cheap here.My self I am building my self a trike all chrome (^)
 

5-7HEAVEN

Well-Known Member
Aug 2, 2008
2,661
240
63
I bought a brand new Schwinn Meridian Trike and put a 4 cycle engine on the back. It was a bit tricky to make everything fit. A go-kart gear calculator says it will top out at 88 mph, which is way too fast for my blood. As of right now, she will cruise at 25 mph just above idle with the clutch engaged. I have pictures on my email account, how do I get them on this website? Clicking on Manage Attachments (which is the tab below this reply box) got me nowhere since none of my pics would upload because my pixel sizes are above 19.9kb. The sooner I get pics posted the better.....please help! Thanks.
So I guess 2.5 hp isn't helping any from standing start to 20mph, which is where you really need the engine.

When the calculator says that top speed is 88mph, you just know your gearing's off.:ride:

If calculator says top speed is 44 mph, still too high for a trike.:ride:

If calculator says top speed for a trike is 22 mph, you're in the ballpark and splitting hairs.:ride2:
 
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D.J.

Member
Jan 20, 2008
266
2
18
Canada
If this fellow already has a good sports chair maybe attaching a removable puller like the front section on this thing would do the trick . .... D.J.
 
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