The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike
- Thread starter BarelyAWake
- Start date
re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (build phase)
I'll bet that this is going to be a blast to ride. As close as you are to the ground the sensation of speed is going to be a rush. Interesting how speed is so relative...our sense of it anyway. You can ride in a train or plush cruiser type of car and 80 mph is nothing. In a low sports car 80 is FAST. Get down even closer to the ground and 40 is really fast. I don't know what some of the go karts do, but even on a bicycle 40 is really fast and you'd better be paying attention. My guess is that as low as you will be something like 30 will feel fantastic. Fun. I know in a big boat the sense of speed increases as the boat gets smaller and closer to the water... and a racing pram feels like you're just about airborne. Even a canoe in whitewater rushing through boiling rapids feels like you want brakes on the thing. All relative to what you're sitting in/on and moving through/past. Doesn't matter what the speedometer says. That's why cruising along on our two wheelers at 25 or 30 feels so invigorating. Point is, that there mutant tadpole is gonna be a whole lotta fun!
SB
I'll bet that this is going to be a blast to ride. As close as you are to the ground the sensation of speed is going to be a rush. Interesting how speed is so relative...our sense of it anyway. You can ride in a train or plush cruiser type of car and 80 mph is nothing. In a low sports car 80 is FAST. Get down even closer to the ground and 40 is really fast. I don't know what some of the go karts do, but even on a bicycle 40 is really fast and you'd better be paying attention. My guess is that as low as you will be something like 30 will feel fantastic. Fun. I know in a big boat the sense of speed increases as the boat gets smaller and closer to the water... and a racing pram feels like you're just about airborne. Even a canoe in whitewater rushing through boiling rapids feels like you want brakes on the thing. All relative to what you're sitting in/on and moving through/past. Doesn't matter what the speedometer says. That's why cruising along on our two wheelers at 25 or 30 feels so invigorating. Point is, that there mutant tadpole is gonna be a whole lotta fun!
SB
re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (build phase)
I hope so silver! Yer so right about scale, height & speed vs perception, aviation illustrates that pretty drastically - 180mph inna Cessna 172 @ a coupla thousand feet > yawn, BUT 60mph in a MX ultralight spinnin' yer gear ofn the corn > OMGBBQCHICKENZ!!1! Brown Alert! Felt faster than any car I ever pounded on lol
With that thought in mind (or center of mass & stability... honest heh) I just spent the past two days fighting over just a few inches or even less, cutting, bending, moving & doin' it all over again - it's a tough battle & it's not over yet. In the previous pics it mighta looked kinda cool - but the fact is the front of the seat was just waaay too high & the back too low.
First step was to recruit a friend to help, putting the new seat on the floor they held up the back and raised & lowered it until we found a "neutral" riding position, one that was comfy & let me "see" all around w/o undue neck strain, then noting it's angle & height. Seat angle is the most important contributor to a recumbent's speed as it's the whole point after all - the lay-back design reducing frontal area (wind resistance) drastically... but that doesn't do me a danged bit o'good if all I can see is blue sky lol, I s'pose I could mirror the underside of my hat brim... naw
Armed w/some numbers at last, now came the really hard part - cleaning out the ol' shop space so I could set up a table as a work area, which was no small task as I'm a bit of a pack rat & I had been grabbin' w/e was shiny with this project in mind. With the pile beaten into submission & the table set - I started cutting off all of the various mounts & tabs from the chassis & trimming down the excess w/a flap sander so I could set the parts back in place & get some real measurements. Interestingly, although I hadn't thought there was that much - I took about 10lbs of the frame when I did that & there's still one cross brace I gotta pull (weird, asymmetrical one in the back), but I busted my last cut-off wheel for the grinder so that'll hafta wait. Ofc I'll be adding weight back on again when I make my mounts *shrug*
I tried another three configurations before I realized I wasn't going to escape a basic truth - if wheelbase is X, component length & height Y, then center of mass will be Z - like it or not. So with some regret I decided that chopping the frame was inevitable - I needed another 4" no matter what. The catch was - where? I'd tried moving the engine so far back it stuck out, adding about 3" to the wheelbase and putting the jack shaft & pivot point for the rear suspension outside the chassis & I didn't like the repercussions at all. While the seat was almost where I wanted it, it made mounting absolutely everything a nightmare... but the seat was so close... Chopping the beams under the motor gave me length but no more, so I decided to cut the front of the frame where the A arms mount as it's at an upward angle, lengthening those beams would raise spindle height as well, 4" in length added there gave me about a 1" rise, leaving the spindles still about 1" low, but that's easily fixed by mounting them to the top of the bars instead to the side.
Having already broken my last cut-off wheel for the grinder, WAY too impatient to wait till Monday to make the cuts, my trusty Dremel came to the rescue & the screaming death metal noises once again woke the house. Clamping a bit o'angle iron to the frame tubes I repositioned the amputated front end and gathered all of the bits & pieces together, a shift here, wiggle there & wow! Closer than it's ever been to a practical CG!
Now... it's a bit of a monster - the "ideal" wheelbase for a racing tadpole is 30" W x 40" L, length ofc effects turning radius & width = high speed turn stability. Even uncut this chassis provided 30" W & 48" L - post cut I'm now at about 32" W x 51" L, a whopping 11" over ideal length - but only 3" over expected. Yet that length allowed me to drop the front of the seat almost a full 8" & puttin' my backside just about 13" off the ground, whereas w/the racing taddys yer just about 10" - close enough I figure. The length also provided much needed room for silly things like 1 & 1/2" clearance between the four stroke and the seat (needed for mounts & heat shielding, else hotpants lol) and room for exhaust & intake manifolds, room behind the seat for a fuel tank, room in front of the engine the batteries & ofc steering linkages... steering... yea...
About that - more math blarg. I'm not 100% confident regarding the stability of a single A arm at speed & under compression. In their current configuration & with 1 & 1/4" shock compression (actually 1" but 1/4" added for error margin), I get 3 & 1/2" vertical travel at the wheel but as they're single A arms and not doubles they don't travel straight up & down, it's more of a curve like this "(- -)" - which results in 2" of lateral tire "scrub" & negative camber under maximum impact load. Scrub is bad... but negative camber isn't always... so... I dunno, I figure I'm gonna hafta wait n'see. Converting to a double A arm really is pretty simple, but it does add just a touch of complexity & yet more weight and as everything else like Ackerman steering compensation, kingpin inclination & even travel and ground clearance is all lookin' so good, as supposedly 1" of shock compression & 2" of lateral scrub is within "acceptable" parameters and as I'll be using shocks w/about 750lb load to test (want a stiff suspension, but that's prolly excessive) - I'm hoping it'll work out *crosses fingers*
So - after 2 days of battling for even just fractions of an inch here & there, it really doesn't look much different, if anything it may look less "sporty" with the seat back higher - but I'm slowly managing to cram not one, not even two, but three drives & all their systems into a space not much bigger than usually designated for just the one - me
Here's a coupla more pics heh, the stick in the front is for crankset tube length & approximate placement BTW;
I hope so silver! Yer so right about scale, height & speed vs perception, aviation illustrates that pretty drastically - 180mph inna Cessna 172 @ a coupla thousand feet > yawn, BUT 60mph in a MX ultralight spinnin' yer gear ofn the corn > OMGBBQCHICKENZ!!1! Brown Alert! Felt faster than any car I ever pounded on lol
With that thought in mind (or center of mass & stability... honest heh) I just spent the past two days fighting over just a few inches or even less, cutting, bending, moving & doin' it all over again - it's a tough battle & it's not over yet. In the previous pics it mighta looked kinda cool - but the fact is the front of the seat was just waaay too high & the back too low.
First step was to recruit a friend to help, putting the new seat on the floor they held up the back and raised & lowered it until we found a "neutral" riding position, one that was comfy & let me "see" all around w/o undue neck strain, then noting it's angle & height. Seat angle is the most important contributor to a recumbent's speed as it's the whole point after all - the lay-back design reducing frontal area (wind resistance) drastically... but that doesn't do me a danged bit o'good if all I can see is blue sky lol, I s'pose I could mirror the underside of my hat brim... naw
Armed w/some numbers at last, now came the really hard part - cleaning out the ol' shop space so I could set up a table as a work area, which was no small task as I'm a bit of a pack rat & I had been grabbin' w/e was shiny with this project in mind. With the pile beaten into submission & the table set - I started cutting off all of the various mounts & tabs from the chassis & trimming down the excess w/a flap sander so I could set the parts back in place & get some real measurements. Interestingly, although I hadn't thought there was that much - I took about 10lbs of the frame when I did that & there's still one cross brace I gotta pull (weird, asymmetrical one in the back), but I busted my last cut-off wheel for the grinder so that'll hafta wait. Ofc I'll be adding weight back on again when I make my mounts *shrug*
I tried another three configurations before I realized I wasn't going to escape a basic truth - if wheelbase is X, component length & height Y, then center of mass will be Z - like it or not. So with some regret I decided that chopping the frame was inevitable - I needed another 4" no matter what. The catch was - where? I'd tried moving the engine so far back it stuck out, adding about 3" to the wheelbase and putting the jack shaft & pivot point for the rear suspension outside the chassis & I didn't like the repercussions at all. While the seat was almost where I wanted it, it made mounting absolutely everything a nightmare... but the seat was so close... Chopping the beams under the motor gave me length but no more, so I decided to cut the front of the frame where the A arms mount as it's at an upward angle, lengthening those beams would raise spindle height as well, 4" in length added there gave me about a 1" rise, leaving the spindles still about 1" low, but that's easily fixed by mounting them to the top of the bars instead to the side.
Having already broken my last cut-off wheel for the grinder, WAY too impatient to wait till Monday to make the cuts, my trusty Dremel came to the rescue & the screaming death metal noises once again woke the house. Clamping a bit o'angle iron to the frame tubes I repositioned the amputated front end and gathered all of the bits & pieces together, a shift here, wiggle there & wow! Closer than it's ever been to a practical CG!
Now... it's a bit of a monster - the "ideal" wheelbase for a racing tadpole is 30" W x 40" L, length ofc effects turning radius & width = high speed turn stability. Even uncut this chassis provided 30" W & 48" L - post cut I'm now at about 32" W x 51" L, a whopping 11" over ideal length - but only 3" over expected. Yet that length allowed me to drop the front of the seat almost a full 8" & puttin' my backside just about 13" off the ground, whereas w/the racing taddys yer just about 10" - close enough I figure. The length also provided much needed room for silly things like 1 & 1/2" clearance between the four stroke and the seat (needed for mounts & heat shielding, else hotpants lol) and room for exhaust & intake manifolds, room behind the seat for a fuel tank, room in front of the engine the batteries & ofc steering linkages... steering... yea...
About that - more math blarg. I'm not 100% confident regarding the stability of a single A arm at speed & under compression. In their current configuration & with 1 & 1/4" shock compression (actually 1" but 1/4" added for error margin), I get 3 & 1/2" vertical travel at the wheel but as they're single A arms and not doubles they don't travel straight up & down, it's more of a curve like this "(- -)" - which results in 2" of lateral tire "scrub" & negative camber under maximum impact load. Scrub is bad... but negative camber isn't always... so... I dunno, I figure I'm gonna hafta wait n'see. Converting to a double A arm really is pretty simple, but it does add just a touch of complexity & yet more weight and as everything else like Ackerman steering compensation, kingpin inclination & even travel and ground clearance is all lookin' so good, as supposedly 1" of shock compression & 2" of lateral scrub is within "acceptable" parameters and as I'll be using shocks w/about 750lb load to test (want a stiff suspension, but that's prolly excessive) - I'm hoping it'll work out *crosses fingers*
So - after 2 days of battling for even just fractions of an inch here & there, it really doesn't look much different, if anything it may look less "sporty" with the seat back higher - but I'm slowly managing to cram not one, not even two, but three drives & all their systems into a space not much bigger than usually designated for just the one - me
Here's a coupla more pics heh, the stick in the front is for crankset tube length & approximate placement BTW;
re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (build phase)
Looks like the ultimate guy chair to me. Just needs a cup holder, snack tray and a spot for the TV remote.
SB
Looks like the ultimate guy chair to me. Just needs a cup holder, snack tray and a spot for the TV remote.
SB
re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (build phase)
Yea, workin' on it lol - tho I haz a cup holder already, or the mounts anyway
I dunno what I'd actually do with the remote tho... I don't even have a TV - BUT I do have a remote setting by my comfy chair as required by law according to the bro code - I'll get some velcro
Yea, workin' on it lol - tho I haz a cup holder already, or the mounts anyway
I dunno what I'd actually do with the remote tho... I don't even have a TV - BUT I do have a remote setting by my comfy chair as required by law according to the bro code - I'll get some velcro
re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (build phase)
One day I will be old enough to get a job, then I will have an income,then I will have money to build something super cool awesome like your current build!!!
Normal recumbents are sweeeet. But when you see that engine under the seat.......
Sam
One day I will be old enough to get a job, then I will have an income,then I will have money to build something super cool awesome like your current build!!!
Normal recumbents are sweeeet. But when you see that engine under the seat.......
Sam
re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (build phase)
Hi, you made this statement early on in thread.
I don't think it's possible to replace it w/a grade 8 bolt as the 20" front wheels require on the trike.
Could you tell me a little bit more about axles that are supported from only one side as on a trike. I need this info for one I am building.
Hi, you made this statement early on in thread.
I don't think it's possible to replace it w/a grade 8 bolt as the 20" front wheels require on the trike.
Could you tell me a little bit more about axles that are supported from only one side as on a trike. I need this info for one I am building.
re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (build phase)
Sorry gstrope, I hadn't talked about it yet as they're still on the shopping list lol, but I'm planning on using 20mm front hubs like these;
Bikeman: DMR Revolver Front 20mm Disc Hub 36h Black
Which use nice large sealed bearings, allowing for a far larger axle. I hope to turn down the existing spindles on the A arms but failing that, making my own. The Zombie plans call for a similar hub - I'm not sure if it's possible or safe to use the standard axle & bearings found on most 20" wheels, supported from only one side...
Sorry gstrope, I hadn't talked about it yet as they're still on the shopping list lol, but I'm planning on using 20mm front hubs like these;
Bikeman: DMR Revolver Front 20mm Disc Hub 36h Black
Which use nice large sealed bearings, allowing for a far larger axle. I hope to turn down the existing spindles on the A arms but failing that, making my own. The Zombie plans call for a similar hub - I'm not sure if it's possible or safe to use the standard axle & bearings found on most 20" wheels, supported from only one side...
re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (build phase)
The hub should not matter as far as only being supported from one side, it is the axle that needs to support the new torque that is introduced as a result of being anchored only on one side. So a heavy duty axle would do the trick, but standard axle sizes are only about 10mm if you are lucky. So I am guessing that is why atomic zombie has a how to on its website about making your own trike hub/axle.
The hub should not matter as far as only being supported from one side, it is the axle that needs to support the new torque that is introduced as a result of being anchored only on one side. So a heavy duty axle would do the trick, but standard axle sizes are only about 10mm if you are lucky. So I am guessing that is why atomic zombie has a how to on its website about making your own trike hub/axle.
re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (build phase)
I'm really wondering what's it's going to be like doin' wheelies on that trike? That's gonna take some new skills altogether!
That trike is looking sharp!
I'm really wondering what's it's going to be like doin' wheelies on that trike? That's gonna take some new skills altogether!
That trike is looking sharp!
re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (build phase)
Hopefully it'll not be tooo easy to do any sorta wheelie on this thing lol - tho I've seen some disturbing vids, high speed & a sharp turn... >.< Right! Wider wheelbase! heh
ATM I'm kinda just fiddling a bit, sorta jus' moving bits around & trying to compact everything into the smallest space possible, weight as low as possible, figurin' out the jackshaft & sourcing parts, figuring out the steering & location, workin' on suspension geometry - travel & the resultant effect on tracking, alignment & scrub... basically alla same things I've babbled about already while I wait for parts lol, some of the bits outa be here today *crosses fingers*
Products Ordered:
Quantity: 2
Description: Alex 20x1.5, DA-16, Black Alloy Rim
Unit Price: $30.76
Status:
Shipped
Quantity: 2
Description: Quando FRONT HUB ALLOY DH THRU AXLE 20mm 36H
Unit Price: $37.98
Status:
Shipped
Quantity: 1
SKU: 01-136521
Description: Kenda 26x1.95, Police, Black, Skin Wall, 40-65psi
Unit Price: $25.63
Status:
Shipped
Quantity: 2
SKU: 01-136753
Description: Kenda 20x1.50, Kwest, 60 PSI, K193, Black, Tire
Unit Price: $12.33
Status:
Shipped
It ain't much I know, but as soon as those bits get here I can have my front wheelset built which will give me something to work out the spindle height & location with as well as the disk brake caliper mounts, which fortunately I already have, I scored a set of Avid BB-5 Mtn Mechanical calipers as "takeoffs" - brand new but only $10 for the pair! As brakes are one of the first things ppl upgrade when they get a new bike & the trend is towards hydraulics, the ol' local bike shop has boxes of perfectly good new mechanical calipers all unloved & forgotten, jus' waiting for a good home FTW
Another lil bit of news is I've found another kiddie sized dead four-wheeler, overlooked the first time because I didn't even have my motor yet & it doesn't have any front suspension - which a the time was the only thing I was planning on using... yet as it turns out that lil tiny quad has exactly the same motor as the Lifan 49cc I've gotten, just a different brand! So I'll be grabbin' that 'un too this weekend (hopefully) & mercilessly hackin' it up and gutting it for parts - namely the motor mount cradle, electrical harness including headlight & taillight/brake light as well as switches, exhaust system, thumb throttle & whatever else might be even a lil bit useful.
In retrospect I've come to realize that Crazy Horse may be on to something, he's recommended to others interested in a build using the "Chinese cloned horizontal four stroke" that it may be in their best interest to purchase an entire, new mini dirtbike/quad just for the various components. At the time I didn't realize just how much I'd be using, not all of the lil quads have a front suspension, and to make matters worse - none of the local stores sell the blasted things so I couldn't take a peek at 'em... Ah well, I've gotten lucky and these dead four wheelers are only like $25 in any case, I'm just glad they seem so commonplace... I should prolly mention that the lil one with the 49cc Honda clone isn't "dead" because the motor was junk - it still runs jus' peachy, it's just so pounded on by kids that all the plastic is wasted, handle bars bent & the tires are just plain missing... I'm gonna be an optimist for a change and figure this bodes well for the engine type being reliable & able to put up w/the abuse heh
Thanks for the interest guys - and furament, ya dang right that seat is comfy! ...so much so I'd never actually park my butt in it and set there, makin' vrooming noises to myself... I'm way too mature and restrained to make sucha childish fool of meself right? Right?
Yea... I didn't think ya'd believe me heh VROOOOMPUTPUTPUT!!1! What? I'm just test fitting & figurin' out control locations I swears!
Hopefully it'll not be tooo easy to do any sorta wheelie on this thing lol - tho I've seen some disturbing vids, high speed & a sharp turn... >.< Right! Wider wheelbase! heh
ATM I'm kinda just fiddling a bit, sorta jus' moving bits around & trying to compact everything into the smallest space possible, weight as low as possible, figurin' out the jackshaft & sourcing parts, figuring out the steering & location, workin' on suspension geometry - travel & the resultant effect on tracking, alignment & scrub... basically alla same things I've babbled about already while I wait for parts lol, some of the bits outa be here today *crosses fingers*
Products Ordered:
Quantity: 2
Description: Alex 20x1.5, DA-16, Black Alloy Rim
Unit Price: $30.76
Status:
Shipped
Quantity: 2
Description: Quando FRONT HUB ALLOY DH THRU AXLE 20mm 36H
Unit Price: $37.98
Status:
Shipped
Quantity: 1
SKU: 01-136521
Description: Kenda 26x1.95, Police, Black, Skin Wall, 40-65psi
Unit Price: $25.63
Status:
Shipped
Quantity: 2
SKU: 01-136753
Description: Kenda 20x1.50, Kwest, 60 PSI, K193, Black, Tire
Unit Price: $12.33
Status:
Shipped
It ain't much I know, but as soon as those bits get here I can have my front wheelset built which will give me something to work out the spindle height & location with as well as the disk brake caliper mounts, which fortunately I already have, I scored a set of Avid BB-5 Mtn Mechanical calipers as "takeoffs" - brand new but only $10 for the pair! As brakes are one of the first things ppl upgrade when they get a new bike & the trend is towards hydraulics, the ol' local bike shop has boxes of perfectly good new mechanical calipers all unloved & forgotten, jus' waiting for a good home FTW
Another lil bit of news is I've found another kiddie sized dead four-wheeler, overlooked the first time because I didn't even have my motor yet & it doesn't have any front suspension - which a the time was the only thing I was planning on using... yet as it turns out that lil tiny quad has exactly the same motor as the Lifan 49cc I've gotten, just a different brand! So I'll be grabbin' that 'un too this weekend (hopefully) & mercilessly hackin' it up and gutting it for parts - namely the motor mount cradle, electrical harness including headlight & taillight/brake light as well as switches, exhaust system, thumb throttle & whatever else might be even a lil bit useful.
In retrospect I've come to realize that Crazy Horse may be on to something, he's recommended to others interested in a build using the "Chinese cloned horizontal four stroke" that it may be in their best interest to purchase an entire, new mini dirtbike/quad just for the various components. At the time I didn't realize just how much I'd be using, not all of the lil quads have a front suspension, and to make matters worse - none of the local stores sell the blasted things so I couldn't take a peek at 'em... Ah well, I've gotten lucky and these dead four wheelers are only like $25 in any case, I'm just glad they seem so commonplace... I should prolly mention that the lil one with the 49cc Honda clone isn't "dead" because the motor was junk - it still runs jus' peachy, it's just so pounded on by kids that all the plastic is wasted, handle bars bent & the tires are just plain missing... I'm gonna be an optimist for a change and figure this bodes well for the engine type being reliable & able to put up w/the abuse heh
Thanks for the interest guys - and furament, ya dang right that seat is comfy! ...so much so I'd never actually park my butt in it and set there, makin' vrooming noises to myself... I'm way too mature and restrained to make sucha childish fool of meself right? Right?
Yea... I didn't think ya'd believe me heh VROOOOMPUTPUTPUT!!1! What? I'm just test fitting & figurin' out control locations I swears!
Last edited:
re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (build phase)
Here's a matching rear tire for ya:
Kenda Kwest 26 x 1.5 - Bicycles and gear for every type of riding - Diamondback, Fox, Giant, Haro, Felt
Here's a matching rear tire for ya:
Kenda Kwest 26 x 1.5 - Bicycles and gear for every type of riding - Diamondback, Fox, Giant, Haro, Felt
re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (build phase)
Wow scotto, ya sure know yer tires lol - I didn't think it existed
26x1.5" is a touch on the skinny side, while that'd be great for reduced rolling resistance I'm a lil concerned with such a "small" tire's ability to absorb impacts w/o damage to the rim, particularly with such a heavy build... yet it's tempting & even quite inexpensive - I may go ahead and get it anyway
Thanks for the link man
Wow scotto, ya sure know yer tires lol - I didn't think it existed
26x1.5" is a touch on the skinny side, while that'd be great for reduced rolling resistance I'm a lil concerned with such a "small" tire's ability to absorb impacts w/o damage to the rim, particularly with such a heavy build... yet it's tempting & even quite inexpensive - I may go ahead and get it anyway
Thanks for the link man
re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (build phase)
One other thing I thought I'd mention is that the K-Rad's also come in 20" in 4 diff, widths 1.75-2.35. Cheers!
No prob. That may be a bit skinny but don't forget....you've got rear suspension!Wow scotto, ya sure know yer tires lol - I didn't think it existed
26x1.5" is a touch on the skinny side, while that'd be great for reduced rolling resistance I'm a lil concerned with such a "small" tire's ability to absorb impacts w/o damage to the rim, particularly with such a heavy build... yet it's tempting & even quite inexpensive - I may go ahead and get it anyway
Thanks for the link man
One other thing I thought I'd mention is that the K-Rad's also come in 20" in 4 diff, widths 1.75-2.35. Cheers!
re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (build phase)
True, true - but TBH one of the many things I don't know is just how much of an effect that has, how much a suspension reduces the actual impact load to the rim as opposed to the rider - or even if there's any reduction at all... Still, it's prolly plenty good enough & I'll jus' go ahead and order one when I bring my front wheels in to be built - it is a lil silly of me really, matching tread is after all nothing but a cosmetic consideration
Still, this early in the R&D stage tires are pretty much jus' for keepin' the rims off the floor - if matching tread makes me lol, it's good 'nuff! No doubt when I get this beast rippin' around I'll want to invest in a quality set o'skins and those K-Rads are getting more tempting all the time heh
BTW - didja know "k-rad" is in the Urban Dictionary? Urban Dictionary: k-rad
True, true - but TBH one of the many things I don't know is just how much of an effect that has, how much a suspension reduces the actual impact load to the rim as opposed to the rider - or even if there's any reduction at all... Still, it's prolly plenty good enough & I'll jus' go ahead and order one when I bring my front wheels in to be built - it is a lil silly of me really, matching tread is after all nothing but a cosmetic consideration
Still, this early in the R&D stage tires are pretty much jus' for keepin' the rims off the floor - if matching tread makes me lol, it's good 'nuff! No doubt when I get this beast rippin' around I'll want to invest in a quality set o'skins and those K-Rads are getting more tempting all the time heh
BTW - didja know "k-rad" is in the Urban Dictionary? Urban Dictionary: k-rad
re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (build phase)
Nope, but I do now. Man it's got a lot of meanings,heh?
re: The Bent Zombie Tribrid Tadpole Trike (build phase)
Well folks, jus' ta keep in touch - I've had a "setback" of sorts & I'm back to square one... but actually it's for very good reasons... probably... heh
While the other frame was coming along well w/o insurmountable problems, the tiny lil kiddie four wheeler I got last weekend has a far better suited frame design... I think... While it requires extensive modification as it's too tall - the motor being connected to the rear swing arm it needed room to pivot within the frame (which is just downright weird), not nearly long enough and w/o front suspension of any sort as well as a ton of unneeded fittings & fixtures - nevertheless not only do I think it'll fit the engine far better after a chop, drop & rake - with the tubing about half the OD of the one I was previously hackin' up it's a LOT lighter while still quite strong enough, prolly jus' about half the weight actually whoohoo!
So... between that and sending my front wheels off to be built... I've got nuffin' ta show I did manage to strip it down to a bare chassis, but there's a LOT of choppin' and hackin' I gotta do and... well... it's 5am and I've housemates that seem to think this is sleepy time
Crazy, I know *shrug*
So, back to the drawing board so to speak - ain't this fun?
Well folks, jus' ta keep in touch - I've had a "setback" of sorts & I'm back to square one... but actually it's for very good reasons... probably... heh
While the other frame was coming along well w/o insurmountable problems, the tiny lil kiddie four wheeler I got last weekend has a far better suited frame design... I think... While it requires extensive modification as it's too tall - the motor being connected to the rear swing arm it needed room to pivot within the frame (which is just downright weird), not nearly long enough and w/o front suspension of any sort as well as a ton of unneeded fittings & fixtures - nevertheless not only do I think it'll fit the engine far better after a chop, drop & rake - with the tubing about half the OD of the one I was previously hackin' up it's a LOT lighter while still quite strong enough, prolly jus' about half the weight actually whoohoo!
So... between that and sending my front wheels off to be built... I've got nuffin' ta show
I did manage to strip it down to a bare chassis, but there's a LOT of choppin' and hackin' I gotta do and... well... it's 5am and I've housemates that seem to think this is sleepy time Crazy, I know *shrug*
So, back to the drawing board so to speak - ain't this fun?