The Epic an electric tri car.

[fasteddy]

While I'm waiting for the parts to finish the Indian tri car I decided to build a vintage style electric tri car of my own design. It's started but due to our usual fall monsoon rains here in British Columbia I can only work a day or two every week with luck and it looks like next Tuesday will be our next rain free day so I'll give you an idea where the build is headed.

This is the general style of the tri car. The "gas tank" will be the battery box and I'm using a 40's/50's Monark frame to match the electric 1952 Monark Super DeLuxe bike and I restored and the sidecar I built. Thanks to photobucket I don't have the photos of them handy but I'll add them when I can get the back from Photobucket.

http://occhiolungo.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/p1020256.jpg

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

Had a minor miracle happen here on the Wet Coast yesterday afternoon. The sun came out and I was out to take advantage of it. I have photos of the frame, the extension from the bike to the front axle and the axle.
The axle is from a golf cart and I bought it from a vendor on eBay a few years ago. The spindles will need to be changed to ones with a longer axle but I have some in the parts pile.

Better weather they say in the middle of next week so the grinding will begin and some more welding. Here's where it sits at the moment.

Steve.

 

[silverbear]

Steve, the Monark frame is going to be perfect for a tri-car. I remember when we hauled it to bike camp several years back. That had the rear fender if I remember right. Is it usable? Didn't that fender have the cool light housing? It will be interesting to see how you set up the steering. I've got my seat up in the peanut gallery and am here for the duration. Carry on, sir. This is going to be Epic!
SB

 

[fasteddy]

Hi Silverbear,
It is going to be Epic indeed. Hoping it is an Epic success and not failure but this time it's what I envisioned and not what someone else built like the Indian.

The fender is with it and I have another set as well so one of the rear fenders is going to become a front fender. It did have the rear reflector on it and when the time comes I'll look to see if it can be modified to accept a LED light. I have one train light from a Monark and I'll watch to see if I can get another one if I think it will look good on the tri car front fenders.

Working on the best way to make an upper tank to fill the space between the bars and add a battery box below it. The upper tank will be either the controller box or a tool box.

The steering was with the axles when we got them and it will be fun tying it all together.
I'll have to get the tie rods down from the shelf and look at them to see how best to do it. I may just cut the front axles off the spindles and add new, longer, front axles. I'll have to discuss it with my welder friend, Shaky.

Steve.

 

[silverbear]

I always enjoy your posts, Steve. Still laughing about your welder friend, even though it isn't really funny. I remember now about the tie rod ends and the steering setup. Still have to marry the steering to handle bar post somehow. Once it is all there in front of you subject to some creative staring it will reveal to you how it wants to be made.
How many volts? Are you going to "make" (assemble) the battery or buy one already put together? Take lots of pictures. The ones you posted look good. And they aren't hosted through photobucket which makes them gooder yet.
SB

 

[fasteddy]

What's going to power the Epic. I can guarantee that it won't be Fasteddy even though it will have pedals so it's legal. I have a Sick Bike Parts 3,000W electric shifter mid motor that will be hooked to a 52v battery. It will be governed at the controller for 20 mph or 32 km which is the legal speed limit for electric bikes here in Canada. The limit for wattage here is 500W (750W in the U.S.) and with 52v I believe the wattage comes in at 1,650W so that is why the speed will be limited at the controller. The 3,000w is with a 72v battery.

The kit comes with everything you will need to convert a bike to electric. I am going to use a modified motor mounting system that someone else used rather than the factory supplied mount mostly for a vintage look.

I'll put a link to Sick Bike Parts below.

Steve.

http://www.sickbikeparts.com/

 

[silverbear]

Looks good...
SB

 

[fasteddy]

You've seen some of Shaky's best work Silverbear. Looks like a drunken porcupine wandered aimlessly through a snowy field. I'm going to look into building a battery myself. Another forum member mentioned a company that has made it pretty easy and fool proof. I'll post a link to them below. Lot's of information there.

I should have mentioned that using the electric mid motor eliminates the need for a second rear drive sprocket because the kit includes a sprocket and pedal system that uses double sprockets. One sprocket works with the pedal crank and the sprocket next to it is driven with the motor. The motor driven sprocket free wheels when you pedal and the pedal sprocket free wheels when the motor drives the bike. The rear wheel is driven by the normal rear sprocket on the wheel.

Steve.

http://www.ebikeschool.com/

 

[silverbear]

That's a great link.
SB

 

[curtisfox]

I've got my seat up in the peanut gallery and am here for the duration.

Got to watch and maybe learn, as not a real electric fan. But who knows,LOL

 

[silverbear]

Hey Curtis!
Where's the popcorn guy? Or were we supposed to bring our own?
SB

 

[curtisfox]

Here! belong to Costco and have big bags of skinny pop pop corn ready. Wirle wind summer, this year but finally settling down. How you doing?............Curt

 

[silverbear]

I'm good. This summer I spent a lot of time with my sail canoes, improving the rigging and such and making outriggers to keep myself from drowning. Also some fishing, but nothing having to do with bikes. Next summer Steve will be coming however so bike camp will be in session and the welder will be making sparks. Health is good for 73. Met a nice lady I knew a little bit as a boy on Ojibwa Lake, so there's that. Life is good, Curt.
SB

 

[curtisfox]

Awesome! Ya 76 now and doing good so far, bike camp, will be fun again. maybe complete the tri cars, and some good rides.........Curt

 

[fasteddy]

Hi Curt,
Other than using up parts to build the electric tri car I will be able to ride it in Canada without worrying about the cop with an attitude or knowledge about motorized bicycles. A lot of the fellas on here from Canada ride their gas powered bikes daily without trouble but if you do run into problems it can get expensive in a hurry and if you have a motor vehicle the insurance rate may well be out of sight.

Not anywhere near as inexpensive as a gas bike but the stealth and quiet if in a camp ground or at a car show will be appreciated by all those around me.

We're strung out along the age trail we three. Seventy Three, Seventy Four and Seventy Six. Wasn't that long ago that they were just numbers and now they are reality.

Onward.

Steve.

 

[curtisfox]

Yep! been fallowing your builds, LOL I sure wouldn't want to be caught up there on gas bike, younger gents don't seem to mind till they get nailed. Then pis and mone that they were doing wrong, blame the cops.

Lot of guys wonder why i don't go bigger motor then 2 hp, who needs it at my age, And still may get it because it is over 50 cc ...........Curt

 

[fasteddy]

I was looking at the photos of the tri car and realized that what was planned for connecting the bike to the front end wouldn't work. Spent the day today trying to figure out what to do. I hope I have it figured out and I'll set up the bike tomorrow and see if I'm correct.

The way the plan was the sprockets would hit the the tongue going from the bike to the front axle. The plan now is to have a single piece of tubing coming from between the the 2 pieces of tubing at the rear and meeting the curved part of the down tube. I'll weld it in solidly and make the whole frame one piece unlike the Indian tri car which is two piece so the bike can be used by itself without the tri car attachment.

I take photos tomorrow to better explain it.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

Yesterday was flooded out and today was shirt sleeve weather. I got up close and personal with the bike and with some file and grinder action I coaxed the tubing that will attach the front end to the bike to fit. If we do receive the sunny weather we are supposed to over the next few days I hope to have the frame finished.

Here's what I did today.

Steve.

 

[silverbear]

That should work nicely...
SB

 

[curtisfox]

Yes it should, nice fit................Curt