Amberwolf's Raine Trike

amberwolf

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Phoenix, AZ, USA, Earth, Sol, Local Bubble, Orion
This will be a smaller lighter version of the SB Cruiser:
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=67833
built as a grocery-getter/etc for my sibling Raine. It doesn't have to carry the kinds of loads SB Cruiser does, and probably wouldn't be used on the roads at the 20MPH I ride at, or go on the length of trips I sometimes need.


This is the preliminary design:

Raine's Trike v1.0a t.PNG


26" wheels on front and rear (for better ride quality, and to simplify spare tires/tubes, etc).


One of the wheels will be the Fusin geared hub that I'd had on Delta Tripper. The other will probably be the IGH-hubbed wheel I'd also had on there, though I'd never gotten around to making the chain drive to the rear wheel on DT, as the front wheel chain drive worked well enough for my purposes at the time.

Then a regular front wheel for the front wheel. :)





Frame to be built from the scrap 1" square tubing I still have, though the "downtube" and main full-length tube will probably be built from something stronger/larger. Perhaps multiple parallel tubes, perhaps 2" round pipe.


Steering will be tie-rod type, like CrazyBike2, rather than tiller like SB Cruiser, because of Raine's physical limitations.


Seat will be a suspended mesh or similar, to give a better ride without a thick hot padded seat.


Because of the taller wheels, the cargo area is slung below the axles, like Yogi's trailer.


The frames for the wheels might be done like the trailer, or might be something like a regular rear-triangle, or some hybrid. I'm still working that out in my head, for best strength to material amount/weight, and practicality of shape for structures needed to connect everything.


Not in the picture yet, but it will also have a pedal-chain drive like the SB Cruiser, but also like that it probably won't get used (neither of us can really do the pedaling thing much anymore). Probably it will go thru a 3-speed IGH just so that derailers and such don't have to be kept aligned and working.


Not shown is the sun-cover for midday shade; not sure how I can make one for more than that without blocking view, though.


Design will evolve over the next few days or so as I work stuff out with Raine for sizing and dimensions and usability, reach, etc.






All of the above stuff may be used as experimental tests on doing the same kind of modifications to the SB Cruiser, once I know they'll work.
 
Simplified frame a bit. Previously I was still thinking of cutting up a couple bikes to build it, when I started the drawing, and using a pair of rear triangles. But that would be silly cuz I can more easily build completely from scratch, only using some things like headtubes / headsets / etc from existing bikes, and not worry about "making stuff fit" but instead just build what's needed. :)


Dark blue is main frame (and fork). Light blue is side panels to cover stuff in frame (wiring, maybe toolkit, battery?) and to stiffen frame a bit.

Gray is seat.

Brownish is the cargo bed, probably wood planks from old pallets or whatever.

Black is tires/wheels.

Purple is steering/bars.

Red is drivetrain stuff: Pedals/cranks/BB where it is on SB Cruiser presently. Chain from there downwards held by rollers (adds friction, might leave these off and just put case around it), goes back to input gear of 3speed IGH under seat. Sprocket bolted to left side of IGH outputs to sprocket attached to shaft that goes to right side of both rear wheels, to drive each one's gears for two wheel drive.

Optionally skips driving the rightside wheel and mounting IGH under seat, and uses just the IGH as the hub of the left wheel. (simplest, is probably how it will start out?).

If doing it as separate IGH could leave derailers and full gearset on both rear wheels, and as long as they are the same I could make one shifter to move both of them and give even more gears on the trike, probably leaving out the entire IGH step.

But using just the IGH would simplify things enormously. Using it just in the left wheel would do so the most.

I think this drawing may have the trike too long by a foot or more, right in the middle.

Max possible width is about 34 inches edge to edge on rear frame. That's pushing it, cuz it would have no clearance between open door face and door frame on other side. 32 inches is probably more realistic, to let Raine still get it in and out the front door if that's necessary. Narrower would be better, but probably not practical for either cargo carrying or for tippiness.

Length is probably a minimum of about 8 feet, probably more like 9. SBCruiser is around 11 feet I think, including the trailer hitch; a little more than 10 without it.





Since this won't be used like SB Cruiser, it probably won't need a suspension fork either. If the seat itself has enough suspension of one form or another, that should be sufficient. So a regular fork will be used, saving weight and making it stiffer/stronger/less wobbly in steering, as there's no wiggly fork stanchions to deal with. Also no changing geometry depending on weight and loading.
 
Oh,, looks so fun to build.

I keep having this fantasy of a heavy duty trike, illegal of course, but made as a mid drive to something like riding lawnmower rear wheels.

More of a NEV. no pedals at all.
 
Here in AZ, I don't believe the definition of a bicycle includes a requirement for pedals. ;) Dunno about NM.

But they are at least a backup for when the rest of the drive system fails, even if they're not used the rest of the time, as long as they're geared right (SB Cruiser is not, yet).

This particular trike should be easier to build than SB Cruiser, as long as I get the pedal stuff lined up right. (though that is of least importance as it will probably never be used by Raine).

I'll have to dig out the old steering tie rod stuff from CrazyBike2 to use on this one (cuz I don't presently have $60+ to buy the rose-heim joints and threaded rod from the hardware place, like I did for CrazyBike2's present tie-rod).
 
Here in AZ, I don't believe the definition of a bicycle includes a requirement for pedals.

Look forward to see the new build, seems like this will be a true heavy duty hauler. Nice design.

Why not skip the pedals completely and put a second hub up front as a back up motor? Or to give a little extra kick when you are hauling heavy loads?
Sure them hairy friends of yours can stand a little more acceleration? :)
No stress with chain line, long chain, greasy pant leg from rubbing the chain, and heck it would look cleaner too.

If pedals where optional where I live pedals would have vanished immediately. And then it would be a kick to make a powerful recumbent trike full suspension
that moves like a small sports car. No pedal needed ever. Oh sigh. I should live in AZ, nice weather and freedom for e-bikers :)
 
macribs said:
Look forward to see the new build, seems like this will be a true heavy duty hauler.
This one? Not really--my SB Cruiser is, though. :)

This one is going to be smaller and much less powerful than mine, just a grocery-getter kinda thing for Raine, capable of stacking up a few styrofoam coolers on the back, though, so Raine can carry home stuff in the heat and not destroy the food (or whatever). :)


Some of the design features (if they work out like they should) will be incorporated into the rebuild of the SB Cruiser, though.

And I may test this trike out by first using it on my work commute, to be sure it can make the trips Raine will need it to (about the same length and type of trip), reliably.

Why not skip the pedals completely and put a second hub up front as a back up motor? Or to give a little extra kick when you are hauling heavy loads?
Sure them hairy friends of yours can stand a little more acceleration? :)
No stress with chain line, long chain, greasy pant leg from rubbing the chain, and heck it would look cleaner too.
Pedals are always good to have as a backup should power fail for whatever reason. For instance, this happened on SB Cruiser once, when I was sure I had enough power for a long grocery trip, but ran out a few miles from home because of detours, wind, etc., all adding up to eat my capacity up too soon, and unable to find a spot to charge up again till I was passing my workplace, only about 2.4 miles from home. :(

Without the pedals I woudln't have been able to get home anytime soon; even as much of a near-heatstroke chore as it was, it was better than walking the trike would've been.

Similarly, Raine would also need the pedals rather than walking, under similar conditions.

(though if I could make a hand-cranked version instead of leg-cranked, I think both of us would be able to do that easier!).


Another thing is that having pedals does make it clearer that this is a bicycle-class vehicle, rather than a motorcycle or scooter, and makes it less likely I'd be harrassed about it. :)


As for the second hubmotor....the SB Cruiser already has two, and I thought about a third up front, custom-building a fork that would hold the *rear* hubmotor I have that works and is already laced ina 26" wheel...but there wouldnt' be much traction on it unless I do other mods to shift weight forward, especially during acceleration from a stop when the rear motors are already lifting weight off the front.

On this trike for Raine, it has just the one hubmotor (the one I'd've used above) on the right rear, and may get another on the left rear (or as a middrive to drive the left rear or both rear), but I don't presntly have anythign working that I can use on teh front even if the weight distribution turns out to give that traction.


If pedals where optional where I live pedals would have vanished immediately. And then it would be a kick to make a powerful recumbent trike full suspension that moves like a small sports car. No pedal needed ever. Oh sigh. I should live in AZ, nice weather and freedom for e-bikers :)
Nice weather for a fair bit of the year...but we pay for it with our summers and much of fall. It's still spring right now and has been over 110F last few days, over 115F at least a couple of them. (right this minute it's still well over 90F outside and it's about 9 minutes to midnight!).

I'd like to make a version of SB Cruiser that is a tilting/leaning trike with full suspension, but so far I haven't had the time to even do the things planned for fixing up the existing one. :/
 
Been sketching during lunch at work, trying to work out the details of construction before I start on this. Already found a few issues I wouldnt' have without building it or drawing it out, easily worked around but annoying if in the middle of things. :/

I left the sketches at work so have to bring them home tonight to scan them in and post them.
 
Awesome project, what I use to do with my purposebuilt bikes, is to utilize a very slimmed down designprocess used by industrial designers.
Especially the part where I go through the usage of the bike. Mostly in my head, and some sketches with measures if I cant wrap my head around it completely.
Every aspect from charging, riding, attaching cargo etc. Just thinking through what every step involves and how I would like it to work.
I usually get to a few changes or stuff I hadnt thought about by doing this.
 
Those are fine drafting, Amber. If you put them on graph paper you could so isometrics too.
Very excellent drawings.
otherDoc
 
Oh, those are not very good compared to what I have done with pencil and eraser and ruler/straightedge/etc. :oops: But at work all I usually have is a regular ballpoint pen and maybe a black sharpie. (and my drink cup to make tire circles).

However, if I really wanted to make something really nice-looking, or precise, I'd just build it in the computer in 3D, so I could rotate it, and easily modify it. :) I can do that all in my head in great detail, but I can't show it to anybody that way. :(

Wheazel said:
Especially the part where I go through the usage of the bike. Mostly in my head, and some sketches with measures if I cant wrap my head around it completely.
Exactly: The sketches help whenever I need to finish working stuff out in my head, though, cuz once I start sketching I can see things I might not otherwise have. Sometimes the act of drawing also sparks ideas; I've been a sketcher since I was really little (though stuff back then was typical crayon-kid-junk).



Regarding the design and parts to build with, I've decided that using a regular bike frame minus the seat stays will get me the entire front end already-built, without using up the square-tubing I have left, and without taking so much time and fiddling to build right.

All I need to do to it is add the second steerer tube at the seatpost (probably behind it where the stays woudl've been).

The seatstays have to come off cuz Raine needs the gap (like I do) for legs to swing on and off the trike more easily.

The chainstays (and dropouts) stay on because then they can be used to route the pedal chain, mounting the IGH there. to then drive the rear wheel(s) via whatever jackshaft I come up with.

Then the main "keel" of the trike will be welded to the space between the BB and chainstays, with a small triangulation brace upward between seattube and keel tube.

Sorry no sketch for this part, but will see about a pic of the parts laid out on the ground if I can.
 
Like the general frame geometry. Looks like an intact front triangle is used for the front third. I like that idea a lot, which I guess comes from crazy bike.

Also like the look of the whole back end. Makes me want to break out my welder, but for me, that's a winter hobby.

Right now, I'm just all sidetracked to the dark side. ( I bought a 400cc gas scooter) :oops: Having too much fun taking that thing to the mountains in summer. :twisted: 2 buck gas has made be backslide big time.
 
No harm no foul with 2 buck gas. We have a small Toyota we got 10 years ago and it gets great gas mileage but no one cares now. That will change.
otherDoc
 
Thankfully that toxic fluid doesn't get used at my place or on my vehicles. ;)

(though I'm sure there's other toxic stuff in them)


I've pulled out most of the stuff I need to start this project, out of the various spots it was all stowed away at.

I've got another (bare) rear geared hub (ezee v1) on it's way from Liontail (along with a bunch of throttles), that I'll have to build into a 26" wheel after I replace the halls in it, so this thing can be 2WD. I already have a couple controllers to try with it: the spare Fusin one (it had a 6FET and a 9FET) and a Grinfineon 6FET. The Fusin is sensorless (in case I can't make the halls work), but has a separate board to make it so, inside, so I can take that off and turn it into a sensored controller. The Grinfineon is just sensored, AFAICR.

If I can scrape up the money for it, I'd like to also get the old BionX pack from Bikezen, cuz that could be paralleled with the LunaCycles pack and use the LC's BMS to regulate both, making it easier on all the cells involved. I'm still deciding if that's worth $100+shipping, though.


I found the old CB2's steering tie-rod, so I can use that for initial testing and design, then replace with actual heim joints and stiffer rod when money is available for those parts.

Still looking for my bearing cups and bearings for the various old bike frame parts I intend to use for the jackshaft/steering/etc pieces.
 
Got a couple of small pallets beign tossed out, to take apart for their slats, so I can make the cargo bed:
IMG_3677.JPG

View attachment 1

IMG_3683.JPG

Since these pallets were only used once, they aren't all beat up and broken like most end up, so the wood is in decent condition.

Maybe have enough to redo the SB Cruiser's while I'm at it, once I get the SBC rebuilt to the new rear-end design (after it's tested on this trike). If not completely, then at least enough to cover what the original boards won't.



/
 
I've finally gotten (I think) all of the tubing out of the sheds that's needed for this; it's out in the yard laid out by type so that tomorrow before it gets too hot I can lay it out in the approximate shape of teh trike, and cut and tack it together lightly, to see how the shape works out and then get Raine on it for direct fitting of it.

It won't get all cut and tacked tomorrow, I'm sure, but at least there will be some of it done, hopefully.


Since I was already digging thru the last shed (north) I took everything out except the shelving stored in there, since it was just a jumble of stuff and not efficiently packed in, and had a bunch of stuff I'd planned on getting rid of but hadn't been able to get to yet. I put all that stuff in the alley for anyone that wants it (mostly old furniture bits, storage containers, etc), and tossed the stuff that had been destroyed by weather (the top of the shed is damaged), cats, and bugs.

So now that is mostly nicely repacked where I can get to stuff, and I also ran across a bunch of ebike stuff I wasn't sure I still had, mostly things in need of repair but a few bits that can be used on this trike, including some regular bike parts.

If I have any time I'd also like to take soem of the old bent/rusty retail shelves in there and weld them together to make them usable *as shelves*, cuz I don't ahve any more of the uprights they hook into to build them like you'd see in a store. Then I can even more neatly store stuff in the sheds, cuz right now it's all just piled in stacks for the most part, making it harder to get to when I need to. (which makes projects like this take a lot longer than they should)
 
Due to many little details I forgot to ensure were done first yesterday, I didnt' get too far before it got too hot just past noon, though it has been mostly cloudy so far today, making significantly cooler than it would've been whenever I'm in the sun instead of shade).

First I laid out the bits on the ground, while Teddy supervised (and Yogi napped in the kitchen)
IMG_3684.JPG
View attachment 14
View attachment 13


then I started setting up bricks to get the height needed for cranks to just barely clear the ground and still keep the main tube level, etc. Since none of the rims have tires then there will be another couple inches or so once those are added. That main tube was part of the frame from the first treadmill I got on Freecycle, to use it's motor/etc for the abandoned ReCycle project.
IMG_3688.JPG
IMG_3689.JPG
View attachment 10
IMG_3691.JPG
IMG_3692.JPG


I used screwdrivers thru the vlave holes on the rear rims to pin them in place on teh ground, to hold them upright while setting up geometry.
IMG_3693.JPG


This is about how the main tube will sit over the pedal drivetrain
IMG_3695.JPG

I got the front frame (formerly the old Velcro Eclipse bike) stripped of hardware that won't be used on this trike, like the front and rear derailers, rear brake calipers, seat clamp, etc., then cut off the seat stays. leaving the chainstays to hold the IGH that will provide the low/mid/high gear for pedalling should that ever be necessary. ;)




Then I trimmed off all the mounting brackets on the long beam from the treadmill frame, leaving just the beam itself, which is about an inch wide by two and a half or so inches high, fairly thick walled. I cut the front end at an angle to meet the seattube and bottom bracket of the Eclipse frame so that it will extend rearward from there and clear the IGH shell by about 1/4" (enough to not hit the oil-fill cap).
IMG_3698.JPG
IMG_3700.JPG
IMG_3701.JPG

Tack-welded that on, and started to re-lay-out the stuff for the back end on it, but then I just had to go inside, cuz it started getting sunny again and that was more than I could take, with it already 102F in the shade and definitely a lot more than that in the direct sun.

IMG_3699.JPG


I still havent' found my bearings and other bits, which I'll need for things like this headtube/steerer, presently held together with "wrong" parts off a little razor kickscooter. :
IMG_3696.JPG


I also have to find (or make) the V-cable for the brake:
View attachment 4



And I am considering making a new fork with no curve to it, to reduce trail given the trike doens't need it. I'd use a straight U-type BMX fork and extend it with tubing inside or outside the existing tubing.
 
BTW, the reason I ended up going with the Eclipse frame is I can't find any of the hardware for the giant Schwinn frame.... I'd have to build a new steerer that's long enough for whatever fork I used for it, and probably have to rebuild the fork to make it long enough.

This would also let me get a more vertical headtube than I get with the Eclipse frame.

It also is much taller, so the toptube is high enough that I wouldnt' have to add a riser for the handlebar end of the steering. With the Eclipse frame, it's short enough to require some sort of riser (or very tall stem), since Raine needs the seat taller than it was in my pics above--it needs to be more the height of a regular chair, so feet can end up flat on the ground (but can still reach the pedals if need be).



I may still decide to use the Schwinn frame, which is why I only tacked the main tube to the frame.


First I have to build up the back end of the trike, though, as that should end up the same no matter what happens with the front end.

I have to decide exactly what I'm going to use to build it and how, since those drawings were just a guideline on figuring out what I needed to do; actual parts I have here to build with determine the final design. :)

The main constraint on the rear end is it can't be any wider than the front doorframe, minus the thickness of the front door itself (because it only opens a hair more than 90 degrees, leaving the door in the way), plus an inch or so either side for easy entrance/exits, whenever Raine has to get it in and out of the house. This is pretty dang narrow (to me) and is part of why I'm making the bed and bottom of the trike so low, to keep as much mass as possible down there to counteract the tall seat and narrow back end, so COG is as low as I can get it.


So I'm probably going to take the battery pack and "unfold" it, since it's in a "brick" shape now, and is made of 18650 cells, (4p 13s, I think it is?) and place it in a flat case down at the bottom under the seat as low as it can possibly go without risking it hitting curbs or speedbumps and the like, so just above/inside the framework to protect it.

Should be easy in theory, though it might require some plastic spacers in between the cell-ends so they don't rub on each other in vibration (even though they're electrically connected).

This should also help the pack shed the heat it generates under loads (since it's not really a high-rate pack, but sometimes it's probably going to see short bursts of 1.5C+ current).
 
Cleared out a space in the shade by the back porch to keep the trike setup in to work on it; it's also close enough the welder extension reaches easily.

https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=49550&hilit=+porch&p=1200537#p1200537

Still workng ideas out in my head and on paper before I start actually cutting/tacking metal.
 
Since various discussions a while back with Raine showed this trike would probably not be used, it's still on hold until I can figure out how to make one that would be. Or until I have time to just build it anyway, since it could be useful to have a smaller trike for some things.


For now, I'm putting the effort into rebuilding SB Cruiser to be more like what I need, and designing a larger version of it for higher power, more hauling capability, etc.
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=84161
Pretty much the opposite of what this trike would've been. :)
 
Getting back to this one, but it has to be designed a bit differently. Raine doesn't want anything that isn't up-high seating, even though this will cause multiple problems:

--he'll have to climb up onto it, and down from it, rather than just sitting on it like a chair. With his disabilities this is going to cause more pain, and my guess is it will be used less because of that once it's finished, if he doesn't let me redesign and rebuild it lower to fix that.

--the much higher COG will cause problems making turns, meaning it will have to be ridden at much lower speeds, probably in the 10MPH and under range. Otherwise any sudden avoidance maneuver is likely to cause a bad crash. Riding at these low speeds precludes street riding anywhere except back streets thru neighborhoods, especially on a trike that will tip over in avoidance maneuvers (would be better on a bike or a lower trike like SBC).

--it'll also make it tippy when riding on a sidewalk crossing driveway entrances (which are quite a steep slope), which is where he'll have to ride due to the lower speeds it will have to be ridden at because of the above.


AFAIK the sole reason stated for the high (bicycle-like) riding position is visibility in traffic (seeing and being seen), but something like this is quite visible without a high riding position. Seeing the rest of traffic is no worse than being in a car--better actually as there's no big blind spots from the car's roof structure (even if there's a canopy sunshade on the trike like SB Cruiser has).


So, I'll build it his way first, and see how it works out.


To make it as high as requested, it'll end up with the seat base about as high as the top of SBC's headtube top, almost chest high to me sitting on SBC.

I can still use the basic frame I've already started with, but the configuration will change significantly from the above sketches and photos. If the seat is that much higher, the pedals also have to be much higher, so I have to add a new BB, then the chain will go down at an angle to the IGH under the seat area, rather than straight back to it like in the pics above.

I'll go ahead and go with a seatbox like SBC has (for small cargo, groceries, etc), and a canopy, but the trike will be much taller in comparison to the SBC, and probably shorter in length as it doesn't need to have the front wheel so far forward to clear pedals, or the rear stick out so far to carry a dog crate.


I've started some new sketches but they've not yet accounted for all teh changes needed, so I'll have some new stuff up in the next post.
 
So the redesign version is this:
rainetrike beta2,11.png

Red is the frame itself. Tan areas are wood-covered. light blue for the seat. light gray for the steerign tie rod. Dark gray for the pedals, IGH, and motors. Pink for the canopy. Dark red for the handlebars. black for the wheels.

Like SBC, the top of the seatbox would open forward, but this cargo box would be uninteruppted with no internal chainlines/etc--all of that would go under the box (which is how I intend to redo SBC's at some point).

Canopy would be made the same way SBC's is, as its held up fine and works to keep the rider cool in the midday sun.

Since the rider is far too high to put a foot down anyway, and will need something to help climb up on the seat, there are two angled braces running from what would normally be the BB point of the front triangle back and out to the bottom front corners of the seatbox frame. This also helps with structural stiffness/strength laterally/torsionally. It'll be covered in wood as a deck.

There will also be a wooden deck in back, and probably partway up the sides inboard of the wheel, so that things don't have any risk of contact with the wheels/spokes.

Rim brakes front and rear, one lever front, one lever rear (I have a double-pull lever to use on those).



The wheels are all 26", front probably normal and rear be two geared hubs. It might end up with just one DD instead, up front instead of in the back--depends on Raine's needs.



This trike will also be a testbed for the ideas in it that aren't yet in SBC, to be used in a newer version of it, that will use geared hubmotors in both the front 26" wheel, and both 26" rear wheels, with the deck hanging below them like the above and like Yogi's trailer, the Mk IV. But it'll be a larger deck than SBC, and wider, with no intent to make it fit thru a house doorway. ;)

If Raine decides to not want this trike once it's built (even if it's redesigned/rebuilt/etc), I'll probably just rebuild it into my new one instead.


This was an earlier idea
rainetrike beta2,01.png
that has some less practical bits in the frame.
 
High and narrow seems like a super bad idea. What's the prospective track width of this thing?

Edit:
I just saw your earlier post that stipulated the thing will be several inches narrower than the door of a house. I would not make a trike with such a terrible track width to center-of-mass height ratio. For a 36 inch wide doorway, you're looking at less than 28 inches between tire tracks. And he wants the seat bottom higher than that? No way. Tell him he can have it high or he can have it narrow, but not both.
 
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