Chalo said:
Also, belts don't last significantly longer than chains (sometimes not nearly as long) and they're much more expensive to replace.
Belts also require a frame that "opens" to get the belt on (or a frame designed around not having to). A chain doesn't, cuz the links can be opened to get it around any frame section.
Either TRP Spyke/Spyre or Avid BB7 will stand your bike on its nose just like any other good strong brake. BB7 is extremely easy to adjust, and has excellent replacement pads availability.
The Avid BB7 disc with a 200mm rotor works fine stopping (or skidding the wheel) my SB Cruiser trike from 20MPH. THat's 300lbs of trike/etc, plus my 200lbs, plus a 130lb+ St Bernard in the back.
Previously it took *two* rim brakes (custom jobbie on the fork) on the same wheel to get that stopping power, but that was partly from the fork itself twisting at the legs, taking away some of the braking power by not keeping the pads flat against the rim.
kauaicycler said:
The previous commenter "Electric Earth" had a good idea about the kids trailer. The ones I saw worked as a stroller too. Seems places would allow me to wheel it in, not all though. They do fold flat too so transporting it should be possible. I'll need to research this before I commit to panniers. With the stroller I could carry standard luggage and/or back packs inside it.
There's also various types of BOB trailer (you could make your own version that does whatever you want).
You can also make panniers that have their own wheels for taking inside--basically using luggage with wheels that has a "subframe" inside it, that you can then attach to the bike frame via a pannier-type frame, that makes them easy to take off but secure during riding.
Regarding tires/etc., you can more than double the tube thickness by taking "dead" tubes and cutting their valve stems off, then slitting them along the inner circumference, and placing them over the actual tube you'll use. More layers makes more thickness (I usually only use one, but on my heavy-duty trailer (for piano-sized cargo/multiple dogs/etc) I use two. You can also add the "slime strips" (whatever brand) on the outermost layer, between the tube assembly and the tire, for a bit more puncture resistance. I used to always use slime sealant, but it doesn't always stop the leaks when I have heavy cargo weights, or large bits of debris, so I started using the multilayer approach and it works better, stopping the punctures from happening in the first place, almost completely, and allowing me to patch it easily (unlike with slime, which as its' name implies, is a bit on the difficult side to clean up).
Any thoughts about a two motor setup and electrifying recumbents in general? I will be looking for successful builds using this style of bike to see what's possible.
You might look at my CrazyBike2 thread, starting from the end of the thread and working back (the early versions aren't what you're after). It uses 2WD with DD hubmotors now, but originally was a middrive kinda like Stokemonkey but using a powerchair motor). Switched because the frame couldn't handle the torque, and twisted causing chain derailment. Now it's stiff enough but havent' ever gone back to redesign for middrive; hubmotors just worked, but no real need for efficiency on hills /etc cuz Phoenix is pretty flat.
Keep in mind that 'bents in general are lower to the ground and less visible. It's why I went with semirecumbent for CB2, so it's not as low as it could be, but it's still lower than a standard bike. So it's lit up quite significantly (not as much as the SB Cruiser trike, and I'd retrofit it if I was still using it), and it's "big" to make it more likely to be seen. But I still had problems being seen in traffic with it sometimes (not so with SB Cruiser in it's present incarnation, so far).