Joe's Creations 'Gamma' Trike
I have become interested in recumbent bikes/trikes mostly by accident. I was surfing the net looking for billycart designs and amongst the numerous pages that come up from the search there was a page that showed a recumbent trike. At this point I modified the search and started looking for trikes to compare the different design types. I was hooked. As most of the trikes, I had seen on the internet, were of a basic design, I decided to build something different. The thinking cap went on and after a number of rejected design I came up with this. Mind you I started planning this trike in 1998.
Once I settled on the design of my trike, which I have called Gamma after the Greek letter of the alphabet that resembles the shape, I bought the steel tubing and had it mandrel bent at an aircraft engineering workshop. The bent tubes sat idle for a couple of years before I was able to build a jig to hold it all together for welding. Again the tubes sat idle, in the jig this time, for a lengthy period of time. Eventually some components were salvaged from donor uprights while others were bought, wheels were built and recently the frame was mig welded.
So what next, well I will weld the boom with the BB, need to make the seat frame and cover it with mesh, buy 6 kilometers of chain (at least it seams that long) and put it all together.
As I have a number of other hobbies, and outside influences (read: family commitments) it is very difficult to satisfy all equally, therefore, who knows when the trike will be finished.
'Acid Rush' Low Racer
The lowracer consists of a 48mm aluminium tube cut and mig-welded to a shape that conforms to my body.
Front fork is mild steel and was constructed from a donor 27" racer. Wheels are Velocity 451, 32mm for the front and 28mm for the rear with Sachs 5000 hubs and 7sp (11-23) Shimano HG70 cassette. An intermediate gear will be used and possibly located at the second junction of the main tube. At this stage I'm debating whether to make this lowracer into a FWD. This will mean that the intermediate gear will be placed next to the head tube, the front fork will require re-work and the chain/seat stays will require to be brought closer to accomodate a 110mm hub.
“True Mettle” High Racer
The High racer (True Mettle) consists of a 51mm mild steel main tube. The front fork, chain/seat stays, head tube/bearing, BB, wheels, front/rear derailleur, brakes and cranks have all been sourced from a donor 12speed 27" racer. The seat frame, consisting of two rails and 3 xmembers, is made from 16mm mild steel tubing and mesh will be used to make it a bit more comfortable and stop the rider from falling trough. One decision I still need to make is whether to go for ASS or USS.
24th April 2006, latest update on “True Mettle”
As can be seen from the latest pictures I decided for ASS (Above Seat Steering) and the seat has been replaced from mesh to padded aluminiun. A lot of work is still required to bring this bike to a ridable state, one consolation though, I have all the bits required to complete the project but one: TIME. So, don't hold your breath to see it finished in a hurry.
