Monday, August 30, 2004
I Want a Trike!
Greesnspeed GTE designed for self-contained touring in 3rd World countries. 
The title says it. I really want a trike. The main reason I want one is because I experience such pain when riding a diamond frame(DF) bike. I can only ride for a short time before I start having really discomfort in my rear end.
I've ridden long and short wheel base recumbent bikes but they are all too unstable a low speeds. I test rode a Rans Stratus and a Rans V-rex. I liked both machines but they I could never really climb uphill well with them. Starting on an uphill was impossible. I think it's because on a DF you've got gravity and your body wieght working for you. Where as on a bent gravity and body weight don't work to your advantage. It also seemed that bents require a faster minumum forward speed to keep your balance.
Solution? A trike. Drawback? Cost. I've been looking for econimical solution for a trike. However, I don't have $5,000 for a Greenspeed. I've looked at Catrike, Organic Engines, Raptor Trikes, Scarab, Trimuter. All of them have some major drawbacks. Catrike is $2,000 but it can only handle 300 lbs max. I'm 6 feet 2, 255 lbs. I want to tuour with about 50-60lbs of gear. Scarab and Trimuter are out of my budget. Raptor looks like Cheap-Mart special. Plus the weight limit is 250lbs. They say it can be modified for more wieght but I don't trust the frame design. I don't mind cheap, or rather non top of the line, components but I want a frame that can hold up.
I most cost effective solution I see for now I to take a TIG welding class from the local Community College and build a Greenspeed from tube kits and plans. A Greenspeed GTE trike tube kits costs about $571. Basically, all the precision work is done for you, such as cutting tube to length, bending to correct angles, metering, etc. All you have to do is weld up the frame, paint and install drive components. Plus, I can build as I can afford. Hopefully, with this plan I can build for about $1,500. Plus the cost of the welding class. Even if it takes a year to build I think it would be worth it.
The title says it. I really want a trike. The main reason I want one is because I experience such pain when riding a diamond frame(DF) bike. I can only ride for a short time before I start having really discomfort in my rear end.
I've ridden long and short wheel base recumbent bikes but they are all too unstable a low speeds. I test rode a Rans Stratus and a Rans V-rex. I liked both machines but they I could never really climb uphill well with them. Starting on an uphill was impossible. I think it's because on a DF you've got gravity and your body wieght working for you. Where as on a bent gravity and body weight don't work to your advantage. It also seemed that bents require a faster minumum forward speed to keep your balance.
Solution? A trike. Drawback? Cost. I've been looking for econimical solution for a trike. However, I don't have $5,000 for a Greenspeed. I've looked at Catrike, Organic Engines, Raptor Trikes, Scarab, Trimuter. All of them have some major drawbacks. Catrike is $2,000 but it can only handle 300 lbs max. I'm 6 feet 2, 255 lbs. I want to tuour with about 50-60lbs of gear. Scarab and Trimuter are out of my budget. Raptor looks like Cheap-Mart special. Plus the weight limit is 250lbs. They say it can be modified for more wieght but I don't trust the frame design. I don't mind cheap, or rather non top of the line, components but I want a frame that can hold up.
I most cost effective solution I see for now I to take a TIG welding class from the local Community College and build a Greenspeed from tube kits and plans. A Greenspeed GTE trike tube kits costs about $571. Basically, all the precision work is done for you, such as cutting tube to length, bending to correct angles, metering, etc. All you have to do is weld up the frame, paint and install drive components. Plus, I can build as I can afford. Hopefully, with this plan I can build for about $1,500. Plus the cost of the welding class. Even if it takes a year to build I think it would be worth it.
# posted by funbun @ 8:51 PM 
