Originally Posted by Gibber
My name is Bryce Gibson and I am currently a junior at Wentworth Institute of Technology. I am researching everything and anything that has to do with bicycles and tricycles for a project. As of right now we are designing a tandem tricycle for urban use only. I am looking for any information or thoughts that you may have. More specifically, if anyone knows if a shaft drive system can be implemented on a tandem bike please reply. Thanks a lot.
If looking at an upright tandom tadpole (two wheels in front), look at a Welsh Trike-Roman Wheels Netwon Trikes for some ideas:
http://www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk/romanroad.htm
Trailmate also makes side by side (sociable like Workman) deltas (one wheel in front).
www.trailmate.com
Here’s some useful links:
http://webpages.charter.net/rcgilmore/Illustrations.htm
If going rear wheel drive, I’d avoid the complications of steering and drive on that same rear wheel.
If side by side sociable rider arrangement, fwd with each rider independently driving his own wheels is practical, particularly on recumbent or semi-recumbent rider position
In a side by side delta arrangement you might also go to independent rwd-each driver cranking his own wheel-avoids differential issues and drivetrain complication-standard bicycle drivetrain.
I’ve seen some longitudinal oriented shaft drive bikes on folders trying to avoid the mess of a chain-they are heavy 45 lbs for an Aluminum folder with the shaft drive and the internal gear hub.
Sidewinder is a rear steer fwd tadpole recumbent
http://www.sidewindercycle.com/
Culty and Stites and Raven (appears to have just been renamed tricumbent) are rear steer delta recumbents;
http://www.culty.de/
http://www.stitesdesign.com/wrap_hpv.html
http://www.justtwobikes.com/models_trike.html
See Eric Wannees rear steer trike page:
http://www.wannee.nl/hpv/abt/e-abd.htm