Mounting Bracket for a Fairing
12-03-07, 02:37 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Mounting Bracket for a Fairing
This bike has one of my fairings on it. It's honestly more like a cargo box, with aerodynamics secondary to carrying cargo.
I used 1"x4" polyethylene bar stock to make the clamp, which is bolted together and holds the fairing to the headtube.
It can hold about eighty pounds of stuff.
I should've said that crash protection is the most important function. If someone tries to door me, I can knock the door off it's hinges.
The hinged lid is unique. I experimented and found that the best angle for aerodynamics, which makes the bike faster, is fifty three (53) degrees. I am contemplating building a fairing which has the 53 degree angle molded in , and cannot be changed.
I sprinkled the fairing with aluminum powder between coats of paint, so it may appear shiny with the sunlight striking it.
This fairing was designed in 1991, so it's beyond the point of me suing for patent violations if someone copies it.
12-04-07, 11:24 AM
#3
Recumbent Trike
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Santa Cruz, CA.
Posts: 560
Bikes: WizWheelz TerraTrike with Velo-Kit & 24V motor, completely enclosed (fiberglass/kevlar & Lexan) EZ SX Tad with 36V motor
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I use fairing mounts from Zzip Design- about a 2' horizontal to a 2' verticle "T" shape... plus the lower horizontal 'flip-up" clamped to the frame; also a Zzip product. I sure hope I do not get sued for any patent violations. Windwrap and Zzipper fairing companies both could take me to the cleaners!
countersTrike
countersTrike
12-04-07, 12:45 PM
#4
Senior Member
That looks like it works pretty well for your design, which is, as you admit, heavy. I tried something similar using two blocks of Delrin, but I considered it a failure because the blocks alone weighed over a pound apiece. Instead, what I came up with was... radiator hose clamps. On my V-Rex, the fairing mounts at two points: one just ahead of the head tube on the boom, and one in front of the bottom bracket. The mounts stay on the bike semi-permanently and the fairing frame just slides into them.
12-05-07, 11:02 AM
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
That looks like it works pretty well for your design, which is, as you admit, heavy. I tried something similar using two blocks of Delrin, but I considered it a failure because the blocks alone weighed over a pound apiece. Instead, what I came up with was... radiator hose clamps. On my V-Rex, the fairing mounts at two points: one just ahead of the head tube on the boom, and one in front of the bottom bracket. The mounts stay on the bike semi-permanently and the fairing frame just slides into them.
I don't care what the mounts weigh, the important factor is -"how much weight can be carried?".
Here, like I said the cargo fairing can carry eighty pounds.
And It's wonderful to have some protection against being "doored".
I should mention, I used 1"x4" polyethylene. I drilled a hole for the headtube first, then I cut it lengthwise.
Then the stretchy nature of plastic came into play. I had to drill the holes, and then push the drill sideways, which made elongated holes. the reason is because of the flexibility of the plastic, the holes no longer lined up when the bolts were tightened. I also had to drill with a drill-bit the next size larger than the bolts, because the plastic stretches around the bit, and when the drill was pulled out, the hole was smaller than 1/4".
Once the blocks were in place on the headtube, i used self tapping one x one quarter hex screws.
I currently don't have all of them in, if you look closely. I thought eight would be overkill.
