TrikerAL

I hope I'm not about to do the bike forum equivalent of f4rting in church, but I've only just found this site, this is my first post, and I'm an alcoholic ..... er no, sorry, wrong problem, but I do need help.

I'm an old codger reduced to riding a trike after falling off my bike (it was worse than that, I wasn't even riding it but pushing it along a narrow track, tripped & fell into iron railings, put my hand out & fractured my wrist, from which I've not properly recovered) and She Who Must Be Obeyed said no more biking for you!

The trike I have is a Schwinn Meridian (OK, OK, I'm sorry but needs must!)
It has a single speed, but I'm moving from Florida to somewhere with hills.
So I need gears; a 3-speed would be fine.

My bike shop suggested I eBay my Schwinn & buy a 3-speed Miami Sun from them.
That would cost me some, more than I want to spend.

Anyone know if a 3-speed Shimano might be retrofitted to my trike? If so, how should I go about it?

Wordbiker

I'm not sure how the SchwinnMeridian is set up for conversion, but if you do decide to sell it off, consider a Worksman trike. Made in the USA (Since 1898!), very fairly priced and Green conscious.

biker128pedal

Cool. Get the arm rests and you can add a cup holder.

See if they would build a 7 speed version. Go for the alloy rims.

n4zou

Look for a couple of slotted brackets (dropouts) forward of the axle. If your frame has them your halfway to getting it converted to a multi-speed hub. If not your out of luck and would need to purchase a trike with a three speed setup. A trike three speed hub is different than the one used by a bicycle. There are two sprockets instead of one. The extra sprocket is welded to the spoke flange. That sprocket drives the sprocket on the axle. The other sprocket is driven from the crank and chain ring. Several years ago I purchased a trike three speed hub from Workman to upgrade a single speed trike to a three speed. Another option is modifying a cheap steel hub that uses a multi cog freewheel. Bore out a single speed sprocket to just fit the spoke flange on the hub and weld it on. Make sure it's true before you weld! Spin on the freewheel and install the hub where the three speed hub would go using a bolt on RD as can be found on cheap bikes. The shift cable can be used full length so no braze-ons are required, just zip tie the cable to the frame. You'll need a shifter to control the RD. If indexed make sure it's for the same number of cogs on the freewheel of just use a friction shifter.

ultraman6970

just a dumb idea... what about put a set of triple cranks and a chain tensioner, one of those to cenvert a road bike to single speed somewhere?? It souds easier to say than to tell...

thanks.

kenebec

HI /Al,greetings from Old in Maine and not likeing it.I dont see what your suggesting as easy or inexpensive,not only that my thinking is that a three speed wont be enough difference in much of a grade. I dont know much about training wheels but I might try a Girls 24 spd, frame cut bike with training wheels. /Ken

kenebec

HA HA HA Biker 128 I believe you have deffinately solved Als problem/Ken

TrikerAL

But only if the cup holder is OK for the bottle of Bud without spillage ......
Don't you just hate wasting beer???

theopowers

While many of us can go on and on and on and on and on ad infinitum about road bikes and brands and components and setups and conversions and compatibility, very few of us know anything about trikes, especially off the top of our heads. If you could provide details about your bike and maybe pics and web links talking about such things, maybe we could reapply our know-how.

You have not farted in church, rather you walked into church and asked where to buy kosher meats.

I am sorry to say that you missed a living Sheldon Brown by about a month.

charly17201

Try posting in the 'bent section. You may find more people that have dealt with this question.

oilman_15106

Try the 50+ fourum with this one. Some of us "more experienced" ones may have an answer for you, however I do not.

BigBlueToe

Checkout WizWheelz.

johann435

Reduce the size of your front sprocket first and see if that will solve your hill climbing problem. I'd go for a 36 tooth crank/chainring sproket first and go smaller if you need to. I suspect you will need a smaller one. It's a whole lot cheaper than relacing a wheel or trying to convert things, or, buying a new bike.

mike

I don't know your trike specifically, but the original Schwinn Town and Country adult tricycles had Sturmey Archer three-speed conversion kits that were sold, so it must be possible.

You live in Florida? If you can't fine a bike shop that can do it for you, find some Mexican mechanics who are good with bikes and ask them. I am constantly impressed with the crazy bicycle contraptions that the shade-tree Mexican bike mechanics come up with.

Anyway, I am sure that it can be done. Three speeds are not that complicated.