A trike from old bits
08-01-16 | 10:08 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 97
Likes: 6
From: Midlands
Bikes: Hetchins, Dawes, Raleigh, Holdsworth, Standard Cycle Co, and others
A trike from old bits
A friend idly said that he would like to ride a trike, because he has a back problem and thought the trike more stable.
Sounded like a good plan, how hard could it be?
I had a spare 80's Raleigh frame, and managed to find a 50's Holdsworth trike mechanism.
It should have been a bolt together job. I had to find a big saddle and the right straight handlebars, but a search of my workshop delivered these, plus the other bits I needed.
The bearings had gone on the Holdsworth, but I did not realise that as a result the drive shaft was bent, and the bearing housings were no longer straight. It took a couple of visits to Doug Pinkerton who managed to straighten up the shaft.
The frame and conversion were powder coated and new decals applied, and the rest was assembly. I did have a problem with the wheels as it needed 32 spoke rims, and long spokes.
Once all assembled I tried it out, without first reading the guidelines on how to ride a trike. How hard could it be???
10 yards on a heavily cambered road, scratched elbow and knee, I realised I should have checked first.
All in all, it was a nice challenge to build.
Sounded like a good plan, how hard could it be?
I had a spare 80's Raleigh frame, and managed to find a 50's Holdsworth trike mechanism.
It should have been a bolt together job. I had to find a big saddle and the right straight handlebars, but a search of my workshop delivered these, plus the other bits I needed.
The bearings had gone on the Holdsworth, but I did not realise that as a result the drive shaft was bent, and the bearing housings were no longer straight. It took a couple of visits to Doug Pinkerton who managed to straighten up the shaft.
The frame and conversion were powder coated and new decals applied, and the rest was assembly. I did have a problem with the wheels as it needed 32 spoke rims, and long spokes.
Once all assembled I tried it out, without first reading the guidelines on how to ride a trike. How hard could it be???
10 yards on a heavily cambered road, scratched elbow and knee, I realised I should have checked first.
All in all, it was a nice challenge to build.
08-01-16 | 10:33 AM
#2
multimodal commuter
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 19,810
Likes: 597
From: NJ, NYC, LI
Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...
I've heard that it's pretty hard.
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08-01-16 | 02:41 PM
#5
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 813
Likes: 170
From: Adelaide, Australia
08-01-16 | 04:42 PM
#7
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 12,563
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From: Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada - burrrrr!
Bikes: 1958 Rabeneick 120D, 1968 Legnano Gran Premio, 196? Torpado Professional, 2000 Marinoni Piuma
One wheel drive or two? One wheel drive is very hard to get used to. As for two wheel drive, much easier. Both this old Beekay...
...and this E-Z Roll were fun to ride...
This one wheel drive converted Falcon trike was a bit more difficult. I crashed it with-in the first five feet..!
...and this E-Z Roll were fun to ride...
This one wheel drive converted Falcon trike was a bit more difficult. I crashed it with-in the first five feet..!
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"98% of the bikes I buy are projects".
"98% of the bikes I buy are projects".
08-01-16 | 04:43 PM
#8
Hump, what hump?
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,963
Likes: 305
From: SC midlands
Bikes: See signature
Someone posted a trike racing video earlier this year. Easy to wipe out on one, I hear.
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2010 AB T1X ** 2010 Cannondale SIX-5 ** 1988 Bottecchia Team Record ** 1989 Bianchi Brava ** 1987 Centurion Ironman Expert(2) ** 1985 DeRosa Professional SLX ** 1982 Colnago Super ** 1982 Basso Gap ** 198? Brian Rourke ** 1970 Raleigh Professional MK I ** 1952 Raleigh Sports
2010 AB T1X ** 2010 Cannondale SIX-5 ** 1988 Bottecchia Team Record ** 1989 Bianchi Brava ** 1987 Centurion Ironman Expert(2) ** 1985 DeRosa Professional SLX ** 1982 Colnago Super ** 1982 Basso Gap ** 198? Brian Rourke ** 1970 Raleigh Professional MK I ** 1952 Raleigh Sports
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