Tricycle Conversion Kit...
 

Boy, the Tricycle Conversion Kit project learning curve is in place now! With that in mind, I thought that it might help others with similar projects. There is very little information on the Net at the moment. At least, I did not find all that much information out there.

When I first tried riding the Sekine trike (the Ken Rogers kit was fitted to a very large and damaged Sekine), it handled so poorly that I almost chucked the whole idea. But I didn't.

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...7&d=1370391731

I tested the Falcon, the intended recipient for the Ken Rogers tricycle conversion kit, to ensure that it was riding straight and true. No issues were found.

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...2&d=1374790149

Next, I installed the kit as best I could, based on little or no information. The ride quality changed not at all. Poo-Poo on a stick. Notice how short the wheel base is on the converted Falcon. So...

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...5&d=1374790204

I joined the on3wheels.myfastforum.org group. Finally, a bit of advice that seemed useful. However...

It turns out that the problem is me. I, literally, have to learn to ride a tricycle. Riding a trike is not at all like riding a bike!

So, I finally got the thing to go straight, but then another issue surfaced - heel clip. With the axle mounted inside the stays, as it (apparently) should be, there is insufficient room for my heel to pass by the axle.

http://gallery.myff.org/gallery/1608...learance_1.jpg


http://gallery.myff.org/gallery/1608...learance_3.jpg

Once again, it is back to the drawing board. I am considering mounting the kit behind the stays, increasing, rather than decreasing the Falcon's wheel base.

Any ideas, suggestions or cash donations will be gratefully accepted:-)

Oops - I was looking at a completely different trike-conversion setup. This setup you have is correct - but how far back in the dropouts do you have the adapter axle? It's hard to tell in the pics, too, how close your heel comes to clearing the freewheel guard.

I found an interesting trike link here:

http://pedal-trikes.blogspot.com/200...onversion.html

DD

+1 on DD observation that the axle is mounted incorrectly on the Falcon. Can't wait for the ride reports!

Here are some photos of how to fit the kit properly.http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=333199http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=333200http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=333201http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=333202

Based on all the pictures I have found on the Net, the set-up on the Falcon is correct. Correct or not, my heels clips the axle hoop support all the time.

At the moment and in the pictures, the axle is mounted hard against the derailleur hanger, with the non-dive side wheel set to match. There is not nearly enough room to move the axle back much more than 1/4" and only if I file the hanger a bit.

Ride report? Went a few hundred feet, as pictured, and started to understand the dynamics involved in riding a tricycle. Though not at all convinced at the moment, there is a possibility that riding this thing will be fun, once I learn how, assuming, of course, that I can get it set-up correctly.

By the way, thanks DD for the link. That is already proving helpful.

Well, I moved the conversion axle outside of the stays, increasing wheel base by 8cm and moving the axle well away from my foot. The bike, thanks to the longer wheel base and some tinkering, on my part, does ride better. Getting closer to keeping it but not sure that would be a good idea. It won't fit through the door to The Old Shed...

Thanks to those of you who offered fitting advice. Please notice that this kit is, somewhat, different from others on the Net. There is no way I can mount the axle inside the stays and then be able to ride the bike (trike).

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=343903 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=343904 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=343905

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=343906 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=343907