Thanks for the feedback! I'm also trying to remember to use a bit of cutting oil as well. Hopefully this was the last tap I break during the build!

I have even more imaginative ideas when I've been drinking...

Thank you! Currently this is a prototype, some people asked if I could make a series of videos to show the build, which is happening, very slowly, but firstly this isn't a commercial venture and secondly I want to get the testing phase over before I offer the design to the public domain. Where it'll be free of course. You're very welcome to build the design form the videos and if you have any questions I'd be very happy to answer but I want the design to be safe before being released.

@@Saol_Now_Rolling ok thank you

Oh sure, but rocking up with two crates of definitely-not-beer will make you friends everywhere 😁

@@Saol_Now_Rolling 😂😂😂

🤣It was the wet, cold ride back which did it for me...

I kind of solved a problem which I created for myself... Am I right in my search engining, that the AR-3 trike is lean to steer? tadpolerider.com/tag/lean-steering-on-tadpole-trike/ that's cool!

Thanks! That's a nice thing to say. We're in northern Germany and it's flat and lends itself well to cycling. I hope you can get some ideas from the videos for your build. Please give me a shout if you want to talk through any bits which aren't clear. I am getting the next video ready ready(front handlebars and axle) which once these are done, the rest of the body of the trike should be fairly straightforward!

@Saol_Now_Rolling Lovely, thank you very much for sharing your expertise. I shall now begin reclaiming my tools from my Sons and Grandsons in preparation 🤞🏻

That's a good point, I didn't include those. It's difficult to find the point between getting equipment for a workshop and project specific tooling. I thought I would leave the drilling accident in, just to show how stuff can got wrong, and that people need to exercise caution when fabricating. I have slowly started using gloves for projects where I know I'm getting oily or paint-y but I still forget too often. Thanks for the subscription!

still fewer than the group of cyclists who went past had.

@@Saol_Now_Rolling it's very rare for me to carry an extra set of wheels on the bike but i'm always surprised by just how much air resistance there is on them. it feels twice as slow as regular riding.

I think more than 3 wheels for a trike might be a bad idea. Why were you carrying extra wheels?

@@Saol_Now_Rolling i'm still on regular bicycles, but sometimes race, and if the race is close by i ride there with extra wheels strapped to the handlebars :) i'm thinking about buying a recumbent, an optima baron. they usually go 500-1000 euros used on maarktplats, it's just the matter of catching one. they sell very quickly

That makes sense. #googles optima baron quickly# that's a cool looking bike, looks fast. It reminds me of an ICE trike at the back.

Thanks, that's a nice thing to say. When home building recumbent bikes, it's almost easier to start with a standard bike and bolt stuff on, you can benefit from the similarities in shape. With a trike you have to build a completely new frame, hence the choice of materials.

Thank you! Watch this space, after finishing the bike build there will be more modifications...

If you look for Aluminium Profile 30x30, 60x30 and 60x60 you should find some, most of mine I got off ebay.

Hi, with the camera rig on the back it is 26.5kg. I'm guessing 25kg without this.

Are you using any motors?

Not yet, but that might be a later project to motorize it.

@@Saol_Now_Rolling i am looking forward to see it

A hammer on it´s own is not much use, a solid vice also required. And bending 50x6mm it has to be a VERY solid vice...

@@Saol_Now_Rolling It's more likely people have a vice. But if you don't have the tools you improvise. Find something that is secured to planet Earth and use clamps of whatever. Still, bending isn't easy. You need just the right size metal to make it work. Reason why nothing on my trike is bend. Point is that you can have a great design, but if it costs hundreds to build you just as well buy a trike from a shop. My first trike I built with a hacksaw, a clamps, a file, an old drill, and some sandpaper. That's it. Perhaps you want to try get the (almost) same result without that bending tool? Just so that people who don't have access to such a machine can still use your trike design. That's what you want isn't it? Show alternatives.

Agreed and I mention in the video that in the future I will revisit the design and I'm sure it's possible without a bender. Some people requested I show the trike build and that is what I'm doing. After this series is finished I can reevaluate and simplify but it's too big a project to do while I'm building it. I'd never get the video out!

@@Saol_Now_Rolling Instead of one piece of thick steel you can use two thinner layers that are easier to bend. They won't be exactly the same but it's strong enough once bolted together.

Thanks for the sub and I'm happy to tell you that that is exactly the video I'm currently working on. It's a little bit different to my normal type of video and I want to make sure I'm not talking rubbish so it is taking a bit longer. The steering knuckles are bespoke parts, but I can hopefully give you some tips on how to build your own and how best to use wheel chair wheels. I agree, I have tried to use premade components when possible(no need to reinvent the wheel!) but somethings just don't exist. I would also suggest taking a look at @driewiel with regards to steering. He has gone a different way and while I personally don't think it looks as solid, it might be easier to build as there is no bending metal involved. I will be taking a look at his design after finishing mine!

Smart about what?

I will subscribe and see how it goes. I'm sure there are lots you do better than I did. I can't hammer a nail straight in a wall so don't think I'm some kine of a NASA engineer.

Thanks for the feedback and the subscription! I miserably failed to spoke a wheel, I tried cutting the spokes down but then I needed a special spoke threading tool and I gave up and tried another way. The axle holders are currently on sliding profile nuts and found the path of least resistance, which was the camber. I guess they will need adjusting at some point, but currently I the trike doesn't feel too bad to ride. The trike doesn't seem to brake steer very much. Probably all that camber... Your Tribolt has been around for a while and I'm guessing you have tweaked and improved the design and I still have some catching up to do. You have given me a number regarding cost, thanks for that, it will be interesting to see how much my design exactly costs to make. My aim is still to make the design so that even people who aren't that good at getting holes in the right place can still make it.

@@Saol_Now_Rolling If I can build my trike the design is definitely suited for all stupid people around the flat Earth.

The fact that your trike goes straight, corners, brakes, and can handle 2000km trips shows that you have talent getting holes to line up and parts to fit. This is quite apart from the design. No one is born with fabrication skills , it takes time and practice to get that right. Therefore I feel "stupid" is the wrong word here!

@@Saol_Now_Rolling Couple hundred people made a copy of my trike. Most did a better job quite honestly. What I find difficult in my design is to get the front wheels perfectly vertical. I think people should first make a tool to get them nice and straight. Or have a level work table/floor. But last time I did come up with an easy way to set the toe-in. I just hold a flat bar against the front of the L-shape profile steering knuckles. You could do the same. As long you know those are 90 degrees you put them at the outside of your wheel axles. Then hold a straight bar or tube against them. A measuring tape will not work. Much too inaccurate. You little roll test down the hill showed that. And what if there are bugs or snails you run over? First it it plain murder. and secondly jealous snails will do anything to slow you down. Ah well. Important thing is your DIY trike won't break down. If there are any 'no so good' geometry issues you kind of forgive it because you built it yourself. Can't expect wonders. I once bought someone's homebuilt trike and the tires were gone after 10 km. While the Big Apples on my trike last 3000 km or more easily. Without e-assist or solar roof my old legs can pedal the thing at 22kmh cruising. That's only 2-3 slower than my fancy 2007 ICE QNT. So I guess I learned to drill holes somewhere where they should be after all.

The trike has direct steering, with short bars connected to each wheel and a tie rod linking the two. Please take a look at kzbin.info/www/bejne/eH-lfJ2gZr6Zbsksi=R-vpugU6FO1e0yWL&t=360 (around 6 mins) shows it quite well.

@@Saol_Now_Rolling ok thanks

I'm glad you find the design interesting. Yes, if you wouldn't mind waiting a few weeks, I'm putting a second trike together and capturing the build for a video, and that, with drawings of parts and assemblies which I can put on google docs or something, should be enough to build the thing. I'd also be interested in hearing from you what is easy and difficult on the build.

No, but I'm very happy to let you have them for free. Please note though that currently this is a prototype, that's the reason I'm testing and smashing it about to improve the design. If you wouldn't mind waiting a couple of weeks, I'm putting a second trike together and capturing the build for a video, and that, with drawings of parts and assemblies which I can send through, should be sufficient to build it from scratch.

​@@Saol_Now_Rolling Thanks for the reply and for supporting replicas. I'm happy to wait a few weeks.

Thank you! At that point the added weight is worth the extra power from the solar panel!

Is that a square mesh seat or a hard shell seat? Currently I have my camera rig at the top of the seat. I like the idea of enclosing the rear wheel and then hanging things off the back, cheers!

There are non alcoholic drinks that come in glass bottles but they don't come in crates and I needed one on both sides 😂

Thanks for the feedback! This was my first short & I wasn't sure how snappy it needed to be so I left that bit out. I drilled out to 7.5mm & 30mm depth and added cutting oil, so much easier :)

I took around 1 year to design it, I did a bit here and there in my free time, the aim being make it simple to manufacture. The build took about 1-2 months with a lot of backtracking and modification. The 3D CAD shown in in vid also have drawings and plans attached.

Thanks, I'll take a look.

I'm glad I picked up the project again, I hope you get a chance to give your trike another go. Thanks for the support!