batrike

I had post this on alt bikes but never got any responses,then i realized its more of a utility bike.
I have been thinking on a child carrying trike,i thought about a front loader and just build a box on it,then i found this online "picture below" and it looks really cool there worth about $4000 + shipping from Europe,to high for me.Planning to buy a Worksman Front Loader - Model STPT for $900,build the frame and install a Crystalyte HS35 motor with 3 12v 105amh batteries.
Any reasons this shouldn't work??

Ranko Kohime

Those 3 batteries are car-grade, I take it by the capacity? That's a good route to go, as any motor you buy will need plenty of available amps to be able to move that trike around if you have any kind of hills to deal with.

Keep in mind, though, that the Crystalyte motor is not compatible with internal gear hubs, derailleurs only, and the Worksman trike is compatible with gear hubs only (without modification to the frame for a derailleur-hanger), so your only option is single-speed use, which will cause you to use the motor more often than you would if you had some gears to choose from; take that into account with any range calculations you may have done regarding potential battery range, if this is at all a concern. (I think under almost any circumstance, that rig, if not even pedaled, but ridden solely by motor, should have at bare minimum a 5-mile all-up-hill range)

ETA: The only other thing that may possibly be an issue is the strength of the resulting rear wheel; you will be effectively replacing the rear wheel if you use that motor, as neither the rim nor spokes are compatible with the motor, I would assume. (Worksman uses 11g spokes, whereas this motor is probably designed for regular bicycles which range between 13-15g, and smaller numbers refer to thicker spokes, of course). Depending on how loads are distributed between the wheels, this may put the new rear wheel beyond it's weight capacity. Loading the children and batteries forward of the front "axle" would alleviate this concern, but may make the trike harder to steer.

StephenH

I will point out a couple of things about the Worksman trike. First off, it's wide. So if you ride on a road, you're going to be taking the lane whether you mean to or not. Secondly, both the gearing and the brake (rear coaster brake only) are set up for flat land. So if you live anyplace somewhat hilly, I'd suggest looking for something better. The Worksman trike is also heavy, if you put a kid and a couple of car batteries on it, you might find yourself challenged to lift it over a curb or bring it into a house. When empty, they are tippier than a bicycle when you go around corners. They are not realy stable at speed, and about 12 or 15 mph is as fast as you'd want to go. With the gearing on mine, around 12 mph is a good speed.

The one I have is 25 years old or so, but the box on it just bolts on top of the springs with regular bolts, and it would be very easy to fabricate any kind of box or platform you wanted to out of plywood.

Personally, the idea of attaching electric motors to bicycles just sounds like a bad idea from the start, but I realize there's people that like to do that.

Nightshade

The Worksman alone is a back breaker on flat ground. Add a wooden carrier and batteries and you've got a great yard ornament since it will be way to heavy to pedal.

Ranko Kohime

Maybe that was the point of the OP adding a motor?

batrike

i will be traveling on mostly flat ground according to the ebikes simulator it should give me 100 miles on a o" grade with 700 hundred pounds(i will not be traveling more than 50k tops),for the rim and spokes 13 gauge the load would be on the front wheels they can upgrade to 20" magnesium,(ebike can do special lacing), .The thing you got me thinking know is the space for the derailleur,i was counting whith at least 135mm clereance for the hub motor and a 7 speed 11 to 28 tooth freewheel,i was planning to remove the coaster brake and use the regen mode as a back brake and to disk brakes for the front wheels,i will have to contact them if theirs enough clearance for that to,thank you for giving me some questions that i didn't even think off.

batrike

I will be traveling mostly on bicycle lanes and paths,about the speed i dont care about its more of not killing my legs then how fast i can get there,i consider the geared motors but to many things can break plus i will only use this during the summer(i will be traveling whit kids and i know tricycles or unstable at turns and high speed,any other doubts or questions please let me know.
Thank you

Ranko Kohime

May I suggest a different cassette? If you stick with the stock 36t chainring, an 11t cog on the back will put you around 85 gear inches in top gear, which is over 20mph at a reasonable cadence, probably well faster than you will want to ride. Instead, I would recommend getting the smaller chainring that Worksman offers, (smallest they offer is 28t), along with a MegaRange cassette, which has a 34t low cog. This will make any hidden hills relatively easy to conquer. If you use Sheldon Brown's gear calculator, it will tell you the gear inches of your intended setup. I'm 5'6", 140lbs, and have thick legs, when I'm tired, I have trouble pushing an unloaded mountain bike up 10% grades, on a 24GI low gear.

My recent acquisition of a Worksman Mover trike, I cannot start from a stop up a 20% grade, in the single 45GI gear it has. Just a little food for thought.

Space for a derailleur wouldn't be my concern, the cassette would be, but then I think those motors may be designed with cassettes in mind. The attachment of the derailleur makes me wonder, as the frame isn't set up for it. There may be derailleurs designed for adapting to single-speed frames, but I'm not aware of them.

Also, the Worksman Front Loader has no provisions for disc brakes that I am aware of, and so would need to be modified to use them. It's a good idea to go disc on something that heavy, but it's not an idea I've heard of anyone doing.

badmother

This type can be used https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/sunrace-m...age-prod23545/ plus you can buy the adapter/hanger so that you can use a normal der: https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/shimano-r...-bolt-prod406/

batrike

badmother solved the deraileur problem thanks for that,the other thing know is the disc brakes,
i saw the worksman stpt model up close and there is nowhere to attach the caliper except welding a piece of metal from the leaf spring,and its a good 5" from where the rotor would be.Any ideas for braking.
P.S. anyone seen a worksman front loader with disk brakes.

batrike

i think i got it,drum brakes.now the question is how much weight would the hub support.

fietsbob

Somewhat like
The Christiania bikes are heavy goods haulers in Copenhagen, Denmark.

the steering is by moving the whole box on an axis between the wheels

one way to make wheels stronger , is by supporting both ends of the axle.

My old CoOp made Burly Trailer has a frame that does that.. uses 2 QR front wheels .

They come off and so the trailer packs in the closet.

IDK about that wheel, need more data. How thick is the axle ?

disc brakes on a Down hill Thru axle hub will be stronger
than the usual 9mm on my Sturmey Drum, hub.

batrike

your talking about the ackerman steering,its not compatible with worksman cycles,and those trikes you have to import them i havent found a company that makes them here in the US.

Ranko Kohime

I can't tell from the picture whether the wheel pictured is for a Front Loader or not... I'm not familiar with a Worksman Front Loader having drums on the front, but if that is the case, I would say weight capacity will not be a concern with those wheels. As for stopping, well... Drums do suffer from fade, and need to cool after extended use. Long steep hills would not be a good idea, especially with a load.