Building/modifying a reverse trike. Suggestions or words of wisdom?
01-27-11, 03:40 PM
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Building/modifying a reverse trike. Suggestions or words of wisdom?
I'm a newbie in the bike construction thing, but have decided I'd like to design a certain kind of bike that I had the fun of learning to use when living in Copenhagen, Denmark. The bike, routinely called a "Christiania Bike", are a whole lot like a utility trike, but is essentially flipped the other way, with the two wheels and a large (often painted wood) box in the front. A quick google search for "Christiania bike" will yield quite a few photos of what I'm talking about.
I haven't found any reasonably priced options in my region of the US, and it seems like the design hasn't especially caught on here. Hence, the decision to build it. It'd be helpful to have a skeleton frame to build off of, but it seems more and more like I may need to make some trips to the scrap yard and hack up some old frames and do quite a bit of welding to make this happen. Any words of wisdom?
I haven't found any reasonably priced options in my region of the US, and it seems like the design hasn't especially caught on here. Hence, the decision to build it. It'd be helpful to have a skeleton frame to build off of, but it seems more and more like I may need to make some trips to the scrap yard and hack up some old frames and do quite a bit of welding to make this happen. Any words of wisdom?
01-27-11, 05:42 PM
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Easy mate! You CAN buy an American made trike exactly like you want ,for less than you could build one, and it will be strong as a tank......
https://worksmancycles.com/shopsite_s...frontload.html
https://worksmancycles.com/shopsite_s...frontload.html
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My preferred bicycle brand is.......WORKSMAN CYCLES
I dislike clipless pedals on any city bike since I feel they are unsafe.
Originally Posted by krazygluon
Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred, which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?
My preferred bicycle brand is.......WORKSMAN CYCLES
I dislike clipless pedals on any city bike since I feel they are unsafe.
Originally Posted by krazygluon
Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred, which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?
02-08-11, 01:21 PM
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I can vouch for the Worksman front loaders - I have an S.U.D., and I swapped out the metal box for a grocery cart (without the bottom part and the wheels). It is not winning any races, but with a 3-speed coaster brake wheel on the back, I take it all over town, sometimes with groceries, sometimes with my 4-year-old and my 6-year-old inside. Here it is in action: 
02-08-11, 02:40 PM
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How do those ride considering you have to move/turn the entire loaded part of the bike, rather than just a wheel, to turn? A trike with fat, studded tires would make a great winter bike, it seems.
02-08-11, 04:18 PM
#5
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Kaz, I think you posted this question in "Introductions" a while back? If you like, I can run out and photograph the underside of my Worksman. You won't necessarily find the parts for one in a hardware store or a scrap yard, and as pointed out earlier, the Mexican cargo trike would be easier to home-build using bicycle parts.
I think some of the European trikes also have front wheels that pivot separately, which is altogether different from the Worksman design.
Interesting website: https://www.tucsonbikelawyer.com/
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02-08-11, 06:42 PM
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I got to try mine out in the wintery weather here. Only the rear wheel is powered. So riding on level ice, no problem. Riding in 6" of loose snow, problem. Uphill on ice, problem. Would depend on the weight on front, too.
Kaz, I think you posted this question in "Introductions" a while back? If you like, I can run out and photograph the underside of my Worksman. You won't necessarily find the parts for one in a hardware store or a scrap yard, and as pointed out earlier, the Mexican cargo trike would be easier to home-build using bicycle parts.
I think some of the European trikes also have front wheels that pivot separately, which is altogether different from the Worksman design.
Interesting website: https://www.tucsonbikelawyer.com/
Kaz, I think you posted this question in "Introductions" a while back? If you like, I can run out and photograph the underside of my Worksman. You won't necessarily find the parts for one in a hardware store or a scrap yard, and as pointed out earlier, the Mexican cargo trike would be easier to home-build using bicycle parts.
I think some of the European trikes also have front wheels that pivot separately, which is altogether different from the Worksman design.
Interesting website: https://www.tucsonbikelawyer.com/
02-08-11, 09:17 PM
#8
Uber Goober
Ice on the trail (not snow, ice, hear it crunching)- no problem:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgbIG1FUB2o
Light snow on the road- no problem:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA_I6jH7DY8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgbIG1FUB2o
Light snow on the road- no problem:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA_I6jH7DY8
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"be careful this rando stuff is addictive and dan's the 'pusher'."
02-09-11, 06:49 AM
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I ride with studded tires and have little problems too. But as a utility bike to go shopping, do laundry, etc. a trike might be beneficial in Winter.
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