Re: [CR]Trikes

(Example: Framebuilding:Tubing)

Date: Sun, 03 Jun 2001 21:46:08 -0400
To: "Rick Chasteen" <rchasteen@kc.rr.com>, <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
From: "Harvey M Sachs" <sachs@erols.com>
Subject: Re: [CR]Trikes
In-Reply-To: <005001c0ec70$94b8b880$e1bc5e18@kc.rr.com>


I spent a fair amount of time with a Bob Jackson trike custom-ordered for a friend 20 years or so ago. Lovely craftsmanship, and really, really stooopid design.

1) I haven't seen a "modern" trike with a differential. what I've seen drives left wheel only. On cambered road, this carries less load (in the US and other drive-on-right countries). Easy to get it to slip.

2) Rick is right: steering is nuts. Used very similar head angle and offset as a single. Trike leans (due to road camber), so trike wants to head to the right. sure, you can ride it. Just takes practice and a willingness to suspend disbelief and pretend you like riding at an angle to the direction the rear wheels want to go!

3) But, there are chances for real excitement. Learning to lean OUTward while cornering on two wheels, for example. It must be easier than track-standing, because I did learn the lean. Only crashed once, if I recall correctly.

FWIW, I think the right way to build a trike is more like one of the crazy kid trikes made of plastic: recumbent. But with two steering wheels in front, and one driver behind. auto-type steering. Green-gear does this in Australia, but it isn't classic.

Ah, the old trikes. Great craftsmanship, wonderful materials, and a rather unfortunate design.

but I don't feel strongly about this...

harvey sachs mclean va

At 16:03 6/3/2001 -0500, Rick Chasteen wrote:
>Roger St. Pierre's "The Hub" column in the June issue of Cycling+ contains
>a marvelous photo on page 18 of a group of riders cycling up the road with
>great vigor and enthusiasm. The time period is apparently the early
>1950's and 3 of the lads, with no wounds or other injuries visible, are
>astride trikes. On the next page, Listmember Hilary writes eloquently
>about a Higgins tricycle. I know we discussed trikes briefly a few months
>ago, but could someone with experience please comment on the dynamics of
>these?
>
>A friend of mine bought a Franklin trike a few years ago. It is very well
>made and has good quality 700c road wheels, a disk brake on the front, and
>what appears to be some kind of differential. I rode it up and down the
>hill after rolling into the grass repeatedly trying to pedal out of the
>driveway and I have to report that the thing is bloody diabolical. It
>appears to steer completely opposite from a 2 wheeler and will steadfastly
>point the front wheel downhill or off camber.
>
>So, I am wondering (and I am truly desperate, now, since my friend will
>probably insist I "take it for a spin" again), how does the rider make a
>trike proceed in the direction desired?
>
>Rick Chasteen, Kansas City