Jon's Warrior Build

[JonHylands]

I'm really happy with how the seat back has turned out. I found the stock "attach the seat back to the frame tube" to be quite uncomfortable, and this (with about 5" less recline) is much more comfortable for me.

I'm working on what I can for the front end systems while I wait for my 32-hole 20" rims to arrive.

Here's one of my axle bolts, along with a couple drilled (20 mm bit) axle holder things. I find it much easier to drill the hole in the end of the bar, and then cut it to length. Gives you a nice lever arm while drilling on the drill press.

Here's a pic of one of the hubs, with the axle bolt, and the afore-mentioned drilled plates:

And finally, the (mostly) finished parts-with-no-name (still want to grind the ends round):

Things will be slowing down a little now, while I'm waiting for parts. The rims are coming from China, and the crank group was just reordered (also from China, different vendor this time), since the first order was cancelled from their side because they didn't bother shipping the parts within the specified time window.

Once I get the rims, I can lace them to the hubs, and do most of the non-pedal related front end work.

I'm working on the front end booms right now, and I'll also start working on the steering system, although there's only so far you can go without having the front wheels and tires.

 

[SirJoey]

Personally, I don't mind the seat being solidly fixed to the frame, as long as the seat back angle is around 45
degrees, so this bike would be FAR too reclined for me. I'd feel like I was trying to ride while lying on my back!

I did buy the plans several years ago, back when I was still building, with the intention of altering the frame
dimensions to suit me, however, I never got around to building it before losing my shop & most of my tools.
I'm anxious to see how your adjustable seat solution works out!
***

 

[JonHylands]

The 20" 32-hole rims are on a boat from China, but I found a place here in Canada that has them in stock for a really reasonable price, so I ordered another pair.

https://www.commencalcanada.com/20-32h-rim-c2x29163209

Hopefully they will show up later this week, and I can order some spokes and lace a couple wheels...

 

[Emiel]

Personally, I don't mind the seat being solidly fixed to the frame, as long as the seat back angle is around 45
degrees, so this bike would be FAR too reclined for me. I'd feel like I was trying to ride while lying on my back!

I did buy the plans several years ago, back when I was still building, with the intention of altering the frame
dimensions to suit me, however, I never got around to building it before losing my shop & most of my tools.
I'm anxious to see how your adjustable seat solution works out!
***

If i remember right from the build info, the seat is about 45 degree.

 

[Emiel]

Looking good. The adjustment of the seat is what I ad on my next build also. I noticed that the seat angle had influence on how you use your trike. More upright, you drive slower than as you lay down.

Ad some triangles in the back to make the rear stronger.

 

[JonHylands]

The seat back tube is 45 degrees from the seat bottom tube, but the seat bottom tube is not horizontal. Personally, I don't care what the angle is - I just found the stock seat back position very uncomfortable.

 

[Emiel]

The seat back tube is 45 degrees from the seat bottom tube, but the seat bottom tube is not horizontal. Personally, I don't care what the angle is - I just found the stock seat back position very uncomfortable.

This is the best way to do it. As you changed the angle on the frame, than you had to know that it was the angle you liked. Now you can change it to the right position.

 

[JonHylands]

So I did some more welding, cutting, and grinding over the past few days.

Here's the front wheel boom, in place for when I can weld the axle piece to the steering piece. I can't do that until I get the rims and lace the wheels up.

I decided to use a mechanical disc brake on the back wheel as a parking brake, so I fabricated a bracket to hold the caliper in place:

Here's the bracket welded in place:

And here it is with the caliper mounted:

Now I just need to find a brake lever I can use that has a locking pin. I plan to mount it under the seat bottom so it is out of the way, but still reachable when it is needed.

 

[Emiel]

Looking good. As you just want to use the rear brake as a parking brake, then you can also use a Geer shifter.

The brake with lock I got from a recumbent store near my home, but on Icletta they sell them also. Probably also on Amazon.

 

[stormbird]

Now I just need to find a brake lever I can use that has a locking pin. I plan to mount it under the seat bottom so it is out of the way, but still reachable when it is needed.

As Emiel says use a friction gear shifter , lot smaller than a brake lever and so easier to mount.

If you hide in under the seat say , it stops a casual oaf from trying to ride your pride and joy ?

Mine stops me occasionally as well when I forget to release it

 

[JonHylands]

Finally, my 32-hole 20" rims arrived (the ones I recently ordered from a bike store in BC):

Now I just need to take a bunch of very careful measurements, and I'll be able to order the spokes (from a relatively local source in Toronto).

 

[JonHylands]

...and the spokes have been ordered, from a bike co-op in Toronto, who cut custom-length spokes for a reasonable price (https://www.ucycle.com/product/sapim-leader-straight-14-gauge-spokes-cut-to-order-3853.htm)

I should get those early next week, and then I'll finally be able to lace the wheels, and then finish welding the steering system together.

 

[JonHylands]

For anyone interested, I found this spoke calculator to be the most useful of all the ones I've looked at:

https://www.kstoerz.com/freespoke/

 

[Emiel]

Looking good. I got my wheels today. Well wheels. The rims where missing, so I need to wait for them to ship that.
I hot the spokes with my order. I ordered it as a set, but I hot them all from iceleta.
So I don't have to look ad the length of the spokes.

 

[JonHylands]

Okay, so my spokes didn't come in today (at least, not yet), but my group set did.

Not bad for $271 CAD (including express shipping).

This is the link, in case anyone is intersted:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000522140641.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.5f3f4c4dAaHBPA

I bought the varient without the brakes, since I ordered my brakes from another place (and they arrived a couple weeks ago).

I placed the order on July 19, so it took just about 3 weeks to get here.

Once I get my front wheel spokes, I'll have everything I need to get this trike rolling.

 

[Emiel]

That is a very nice set.
I am getting similar shifter for the rear. Front I have a motor.

You only need more chains. I needed a bit more than 3, but I changed the frame design of the warrior, so I think that mine is a bit longer.

 

[JonHylands]

Yeah, I need to order a few chains - I'll probably get those locally, from my bike co-op.

 

[Emiel]

Yeah, I need to order a few chains - I'll probably get those locally, from my bike co-op.

I do the same. Takes less time and easy as you need more.

 

[JonHylands]

I plugged the numbers for the crank and cassette (3x9) into Sheldon's gearing calculator, and I get 16.8" in low gear, and 94.3" in high gear. I'm not super into biking, but I think from what I've read that seems pretty reasonable.

 

[JonHylands]

So it turns out it takes a few specialty tools to put together group set parts. Specialty tools I don't have, and don't particularly want to wait for if ordered.

As it happens, I have a pretty decent 3D printer that can print ABS, so I read through some of the online manuals for the parts I got, and found 3D models of some of the tools I'll need already made.

I just started a new print job, which will be a cassette removal tool (also used for installing them).

They certainly wouldn't stand up to rigorous use, but they hopefully will work well enough to allow me to put my trike together when the time comes...