My life with Python trikes Mk1 , Mk1.5 , Mk2 ?

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Ok so we need some clearance to get the wheel in and out without letting the tyre down.



So I added some straight lines for where the current frame is , and used a caliper to determine the actual width of the tyre the 2 little blue lines at right angles to the frame lines.

Then I used a can to give me a curve , out with the grinder..



So cut and cleaned up , looks ok and the wheel is much easier to put in now with the tyre inflated so RESULT !

As an aside the word top that can be seen in red in the upper picture actually ended up on the bottom :rolleyes: due a glitch in the manufacturing process , hey ho.
 
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Ok so we need some clearance to get the wheel in and out without letting the tyre down.



So I added some straight lines for where the current frame is , and used a caliper to determine the actual width of the tyre the 2 little blue lines at right angles to the frame lines.

Then I used a can to give me a curve , out with the grinder..



So cut and cleaned up , looks ok and the wheel is much easier to put in now with the tyre inflated so RESULT !

As an aside the word top that can be seen in red in the upper picture actually ended up on the bottom :rolleyes: due a glitch in the manufacturing process , hey ho.
A win is a win! :D
 
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Ok lets do some more to this....

We need some handle bars to mount various levers etc and to be used during some white knuckle rides :rolleyes:;)

So luckily we have some to copy :-



These bars are made up of 1 pair of standard junk handle bars held with 2 x 8mm bolts and 4 straight bar ends [ 2 each side ] with the pair holding the levers extended , it does mean they are very adjustable however they carry the weight penalty of the clamps and bolts.

and as both trikes have the same seats [ even thought the front ends are different ] it does mean the bars should roughly correspond

so a piece of wood roughly aligned with the bolts holding the front of the seat down gives me some reference points I can transfer to the other trike ?



I was hoping that a cut down pair of BMX bars may save a bar end and be a bit lighter ?

You can just see a 3mm plate at the frame end to be held to the frame by 2 x 8mm bolts [ so there's the added weight of 2 more bolts already ! ] the orange piece was to be welded to it ?

However how do I replicate this bodge of packing on the welding bench ? answers on a postcard please.....

I need to weld this :-



The plate will bolt through the side of the frame , one bolt hole is covered by the clamp and it's nut will be inside the tubing end the other bolt will pass straight through and be bolted on the wheel side if the tube.

and an over view ?



Still one bar end at the moment however it does look like I may have the clearance needed at the seat ?

Another way would be weld a straight stub to the bolted on plate then make the bars bolt to the stub , more adjustable with more weight ?
It looks like the part of the bar that says ' UP' is to high and could either hit me or hit the seat [ might be a good steering stop ] frustrating as like this I cannot sit on it to try them ...

Needs some more thinking about ......
 
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Requests have been made from DannyC as to what my actual pivot angle is ?

However I realised that the angle is not the angle of the plate they are bolted to [ as I have always quoted in the past ] @ 56', as the rod ends have surplus thread and so can be screwed to the plate in different ways

So this is the main frame angle :-



As you can see it is 1.5' nose down , so that needs taking off the pivot angle [ possible my path is not level over the wheelbase distance ?]

Now measuring the pivot is difficult as there is no way to get the angle finder on the front in a meaningful place ?

So a bit of head to head with DannyC I decided I could extend the pivot bolt above the frame and measure that :-



That shows 57.9' so minus the 1.5' means the pivot is at 56.4' , so I have been telling lies for 6+ years sorry :rolleyes:

regards Paul
 
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That shows 57.9' so minus the 1.5' means the pivot is at 56.4' , so I have been telling lies for 6+ years sorry :rolleyes:
Shocking lack of truthfulness and attention to detail that! A whole 0.4 degrees adrift. Tut-Tut!
 
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Ok so post #444 has some bars that need welding , now having in the past made model aeroplanes and have fallen for the 2 left wings when building I was conscious that the same thing could happen here so:-

I labelled the bars rht/lft and ' up ' on each one.
I labelled the plates 'A' & 'B'
I marked the left side with a red flet tip and the right side with blue.

Then not to let the paranoia get to me I only disassembled the left side and took it to the magic stick and left the right bolted to the trike ? what could go wrong...



an unexpected bonus was using my new steel topped mini welding table , dead easy to set up as the magnets stuck to the table instead of keeping falling over.



You can just see the earth clamp top of picture out of the way.

The bars were tacked in 2 places and refixed , they looked good so I completed the welds .



Here they are in situ ..



I will stick with the black extended bar ends whilst testing , however ultimately I want the bars fully welded.

On to the front mech post/carrying handle next.
 
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Ok so post #444 has some bars that need welding , now having in the past made model aeroplanes and have fallen for the 2 left wings when building I was conscious that the same thing could happen here so:-

I labelled the bars rht/lft and ' up ' on each one.
I labelled the plates 'A' & 'B'
I marked the left side with a red flet tip and the right side with blue.

Then not to let the paranoia get to me I only disassembled the left side and took it to the magic stick and left the right bolted to the trike ? what could go wrong...



an unexpected bonus was using my new steel topped mini welding table , dead easy to set up as the magnets stuck to the table instead of keeping falling over.



You can just see the earth clamp top of picture out of the way.

The bars were tacked in 2 places and refixed , they looked good so I completed the welds .



Here they are in situ ..



I will stick with the black extended bar ends whilst testing , however ultimately I want the bars fully welded.

On to the front mech post/carrying handle next.
Looks good Paul. Can't wait for the road-test. ;)
 
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So on to the front mech post :-



The blue line across the BB is central to the BB axle , but the purple tube is not quite in line with it I think ?

Just trying to get the feel for how much needs to come off the bottom for a good fit , the 3mm flat plate is complicating things a bit luckily it is not stressed much as TIG is not the best/easiest way to fill holes !



I think it may need to go forward a little , as I assume a line down the centre of the purple tube should bisect a line down the centre of the width on top of the BB ? at the moment it may be as much as 1/2" [ 12mm ] off ?

It then needs the top to look like this :-



However I have the opportunity to weld a part like the red bit to the purple tube rather than this bolted on bodge shown on the Mk1 front end ?
 
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So had a really dreadful ride on Friday...

It started bad when I left Aldi and realised it was blowing and raining , there was no shelter to load the trike due to social distancing and racks of flowers/plants outside the store and so I had to load in the rain.

The loading did not go well as there was already a breakfast cereal sized box [ needed posting ] and the other pannier is 1/3 full of tools/inner tubes etc etc.

The stuff just would not fit I couldn't get the pannier straps to loosen then they wouldn't tighten and the panniers bulged and rub on the wheels...

It was 2 miles to my mothers which barely reduced the load and then another 8 miles with a 24mph down hill with a constant sound track of shrieking tyres.

The reason for most of the woe was a modification I did to the rear rack after last years successful Holland trip , the modification put the panniers facing the wheels and I lost the tent mounting frame and my 2 water bottle rack bummer ! just to get the rack to bolt on so I could build the stalled wooden rear fairing.

So Friday afternoon as there is unlikely to be a Holland trip this year out came the grinder.

The idea is to still make the rack bolt on but reverse the panniers again and maybe add the missing racks.



So this is the successful configuration ...



and this is ' fails miserably ' !!!



Which leads to this
so cut about ..



Got the perimeter back and the pannier facing inwards still bolt on though ;)



Just left with a bit of cut and shut on this corner then maybe brace the corner down to the c clamp , that is holding a vertical that will be bolted where the clamp is.



Then I really need to work on the cr*p panniers...
Cardboard in back has seen better days allowing them to sag forward aided and abetted by the appalling brackets being to low and to far from the corners allowing them to sag at the slightest load.
the brackets are also more suited to 10mm tubing and so the panniers rock backwards and forwards , not good when they face the wheel.
Only having a single mounting at the bottom of the pannier causes it to sway as well contacting the wheel when cornering...
Suppose what do you expect for £14 a pair ?

Looking better already....
 
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Perseverance conquers all! :D
Just think, fantastic braking, decent luggage space. All it then needs is mudguards, rear reflectors, lights, e-assist, big batteries and you will be golden. :ROFLMAO:
 
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You have a lot of space to cary stuf around.
I would place a little cool box on it also. Keeps your drinks and some food cool.

Riding here in the Netherlands is no problem, but staying for the night is. I don't know if the ferry is a problem. But other than camping with a caravan that has his own toilet or in a hotel, you can't camp around here. And I think that the limited places they are allowed to open, are taken very fast.
I can only make trips around my home. Not a problem, but I wanted camping and riding around in my trike. Didn't go on a holiday for many years and I was looking forward to this year.
 
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Emil

Current the UK government say no travel abroad unless essential with no date for that to be lifted , as you say no camping and no cafes and bars open so no go !

Least got monies for ferry back.

There is a slim chance could go late July or August but before the bank holiday , however things would have to improved an awful lot for that to happen.

Paul
 
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Ah, the trials and tribulations of DIY. You get to be responsible for all the successes - and the failures.

Panniers: It is a pity the way they sag. I noticed mine going that way a few weeks after purchase. Keep them empty and it'll take longer. I pop riveted (maybe bolted) scrap extruded aluminium strips across the upper "shoulders" of mine. Easy to do and it stopped the sag. I do carry too much in them though but the drink bottle, tools, spare tubes, repair kit, and other gadgets are really necessary if you want to be able to ride home.
 
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Paul i expected that it wasn't allowed. We have a bit more freedom, but no cafe's and restaurants.
Belgium locked the border, but germans can still come to us and we to them.
 
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Its an age thing. Apparently you get a saggy bottom after a certain age :eek:
 
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I have Ortlieb paniers and they are still going good. Don't sag and stay in shape.
Yes I have a set of 4 of those , however they are holidays only !

Mainly due to cost and because I ride come rain or shine every week of the year , I am not going to inflict that amount of wear/damage and suffering to ' my precious ' :D

Paul
 
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