Trike wheels

Joined
Feb 25, 2019
Messages
17
Hello Gentlemen,

I have just finished my first DIY trikeand it really looks good.
I have a few problems however, but as this was my PROTOTYPE I don't mind.
Here are a few remarks and I'd like to know if someone could give me a reason:
1° I think that I have to put a lot of leg power to advance the trike. Once it is rolling all is O.K. but to go from 0 to a certain speed, it is really harder than with an ordinary bicycle. Is that normal?? The rike weighs 24 kg or +/- 49 pounds.
2° I have a brake only on the back wheel and it is just a simple one, not a disc brake. And the braking is really not effective. Maybe with new little brake pads?

But the question I have in mind is for my REAL TRIKE, the Warrior.
The original design is with3 disc brakes. And to be honnest those front wheels with big (14 mm) axels and a disc brake possibility are here around 95 dollars each. My question is now, could it be that using only a disc brake on the rear wheel, there will be enough brake capacity?

Another question is : where do you guys find those wheels with disc brake possibilities and at what price? Maybe I can order them in the UK or in the USA or even in China, no?

Thanks for any kind of answer. And... in the next blog I will add a few photographs of my Prototype Recumbent bike.

Cheers,

Charles
 
Joined
May 31, 2013
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South Benfleet, Essex, England, UK
If it is hard to "set-off" then your initial (low) gear is too high or there is "friction" in your drive-train perhaps.
What front/rear sprocket combination is it you are using when you pull away from rest.

I can't answer the "how to get cheap disc rotor capable hubs & rims" sorry, it depends what you can find in the scrapyard and whether you are willing to build your own wheels.

Pictures are always appreciated.
 

Radical Brad

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I have seen a lot of first time trikes projects use a very bad drive chain guide, and that can be a huge amount of friction.
Some bad chain guides... skateboard wheels, brass bushing (non ball bearing) pulleys, any pulley less than 3" in diameter.

Yup, photos tell the whole story!

Brad
 

Twinkle

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Peacehaven nr Brighton, Sussex ,UK
Hi Charles

DO NOT RIDE A TADPOLE WITHOUT FRONT BRAKES Its Dangerous .

We have used recycled "quando" MTB disc hubs (steel with the large centres ) and replaced the 10mm axle with 14mm BMX spindles and 3/16 balls . These work well and I have converted several to use with 14mm axles and 36h rims .

Cost wise we have paid as little as a couple of GBP for a BMX wheel and the same for a scrap MTB wheel - for under a tenner we have built a set of disc wheels ( recycled spokes and rims )

Regards emma
 
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Axedale, Victoria, Australia
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axerail.coffeecup.com
The original design is with3 disc brakes. And to be honest those front wheels with big (14 mm) axels and a disc brake possibility are here around 95 dollars each. My question is now, could it be that using only a disc brake on the rear wheel, there will be enough brake capacity?
Hi Charles
Tadpole trikes have significant mass transfer to the front wheels under braking. To put it another way, the harder you brake, the less grip you will have at the back wheel. I only use a rear wheel brake {caliper} as a parking brake, but for load carrying or speed runs, a disc brake forstopping would be a good idea.
You can make yor own hubs, spoke flanges and disk brake adaptors easily enough. Mine consist of a tube machined each end to take a bearing, a spoke flange disc welded to each end, and a disc brake adaptor screwed to the end of the tube and through the spoke flange. You will need access to someone with a lathe.
In Australia, we have organisations called Mens' Sheds. They exist for the health and wellbeing of people who, through life circumstances would otherwise be on their own. They have well equipped workshops, cheap membership, and you can make almost anything you want or use the skills of others. This sort of access allows you to re-use rims and spokes which is much cheaper. If there are no similar organisations in your neck of the woods, there should be.
 
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Joined
Apr 15, 2013
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Washington state
yes you can build your own hubs but finding 14mm wheels can't be that hard. look for BMX wheels, they usually have 14mm axles. I myself am going to build some 20mm axled wheels. Will take lots of pics
as for brakes, yes front brakes. caliper type rim brakes work good as do disc brakes.
 
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
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Wakefield, UK
My last trike had 3 disc brakes - mistake. The weight transfer under braking is substantial. The rear end goes very light and I found out the fun way that braking hard in a corner has the effect of locking the rear very easily and bringing it around to challenge the front for the first wheel into the object you are trying to miss challenge. Alarming to be polite though quite fun if you are expecting it and doing it deliberately away from traffic. I'd go for front brakes only or leave the rear as a parking brake.
 
Joined
Aug 13, 2020
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I realize this is a bit of an old thread, but the context is right for my question. I'm just starting a Warrior build and am considering going with front disc brakes only and no brake on the rear wheel. My question is whether I should use a dual pull handle (wrong term I'm sure) for the front brakes or use two brake handles one for each front disc brake? The former makes it simpler if I decide to add a rear brake later and may be safer if I can balance the dual pull system well enough. The latter is certainly simpler, but gives me the responsibility (and the authority) to manage the front brake pressures so the trike stays straight while braking. Thanks for any constructive thoughts, criticism, other ideas, etc.!
 
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Having done both I'd opt for one lever per brake. Using one lever for both means both extra maintenance in balancing and extra strength to pull it twice as hard. I never had any major issues with either way to be honest but preferred the simpler set-up. It also takes away the temptation to put a rear brake on and then use it. It's not fun braking all three wheels in a corner. The rear goes very light under hard braking and trying to brake that wheel too leads to the rear loosing traction and overtaking the front wheels.
 

Twinkle

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If you link both brakes ( like l usually do ) you should have a rear brake just in case personally l prefer front/ rear braking to left/ right braking . The dual front brakes can be easily constructed rather than purchasing a dual lever.
 
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I haven't done both, although I have often thought about single-lever-front braking but ...

If you wish to park a tadpole just anywhere, a caliper brake on the rear wheel makes a great, essential-in-my book, parking brake and I use a conveniently place friction lever to apply it.

I find that single front brakes work just fine in almost all cases. Where they don't, is when braking against gravity while going down a steep hill, hoping to stop at the intersection at the bottom to give way, while using one of the required hands to hold a radio microphone while carrying out a conversation. The result is that you have to counter-steer to keep it on the straight. In short, they work perfectly fine if you have both hands available - even under panic and loose gravel braking.
 
Joined
Jan 16, 2011
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Vilvoorde / Flanders / Belgium
Most commercial tadpool trikes have a rear brake as option, and in most cases, as parking brake only.

Unless somebody can invent an ABS bike brake, then the rear can become just that bit extra brake power.
 
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
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Wakefield, UK
Whether a rear has any use beyond a parking brake will depend on the quality of the front brakes and the weight distribution on the trike. I could easily pull stoppies on a previous machine so a rear could add nothing extra. Equally I had very average rim brakes on my first trike and couldn't do stoppies so a rear could have added something albeit still with the potential for skidding.
 
Joined
Sep 16, 2018
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Netherlands
I have a rear brake, but that is because I like to trow my rear a bit out in some corners.
But it isn't needed and it is just for fun.

I like for the front to have both on one lever, but also a thing I prefer. Only you need to ballance the front breaks good as you do that. If not balanced, then it isn't great. Your trike will pull to one side by breaking.
 
Joined
Apr 11, 2021
Messages
26
I realize this is a bit of an old thread, but the context is right for my question. I'm just starting a Warrior build and am considering going with front disc brakes only and no brake on the rear wheel. My question is whether I should use a dual pull handle (wrong term I'm sure) for the front brakes or use two brake handles one for each front disc brake? The former makes it simpler if I decide to add a rear brake later and may be safer if I can balance the dual pull system well enough. The latter is certainly simpler, but gives me the responsibility (and the authority) to manage the front brake pressures so the trike stays straight while braking. Thanks for any constructive thoughts, criticism, other ideas, etc.!
I’ve ridden a trike with separate left and right front brake handles. I found that in an emergency it’s easy to squeeze just one handle and end up in a right or left slide. Personall, I’m going with a single handle duel brake set up, for safety.
 
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