How to make a trike
The question of how to make a trike with your own hands arose unexpectedly after a trip to the moto festival Maloyaroslavets 2011. It turns out that making a trike with your own hands is not so difficult. The most difficult thing is to register this miracle of motorcycle construction! However, if you don’t register, then... everything is simpler...
Initially, there was no clear concept of how to make a trike with your own hands and what to make it from.
Three options were come up with how to make a trike with your own hands.
The first option is to make a trike from Zaporozhets. "Constipation" was found. But the option somehow didn’t catch on... It was a pity for “Constipation” and in general...
The second option is to make a trike using an old Zhiguli (Kopeyka). We planned to take the engine, instruments and rear axle. But at the last moment, the owner of the Zhiguli, having learned that the car would be cut up, refused to sell.
The third option is to make a trike from an old Ural motorcycle and a Moskvichevsky bridge.
We ultimately chose this option because of its low cost.
The search for the Moskvichevsky bridge took some time. It turns out there is a shortage. In the end, we found a person who was selling used spare parts for the 412 Muscovite. His garage was being demolished, and he decided not to throw away the parts, but to sell them. Along with the bridge, we also bought a master brake cylinder from Moskvich and all sorts of little things. They brought all this to the garage and began to put together the “puzzle” so that it would look like in the picture - two wheels in the back, one in the front. 
Attaching the Moskvichevsky bridge to the Ural frame so that the suspension is not rigid is not an easy task and can be solved in different ways. You can put it on traction rods like a Zhiguli, or you can put it on springs from the same Moskvich, as they did at Irbit when they produced tricycles. We decided to do it like the Zhiguli. 
We bought a set of rods and bolts for them, and welded fasteners from a 6x6 square pipe, cutting off one of the walls of the pipe. Then they tried to install car shock absorbers, but then abandoned this idea. 
We installed an engine from the Urals. The frame had to be sawed, welded and extended. We lengthened the Ural frame from available material (metal angle and pipes).
From the very beginning, we decided that we would not formalize the Trike or register it in any way. For this reason, we didn’t really worry about the choice or design calculations. We assembled the Trike just to ride through the forests and fields.
The urgent question arose about how to make a cardan transmission. We thought about making a transmission using CV joints, like on front-wheel drive cars. But we realized that in the garage on our knees, we can’t weld the driveshaft like that. Then we decided to use an old-style driveshaft with large splines. We had two Ural cardans. We decided to try to insert these splines of the Ural cardan into the bushing that is inserted into the gearbox (attached to the other side of the cardan). The cardan with large splines fit into the bushing on the second cardan, it turned out like on a VAZ classic - transmission to the rear axle from two cardans. And there is no problem of cardan skew due to the displacement of the axle gearbox towards the center. 
The cardan out of the box is almost level (the rubber coupling was left in place), and the second cardan goes to the bridge at a slight angle. The first cardan is mounted on a rubber coupling with a classic suspension bearing, which plays the same role in the car - it holds the cardan.
The diameter of the bearing is larger than the diameter of the Ural cardan, so we took a silent block from the Ural shock absorber, which is inserted into the upper part of the shock absorber, cut it lengthwise, put it on the cardan and, together with the cardan, hammered it into the clutch bearing. Now the cardan rotated with the bearing and the coupling was attached to the frame. On the second cardan we welded a crosspiece from a Moskvich cardan, but here we had to try to make sure everything was in the center.
That's practically all. The rest is as standard! The front fork, fender, six-volt electrics, brake discs on the axle and hydraulics are all original. We also attached the main brake cylinder to the frame and made a drive to the brake pedal, well, this is quite simple.
Three years ago I bought a bike trailer that I used to take my son out for a walk. In principle, the trailer suited me with the exception of:
- The trailer is quite low. And although there is a small flag on it, which makes it more visible, drivers in traffic may not see it.
- Since the child is one meter away from me, I can’t see what he’s doing. You have to constantly turn your head, which is not very good while driving.
During a trip to Europe, I saw a large number of cargo bikes on the streets that were used for . At first I thought about buying a cargo bike. But the price turned out to be too high and I decided to assemble the tricycle myself. Since this was my first self-assembled bicycle, during the assembly of the trike many situations arose that had to be solved by trial and error. But in the end I managed to make a cargo trike with my own hands. After searching on the Internet for a reference, I settled on the Christiania tricycle. So, let's try to make a cargo tricycle ourselves!
Step 1: Find an unwanted bike.
I used an old bicycle as a base and cut it in half along the black line. A bicycle must have one! Bicycles with an aluminum frame will not work. You can check the frame using a magnet.
Step 2: Assembling the trike frame.
Let's start assembling a homemade trike by creating the front frame. I decided to make it larger - measuring 100 cm by 100 cm. As it turned out later, the size chosen was not entirely optimal. The photo shows a trike frame welded from steel pipes and the back of an old bicycle.
Step 3: Trike wheels.
Now we have to install the front wheels directly on the frame. If you look at the Christiania tricycle, you will notice that the wheel axle is not located in the middle, but a little closer to the front of the frame. In addition, I wanted the steering wheel to be height adjustable. Therefore, only two steel pipes were welded to the rear of the frame, where the steering wheel is installed.
On Christiania tricycles, the wheel axle is moved slightly forward, but it remains behind the head tube. First I installed the axle in front of the head tube. After a few months, I had to position the axle like the original trike, which made the bike much easier to control.
It is better to use 20-inch wheels at the front. Thus, we lower the center of gravity and improve the control of the trike on and off. But this raises a problem - a regular head pipe is not suitable, since there is simply not enough space between the ground and the cradle. Therefore, you will have to abandon its use. Instead of a head tube, you can use tapered roller bearings, which are used in cars.
Placing the wheels at a slight angle improves bike control.
Step 4: Test the front frame.
The front frame for a homemade trike looks pretty good.
Step 5: Welding the components of the homemade cargo bike.
We weld the head tube to the front of the frame.
Step 6: The back of the homemade tricycle.
Next we will start assembling the rear of the cargo bike. The head tube from an old bicycle, welded to a steel pipe, will in turn be welded to the rear of the bicycle. You can see in the photo above that the angle at which the steel tube connects to the head tube is different from the angle on the original bike. This was my second mistake that I made.
At this stage, the homemade cargo trike looks good. But as soon as I tried to ride it, I found that it could hardly turn in any direction. After thinking a little about the reasons for this, I realized that the problem most likely arises from the angle of the head tube.
After riding this tricycle for a while, I realized that I had chosen the worst angle of all possible options. On the Christiania bike the angle is 9.5°, which is the opposite of the standard caster angle on a bicycle.
In addition, by law, pedal-powered vehicles with a width of more than 80 cm require permits. Based on these considerations, I had to slightly reduce the size of the tricycle.
Consequently, the front frame had to be cut, reduced in size and another head tube taken from another old bike.
It turned out just great!
Step 7: Strengthen the back of the trike.
But the back doesn't look strong enough. Therefore, it is necessary to make another steel pipe with fastening.
Step 8: Trike handlebars.
The steering wheel consists of three pipes connected at an angle of 90 degrees. curved rather than straight. This will save space and allow you to sit more upright.
Step 9: Brakes.
To install the brakes, which I took from another old bicycle, I had to bolt a plate with holes to the frame.
Step 10: Completing the frame.
There are two other improvements you can make:
Step 11: Brake Adapter.
But there was still one more issue that needed to be resolved - controlling the two front brakes using one handle. While talking with a friend, he found an interesting solution - an adapter that redistributes the force from one handle simultaneously to two brakes.
You don’t have to make an adapter for the front wheel brakes yourself, but simply buy a “double brake lever.” It is quite cheap and allows you to control two brakes at the same time.
Step 12: Installing the cradle.
And the last thing that should be added is a cradle for transporting the child and things.
Choose the carrycot size according to your needs. The chosen size of the cradle suits me quite well, since I need to transport two children and luggage. Sometimes there can be four children in the cradle with their things. If you don't need that much space, you can make it smaller. Because even with a slight headwind, a large cradle will create noticeable aerodynamic drag. You can first make a mockup out of cardboard. And only after you are completely satisfied with it, move on to the tree.
You will also need to install others.
Step 13: Adjustable Steering Damper.
The last thing that needs improvement on this awesome DIY cargo trike is the addition of an adjustable steering damper. Since it is quite expensive, I made it myself from a spring and a screw tie. I am completely satisfied with his work.
Step 14: Some blueprints for a homemade trike.
M 1 =(D 1 +D 2)/2.3;
The dimensions in the drawings correspond to the actual dimensions of my cargo bike.
We hope that you will be able to make a three-wheeled cargo bike with your own hands. Perhaps you will be able to make your own improvements to the design of the bicycle. Good luck!
This is a truly spectacular sport; drifting videos receive hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube.
As a rule, drifting on a bicycle is done while rolling down a hill; a car is most often used to climb back. This bike resembles a children's tricycle, but its main difference is the lowered seat. The following signs also stand out:
- Small front wheel and 6 times smaller rear wheels;
- There are no rubber tires on the rear wheels;
- There is a drift trike with an engine.
The pedals of such a bike are practically not used, since with their help you will accelerate to a maximum of 25 km/h, and to perform tricks you need to go at least 60 km/h. You don't need to turn around or back up.
A drift trike with a motor is an expensive pleasure, its price reaches up to 2 thousand dollars. In this case, the engine, as a rule, has a power of 6.5 hp. You won't be able to save money; it will affect the quality of the model. The only way out is to assemble the bike yourself.
At the same time, the law does not require registering a trike as a vehicle, because it is still a bicycle.
In order to assemble a drift trike with your own hands, you will need an old tricycle that you won’t mind disassembling. The first thing to do is prepare the drawings. Be careful, they determine how safe drifting on a bicycle will be for you.
Blueprints
On the drawings it is necessary to draw all the parts and calculate their exact size. You can do this yourself or find a ready-made diagram on the Internet. Don't avoid looking at dozens of drawings. Focus on the spare parts you have.
After you have made the drawing, you can start assembling the trike with your own hands.
Take an old bike. Get rid of the pipe under the seat and the upper fenders over the rear wheels. Be careful: if you do it wrong, you will have to look for new material for your vehicle. Attach a fairly thick board to the lower wings. For the frame, select strong pipes with a diameter of 3 centimeters. Bend them in the shape of arcs and fasten them together. To assemble the frame, you will need special tools, such as a pipe bender and welding.
Make the rear wheels out of wood or remove them from a cart.
The seat can be made from a tire or part of a plastic garden chair. The main thing is that you feel comfortable.
You can also assemble a trike with a motor yourself; to do this, use a go-kart motor.
There is no need to buy new spare parts; use used ones; this will have virtually no effect on quality, but will help reduce costs.
And remember, when riding in crowded places and on the roadway, you are putting not only yourself, but also those around you at risk. Choose your drift locations with extreme caution.
Drift triking is an extreme sport on a tricycle. It's more of a passion than a direction. However, drifting is very dangerous, and it is not always possible to find a tricycle for it. And high-quality and branded models are very expensive.
But not everything is so bad, you can make this product yourself. Before you start, you need to familiarize yourself in detail with all the features of a drift bike.
Bikes for drifting and their differences
The design of drift bikes consists of three wheels and a low seat. Although it is similar to the design of a bicycle, which everyone is familiar with from childhood, riding such a bicycle is very dangerous and requires a lot of experience.
The main differences between these bicycles can be identified:
- Unusual design;
- The presence of three wheels;
- Low seat position;
- Use only for drifting - controlled skidding.
Design Features
The main feature of this vehicle is its uniqueness. It is very often invented and made by amateurs themselves.
Features of drift bikes:
- The front wheel is small. Unlike regular bicycles, this product has a medium front wheel. Its diameter is approximately 20 inches. It is the same as on BMX trial models;
- The rear wheels are six times smaller than the front. The size of their width can exceed the diameter at most twice. The important thing is that they are made of hard and smooth material. It is worth considering that the rear rollers do not have rubber tires;
- Low seat. These bikes have a very low seat position. The rider can adjust and set the most comfortable position for the seat. In a homemade bicycle, you can use a regular car tire as a seat;
- As a support for the legs, you can use a special support, which is installed on the front fork near the axis of the front wheel. This support can also be used to control the bicycle while moving.
No pedals needed
Few people have seen a tricycle on the road, so many have no idea what it looks like, much less how it moves. It is worth noting that pedals on this vehicle are absolutely unnecessary and are an unnecessary design element. The whole point of drifting is to go down hills.
And for lifting, it is best to use the assistance of a car. To do this, you simply need to hook the bike using a cable to the back of the car. If you pedal on a drift trike, you can accelerate to a maximum of 25 km/h. This is a very low speed.
In order to perform exciting stunts on a three-wheeled trike, you need to accelerate to 60 km/h. Many cyclists on a special drift track on this bike make peculiar movements in the form of snakes, or fall on their side. It's certainly dangerous, but it's worth it.
Drift cars with engine
Of course, drifting bikes are expensive and not everyone can afford them. Therefore, there are very few of them, since they try to make them themselves.
A drifting machine called the Big Wheel Drift Trike is manufactured by an American company called SFD Industries. This company mainly specializes in the production of spare parts for bicycles.
Design features of the drift machine:
- Engine. Compact gasoline engine. Its power is 6.5 hp;
- Front wheel. The front wheel size is 26 inches;
- Rear wheels. They are very small. The diameter of each wheel is 3.5 inches. In addition, they are dressed in special replaceable plastic tubes. This is necessary so that the rollers do not wear out when sliding.
It is also worth noting that the cost is very high. The average price of a trike with engine can reach up to $2,000. If you pay an additional $200, you can purchase a trike with a more powerful motor. And with an additional payment of another $200, the entire throttle system will be replaced.
The relation of law to whim
In Russian legislation, a trike for drifting refers to ordinary bicycles. The traffic rules do not differentiate between tricycles and two-wheelers. Therefore, this vehicle does not need to be registered. As for driving licenses, they are also not needed.
However, this is a very dangerous activity and can often lead to serious problems. Many extreme sports enthusiasts, riding these bicycles, very often ride onto the roadway, thereby creating problems for traffic. Sometimes these races can lead to serious traffic accidents. While professional athletes choose closed asphalt tracks for drifting on these bikes.
Homemade drift trike
It is best to make a tricycle yourself. Of course, this will take time and not much expense, but it is worth it. Most importantly, this bike will be strong and durable. A homemade trike can be made from a bicycle that you don’t mind putting under a saw.
They mostly use regular children's tricycles or BMX cross-country bikes. Before production begins, drawings of the future model should be developed.
Drift trike - drawings
In order to correctly and accurately assemble the entire structure, it is necessary to make a drawing. On the drawing you need to accurately outline the entire structure of the bicycle and indicate the approximate dimensions. The pictures below show sample drawings. Of course, you can make it yourself and specify your dimensions.
How to make a drift bike - detailed instructions
After making the drawings, you can start making a drift bike.
Step-by-step manufacturing instructions:
- First you need to prepare the basis of the entire structure. Any old tricycle or beat-up BMX with 20-inch wheels will work just fine. You only need the front part along with the wheel, fork, handlebars and a piece of the frame with the down tube of the front triangle. The seat tube and upper rear seatstays need to be sawed off to the very base. But the lower feathers must be left in place;
- A board or ordinary plywood is installed on the lower stays. It is best to install the material stronger so that it can withstand heavy loads;
- Making the frame. Strong pipes with a diameter of 16 and 30 mm are suitable for this;
- After the frame is ready, the rear wheels should be made. For these elements, you can use ready-made small wheels from carts, or make them yourself, for example, cut them out of wood. The rear wheels must have the following parameters: the width and diameter must be 2.5 inches each. It is advisable to put a piece of PVC pipe on the rear wheels. With the help of this material, the rollers will glide better and their movements will be smooth and fast;
- To create a foot rest, you can weld two pieces of pipe to the fork legs;
- At the end, you should make a comfortable seat. You can use a plastic chair or a car tire for it.
You will also need the following tools to assemble the entire structure:
- Hammer;
- Hacksaw or grinder;
- Pipe bender It is needed during frame assembly. Using this tool, you can bend the pipes in the corners in the form of arcs to secure the entire structure well;
- Welding machine. This tool is useful for welding pipes and fork legs.
Where is the best place to buy spare parts?
In principle, to independently assemble this bicycle you will not need any supernatural and expensive spare parts. Many people have everything they need at home.
Parts such as pedals or wheels can be purchased at bicycle parts stores. But boards and pipes are best purchased at construction stores.
Reviews from cyclists – is it worth it?
“I’ve been involved in professional cycling for a long time. I ride different bikes, but recently I started getting into drifting, not big. Yes, this is a really exciting activity. I made the drifting bike myself. At first I thought that it wouldn’t be possible to do it, but when I sat down to do this, I realized there was nothing complicated about it. True, I first studied the entire process of creating this transport on the Internet. The main thing is to make the right drawings, and the rest will work out quickly! And the costs are not very high. Better than buying a branded and expensive drift trike!”
Grade:
Oleg, 40 years old
“Drifting is my hobby. I have been working in this direction for a long time. I made the bicycle myself. I believe that it is better to make it yourself than to purchase a branded one for a lot of money. Moreover, if you make it yourself, you can ride the bike to suit yourself and this is very convenient. And it’s a pleasure to ride on it!”
Grade:
Alexander, 32 years old
“No matter what they say, drifting on a bicycle is a thing! I think it's too big for it, it's best to make it yourself! Moreover, now there are a whole bunch of instructions on the Internet on how to make it yourself. Every home has everything needed to make it. And the price is much cheaper than buying a branded bike for track drifting. So, it’s better to work hard and make a comfortable drift bike with your own hands.”
Grade:
Maxim, 28 years old
Repair and service
A self-made bicycle will not require any special repairs. If, suddenly, something breaks, you can always do it yourself. For example, change the wheels or change the protection on the tires. If the bike is for drifting, a branded one, then in this case everything will be more complicated. If breakdowns or malfunctions occur on this bicycle, it is best to contact a specialized bicycle repair center.
Buying a trike and accessories
If you don’t have the desire or ability to make a trike, you can buy one. You can purchase this product in bicycle supply stores or order it through websites on the Internet. Very often, stores sell branded and high-quality trike models.
Review of the best models
- Big Wheel Drift Trike. These models are popular in drifting. This is probably the best invention in the field of drifting. The entire structure is made of the most modern elements. The frame is made of light alloy steel. In addition, an engine with a power of 6.5 hp is installed at the front. The rear wheels have a PVC coating, which ensures perfect gliding during skidding. In addition, the front fork has a comfortable footrest. However, there is one drawback, which is the cost - it is very high. But it is really worth it, with such qualities and functions;
- Verrado is a tricycle for drifting. This is an electric tricycle from Local Motors. The model appeared not so long ago, but is gaining great popularity among branded tricycles. The construction of this tricycle is very durable and high quality. Thanks to the front wheel from a BMX bike, the tricycle is stable on skids. At the rear there are two 5-inch wheels, with a special protective coating made of PVC material. An electric motor is installed behind the seat, which ensures precise and smooth movement. The motor power is 500 watts. The battery has a long service life, one charge lasts for 12 kilometers;
- Triad drift bike. This model is made of high quality material. The entire structure is very strong and durable. The frame is made of steel and is designed for heights from 160 to 180. The rear wheels have special protection, which ensures perfect gliding on the road during a skid. The entire structure has a fairly small mass of about 10 kilograms, so skidding on it is very simple and convenient.
Rating: 4.9 20 votes
Loading...