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Old 06-26-2014, 02:50 PM   #77 (permalink)
Grant-53
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Join Date: Feb 2010
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Some of this is getting a bit complicated, more so than need be. The top view of the bike can be tear drop or wing profile with the overall length being 3-5 times the maximum width. The initial angle at the seat back could be less (2-5 degrees) for the first foot back and then taper more to the point. With a 24 in width, 5:1 gives a 120 in. overall length. If you can keep the shape to combinations of conic surfaces, the skin developments are relatively simple.

My favorite shape is from a sailplane design, the SZD-9 bis Bocian 1E.
www.vintagesailplaner.com/Sheet1bis-9.pdf
I truncate or taper the tail to the No. 6 bulkhead length. I scale the canopy profile to come to the top of the shoulder. The nice thing about this design is the fact all curves are combinations of arcs.

Last edited by Grant-53; 06-26-2014 at 03:09 PM.. Reason: Add reference
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