Presenting the Redneck Recumbent

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by TimG

If you're tempted to do rear wheel steer:
RWSB-page (rear wheel steered bicycles)

I had such a hard time with turning MkI that I started obsessing over the notion of rear wheel steering. But I actually did some online research first this time and saw that description of the fact that if you are on a pavement edge, or are too close to an obstacle like a parked car, you have to steer the rear end TOWARDS those things to get away. There are successful rear steers but perhaps trying that can wait for another project, another day.

[ngrimm]

I've wondered about a automotive type timing belt to connect the relocated handlebar to the original steering tube. Seems like less slack than a chain but not sure how much added resistance it would have..

[Frank Lee]

Plenty of ways to do it. Aircraft cable/spool would be good too. Link possibly with ball joints was what I was thinking.

[dcb]

yah, rear wheel steer is a bust. You have to have all the weight over the front wheel (dont touch the front brake) so that it is a glorified unicycle.


Stay away from that unless you are going to go super computer controlled steering assist and make a million corrections a second, on your redneck ride

[ngrimm]

I agree, lots of ways to do the steering. Another I was thinking about is flexible cable like in a weed eater only larger diameter. So far the largest diameter I have found is about .25 inches. I was thinking at .5" or .75" or more in a rigid shaft that would support the relocated handlebar to hopefully eliminate slack. I can't think of anything that used one that big though can you?

[Christ]

The slack comes from the casing, not the wire size. If the casing doesn't fit, even a 1" drive rope will have slack in it. Look for a company in your area that makes wire rope, they can help you find the flexible drive you need.

[Varn]

Here is a FWD/FWS bike that I built a few years ago. It was foam wrapped in carbon fiber.

I used it for an endurance racer in 2005. Here it is at Calvin's Challenge.

After making this rear fairing I realized that bigger was not better and went to shorter and faster shapes.

[Frank Lee]

How did it go at the Challenge?

[Varn]

Hi Frank
I raced Calvins in 04-5-6. I raced trike class in 04 I switched to the recumbent class in 05 and did 228 in 12 hours on the black bike. In 06 I brought a RWD low racer, The "Coroliner" and did 237. I led the race for the first hundred miles solo but the pack caught me after that

Here is the 06 bike.


I won the streamliner class that year in the track recumbent series (HPRA) with it Every race the bike got better the front was 2" narrower by late season.
My health has not been cooperating much the last few years but I am commuting on my upright bicycles again this spring.

[Frank Lee]

Cool bikes- looks like fun. Wish there was interest in something like that around here.