LITTLE TOAD! RRBBO#14 Class 2. I'm out. :(

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Only you would look at a car wheel and say, "it's just not wide enough for a bike!" !!!! :D
Love the wheel man!!!
I think Lil' Toad is a great build name.
 
Are you planning a front steering trike? I thought tadpoles were rear steer-front drive (like a backwards trike) hence the tadpole tail motion as it steered... I could be mistaken...

Carl.
 
Are you planning a front steering trike? I thought tadpoles were rear steer-front drive (like a backwards trike) hence the tadpole tail motion as it steered... I could be mistaken...

Carl.

Tadpole trikes are one drive wheel in the rear and 2 steering wheels in front giving you a much lower center of gravity than a regular trike or recumbent.

Have always wanted to try one.

IMG_20171117_152237.jpg
 
Shop tour! Shop tour!
SHOP TOUR! SHOP TOUR!


Erm... sorry... I just got excited...:blush: can't wait to see the progress!

Here ya go! It's not huge, but it is my little workshop:



I'm always impressed by these custom built wheels.

:thumbsup:

Only you would look at a car wheel and say, "it's just not wide enough for a bike!" !!!! :D
Love the wheel man!!!
I think Lil' Toad is a great build name.
:21: :113:

Are you planning a front steering trike? I thought tadpoles were rear steer-front drive (like a backwards trike) hence the tadpole tail motion as it steered... I could be mistaken...

Carl.
Tadpole trikes are two in front, usually steering at the front too and one rear. Big head little tail, like a tadpole.

Tadpole trikes are one drive wheel in the rear and 2 steering wheels in front giving you a much lower center of gravity than a regular trike or recumbent.

Have always wanted to try one.

IMG_20171117_152237.jpg
While this build will have two front steering wheels and one rear driving like a 'bent trike, mine will be more upright, I have some other tricks I want to incorporate... ;)

I had a test sit in Kelvin Hahnel's 'bent trike, very cool, very comfortable and no doubt quite quick! My only worry is that a truck driver may not see the little flag and just drive straight over the top of you...
 
:21:...that was always my biggest consideration with those too. So "bent trike" is the real low ones? Was hoping the 'lil Toad would have your head below the top of the back tire..:cool:
That would be very cool indeed!

I meant 'bent as in short for recumbent, I'm just lazy and didn't want to type the whole thing... :21:
 
After filming the workshop tour video work resumed on the rear wheel center.

First cut some little triangles from 16g sheet:

IMG_20190511_151440429.jpg


Drilled them all and bolted together into two groups:

IMG_20190511_152749928.jpg


IMG_20190511_152955505.jpg


Ground to shape, which melted the nylon in the locknuts:

IMG_20190511_154339319.jpg


Welded nuts to the back of each triangle to holds bolts when the wheel is done.

Then started welding the triangles in, some of the welds don't look great because I had gaps to fill, still learning the best methods on how to do that with a TIG:

IMG_20190511_161501369.jpg


Cleaned up decent though:

IMG_20190511_163909602.jpg


Other side:

IMG_20190511_174223519.jpg


Cleaned:

IMG_20190511_180024930.jpg


After the extra work to weld nuts on the triangles and fit them up, I'm not actually liking the way it looks with the stainless bolts on there (they were meant to mimic wheel nuts) I might just weld the holes up...

Thoughts?
 
When you said you wanted to add triangles to the wheel. I didn’t think you could make it look any better. But wow! It really looks great now! I think the nuts will look good when the wheel is all assembled with tire and all.
 
After the extra work to weld nuts on the triangles and fit them up, I'm not actually liking the way it looks with the stainless bolts on there (they were meant to mimic wheel nuts) I might just weld the holes up...

Thoughts?

How about using the holes to attach wheel centre caps sort of like these examples...

are-3505293_w.jpg


are-41054031b1_w_xl.jpg


usw-c113450_xl.jpg


You have the skills to make something that would look good painted or polished.

Glen.

EDIT: :blush: I'm an idiot... you can't do something like this because your axle will be going through the middle. :headbang:
 
Last edited:
After filming the workshop tour video work resumed on the rear wheel center.

First cut some little triangles from 16g sheet:

View attachment 95127

Drilled them all and bolted together into two groups:

View attachment 95128

View attachment 95129

Ground to shape, which melted the nylon in the locknuts:

View attachment 95130

Welded nuts to the back of each triangle to holds bolts when the wheel is done.

Then started welding the triangles in, some of the welds don't look great because I had gaps to fill, still learning the best methods on how to do that with a TIG:

View attachment 95131

Cleaned up decent though:

View attachment 95132

Other side:

View attachment 95133

Cleaned:

View attachment 95134

After the extra work to weld nuts on the triangles and fit them up, I'm not actually liking the way it looks with the stainless bolts on there (they were meant to mimic wheel nuts) I might just weld the holes up...

Thoughts?
I think the problem is they are to far out board from where they should be to look right.
 
Are you planning a front steering trike? I thought tadpoles were rear steer-front drive (like a backwards trike) hence the tadpole tail motion as it steered... I could be mistaken...

Carl.
I would actually really like to see such a build - with a rear steering like a fork lift truck.
 
What about : acorns, or bullet points... ?:39:
Cool thinking! I am leaning towards a less is more approach seeing as the wheel will be so big anyway...
When you said you wanted to add triangles to the wheel. I didn’t think you could make it look any better. But wow! It really looks great now! I think the nuts will look good when the wheel is all assembled with tire and all.
Thanks Skip!
How about using the holes to attach wheel centre caps sort of like these examples...

View attachment 95164

View attachment 95165

View attachment 95166

You have the skills to make something that would look good painted or polished.

Glen.

EDIT: :blush: I'm an idiot... you can't do something like this because your axle will be going through the middle. :headbang:
All good Glen, I am thinking about building something similar to the 3 spoke one on another build that is single sided rear...
well done on that wheel as always ! cool shop place too , subbed!!
Thanks 1HP!
I think the problem is they are to far out board from where they should be to look right.
I think you have nailed the problem there! Probably just weld them up, if I want to add something later I can drill into the thick washer part and just tap the threads.
I would actually really like to see such a build - with a rear steering like a fork lift truck.
A few people have tried it, most of the time it works, but is not the smoothest for turning, sometimes they get speed wobbles too like a bad shopping cart wheel.

Thanks again for commenting everyone!

:thumbsup:
 
....
After the extra work to weld nuts on the triangles and fit them up, I'm not actually liking the way it looks with the stainless bolts on there (they were meant to mimic wheel nuts) I might just weld the holes up...

Thoughts?
I thought you were putting the nuts on there to bolt a flange in for a disc brake. If they are only decorative I agree with your thinking as well.

You could possibly put pointed cones over them...
 

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