The Girl Band and The Custard.

Erm, no.
A few bikes came in at work today, most notably an old Rayleigh bike - big heavy steel frame, sprung saddle and exquisite mud and chain guards, with a Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub. It was a rust bucket truly at the end of life, but it would have been beautiful in it's time. It's a part of the job that I really enjoy - looking and handling the old bicycles. It's tough too - making decisions as to which are 'scrap' and which can have a second chance. It can be sad when you see one of the old ones and you know it'll never be restored or reused and it's pointless putting it to one side.
The others were pretty standard modern bikes - nothing about them really shone, but they were salvageable and reusable.
The older designs were much simpler and basic. I like the economy of the gearing. Let's face it, years ago all bikes had a fixed wheel, then you had 3 hub gears followed by the 5 speed derailleur and now the 47 gears or something like that.
It's not really the number of gears - it's the size of the gaps between each that matter. An extreme would be where  the largest sprocket is the size of a dinner plate and the smallest the size of 10 pence piece, with 5 increments between. That would cover all needs. Do we need more? I doubt it. More gears are just another selling point.

The Town and Country Trike will not be over designed or over built.

The Town and Country Tricycle.

This is the goal.
I want to build a trike that can be ridden safely in traffic, both slow moving and fast.
But hey, vehicle drivers cause the accidents? Right?
I had two accidents on my bike and both were caused by motorised vehicles. The first time was when I was approaching a junction to turn left onto a major road. A coach overtook me, so I stopped. When he turned left, he cut the corner and I ended up on the pavement. I was unhurt and the bike undamaged. The second time was crossing a motorway junction on an A road. As I neared my exit a van pulled out and hit me. It happened in slow motion. As I hit the side of the van I tried to push myself away but went over and the bike went under. I was bruised, cut jeans and hands but pretty superficial. The bike was not. Bent frame and wheel. I was lucky. It was a sunny morning and I was on the way to work. The driver couldn't see the bike as the sun was behind me. I felt sorry for guy, as he was more shaken up than I was.
There's actually a third time, but more of a near miss, and pretty much down to my own stupidity. Town traffic, two lanes in each direction. I signal, maneuver, etc and position myself to turn right through the two lanes of oncoming traffic. I get hit on the hip by a petrol cap cover that wasn't shut properly. My pride was hurt but nothing else. 40 mph zone.
One time I nearly hit a cyclist. I was turning left at traffic lights. I stopped and waited for the lights to change. When they did and I pulled off, I glanced left just before I turned. A cyclist had crept up beside me and was also moving. I was so close to have cleaned him of his bike.
Why do they do it?
I know people talk of the joy of melting through stationary traffic, but is it worth it?
I want one of those stickers for my car - "Cyclists are advised not to overtake this vehicle on the left hand side".
With a trike there's no temptation. You wait in line with everyone else.

Size is important. Being bigger means that you are more visible to other road users. Being wider gives a better road position. Too many times I have seen cyclists being squeezed out as cars, lorries, etc push past on a two lane road. As a cyclists it isn't pleasant going up a a hill with a lorry wheezing on your back wheel, but it's better than the vehicle passing when there's oncoming traffic, and the driver assuming that you're happy to move over and cycle up the hedge.

Visibility will be a major to the project.

Designer Verses Sculptor.

The design teacher in me knows that the 'correct' way to go about designing and making a tricycle is by following the design process. Clear statements, plenty of research, clear drawings, prototypes, models, and after a lot of evaluation - the final drawing and the eventual execution of the product. The sculptor inside wants to cut up bicycles and start sticking them together to see how they work together. See how they feel and look.
I've always thought that if you follow the design process rigorously and thoroughly, then there's no real need to actually make the object.
I've often thought that if I ever heard the phrase "intuitively respond to the material" again - I would probably punch someone. But I'm the one saying it this time. How things look on paper is rarely how things look in reality. My internet dating profile proves my point...
When I was heavily into making forged metal sculpture, I would have a pile of pre-made elements that I could tack together, take off, discard, reassemble until I had something that I was happy with to develop.
I believe my tricycle building project should take the same route.
So, where does that leave things?
I will need to make up a few hack trikes to test out ideas. Choose the best to develop and finalise the Town and Country Trike!

Next post - The Town and County Trike. (Maybe Urban and Rural??)

The Design Process.

Let's work through the design process. (Without emotional disassociation!)

Situation or Need (and customer profile).
Tadpole recumbent, upright delta and tadpole tricycles are manufactured commercially and available to purchase. There are far fewer uprights than recumbent tricycles. There are kits available to convert bicycles to tricycles, and I can't say that I like any that are available.
To cut through the bush - I can't buy the one I want, so there must be a need for one, so I need to make one. I need to make more than one as there must be other people like me out there who want to feel like Miss Marple's great aunt.

Design Brief
Design and make an upright tadpole tricycle.

You really do have to feel sorry for Design and Technology teachers - and their coursework moderators.

1. State the obvious.
2. State the bloody obvious.
3. Repeat.
4. .............


Evaluate Existing Products.

The Monarch and Harding. I don't own the copyright on any images, so can't post photos - but Google them!

The earlier models look a little like hack bikes. Old bicycles cut up and welded together to make a tricycle. Most notably the double forks. I like the way they look - flat ended. I can visualise making a trike like this. Maybe the front end looking like a bedstead with little brass knobs, or just flat. Flat boys not fat boys. Not very aerodynamic, though.

The later tadpole uprights have single axles for the front wheels. They do look more - designed, but a bit naked.

They all have Ackerman steering. The old vending trikes have no steering rack and are not designed for high speed. They are almost ornamental.

I have seen a couple of trikes with rear wheel steer and front wheel drive, and a recumbent tadpole with front wheel steer and drive. Pretty cool engineering!

Now, purists may point out that I've missed out the analysis and synthesis, planning, etc - but most Design and Technology teachers will admit (possibly) that not all design projects are documented chronologically! These are rattling around in my head and on scraps of paper/notebooks along with everything else, and might appear if I can type them out. It's doubtful to be honest - after dealing with students' design folders year in and year out - I'll save you the pain...

I will put some of the specification down in my next post

Why Me? The Biography.

Most biographies are written in the third person, with a tone of professional detachment. The reality is that they are in fact autobiographies, but they are written in a way to suggest that another person thinks as highly of them as they do themselves.
This one will be in the first person, set in a pub after a few pints. I'll write it myself as my drinking partner will remember less about it than I do, but I will be honest and admit that it is quite selective, with some parts embellished and others glossed over.

I was born in Essex in 1962 and moved to Cornwall as a three year old. I feel that wearing white socks with black shoes is part of my cultural inheritance and I did try this combination out in the late 1980's. I must say that it felt quite natural.
Did I mention that this may not be chronologically accurate?
My secondary education was a mix of attending an all boys Grammar School and a Comprehensive School. Both very different. Who'd have thought you could sit beside a girl in a classroom?
I left in 1980 (never being caned) and then 'did' a Foundation Course at Falmouth School of Art. A year of pasties and a Morris 1000 van. Oh, and art.
Between 1981 and 1984 I studied (loosely) Fine Art at Gloucestershire College of Arts and Technology. I say loosely, as it was three years of studio practice rather than a structured course. During this period I went to Bordeaux for 12 weeks as part of an exchange programme. Other students who participated have dressed exchanges up as competitive awards or scholarships. It wasn't. I did make a lot of floaty things that I threw in la Gironde, which saved me taking them home.  The French Odyssey deserves more than a few lines, but not here. Back in Cheltenham I developed a passion of 'hot metal processes', a right bicep that could equal Popye's and experienced both love and loss. I still have my favourite hammer from that era. A two pound Stanley ball-pein. It was about £12 at the time, so a big investment. I left with a shiny B.A.(Hons) and was totally unemployable.
After a year of being on the dole then working in a pub, I decided to obtain a vocational qualification. You know - 'get meself a career'.
I trained to be a teacher of Design and Technology at Gwent College of Higher Education. I was the odd man out. The other students were from engineering and design backgrounds. I was the sculptor who couldn't keep a sheet of paper clean.
I finished the course and left. The next section of my life involved working as unfortunately I couldn't extend my 5 years in college any further. After a variety of other jobs  I taught for about 20 years, in Special Schools and mainstream schools. I didn't hate teaching, I actually grew to like it  but it was always just a job.
I've hung up my gown and put away the mortar board for the last time and am currently employed as a full-time Eco-Warrior.

I hear you ask "So how and why does this experience equip you to design and build your own tricycle?"
I understand the design and manufacturing processes - and maybe most importantly - recognise my limitations. I like making things and I like thinking about making things - and I've assisted many people through the design process to achieve their goals. My day job gives me opportunities to look at a lot of end of life bicycles. I do get bicycle envy, which is probably a good thing.
Enough for the second post!

My Eureka Moment.

For a few years I had wanted to build a tricycle.
No, for a few years I'd wanted to own a tricycle - a tricycle with a big box at the front to collect money for charity and cycle across Northern Ireland, from the Irish Sea to the Atlantic. Take my time, camp, cook, have a holiday - and raise money.
That never happened - well, not all of it.
I took part in the Belfast Marathon. I managed 18 miles in about 6 hours and raised £800 for a local animal charity, but my boots were not made for walking.
Back to the tricycles...
I looked at tricycles on the internet, on eBay. Always out priced and not really the type of trike I wanted.
I wanted an upright tadpole.
Lets get this out of the way now.
Tricycles are either tadpole or delta. Upright or recumbent.
I've spent a lot of time thinking about the differences between them, what I wanted and the reasons for the choice.
I don't want to run recumbents down, but they're not for me. Allegedly they are good if you have a hernia or back problems. I used to have a Volkswagen Scirocco and it was so low to the ground getting in and out was pretty hard. If you have a dodgy back - I can't see any benefit. I'll buy into the hernia notion though. Apparently you can ride a recumbent and still treat your hernia with the care and dignity it deserves. Bob will be pleased to hear that. Bob? I've called my hernia Bob.
Why not?
Visibility is an issue too. Being so low to the ground, I would worry about not being seen by other road users. One lorry driver lighting up a roll-up and taking his eyes off the road could mean a trip to Carlisle jammed under his front bumper.
All in all though - there is a big market for recumbent tricycles - notably in America. A lot of examples I've seen have been very well made and designed and I have a lot of respect for them - with the high end of the range models costing far more than my car.
But they're not for me.
There's something very English (substitute British/European if you like - I can't make up my mind which term to use) about upright tricycles and bicylces. Like Miss Marple's great aunt popping down to the post office to send a telegram.
Hmm?
Upright just sounds so English. Stiff upper lip with a broom handle up the back.
You can imagine a vicar on an upright tricycle, not Tommy Lee Jones.
Some one will prove me wrong about this, no doubt.
"Dear Sir,
I wish to inform you that Tommy Lee Jones owns an upright tricycle that was hand built in Holland in 1831. See attached photo.
Yours faithfully,
Mr A. Pendant, Missouri."
I await that email with anticipation.
I like vicars, Tommy Lee Jones and Holland. I'd probably like Missouri too, so absolutely no offence is intended.
Uprights, like recumbents can be either tadpole or delta. Tadpoles have two wheels at the front and a single wheel at the rear. Deltas have two wheels at the rear and a single at the front. The rear wheel(s) usually are driven by the pedals and front end steers.
Tadpoles are far more stable than Deltas - think Reliant Robin and Miss Marple's great aunt.
I like the riding position. I like being high up and being able to see over hedges. It meets that voyeuristic need. Being on a recumbent is, well, like being recumbent. On a one man bobsleigh - fair enough, but riding through traffic?
No.
Most of us have ridden a bicycle and I will put money on - that it was an upright. Feeling like a bet I'll go double or quits that before that you'd ridden a delta tricycle. Yes, I know it was plastic and you were being pushed by your mother, but it still counts.
I haven't spent hours with an Action man or a Barbie and cardboard models of bicycles working out the ergonomics of which is more comfortable or better or anything remotely like that, but because recumbent trikes and bikes are not common - and expensive, most people haven't had "wheel time" (I like that) on a recumbent and the upright riding position would feel most natural. I guess I'm saying that the upright position is the one that most people are familiar with.
I quite like the upright riding position.
That's my starting point, with a few of the reasons. There's a lot more, but too much for one blog post.
I want an upright tadpole tricycle.

The Eureka moment?  I didn't happen in the bath, but in the outside toilet, looking at the hole in roof and my wet bikes. That was when I decided to make my own trike.