On Jun 9, 2:30*pm, Bernhard Agthe wrote:
Hi,

Andre Jute wrote:
However, what is wrong with a single arm that mounts rear wheel, crank
and pivot, pivoting at the junction of a trident with a long central
arm, the two short side arms reaching back to the front wheels from as
far in front of the notional axle line as is necessary, the central
arm carrying all the payload of rider and luggage, the rider's feet
then ending up inside the "structure" and the chainline being
straightly unarticulated and not requiring idlers when hub gears are
used. Probably semi-recumbent to keep the wheelbase from growing too
long, but that is where I started anyway, with seat comfortable to sit
down in and from which it is possible to rise with grace.

That's a lot of tech talk in very little space ;-)

The ideas are now firming up in my mind. Thanks for help in working
them out.

Actually I'd agree at once, but I do see the danger of the trike
actually leaning towards the outside of a corner if there is too much
flex in the frame. That's why I would connect the front wheels with a
straight (or almost straight) beam... Too much of anything is not good ;-)

The beam itself could be solid with a little play in the mounting.
However, I remember driving a Bugati when I was young which was said
to have had a solid front axle with small articulation from the
factory, which was soldered up because it never worked. I had a good
description from the engineer who owned and rebuilt it of the purpose
of the articulation, and also why it dinna work, but the details are
long gone.

So, for myself, I conclude that a trike should have the "leaning"
feature, if it has significant suspension on the two-wheeled axle. If it
has no or very little suspension on that axle, it would be better to
have no leaning, just to keep it simple ;-)

Leaning depends on the geometry of the axle mounting. It is not tied
to suspension. However, suspension-type links are the easiest by which
to arrange a tilting trike.

So, we now have the sporty-trikes with cool suspension and leaning and
we have the more-utility-trikes with "bendibeam" and/or Big-Tire
technology and no extra leaning ;-)

We might not be able to find a "one-for-all" design, but that's fine
with me ;-)

I never set out to persuade anyone my idea was "best". Only building
all the ideas and racing them will prove which is best -- and then
some of us will argue that a little sacrifice of speed for a more
upright seat is well worth it!

Super thread!

Andre Jute
Down with the spoilsport Telemachus!