J
Jt
Guest
The Raptor trike is a tadpole made from various sections of aluminium bolted together. It has
conventional front-wheel brakes, mounted on an arm that is attached to the wheel axle. This arm is
constrained from rotating due to brake torque by a small bolt which goes through both the brake arm
and the wheel mounting plate. This bolt is about 1 inch from the brake axle.
If this bolt shears three dangerous things can happen:
a) loss of braking
b) loss of steering
c) rider catapulted forward out of the seat
I emailed the Rich Richardson, the maker of the Raptor, and he replied that I shouldn't worry, that
<some number of trike owners less than 50> had had no problems.
Last night the bolt sheared. Taylor (who was riding it) flipped the trike and fell out, but
was unhurt.
This was not a maximum-braking force event. It was on more or less level ground, at low speed, and
Taylor is 10 years old.
I am repairing the trike and adding a proper brake torque arm; details to follow.
conventional front-wheel brakes, mounted on an arm that is attached to the wheel axle. This arm is
constrained from rotating due to brake torque by a small bolt which goes through both the brake arm
and the wheel mounting plate. This bolt is about 1 inch from the brake axle.
If this bolt shears three dangerous things can happen:
a) loss of braking
b) loss of steering
c) rider catapulted forward out of the seat
I emailed the Rich Richardson, the maker of the Raptor, and he replied that I shouldn't worry, that
<some number of trike owners less than 50> had had no problems.
Last night the bolt sheared. Taylor (who was riding it) flipped the trike and fell out, but
was unhurt.
This was not a maximum-braking force event. It was on more or less level ground, at low speed, and
Taylor is 10 years old.
I am repairing the trike and adding a proper brake torque arm; details to follow.