trikes: pointing forwards or backwards?

[Leslie]

Following an earlier post about recumbents, I would be interested to know if any NG members have a
view about whether a trike should have its singleton wheel at the front or at the back. (PS I
promise not to top post in reply, a practice I now understand is frowned upon.) Thanks Leslie

 

[Martin Harlow]

In article <[email protected]>, Leslie <[email protected]> writes
>Following an earlier post about recumbents, I would be interested to know if any NG members have a
>view about whether a trike should have its singleton wheel at the front or at the back. (PS I
>promise not to top post in reply, a practice I now understand is frowned upon.)

I'd say back. You want to be able to brake heavily with the front. Imagine a situation with one
wheel at the front, where the wheel is a little to the right when you hit the anchors. The back
will want to slide around to the left, more and more so as you get more off line. If you look at
cars, Reliant Robin = notorious for rolling over. Funky old 30's sports cars = presumably better
thought out

ttfn

Martin

--
"It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that
are doing it." - Dan Quayle

Martin Harlow [email protected]

 

[Just Zis Guy]

On Wed, 18 Jun 2003 20:59:07 +0000 (UTC), "Leslie" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I would be interested to know if any NG members have a view about whether a trike should have its
>singleton wheel at the front or at the back.

Tadpoles work better with the single wheel at the back, deltas the other way round

Guy
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[Tim Woodall]

On Wed, 18 Jun 2003 20:59:07 +0000 (UTC), Leslie <[email protected]> wrote:
> Following an earlier post about recumbents, I would be interested to know if any NG members have a
> view about whether a trike should have its singleton wheel at the front or at the back. (PS I
> promise not to top post in reply, a practice I now understand is frowned upon.)
>
The singleton wheel should be at the back, offset a few inches.

But then I'm biased

http://www.windcheetah.co.uk/

Tim.

--
God said, "div D = rho, div B = 0, curl E = - @B/@t, curl H = J + @D/@t," and there was light.

http://tjw.hn.org/ http://www.locofungus.btinternet.co.uk/

 

[Tenex]

Leslie wrote: (PS I promise not to
> top post in reply, a practice I now understand is frowned upon.) Thanks Leslie

You're using Outlook Express so why not download OE Quotefix (freeware) and let it fix it
automatically? (Top posting is hardly the crime it's made out to be... )

 

[Leslie]

> Tadpoles work better with the single wheel at the back, deltas the other way round
>
Tadpoles? Deltas?

 

[Ian Smith]

On Wed, 18 Jun 2003, Leslie <[email protected]> wrote:

> Following an earlier post about recumbents, I would be interested to know if any NG members have
> a view about whether a trike should have its singleton wheel at the front or at the back.

Back. Corners better.

regards, Ian SMith
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[Peter Clinch]

Leslie wrote:

> Tadpoles? Deltas?

Description used to tell you... where the single wheel is!

Delta is one at the front, two at the back, Tadpole is two up front, one at the back (think about a
delta-wing plane and tadpole's shape, and it's obvious in hindsight).

Fact is, both are built and both have been made to work. Even though my personal notional preference
would be a tadpole, I know a Kettweisel Delta works and if its cost and capabilities fit my needs
I'd still be happy to own one. In summary, don't get hung up on it: test rides should tell you which
actual model(s) of trike you'd like and then the configuration question has effectively been
by-passed.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email protected]
http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[Leslie]

"wafflyDIRTYcatLITTERhcsBOX" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> >Tadpoles? Deltas?
>
> Tadpoles are the ones where the two wheels are at the front.
>
> Deltas are the ones where the two wheels are at the back.

In the words of Homer Simpson: Doh! Thanks.

 

[James Hodson]

On Wed, 18 Jun 2003 20:59:07 +0000 (UTC), "Leslie" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Following an earlier post about recumbents, I would be interested to know if any NG members have a
>view about whether a trike should have its singleton wheel at the front or at the back. (PS I
>promise not to top post in reply, a practice I now understand is frowned upon.)

Hi Leslie

Try this:

Lie down in a regular press-up position with your arms straight then lift up one leg.Wiggle yourself
around to see how stable you feel.

Do the same again but this time keep both feet on the floor and lift up one arm. Compare the
relative stability of the two positions.

Obviously you should get yorself nice and balanced before you start your wiggling.

I bet that you feel more stable in the first position.

The first position is similar to, say, a Morgan; the second position is akin to a Robin Reliant.

James

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