How to make a recumbent

Recumbent – muscular vehicle propelled by muscle power of the driver. Off the bike it features the stability, as to maintain balance when riding a recumbent is not required. But in order to make such a machine with their own hands, requires some skills.

Instruction

To start the designing of the velomobile is to define its type. Depending on the application, velomobiles can be divided into sports, walking, Hiking and multifunctional. Decide also whether your car is single or double, are you going to equip its cockpit or fairing.

Limitations encountered during the construction of the velomobile is determined by its weight and cost that you can afford. The smaller the weight, the greater the cost. You have to consider and weight the main criteria for selection of the design of the recumbent.

Before you create drawings, make a choice in favor of one or another scheme of the future of the velomobile. Single unit hardly makes sense to design. The calculations demonstrate that the single recumbent on three or four wheels will be too heavy. But if you decided to stop the car, and choose the scheme tricycle (trike).

Modelling of recumbent start with basic units such as the seat and the carriage with pedals. If you are staying on the seat foam, keep in mind that the surface of the body adjacent to such seat, if sweating profusely, and, regardless of the time of year.

The frame is manufactured of steel profile tubes. For covering the seats use a synthetic fabric. Around the perimeter of trim panel insert durable cord, leaving the ends free. When crimping the cladding on seat frame, the ends of the cord tighten to covering a tight fit seat. The seat should be fastened to the frame rigidly.

Fixing the carriage has several options, it depends on the design features of the recumbent. It is possible to mount the carriage on the straps, in this case it can be moved along the frame. It makes sense to do if the seat doesn't adjust the distance from the pedal mechanism.

The most important task in the Assembly of the velomobile – mount wheels. The traditional hub is designed for plug, you will need a cantilever mount when the wheel is mounted on one side only, the type of automobile wheels. Mount the wheels should hold the load on a level road.

To mitigate the shock when hitting the bumps in the road are used as the absorbers. The wheel hung on hinges, the weight of the velomobile is transmitted to the wheel through the spring. The most simple shocks are equally well go in both directions, so when pedaling machine can shake. This is possible when hitting the resonance. Improved models have hydraulic suppression of the reverse.

When designing shock absorbers, they should be placed in the circuit so that it did not compress the shock absorber in tension. Otherwise, work the pedals, it would be difficult or impossible. Therefore, the chain guide closer to the hinges suspension.

Theoretical calculations may differ from the practice, so be prepared for the fact that the creation of the velomobile with your hands you will have to show considerable imagination, patience and perseverance. Of course, in the home Studio you will not be able to compete with industrial enterprises producing Cycling equipment. But your first recumbent will be quite able to go no worse than the factory bike.

Is the advice useful?