...You might want to sit down.

So, here we are, inching ever-so-slightly closer toward an object vaguely resembling a bike. We're almost ready to do the fiberglass!

Hot glue gun is our friend. Tacking this thing together with bubble gum just would not do.

Thanks go to local apartment-dweller Rob for showing up with a bunch of zip ties for us, conveniently about fifteen minutes before we needed them. A little too convenient, if you ask me.

So.. some things have changed? REALLY?

Meanwhile, a few weeks later..

So we've been steadily working on the trike, it now has a name and a frame and is made of a fancy new material, perhaps you've heard of it? Bamboo, they calls it. Many plans have come and gone, as indicated by the massive e-stack of models we'll be uploading shortly.

So come hither, and read about the past, present and future exploits of the Bamboozler! We've measured, notched and tacked the main frame together with hot glue and have purchased the supplies for fiberglass reinforcement. We've also discovered that our apartment has enough of a temperature difference from the workshop to make the bamboo crack after it's been tacked.

On the menu for the next couple days; we have a delicious special entree of harvested metal bike parts, (you didn't think it was going to ALL be bamboo, did you?) an excellent stew of fiberglass resin and catalyst served on tightly wrapped fiberglass cloth, and a beautifully structured bike seat enchilada.

One of the many thoughts at the forefronts of our thinkin' parts is the consideration of using a combination assisting electric motor/regenerative braking system. We realize this is a massive feature creep, but it just makes so much sense. Especially if we were to purchase a solar panel or two to supplement the regen, but therein lies another problem. The cost may be somewhat prohibitive. However, we are looking into many options, seemingly best among them being brutally ripping the hub out of a broken-down electric scooter and hitting it with a hammer lots and lots. The alternative would of course be to use a drum brake with the gloriously amazing rear drive wheel, which we've additionally gotten a ridiculous deal on. Mighty Riders, we love you!

Model taking shape

Thanks to some late night computer work, a model is finally in existence. This should allow us to begin deciding which bike frames can be cut up into what parts and what parts are going to have to be purchased outright. On that note, some proper welding apparatus might be in order as our homebrew job isn't entirely reliable.
An upgrade is being attempted with an additional transformer and choke to handle the load. Fire hazards aside, with our deadline fast approaching, it might turn out best to pitch for an actual arc welder instead of a pile of scrap...

The first of the posts

So this blog is here to document the creation of a three person recumbent trike. We're so far a group of three (four?) but will expanding/contracting as the temperature changes. Design goals for this monster include; a limited amount of collapsibility, 3 peddlers seated in recumbent positions, a largish cargo/puppet-theater space, and a decent sound system. It would be nice to do all this on the cheap and weighing very little, recycling will be key here.

Why is this being built? A few people thought it would be nice to bike across Canada, surviving on their bardish talents alone. Needless to say, a suitibly mad vehicle would be needed and so the idea of a portable theater / musician transporter was born. Your humble blogger has about as much musical talent as a whistling goat and would like to find real work once out of school so he will not be partaking upon this voyage.

Preparation is well underway for the fabrication stage; a build space, homebrew welder, and some power tools have been secured. Plans are being drafted up as I write this and our design concept is solidifying. Concept sketches are great but our collaboration should benifit from finalizing things in Sketchup, stay tuned for a post when it looks decent. As the cash situation is somewhat limited, we'll be using as much recycled steel as possible (old bikes). This has the added benifit of cutting down on the number of welds required and eliminating the need to thread the inside tubing (nessesary for bearings etc). A frankenstein to be sure...