Category Archives: Uncategorized

5 STEPS TO AVOID INJURY ON A TADPOLE TRIKE

Mar 3

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Mickey of LaidBack Cycles shares 5 tips on avoiding injury on a tadpole trike.

KEEP ON TRIKIN’

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Catrike Expeditions | Little Sugar Creek Greenway Charlotte, NC

Feb 19

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Here is a great video well done by the late Ken Poindexter. He may not be with us anymore but he left his impression with us. Enjoy the ride along …

https://youtu.be/DU0PRo16uWc?si=lG21jdo6WsRCzj0p

Keep on Trikin’

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Introduction To The Recumbent Trike: Types, Wheel Sizes, Seat Types, Brake Types & Potential Issues

Feb 12

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Here is an informative video covering various subjects …

KEEP ON TRIKIN’

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THE BATTLE OF THE E-TRIKES … WHICH ONE SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?

Feb 10

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Some people buy Chevys and others buy Cadillacs and fewer still buy Yugos. There is nothing wrong with the Chevys but they supposedly don’t have as much to offer as the Cadillacs. Some people drive a Chevy even if they could afford a Cadillac. Some people drive a Cadillac even though they can’t really afford it. We all have our preferences, abilities and limitations.

KEEP ON TRIKIN”

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TRIKE RIDING TOGETHER AS FAMILY & WITH FRIENDS

Oct 31

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I am past 70 years old so I have to think back a ways to remember as a child growing up doing various things together as a family. Still I have fond memories and appreciate those times we spent together. We didn’t have tadpole trikes then. We did have bicycles and motorcycles which we rode together. My parents may be gone but friends are still around and almost daily I am making memories with them riding our trikes. When I look at videos online showing families/friends riding together it brings back those memories. Perhaps it will for you as well. And if you are younger than I am perhaps you are still making memories with your own children. Anyway, here are some videos of families enjoying riding together.

 

HERE are more videos.

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4 WHEEL DRIVE REAR SUSPENSION ELECTRIC MOTOR ASSIST FAT TIRE QUAD

Oct 13

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What more could you want in an off road human powered vehicle? This beauty is nearly unstoppable. It is an L Trike  or Camel Trike made in China and sold from China thru ZZMERCK (Zhengzhou Merck). I find their media coverage a bit confusing. One place they call it an L Trike and another place they call it a Camel Trike. It is not even a trike so I don’t know why they would call it either one. Googling “L Trike” turns up nothing, but Googling “camel trike” gets results. It doesn’t come cheap … $7500-$8500. It looks nice, but I don’t trust the quality of Chinese products. Hopefully this is well made. I will say though that this trike is definitely complex in its design which translates into … “there is a whole lot of stuff that could go wrong and cause problems”.

I said it is rear suspension and it is, but at first I thought it was full suspension, but after taking a closer look at it I guess it is not.This quad weighs approximately 110 pounds (50kg) so it is not light. The wheels are laced rather uniquely. Although I have seen this before I don’t think it is all that common. They are laced only on the inside of the rim. No spokes attach to the other side. This is covered in one of the videos further below.

The one thing I noticed is that the cables are hanging way down low where they could easily snag of lots of stuff riding off road. They created lots of road clearance only to place the cables way down low. That makes no sense! I see it all the time on people’s trikes. Some people just don’t seem to care about such things even if you point it out to them. I wonder if they would change their tune if a drooping cable ruined their day causing a bad wreck. At the very least it could cause serious damage to the cable and possibly other things.

4×4 Fat Tire Recumbent Quad

Model/Price: Model: MF426E, Price: US $7,500-8,500

Website: http://zzmerck.com/products/recumbenttrike/2017-09-28/398.html

Brief description: four-wheel drive system, aluminum alloy 6061 frame, Vee 26×4.8 tire, DNM air spring suspension, SRAM11 speed, 500w mid drive motor, 48v 20ah lithium battery, climbing angle more than 35 degrees. For All Challenging Terrain!

SPECS:
Transmission system     
Front derailleur: Sram NX11
Rear derailleur: Sram NX11

Drive system   
Crankset: Flywheel crankset
Flywheel: Sram NX11 11 speed 11-42T
Chain: Miche 11 speed
Chain tube: Nylon
Pedal: Exustar clipless pedals
Novatec bearing secondary drive hub
Customs Aluminum alloy 7075 secondary drive
Fouriers chainring
Customs power divider
Customs shaft, hub, shaft hub, cardan

Brake system    
Front brake: Avid E3 hydraulic disc brake
Rear brake: BB7 disc brake

Wheel system 
Rim: Alloy
Spokes: 304 stainless steel
Tires: Vee 26-4.8 foldable tires
Front hub: Novatec customs hub
Rear hub: Customs shaft hub

Suspension system
DNM air spring suspension (double chamber)

Electric system
48v 500w mid drive motor
48v 20ah lithium battery

Light system
Led headlight

Frame: Aluminum alloy 6061 T6
Seat: Nylon mesh

No way could I do this on my tadpole trike. I would find myself in a real predicament. This quad goes right up it …

The next video definitely demonstrates that it is all wheel drive …

This next video is suppose to be a demonstration of the quad riding thru snow, but there is very little snow on the ground so it isn’t much of a test. A standard trike with standard tires could go thru most of the snow shown, but probably not all the uneven ground, etc. as there would be traction problems  …

The next 4 videos are about the design and bulld of the quad. You may have to pause them to read the English captions in order to follow what is being said.

That is a lot of money to lay down to attempt some off road fun, but hey, if you have it to spend you might as well go for it. You can’t take the money with you when life is over. BTW, you can’t take the trike with you either. We can only enjoy them here in this life … so do your best to …

KEEP ON TRIKIN’

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DOGS ARE PEOPLE TOO

Aug 18

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Yeppur, dogs are people too. At least some of them think so and some of us do too. That’s okay. For sure they are part of the family.

Some of us even look like dogs. Did I really say that? I better restate that … sometimes we have dogs that resemble us. Take a look – – –

(In all fairness as far as I know neither of these national leaders own these dogs they are pictured with. Somebody just made up the images in jest. It is probably true of the images below as well.)

And some not quite as well known …

My point is … let’s see … I knew I had a point when I started this. Oh yeah, we are attached to these critters so it is only natural we want to take them along with us when we go out riding our trikes. Now some people pamper their pets to the extreme and only haul their furry friends in a trailer or basket. That is okay for some of the time, but hey … they need exercise too. So there are options available. Some dogs do better than others when it comes to catching on to what they need to do to walk and run alongside of us or perhaps up in front or even behind us. They learn quickly what is expected of them and what they need to do (or not do) to be safe. Other dogs need help and help is available in the way of devices to attach to our trikes which they in turn are attached to. Using these devices they walk and run safely alongside of us out of harms way. Well, they are unless we run them into something. With extra width these devices add to our trikes we need to be careful we don’t do just that. Some dogs even need a special shield alongside of the rear wheel to keep them from getting into it and getting hurt. Anyway, here are a few of the options available:

http://www.dogpoweredscooter.com/

In my opinion and experience it is best to have a means of both hauling your dog as well as walking and running him … at least if you are riding far enough with him where he needs a break from walking and running. If the dog is small enough he can be hauled in a basket aboard the trike, but a larger dog definitely requires a trailer to accommodate him.

Some people just prefer a trailer anyway regardless of the size of the dog. And, of course, some people have more than one dog so a trailer is pretty much a must to take the dogs along safely and comfortably.

And then there are the MUSHERS … dogs who love to pull

Some dogs are pullers, some dogs need to be pulled and some dogs are pretty much neutral … they just walk or run alongside without pulling or being pulled. It is important to “know your dog” and ensure he is getting his exercise without overdoing it. He may need to ride for awhile and then go at it again. Some dogs may only be good for a mile or so at a time while others can walk and run several miles before needing a rest.

Dogs On Trikes Facebook Group

Me with my dog. He was one great dog …

one could not ask for a better dog.

Some dogs are better trained and behaved than others. Some dogs seem to be more easily trained than others. Consequently some dogs do fine without being fastened into a basket or trailer while others definitely need to be “contained”/”restrained”. Keep in mind that in case of a tip over a dog being hauled in a basket is probably more likely to be injured than a dog which is somewhat free to move about some as he can jump out and avoid being injured … or least being less injured than if he would have been restrained in the basket. Unfortunately there are dogs which will jump out if they are not fastened in and that could be very bad especially if you are moving along when they jump. My wife and I had a dog once that jumped out of the window while we were driving down a highway. The only thing that saved him from serious injury is he had his leash fastened and my wife was able to pull him back thru the window before anything happened.

Keep in mind also that carrying a dog in a basket up high off of the ground raises the trike’s center of gravity considerably making it all the easier to tip over.

I have noticed that most dogs enjoy the view as well as the wind in their face. They often tend to move about just to see what there is to see. This can sometimes be a bit challenging for the trike rider as the movement of the dog can effect the handling of the trike.

Please don’t allow your dog to run loose on his own. It is irresponsible. It is dangerous for your dog and for others. Many “accidents” have happened as a result of dogs running loose. It is bad enough when a dog gets injured in these accidents, but it is far worse for innocent people getting injured as a result of the dog owners negligence. I have known friends who have been seriously injured when a loose dog went right in front of them. Sometimes dogs chase after other cyclists which can be very intimidating. And it is against the law to allow a dog to run loose!

And if you are taking your dog along with you please be a responsible and law abiding owner.

Unless you have a special dog who cleans up after himself, be sure you do it. It is the right thing to do.

It is absolutely disgusting to deal with this scenario … dogs owners who do this deserve to have their faces shoved down into this pile of shit.

Yeppur, dogs are people too as far as enjoying tadpole trikes. With our help and with our responsible behavior we can all …

ENJOY THE RIDE!

A FREE GIFT awaits you!

SETUP & ADJUSTMENT OF MECHANICAL DISC BRAKES

This is a subject like many others where you can find varying opinions and instructions on how to go about setting up and adjusting mechanical disc brakes. I only have and use Avid BB7 brakes. I started off with Avid BB5 brakes which I would not wish on my worst enemy as the saying goes. They are junk in my opinion. They required almost constant daily adjustment which got old quick. The BB7 is a far superior brake and well worth the additional expense over the BB5 brakes. The main difference between the two besides the brake pads is that the BB5 brake only has one adjustment knob for the brake pad … that is, only one side can be adjusted. The other side is stationary. The BB7 has adjustment knobs on both sides making it much easier to get proper adjustment initially. And once adjusted the BB7 seems to remain in proper adjustment for quite some time. If you have the BB5 brakes you are on your own as I won’t waste my time trying to instruct how to adjust them as they aren’t worth the time and effort involved. My advice is to upgrade to the BB7s. Anyway, I am not going to link to the instructions of others here, but rather I am simply going to share how I go about setting up and adjusting the brakes.

To start out it is important that the rotors run true. If they are bent or damaged they need to be repaired or replaced. There is a special tool to use to straighten a bent rotor, but if one lacks this tool an adjustable wrench can be used if the bend is only near the outer part of the disc. If it is further inward toward the center of the disc an adjustable wrench won’t do. I have a Park Tool straightener, but there are other brands available.

If the rotor is straight and true you can move onto the setup of the brake. Basically by setup I mean positioning the brake caliper and brake pads properly on the rotor. Again, not everybody goes about this the same way, but I am only sharing how I do it and it has worked great for me. Ideally it would be best to do all this with the rider of the trike seated on the trike so that the effect of the rider’s weight is taken into consideration as I am sure things would change a little just like the toe in measurement sometimes changes when the rider is seated on the trike. This is especially true if the rider is heavy. I have never done that myself as it would be difficult if one is by themself to sit in the seat and perform this procedure.

It is most important that the caliper be positioned correctly so that the rotor is centered and parallel to the brake pads. Otherwise it is likely that the brake will rub and make noise, especially when cornering. Also the brakes won’t work as well as they could and the brake pads will wear uneven.

The mounting bolts have special washers which are dished and cupped so that they fit together and “adjust” to the positioning of the caliper over the rotor.

The procedure I use to align the caliper and brake pads on the rotor is simply to leave the mounting bolts loose so that the caliper can move freely.

I then sort of wiggle the caliper around while I turn the brake pad adjustments (red plastic knobs) in so that they tighten against the rotor and center the caliper over the rotor. I initially wiggle the caliper around a bit just to ensure it is freely moving while the brake pads are being adjusted in. Turning these adjustment knobs can tighten the brake pads sufficiently to hold against the rotor aligning it properly. I then carefully tighten the mounting bolts being careful not to move the caliper in the process. An alternative way of doing this is to tighten the brake pad adjustment knobs only partially so that squeezing the brake lever will tighten the brake pads on down against the rotor. Holding the brake lever on (or using some means of holding it on) I then tighten the mounting bolts carefully. Now with the caliper and brake pads aligned the brake pads can be adjusted properly.

Here is a video about centering hydraulic disc brakes which is pretty much the same process as mechanical disc brakes with the exception of having to push the pistons back out..

When adjusting the brake pads I simply back them off just enough initially so that they don’t rub when the wheel is spun. I then pull the brake lever to see how it feels. If it is too tight I loosen one of both of the brake pads a bit more. I also look down at the brake pads to see what the gap is looking like as I want to be sure both pads are evenly spaced out from the rotor. One should try to keep the gap between the brake pad and rotor the same on both sides so that when the brake is applied both brake pads make contact at the same time and not be forcing the rotor over to one side. It should remain straight and not flex (be forced) sideways.

Keep in mind that when cornering hard there is some flex in the wheel  and often times some rubbing will occur between the brake pads and the rotor. If this is bothersome the brake pads can be further adjusted out if needed.

Keep in mind that if a wheel is removed or realigned (adjusting the spokes) or a rotor is removed and then reinstalled or a new rotor is installed the caliper and brake pads may need to be realigned. That is what happened to my trike recently. I adjusted the spokes realigning the wheels which resulted in the need to reposition the caliper and brake pads. Once I did that my brakes worked much better. Obviously having properly working brakes is most important. They will help us …

ENJOY THE RIDE!

HERE is a link to all of Park Tool’s videos.

A FREE GIFT awaits you!

FOR THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW WHETHER THEY ARE COMING OR GOING (B2B TRIKE)

Now I ask ya … how in the world do these people expect to get anywhere fast? I mean, they are pedaling in opposite directions, right? I mean, anyone can see that. For those who don’t know anything about these tandem trikes two or three of them were made (I have seen both figures). Great Britain’s ICE trike manufacturer made them. I would think it would take some getting used to facing backwards and have the trike going the opposite direction you are looking.

“talk about complexity”

HERE is an article about one of these trikes.

A FREE GIFT awaits you!

DIY (Do It Yourself) VELOMOBILE

It is a lot of work and most certainly not everybody is up to it, but if you are you too could build your own velomobile. Click HERE to see the webpage on this.

A FREE GIFT awaits you!

RIDING ON THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA

We hear a lot about fake news nowadays (it is about time somebody pointed it out). Well, we also have a lot of fake images. The one above is an example of such. That being said, there really has been cycling on the Great Wall of China. Here is proof …

You didn’t see any tadpole trikes along there, did you? I think you will agree that it looks mighty risky on a bike much less attempting it on a trike. It sure looks like a guy could fairly easily launch himself into “inner space”. I think the odds are pretty good that if you rode off one side or the other you would head down and not up so there is not much chance of going into outer space.

And even if you were to tempt fate you might find it a little crowded at times. I know that would cramp my style as I hate dealing with crowds. 🙂

And then there are other times one would be hard pressed to spot a single soul on some parts of the Great Wall.

So I don’t know about you, but I think I will stick to fakery. It is much much safer. 🙂

HERE are more of my fake pictures.

Wherever you find yourself riding try to be safe and …

ENJOY THE RIDE!

A FREE GIFT awaits you!

 

PEDAL POWERED USB CHARGER

I am sure most of us who are old as dirt like me remember the generator dynamo light sets we had on our bicycles. They worked, but the amount of light varied according to the speed we rode. They could be very dim or we could ride so fast that we could burn out the bulbs (which I did many times). In short, they lacked good technology to better regulate the power being produced. Yet they did work. We have certainly come a long way when it comes to bicycle lighting. I only mention these old generator dynamo light sets because what I am writing about here is something which looks very much like the generator dynamo of old.

This new generator dynamo very much incorporates modern day technology, but its purpose is not to produce power for lighting. Nope, this unit provides 5 volts of D.C. current for a USB outlet so we can power up all sorts of modern day electronic gadgets to charge them as we ride. I don’t know much about it, but I find it intriguing.

The cost is reduced to about $33. However, the website shows it is “currently out of stock”.

Specifications
PBDNC10
Pedal Power Waterproof Bicycle Wheel-Powered USB Charger Energy Generator Dynamo
Pedal Your Bike, Generate Power & Charge Your Device
Generates Electricity and Charges from Spinning Bike Wheel
Charge Your Phone or Other Device While Riding
(If it has a USB Cable you can charge it!)
Attaches to Almost Any Style Bike Old or New
Connect Your Device Directly into the USB Port
Built-in Lithium Battery Recharges While You Pedal
Lightweight, Durable, Shockproof and Made to Last
Waterproof Marine Grade Construction
Easily Mounts and Un-Mounts from Bike frame
Dynamo Quickly Disengages from Tire
USB Output: 5V/1A
Battery Capacity: 3.7V/700mAh (Li-Ion)
Works with Smartphones, MP3 Players, GPS, Tablets, etc.
Dimensions: 5.0″ × 5.0″ × 2.4″
Pyle is helping you save the environment with every pedal of your bicycle. The Pedal
Power Wheel-Powered Energy Generator allows you to ‘Go Green’ and charge your
device while riding! Simply mount the dynamo to your wheel and the built-in
rechargeable battery creates and stores power with every rotation.
The system fits virtually any size and style bike and quickly attaches and detaches. If
you have the USB cable, you can charge it.
(Works with all your favorite devices: Smartphones, MP3 Players, GPS, Tablets, etc.)
Reduce, reuse and rethink about the environment with the Pyle Pedal Power!
www.PyleAudio

Keep in mind that this product is designed to use on a standard bicycle so using it on a tadpole trike might involve some ingenuity mounting it so it would line up properly and work on a trike wheel. Some trike frames might be more challenging than others. Of course, it could be operated on any one of the three wheels of a trike. I assume that sooner or later it will be back in stock. The website does provide an email service to notify when it is back in stock. I really like the idea of being able to recharge a cell phone or other devices … and doing so while we are riding. It all helps us …

ENJOY THE RIDE

A FREE GIFT awaits you!

BTW … there are other products out there besides this one:

Chain Charger

Ebay $25 free shipping

Wind Powered

Ebay $28.49 free shipping

and there are several others

**********

A FREE GIFT awaits you!

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1 Comment

SETUP AND ADJUSTMENT OF MECHANICAL DISC BRAKES

Aug 15

Posted by

This is a subject like many others where you can find varying opinions and instructions on how to go about setting up and adjusting mechanical disc brakes. I only have and use Avid BB7 brakes. I started off with Avid BB5 brakes which I would not wish on my worst enemy as the saying goes. They are junk in my opinion. They required almost constant daily adjustment which got old quick. The BB7 is a far superior brake and well worth the additional expense over the BB5 brakes. The main difference between the two besides the brake pads is that the BB5 brake only has one adjustment knob for the brake pad … that is, only one side can be adjusted. The other side is stationary. The BB7 has adjustment knobs on both sides making it much easier to get proper adjustment initially. And once adjusted the BB7 seems to remain in proper adjustment for quite some time. If you have the BB5 brakes you are on your own as I won’t waste my time trying to instruct how to adjust them as they aren’t worth the time and effort involved. My advice is to upgrade to the BB7s. Anyway, I am not going to link to the instructions of others here, but rather I am simply going to share how I go about setting up and adjusting the brakes.

To start out it is important that the rotors run true. If they are bent or damaged they need to be repaired or replaced. There is a special tool to use to straighten a bent rotor, but if one lacks this tool an adjustable wrench can be used if the bend is only near the outer part of the disc. If it is further inward toward the center of the disc an adjustable wrench won’t do. I have a Park Tool straightener, but there are other brands available.

https://youtu.be/O0c2Ez2v0PU?si=qy452_WIXQI0aQkg

If the rotor is straight and true you can move onto the setup of the brake. Basically by setup I mean positioning the brake caliper and brake pads properly on the rotor. Again, not everybody goes about this the same way, but I am only sharing how I do it and it has worked great for me. Ideally it would be best to do all this with the rider of the trike seated on the trike so that the effect of the rider’s weight is taken into consideration as I am sure things would change a little just like the toe in measurement sometimes changes when the rider is seated on the trike. This is especially true if the rider is heavy. I have never done that myself as it would be difficult if one is by themself to sit in the seat and perform this procedure.

It is most important that the caliper be positioned correctly so that the rotor is centered and parallel to the brake pads. Otherwise it is likely that the brake will rub and make noise, especially when cornering. Also the brakes won’t work as well as they could and the brake pads will wear uneven.

The mounting bolts have special washers which are dished and cupped so that they fit together and “adjust” to the positioning of the caliper over the rotor.

The procedure I use to align the caliper and brake pads on the rotor is simply to leave the mounting bolts loose so that the caliper can move freely.

I then sort of wiggle the caliper around while I turn the brake pad adjustments (red plastic knobs) in so that they tighten against the rotor and center the caliper over the rotor. I initially wiggle the caliper around a bit just to ensure it is freely moving while the brake pads are being adjusted in. Turning these adjustment knobs can tighten the brake pads sufficiently to hold against the rotor aligning it properly. I then carefully tighten the mounting bolts being careful not to move the caliper in the process. An alternative way of doing this is to tighten the brake pad adjustment knobs only partially so that squeezing the brake lever will tighten the brake pads on down against the rotor. Holding the brake lever on (or using some means of holding it on) I then tighten the mounting bolts carefully. Now with the caliper and brake pads aligned the brake pads can be adjusted properly.

Here is a video about centering hydraulic disc brakes which is pretty much the same process as mechanical disc brakes with the exception of having to push the pistons back out..

https://youtu.be/hBdJYX8tICA?si=5IPrgkYGbkKYSZx-

When adjusting the brake pads I simply back them off just enough initially so that they don’t rub when the wheel is spun. I then pull the brake lever to see how it feels. If it is too tight I loosen one of both of the brake pads a bit more. I also look down at the brake pads to see what the gap is looking like as I want to be sure both pads are evenly spaced out from the rotor. One should try to keep the gap between the brake pad and rotor the same on both sides so that when the brake is applied both brake pads make contact at the same time and not be forcing the rotor over to one side. It should remain straight and not flex (be forced) sideways.

Keep in mind that when cornering hard there is some flex in the wheel  and often times some rubbing will occur between the brake pads and the rotor. If this is bothersome the brake pads can be further adjusted out if needed.

Keep in mind that if a wheel is removed or realigned (adjusting the spokes) or a rotor is removed and then reinstalled or a new rotor is installed the caliper and brake pads may need to be realigned. That is what happened to my trike recently. I adjusted the spokes realigning the wheels which resulted in the need to reposition the caliper and brake pads. Once I did that my brakes worked much better. Obviously having properly working brakes is most important. They will help us …

ENJOY THE RIDE!

HERE is a link to all of Park Tool’s videos.

A FREE GIFT awaits you!

 

Posted in Uncategorized

1 Comment

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Riding On The Great Wall Of China

Aug 4

Posted by

We hear a lot about fake news nowadays (it is about time somebody pointed it out). Well, we also have a lot of fake images. The one above is an example of such. That being said, there really has been cycling on the Great Wall of China. Here is proof …

https://www.youtube.com/embed/oipI7Ts75as?feature=oembed
https://www.youtube.com/embed/VJ00vHoMk1o?feature=oembed

You didn’t see any tadpole trikes along there, did you? I think you will agree that it looks mighty risky on a bike much less attempting it on a trike. It sure looks like a guy could fairly easily launch himself into “inner space”. I think the odds are pretty good that if you rode off one side or the other you would head down and not up so there is not much chance of going into outer space.

And even if you were to tempt fate you might find it a little crowded at times. I know that would cramp my style as I hate dealing with crowds. 🙂

And then there are other times one would be hard pressed to spot a single soul on some parts of the Great Wall.

So I don’t know about you, but I think I will stick to fakery. It is much much safer. 🙂

HERE are more of my fake pictures.

Wherever you find yourself riding try to be safe and …

ENJOY THE RIDE!

A FREE GIFT awaits you!

Posted in Uncategorized

Leave a comment

PEDAL POWERED USB CHARGER

Aug 1

Posted by

I am sure most of us who are old as dirt like me remember the generator dynamo light sets we had on our bicycles. They worked, but the amount of light varied according to the speed we rode. They could be very dim or we could ride so fast that we could burn out the bulbs (which I did many times). In short, they lacked good technology to better regulate the power being produced. Yet they did work. We have certainly come a long way when it comes to bicycle lighting. I only mention these old generator dynamo light sets because what I am writing about here is something which looks very much like the generator dynamo of old.

This new generator dynamo very much incorporates modern day technology, but its purpose is not to produce power for lighting. Nope, this unit provides 5 volts of D.C. current for a USB outlet so we can power up all sorts of modern day electronic gadgets to charge them as we ride. I don’t know much about it, but I find it intriguing.

The cost is reduced to about $33. However, the website shows it is “currently out of stock”.

Specifications
PBDNC10
Pedal Power Waterproof Bicycle Wheel-Powered USB Charger Energy Generator Dynamo
Pedal Your Bike, Generate Power & Charge Your Device
Generates Electricity and Charges from Spinning Bike Wheel
Charge Your Phone or Other Device While Riding
(If it has a USB Cable you can charge it!)
Attaches to Almost Any Style Bike Old or New
Connect Your Device Directly into the USB Port
Built-in Lithium Battery Recharges While You Pedal
Lightweight, Durable, Shockproof and Made to Last
Waterproof Marine Grade Construction
Easily Mounts and Un-Mounts from Bike frame
Dynamo Quickly Disengages from Tire
USB Output: 5V/1A
Battery Capacity: 3.7V/700mAh (Li-Ion)
Works with Smartphones, MP3 Players, GPS, Tablets, etc.
Dimensions: 5.0″ × 5.0″ × 2.4″
Pyle is helping you save the environment with every pedal of your bicycle. The Pedal
Power Wheel-Powered Energy Generator allows you to ‘Go Green’ and charge your
device while riding! Simply mount the dynamo to your wheel and the built-in
rechargeable battery creates and stores power with every rotation.
The system fits virtually any size and style bike and quickly attaches and detaches. If
you have the USB cable, you can charge it.
(Works with all your favorite devices: Smartphones, MP3 Players, GPS, Tablets, etc.)
Reduce, reuse and rethink about the environment with the Pyle Pedal Power!
www.PyleAudio

Keep in mind that this product is designed to use on a standard bicycle so using it on a tadpole trike might involve some ingenuity mounting it so it would line up properly and work on a trike wheel. Some trike frames might be more challenging than others. Of course, it could be operated on any one of the three wheels of a trike. I assume that sooner or later it will be back in stock. The website does provide an email service to notify when it is back in stock. I really like the idea of being able to recharge a cell phone or other devices … and doing so while we are riding. It all helps us …

ENJOY THE RIDE

A FREE GIFT awaits you!

BTW … there are other products out there besides this one:

Chain Charger

Ebay $25 free shipping

Wind Powered

Ebay $28.49 free shipping

and there are several others

I think the last one is the only one still usable today in 2025

**********

A FREE GIFT awaits you!

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FOLDING ALUMINUM RAMPS

May 30

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The last two days I have been busy working on fabricating a set of folding aluminum ramps for my friend to use to get his tadpole trike in and out of the back of his pickup truck. He only has a six foot bed so the ramps had to fold in order to store them inside.

aluminum folding ramps

They are 8 foot long with a 21 inch long section of 1/4 x 4 inch flat bar which lays on the tailgate.

aluminum folding ramps folded 3
aluminum folding ramps partially unfolded

There are hinges in the middle connecting the 4 foot sections of C channel and at the top connecting the C channel to the 1/4 inch by 4 inch flat bar. The flat bar extends back off the tailgate about 2.75 inches and is bent down about 15 degrees or so to match the angle of the ramps as they come up to the tailgate. Currently there are no angle aluminum pieces in place at the end of the 1/4 x 4 inch flat bar, but I think it is going to need this added to help keep the ramps from moving. On my truck they stayed in place well as is, but on my friend’s truck they don’t. I originally had in mind placing  aluminum angle pieces on the end of the flat bar and even drilled and tapped holes for them already.

aluminum folding ramps 2

These pictures show the ramps set up on my truck and not on my friend’s. I ran my trike up and down them to test the ramps out. The ramps work fine and will be a big help to him as his HP Velotechnik Scorpion fs 26 electric trike is quite heavy to lift. There is a 1/4 diameter round rod with the ends bent 90 degrees which goes thru holes drilled into the 1/4 x 2 inch flat bar pieces on the bottom end of the ramps. The rod spaces the ramps apart and maintains the spacing. It is also almost pavement level so it can be easily stepped over as the trike is rolled up and down the ramps. The C channel is quite thin so it is very lightweight to handle. I personally would have selected thicker stronger material to use but these were given to him free so they are what were used. If I were making ramps for myself I think I would make them shorter than these although there is some merit to longer ramps as they provide lesser incline to deal with. There are pros and cons to both. Longer ramps means more flexing … especially when thin wall material is used.

Where the two 4 foot sections of C channel are hinged together there is a 12 inch long piece of the 1/4 x 4 flat bar used to strengthen the joint in the flimsy thin wall C channel. It is bolted down on just one side to the C channel and simply lays down in the other C channel section when unfolded.

aluminum folding ramps middle hinge

Here my friend is trying out the ramps for the first time.

aluminum folding ramps with trike

Here is a short video showing the ramps I made being used.

I would estimate a total of about $100 for materials and hardware is involved in making your own. It could even be less depending upon the design and hardware used. I drilled and tapped holes in the 1/4 thick flat bar for the hinges.  Both pan head and flat head (countersunk) head screws were used as well as some 1/4 x 20 nuts where no 1/4 inch plate was used.

These ramps could be made in one day if you have everything needed and the knowledge and skill level to accomplish the task. Our local Metals Supermarket will do all the cutting free if the material is purchased from them. I have a horizontal cutting band saw so I cut it myself. I have found that most places don’t do a very accurate job of cutting metal to the specified length and this bothers me. When I cut metal I try to get it cut within 1/64 of an inch. Sometimes 1/8, 3/16 or even 1/4 inch more or less doesn’t matter in the scheme of things but sometimes it can really cause problems. I am a perfectionist in my work and strive for accuracy. I am retired from a lifetime of welding and fabricating so I rarely do much of this sort of thing anymore. Well, that is enough tooting of my horn. I just want you to be aware that if you have the metal cut someplace it may not be cut accurately.

So, if you have a need of a ramp loading system it can be done. Here is proof.

Of course, you can buy ramps. Depending upon what you get it will be a lot more expensive … about $400 – $500 for one popular manufactured ramp system. I just found another source for under $200 … 5 Star Manufacturing Telescoping Aluminum Ramps  They look like they would work pretty good. And I just found some others as cheap as $101.75. Walmart sells a set for $140.

telescoping aluminum ramps

I think this is a 7 foot set which would be perfect for most applications. The only thing is I don’t know about how well they would stay in place without doing something to help keep them in place. They telescope in to about 4 foot in length so they would fit readily in most any type of vehicle.

7 foot aluminum telescoping ramps $150

With ramps to help us load and unload our trikes it will help us to …

KEEP ON TRIKIN’

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TADPOLE RIDER BLOG REBORN

May 10

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Just a quick note here to say that I made the decision to restart my TADPOLERIDER  blog. I have all the tadpole articles I posted on this blog available on TADPOLERIDER now. And I will be adding more articles as time permits. So for those who are looking for this please bookmark TADPOLERIDER. Thank you.

tadpolerider blog

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FLYING CAR

Apr 17

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Here a cute little jalopy I think would be neat to own and operate … only about $300,000. At that price I think I will get two of them … one for me and one for the wife … and maybe a third one for a spare. You understand that I am kidding, right?

PAL-V-One

PAL-V-One flying

Here is the YouTube description:

This week the Dutch company PAL-V announced the first flights of its prototype “flying car”.
This unique vehicle is called the PAL-V One, or the ‘Personal Air and Land Vehicle’, and It marks the start of a new era.

On the ground the vehicle drives like a sports car. Within minutes its rotor is unfolded and its tail is extended: then it is ready to take off thanks to the advanced gyrocopter technology.

With these successful test results it is proven that it is not only possible to build a flying car but also that it can be done within existing international rules for both flying and driving.

Having passed this important milestone the company is now inviting investors to join them in creating the future.

The next step will be the design of the first commercial production model of the PAL-V, and first deliveries are expected in 2014.

For 100 years people have dreamed of a flying car, and many attempts have been made to realize this dream, but now it has truly become a reality.

www.PAL-V.com

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THE BEST BICYCLE TIRE MONEY CAN BUY

Apr 5

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As far as I am concerned the very best bicycle tire money can buy is the Schwalbe Marathon Plus. I have been using them now for a couple of years and since I switched to them I have never had a flat tire. Before I used to deal with a lot of flats. I joke about these tires being nearly bullet proof and I think they come close. They are indeed quite amazing!

Schwalbe-Marathon-Plus-tire

schwalbe marathon plus 20x1-75 406 cutaway

I personally ride a Catrike Trail recumbent tadpole trike. Here is a picture of me on it.

new trike 1st pics 004

It is a blast to ride and extremely comfortable. Many compare riding a tadpole trike to driving a go cart or sports car as they handle so well. I have ridden this trike over 23,000 miles. Before I bought this trike I made one similar to it although it was made out of mild steel. My Catrike is made out of aluminum.

Over the years I have tried various other Schwalbe tires on my trikes. All of the various types of Schwalbe tires are quite good … among the very best made in the world, but the Marathon Plus out does them all … flatless and long wear. I highly recommend these tires. I run the 20 X 1.75 406 size. They also come in 20 X 1.35 406 as well as larger sizes for those who have a larger size rear wheel. By far the best price I have found is ordering them online from a company in Germany. They offer excellent service. https://www.bike-discount.de/ Even with the shipping charges coming from Germany they are far cheaper than any other source I have found. A maximum of 3 tires can be ordered at one time for the flat rate shipping charge they have. And, of course, the best price per tire is had by ordering three at a time. Otherwise it probably would be as cheap or cheaper to order them elsewhere.

I will readily admit that these tires are probably the most difficult tires to mount that I have ever encountered. However, there are some secrets which once known and followed make it much simpler. Here is a video showing how to do it:

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