Blog Archives
HOW TO DISASSEMBLE AND REASSEMBLE AN AVID BB7 MECHANICAL DISC BRAKE
The Avid BB7 is by far the most commonly used brake on tadpole trikes. Even though it is cable actuated it offers excellent stopping power and longevity.
Many years ago the Catrike Trail model came with Avid BB5 disc brakes which is an inferior design to the BB7 brake. Catrike did this along with using some other inferior components to offer the Trail model at a lower price than most of their other models. In due time Catrike learned that it does not pay to use inferior components. They got a lot of negative feedback and in time made the decision to use the same components they use in more expensive models. Of course, that increased the price of the Trail model.
As for my own trike I quickly learned of the poor quality of the BB5 brakes and after daily having to adjust them I made the decision to upgrade my trike to the BB7 brakes. It cost me just over $100 to make the change, but it was well worth it. I certainly never regretted it.
I have written previously about changing brake pads and adjusting the BB7 brakes. Click HERE to read that article.
As long as everything goes right there is no need to do anything more on these brakes. However, we don’t live in a perfect world and things can and do go wrong.
About the only trouble I have had with the BB7 brakes is the brake pad pusher moving too far out and then not going back into place so it will work properly. And it you are trying to change brake pads installing new ones the pusher pads need to go back into proper position so that there is room for the brake pads to go into place so they will work. I have spent good money replacing the entire brake assembly when this has happened as I could not get the brake pad pusher to go back into its proper place. I spent hours and hours working on it to no avail. All I managed to do was damage the brake to where it was necessary to replace it. That is an expensive repair when it started out only needing to replace the brake pads.
But in time I discovered that once again YouTube can be a great friend and helper.
This man does an excellent job telling and showing how to disassemble and reassemble a BB7 brake. I have to admit that he makes it look easy. You can save yourself this extra work by being careful never to allow the adjustment of the brakes to result in the brake pad pusher to screw out too far.
There are a lot more parts inside the brake assembly than one might think. Be careful not to lose any! You need all of them for the brake to work
CHAINLESS E-ASSIST COMING TO TRIKES
You read it right. It is coming soon. See, you really can have your cake and eat it too. Can you imagine riding a trike that does not have a chain … no sprockets … no derailleurs … no cassettes … no shifters … no idlers …none of that to deal with. Here is a Laidback Bike Report video which will be available to view in less than two days … August 17 at 2 pm.
It is coming on ICE so it won”t be cheap. I hope it is a dependable system as there is no way to propel it like a chain driven system.
Years ago I wrote an article about a tadpole trike with a generator powered by pedaling feeding power to an electric motor. Of course, none of my material is no longer available thanks to the man I entrusted to take over my TadpoleRider website.
The way I see it this system offers the worst of both a crankdrive system and rear hub system in that the boom has the weight of the generator and the rear wheel has the weight of the electric motor plus the extra inconvenience dealing with it when changing tires/ fixing flats. Of course, they don’t mention this. And you still have the weight of a battery added in. I know the weight of the components which have been eliminated are subtracted, but I don’t know what the total weight of the trike will be. I know my trike feels like it is getting heavier and heavier as I get older. I tried 3 times the other day to lift it up into my pickup truck that my wife parked uphill and I could not do it. It is all I can do to lift it when parked on level ground. It is something to keep in mind if you have to lift your trike.
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TRAIL RIDERS INTERNATIONAL FACEBOOK GROUP
Awhile back I started a new Facebook group I named Trail Riders International. It is at this time an open (public) group that anybody interested in bike trails can join. I started it off by sharing quite a few articles about trails. Unfortunately the person who took over my TadpoleRider.com website betrayed me upon my giving him control. He removed all of my material and changed the name. He had assured me that he would do neither. I share this because the links to the many articles no longer work and no one can view what I wrote and tried to share. Never the less, I invite you to come join and post your own articles. Share your favorite trail or your “bucket list” or just write about trails you have ridden or would like to ride. The group is open to cyclists of all types.
BEST FOLDING TRIKES 2024
Folding trikes are nothing new. They are available if you need one. If you don’t need one, my advise is to stay away from them for various reasons. First it adds extra cost followed by complexity and lastly weight. Concerning the added complexity the folding design provides an area that can break/fail and can’t be fixed readily. As far as I know only Catrike offers folding without first removing the seat. That may not be an issue for you, but it sure is for me. I don’t want to be removing and reinstalling the seat just to fold a trike as I consider that a real pain. Of course, it is your choice and Azub offers the smallest folded dimensions if that is something needed. They are also the highest price.
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AN INCREDIBLE TIME MACHINE
Most of us have read stories and/or seen movies about time machines … a contraption which is able to take us to anyplace at any time. To the best of my knowledge they don’t exist in reality. (It is probably a good thing.) The concept is to take us forward or backward in time … to another day … to a particular happening.
I think one of the most interesting movies about the subject of time travel was The Final Countdown starring Kirk Douglas as the commanding officer of an American aircraft carrier. That one ship had more warfare capability by itself than all of WW2 combined. They found themselves passing thru a strange low lying cloud or sorts which transferred them back to in time to Dec. 7, 1942 just as the Japanese were about to attack Pearl Harbor. They had the ability to change history and had to decide what to do. They realized that they could not intervene without serious consequences occurring. I found it fascinating.
Nope, it is all just fiction folks. It doesn’t exist. But I will tell you what … you have a sort of time machine if you have a tadpole trike. Yes, most of us can say that when we ride our trikes it transports us backwards in time to when we were much younger. I know for me it happens every time I ride it.
1960 produced a well known movie entitled The Time Machine. It is a story by the well known H G Wells and starred Rod Taylor. He built a time machine and traveled in it thru time and various history. It was another good movie. There is a newer version (2002) of the movie, but I have never seen it except for the first few minutes of it. Quite honestly it didn’t look as interesting as the 1960 version so I never finished watching it. I find that to be the case with most movies they have remade. True Grit definitely comes to mind when this subject comes up.
Anyway, back to tadpole trikes I think many of us would say that riding one brings out the kid in us and I think that is about as close as we can get to actually having a time machine. What do you think?
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P.S.- I watched the rest of the Time Machine 2002. Just as I expected it was lousy. Not a single actor that is known to me anyway. They don’t make movies like they used to.
AMATEUR WHEEL BUILDING
Most of us have never done any wheel building nor ever will, but if you have a hankering to here is a video about it which may be of help. It certainly isn’t for everybody. This man isn’t exactly your ordinary mechanic. Check out his many videos and projects.
Here is another video you may find helpful …
Here is one more video which may be helpful …
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Lastly, here is a bonus video by ParkTool …
HOW TO ADJUST THE REAR DERAILLEUR
There are lots of instructions and videos about this subject but I personally believe most of them are incorrect …not the best advice. Many years ago I read an article written by a bicycle mechanic with a lot of experience. With my own trike I have found his suggested method by far the best. My own personal experience of paying a local bike shop to adjust my derailleur only to have to readjust it myself soonafter as the adjustment the mechanic made did not last very long … and hour or two and maybe a day at best. But if I use the method this man taught the adjustment lasts for a very long time. I don’t waste my money anymore at the local bike shop (LBS). In fact, I don’t want them touching it. Here is how to adjust a rear derailleur. Don’t assume anything as far as it currently being correct.
Start by removing the adjusting cable from the rear derailleur. In doing so you know that the cable has no influence on the current adjustment. With the cable unattached you can then adjust the rear derailleur correctly.
A rear derailleur works by moving the chain from the smallest sprocket onto larger sprockets until it moves onto the largest sprocket or cog in the rear. So with that understanding adjustments can be made. The chain needs to be moved from one side to the other side keeping it aligned with the sprockets as it moves across under them. This alignment can be accomplished thru the barrel adjuster. Keep in mind that the cable is disconnected at this point so you can’t make this adjustment now.
The chain needs to start in the lowest gear (smallest sprocket) position. The derailleur has a spring built into it which pulls the mechanism over to that position. That is its natural or default position. No cable is needed to do this. The cable is needed only to pull the mechanism over to the other side.
There are adjusting screws to “limit” how far the mechanism can move to either side. The derailleur sprockets need to be lined up right below the sprocket or cog. It is important that it is adjusted correctly for best performance. Definitely you don’t want the chain to go too far to the inside to where it comes off of the sprocket and onto the spokes getting stuck there. The “L” lower adjusting screws handles this.
With the cable still disconnected you can manually move the derailleur mechanism across to the other side. It should stop under the largest sprocket or cog. It it does not stop where it should you use the “H” high limit screw to align it. If the chain comes off of the largest sprocket on the outside the high limit screw needs to be adjusted so it is not allowing the chain to move out that far. You should stand, sit, squat behind the drive train so you can see what is happening as you turn these limit screws. I am using Parktool’s video here to illustrate how to adjust the L and H limit screws. Keep in mind that this mechanic is not removing the shifting cable in his illustration … something I take issue with.
There is one other adjustment screw on the rear derailleur. It is called the “B” gap adjustment. It controls the position of the rear derailleur as far as the gap or space that is between the chain and derailleur. This video does a pretty good job explaining how to adjust the B screw.
Once you get all of these adjustments made it is time to reconnect the shifting cable. This should take care of the major adjustments and only a minor adjustment of the barrel screw may be needed at this point to smooth shifting. Hopefully you will already be dialed in and won’t have to mess with anything.
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Parktool has many other videos about derailleurs you may find helpful.
Parktool also has many other videos available on nearly every subject concerning bicycles.
HOW TO REPLACE A CHAIN
Chains wear out eventually and need to be replaced. We say that the chain stretches but that is not really true. It wears allowing extra space around the pins and rollers allowing them to move apart having the effect of stretching. You can measure a chain’s wear by using a tool made for this. Parktool has one. It is a go/no go tool. One side is .75 wear and the other side is 1.0 wear indication. If the guage tool does not drop down inside a link it does not need replacing as far as stretching. If the tool does drop down into a link then the chain is worn and needs replacing. The .75 and 1.0 indicate the amount of wear. .75 is a little worn and 1.0 is worn a bunch.
The newer CC-3 tool (CC-3.2) has .5 and .75 instead of .75 and 1.0.
You can also simply measure the distance between the pins. A new chain will measure exactly one inch between pins. As a chain wears this distance will increase. Once it reaches 1 1/16 of an inch it is considered worn and needing of replacement. At 1 1/8 it is considered badly worn.
You can see the wear around the pins in the picture above.
One thing to keep in mind is a trike chain will last far longer than a bicycle chain. That is because it is so much longer and therefore wears at a much slower rate.
Keep in mind that failure to replace a a worn chain in a timely manner can be very costly as a worn chain will destroy the sprockets and they are far more expensive to replace than a chain. You should be able to go thru 2 or 3 chains before sprockets should show much wear.
Here is Parktool’s videos on when and how to replace a chain on a bicycle. It is quite similar on a tadpole trike. One difference is the length of the chain … around 3 times as long as a standard bicycle chain. Don’t go by the measured length of the worn chain as it will be longer due to wear. Instead count the links or you might end up in error if the chain is worn sufficiently.
What I do personally is once I know I have everything dialed in as far as my boom setting I count the links of my chain and write it down so I will know what it is. Then I can simply count out the links when replacing the chain. Of course, this will only work if the boom is not readjusted.
The chain breaker tool like shown above is a Parktool, of course. Several different manufacturers make them.
I have a Pedro pictured above and really like it. I think you will find a full sized professional tool is easier and better to use than a much cheaper and smaller chain breaker like shown below. They tend to bend and/or break all too easily if you are not careful using them. And I think they wear out faster.
You will find that using a 3rd hand chain tool is very handy when you are removing and replacing the missing link (quick link/master link/repair link). I bought the one like pictured below on the left side being used in the chain and I have made a couple like shown in the other two pictures. I like the Parktool one I bought the best.
You will find it extremely handy holding the chain together while you work on the missing link.
Also using the special missing link pliers makes the job much easier. They can be used when taking the link apart or putting it back together.
BTW, I bought a pair of off brand name el cheapo ‘missing link pliers’ (pictured above) and I like them better than the Parktool brand which I have 2 pair of. They are currently $8.22 on Ebay. The best price I have found on Parktool’s pliers is $12.00 on Ebay which is very cheap compared to what they usually cost which is $18 and higher.
NOTE … this was demonstrated on a bicycle. It would be much harder on a tadpole trike with the crankset way out at the end of the boom. I think it would definitely be easier and better to use the chain tools.
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Wild One FAT
Stein trikes has a new model which may be of interest to some among us. It has 20 inch Fat Tires and full suspension. It has a folding boom making it easy to store. It also has a 750 watt rear hub motor. They have named it Wild Fat One. Fast and furious most anywhere you want. At $8495 it is not cheap.
Wild One Fat Specs
Steel frame
Width: 38″
Wheel-base: 48″
Suspension: 4″ independent, coil over
Seat Angle: 30 – 37 degrees
Trike weight: 42 lbs
Weight Capacity: 264 lbs plus 22 lbs of cargo using Lowrider rack
Drivetrain – contact dealer for details
MSRP $8495
At 38 inches wide it probably would not fit thru some bollards on trails. 34 inches barely fits thru them.
A word or two about steel frames. There are those who want nothing to do with a steel frame. But wait … yes, steel is heavier than other frame materials. But that is not all bad. There is not all that much difference in weight. This trike is 42 pounds … not bad for having a motor. And there are good aspects of steel over other metals. Steel is more flexible providing a better ride than aluminum (which is known to be stiff) or chrome moly (slightly more flexible than mild steel) or titanium. Probably the best thing about steel is it is readily weldable if repair is needed. That certainly is not true of most other metals and even if they can be welded it requires a special qualified weldor with the skill, knowledge, equipment and experience. And it will be more expensive and probably not as good of a repair than the steel frame. If you ever have a welding repair need on your trike you wilI wish it was made of mild steel. I built my first trike out of mild carbon steel. It was a fine trike as far as handling and ride.
A word or two about complexity in design. I have a lifetime as a professional weldor of dealing with repairing all sorts of various items. One thing I have learned early on is the more complexity in design the more chance there is for failure. Another thing I learned is that usually the part or area that fails was underbuilt in the original design. If it had just been made better and stronger it would probably not failed to begin with. Most things that I repaired I was able to reinforce it and make it stronger so that it never broke again. I am pretty well convinced that most items are made to fail. Yes, it would cost more to build the quality into items but that is not the focus. Selling to sell again seems to be what is going on. We live in a throw away society.
A word or two about FAT TIRES. I personally have mixed thoughts about having fat tires. They ride nice on rough surfaces. They are ideal for off road use but not very practical or sensible for on road use. They are far more expensive than regular tires. They wear out much much faster than regular tires. They get flats much easier than regular tires. They are a specialty tire for sure. If that is what you need for the riding you do they are an option.
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e-BIKE THROTTLES
Hand throttles seem to be a controversial thing. Some people like them and want them while other people don’t care for them. I for one really like them and would not want to be without one. That being said there are three different types … thumb throttle, half and full twist throttle and a trigger type which is the least common. I have used thumb and twist type and as far as I am concerned I will pass on the twist throttles. They are ok for a motorcycle but not for an e-bike. They are hard to hold “on” and just too tiring. A thumb throttle gets my vote and they are tiring enough.
I find that locating the thumb throttle properly makes a huge difference. It needs to be as close to the thumb and as natural as it can be for easy use and the least tiring.
One thing else important to be aware of is accidentally engaging it, especially when you are off of the trike and maneuvering it. It can result in a nasty out of control situation where your trike suddenly has a mind of its own. It is safest to shut the power off if you are going to get up out of the seat. I have had my trike into a dealer to do work on it. A mechanic can accidentally hit the throttle when maneuvering it. It the throttle is engaged even very briefly the trike can take off like a rocket with no one sitting on it. It could easily shoot across the shop into something. It is just a good idea to shut the power off even if you are going to be there very briefly.
I was unloading my trike once out of the back of my pickup truck when the throttle went bad (suddenly broke) turning full power on to the motor without my pressing the throttle. I had a runaway trike on my hands which took me in a circle around the parking lot trying to hold on and control it when I couldn’t. I held on, but it eventually took me down to the parking lot before the power went back off. It was like wrestling a steer. I replaced the throttle as soon as I could as I didn’t want any more of that. I ended up in an embarrassing wreck laying on the ground holding onto my trike, but if the trike was allowed to go on its own it is hard to tell where it would have ended up and the damage it would have caused. It could have hit several cars, a business building, landscaping, customers and more. I could have been sued for a huge amount of money. For what it is worth, I think a steer would have been easier to wrestle to the ground. I lost some blood and skin in the ordeal. I suppose it appeared funny to someone watching but it sure was not funny to me. It is better to be safe than sorry. I needed to shut the battery off and disconnected the battery until I got the throttle problem fixed.
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What Is The Best Recumbent Trike?
The question is asked … what is the best recumbent trike? No, it is not a loaded question, but I bet you could get a lot of different answers. THIS ARTICLE addresses this question. I certainly can’t and don’t agree with their entire list but I readily admit I am prejudice. One trike on their list would never appear on my list. It would be near the bottom if I did list it as I think they make inferior quality trikes. But I do agree with most of their choices which by the way are all Catrike models plus the HP Velotechnik Scorpion. Along with it I would have to include Azub on my list even though one would need to be in good standing with their banker when buying either one. LoL What I am trying to say is they are expensive. I personally ride a Catrike Trail which I think is a great trike so I would have to include it also. No, I don’t have ICE or Greenspeed on my list, but neither do they. I would have to give Greenspeed an honorable mention. I can’t say much for ICE as I think they have some inferior design/engineering problems and are just too expensive with no way to justify it. Well, that is the list … theirs and mine. I suppose many of us have our own list.
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PEDAL ASSIST … A “WIN-WIN” SITUATION
I went for a ride today on one of our local trails. I thoroughly enjoyed my ride thanks to the hub motor. What a difference it makes! Some say (and argue) that you don’t get as much exercise with a motor, but I say nonsense. I am fully convinced I get far more exercise using a motor. It encourages me to pedal faster and work harder to maintain the higher speed I find that there is a night and day difference when I ride using a motor to assist me. That is the key … to assist. It is all too easy to let the motor do all the work and there are those who do this. I try to keep pedaling most of the time while I am out riding. One thing I have noticed is that thanks to now having a geared hub motor with no resistance when there is no power going to it rather than a gearless direct drive like I had previously which has considerable resistance my trike really rolls good maintaining a good amount of the speed I obtained with the aid of the motor (or without it for that matter). And that makes it easier and encourages me to keep pedaling trying to maintain that higher speed … far higher than I go without the aid of the motor. I is just a whole lot more enjoyable riding going so much faster than I can go without the motor. In my opinion it is a “win-win” situation. I am loving it.
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11 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR TRIKE FASTER
Many tadpole trike riders are interested in maximum performance and handling out of our trikes. I can certainly vouch for the importance of front wheel alignment making a big difference. When I first bought my new Catrike the dealer had set the toe in at one inch to out. It destroyed my brand new tires in only 30 miles. From then on I did most all of my own maintenance work as I would not let that dealer touch my trike with their incompetence.
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30 MPH 1000 WATT Motorized Electric Catrike Expedition
Overs the years I have had several e-motors. Most of them have been hub motors in the rear wheel. I much prefer a hub motor over a crank drive system. Here in this video Utah Trikes receives a customer order for a new trike equipped with a rear wheel hub motor …
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The BIG Differences Between Catrike’s 3 Touring Trikes
Here is another fine video by Utah Trikes …
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HUB MOTOR VS CRANK DRIVE MOTOR
HUB MOTOR VS MID DRIVE MOTOR … yes, the argument goes on. Some say Mid Drive is the only way to go while others say Hub Motors are the only way to go. Hey, they both go and like with most everything there is good and bad & pros and cons concerning each. HERE is a well written and informative article about the subject. I think I made the right decision. I like hub motors. Mid Drive just doesn’t appeal to me. They are hard on the drive train and if the drive trail fails while you are out riding you are done for as the motor can’t help you. With a hub motor you can still go on down the road/trail since it doesn’t rely on the drive train. My thinking and position lines up with the conclusion of this article and this company has worked with them both and speak from experience and hands on knowledge.
Although this following video (and nearly all others I have seen on this subject) is about bicycles it does a good job of covering the topic.
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TRIKETABLE REPAIR STAND
Update: It appears that this stand is no longer available … as in “out of business”.
There are several trike work stands available as well as lots of homemade DIY ones. I have written about them before. I recently came across one I haven’t seen before until now so I thought I would feature it here. It is the “TRIKETABLE REPAIR STAND” manufactured and sold by Carriage House. I like the looks of it … simple, practical, low to the ground so it is smaller in size than most others. It is designed to be used on the ground/floor or set up onto something to raise the trike up higher if desired.
Designed to fit every make and model of recumbent trike on the market. This bench mounted recumbent trike repair stand quickly adjusts to cradle your trike and hold it firmly in place. Rugged enough for shop use, simple and effective design for the casual or enthusiast rider.
It sells for $225 with free shipping to the continental U.S.
It is quick and easy to adjust to accommodate various trikes. I like the use of the V shaped rubber rollers to cradle the frame holding it securely without messing up the paint job of the frame.
Originally I had a video here, but it has been made private so I removed it.
Sooner or later all trikes require work to be done on them. Having a workstand makes the task far easier and pleasant than trying to work on them without one. If you have the “moola” (money) and don’t mind spending it you might want to consider this TrikeTable Repair Stand.
I have other articles on trike work stands. Click HERE , HERE and HERE to read them.
Keeping your trike properly maintained and repaired will enable you to …
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UTAH TRIKE CUSTOM EZ ENTRY AIDS
