Building a wooden three wheeled recumbent bike

Independent Project, Winter 2010 - Spring 2011

Skills
Woodworking
Wood lamination
Google Sketch Up
Ergonomics, human factors

After making a few longboards in the Dartmouth student woodshop my freshman year, I wanted to try something more elaborate. Making a wooden frame and seat let me combine a functional design with the simple fabrication and artistic potential of wood. After starting with a scale model, I drew up full size plans and started building the frame. In addition to making the frame, I had to machine some custom  aluminum and steel parts to bridge the gap between the wood frame and traditional bike components. The front wheels and steering linkage were purchased but the rest of the bike components were salvaged from old bikes. 
 

Everyone wants to ride this thing. How many times do you get to ride a wooden tricycle?

Dustin tests the trike out in some light snow

Richard takes if for a spin on its first day riding

Some pictures of the build process. Fitting all this work in between classes, it took over a year to finish the trike.

A plywood model to get a feel for the form

Clamping the main spare core

The wedges and side plates added to the spar

Testing the fit of the cross beam

Stainless steel steering knuckle brackets

Setting up the chain routing

Laying out my full size hand drawn plans to cut the main spar

Speed holes added to the main spar core

Clamping up the curved cross beam support

Fitting the rear wheel into the aluminum mounts I machined

First day on three wheels

Riding around the engineering school