Prototype first!

Consider your first trike to be a  prototype!

But a prototype will slow me down. I want to build the trike right away!
Wrong! A prototype will speed up the project considerably and cost less money.


It will help understanding how things are put together. You can adjust dimensions to the materials you have and your needs. Never assume my measurements are exactly right. Look at the plans and check things twice before you cut and drill. If you have different size materials don worry. There is always a way to make it work.

The prototype should be built with the cheapest materials you can find and as fast as possible like one or two weeks at most. Use steel, would whatever  you can find.

All hardware  like the bike parts and bearings are used again on the real frame. Nothing is wasted. 

As long the prototype is functional and can roll a few meters it will be okay. Try the seat and bottom bracket height, the track, the wheelbase. Is it to your satisfaction? If not change it and try again. Put holes in it like Billy the Kid. Speed up the process.

Once you are happy we can start using more expensive tubes and stuff. You probably will make a couple of mistakes still, but don't replace the part yet just because it has some more holes then needed. You can do that later while you are dissembling the hole frame and make it ready for the beauty contest.

LOCK UP SANDPAPER AND GIVE THE KEY TO SOMEONE ELSE. DON WASTE TIME POLISHING TILL THE TRIKE IS COMPLETELY DONE!     



What do we need for the prototype?

Steel or roughly the same size wood as what you can order aluminum or steel tubes. If it is larger or smaller size, cut of some at the ends, or if too small glue some pieces together. Working with wood is very fast. If you combine it with steel the wooden prototype can actually be pretty good.

You can already order the 4 rod-end bearings for the steering, and the 2 smaller rod-end bearings for the tie rod. Please read the materials and parts page.


The front wheels are where the money goes in general. Temporarily you can use wheels with standard hubs even in the wrong size. Do a quick rear brake setup for tests.


A chain ( about 2 1/2 normal chains) and a DIY or genuine idler are also very useful to try out the drivetrain. Especially the rear forks can be in the way if you do something drastically different. The less chain arrangement you need, the better it will work. 1 idler and a minimum of chain tube is what we are after.


And finally, yes you can order aluminum. But please, do not make the trike more expensive then needed. Basic parts work just as well. A solid golden dérailleur won make the trike any better. What will is a nicely done frame part cut out and precisely drilled.

With all the knowledge we gained from the prototype, the final build will be ten times as good then trying to create a perfect trike at once. I am certain you will be convinced a prototype is not wasted energy. If you see it in front of you will find out soon it is much easier then you thought it would be. It is a whole lot faster then staring at plans and pictures for hours. Use the plans as a guide. Who cares if the track is 75 or 80cm? Or the seat is 20 or 40cm high? As long you stay within reasonable margins  it will work. The idea is you look at a picture and say "okay, it reads 10mm, but my tube is that size, so then it needs to be that much mm, ah I get it!"