Freewheel removal U plus 2 trailer

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I suggest that the bicycle doing the towing is fitted with a full rear mudguard and mudflap

Not me or my bike but a good point, & well taken.

Thanks.

Here's another one that also has mudguards on the tagalong trailer. It has quite a different rack to support them. Don't know if they came as options, or it was a later, perhaps the Pashley model? Do trike wheels spray much wet?

As I guess some folk know, the U-Plus 2 (and U-Plus 1) started as a Cresswell Engineering, then was taken over by Pashley in 1997 (I read but don't know the history), and also turns up as "Brilliant Bicycles" sometimes, which I think was Richard Cresswell's business. Cresswell also made the Fold-It small wheel folding bike, and now works as a metal sculptor, after going back to art school in 2001.

Pashley-U-Plus-2-Tandem-Trailer-Trike.jpg (51.69 KiB) Viewed 507 times

[tatanab]

Do trike wheels spray much wet?

At the sort of speeds people are likely to ride a tag-a-long I would think not a problem. Talking big wheels here and slick(ish) tyres --not greatly either, and it doesn't matter anyway because most comes past you except in a side wind. If anybody riding behind cops spray then they are riding in the wrong place and just need to move sideways a bit. Very few people use mudguards on the rear, except riders of utility machines which come equipped with them. I tried some many years ago and found them an imposition for 2 reasons, neither of which apply to a tag-a-long. Firstly, to manoeuvre a trike in a very confined space it is handy to be able to haul it up onto its rear wheels to push around, also the way I store the ones that see least use. Secondly, I found it inhibited my cornering to some extent because they get in the way when hanging off the side in corners. In the words of a late member of the TA - "carry on mudguardless".

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Much appreciated. Yup, most photos of these I see with mudguards, the mudguards are damaged, presumably from hitting fence posts and the like.

I found a U-Plus 1 photo. It's a bit frustrating, ads appear selling them, then disappear again, so only low resolution photos available but the components on it look a little better quality.

Pashley-U-Plus-1-bike-tagalong.jpg (70.05 KiB) Viewed 506 times

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If we're going to get really nerdy documenting these, the rear triangles appear to have gone through a number of revisions.

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What does anyone make the seat posts, I don't think mine are original. Certain one isn't and the clamp a little crushed.

Are they 26mm or 26.2mm and what length?

Thanks.

[Albrecht]

I have not read your thread yet but, here's your mod in more detail (top) as a comparison to the original (below).

Does the original just screw out of where you've got the new bolt, and where did you get that made up? Does the new C-joint rotate around that new bolt?

The original hitch is supposed to be loose, and you are supposed to just screw it in leaving a thread or so, in order for it to allow the pilot's bicycle to roll. Although the replacement above is clearly stronger and better, it's basically doing the same thing.

The bolt is a M10 x 1.5m thread. I'm guessing yours is just rusted into place. It'd be a good idea to grease it up and may be stick a rubber washing in there to limit water ingress.

Personally, I am not sure that it's a great thing to just leave the tricycle being towed by some threads but they appear to have last for 30 or whatever years, so perhaps it doesn't matter. Can anyone recommend some kind of rose, universal, or axial joint that could take its place? It would have to be with one male and one female thread.

The slug in the end of the pipe is about 30mm deep. Hope that helps someone.

[Jdsk]

I have not read your thread yet but, here's your mod in more detail (top) as a comparison to the original (below).

Does the original just screw out of where you've got the new bolt, and where did you get that made up? Does the new C-joint rotate around that new bolt?

The original hitch is supposed to be loose, and you are supposed to just screw it in leaving a thread or so, in order for it to allow the pilot's bicycle to roll. Although the replacement above is clearly stronger and better, it's basically doing the same thing.

The bolt is a M10 x 1.5m thread.

Personally, I am not sure that it's a great thing to just leave the tricycle being towed by some threads. Can anyone recommend some kind of rose, universal, or axial joint that could take its place? It would have to be with one male and one female thread.

The slug in the end of the pipe is about 30mm deep. Hope that helps someone.


IMG_0093.JPG

IIUC this is a reference to my modification. The one that I bought secondhand did not allow any roll, and adding that was the point of the modification:
viewtopic.php?t=140246

I'm happy to continue the discussion in that thread (!) which has the reasoning and the pictures.

Jonathan

[Albrecht]

The one that I nought secondhand did not allow any roll, and adding that was the point of the modification: viewtopic.php?t=140246

It looks like yours is slightly different, you have a black nylon, or perhaps Delrin/Acetal block, to connect to the seat post hitch. Mine is aluminium alloy. Delrin etc would be a good alternative as it's strong, sort of self-lubing, and likely wouldn't wear at the same rate.

I think your bolt just seized into place like mine, and then broke because it was sticking out enough for the fall to cause it to break (I have not read the whole thread yet). In a way, it's concerning that it would break that easily. How many times have you broken an M10 bolt just like that? You may have ducked a bullet for it happening when riding. Could they fatigue that much?

The main tube is stainless steel, not chrome. This may be part of the problem, e.g. corrosion caused by water getting in between two dissimilar metals. You can see on mine where the mild steel bolt's threads have been eaten away.

Brucey got it right right back in August 2020. It should have rolled on that original bolt.

This one below is yours? What else have you done with it? Are the arms for the mudguards original?

[Albrecht]

Can anyone recommend some kind of rose, universal, or axial joint that could take its place? It would have to be with one male and one female thread.

I found this on eBay, albeit in Germany. It looks like it might work, although the possible of collapsing (folding in on itself) might be an issue. It's an "axialgelenk"! Do they exist in the post-Brexit Badlands? Most rose jointed rod ends in the UK appear to be right angles that I don't think would work. May be the fixed bolt but on a flanged bushing might be a better way to go?

For what it's worth, I spoke to the designer Richard Cresswell once and he said that all of his bicycle related designs and manufacturing were done in the mid-1990s until 1997, with Pashley keeping them going for about 2 years after (1999?), while he worked for them designing other bikes, like the Tri1 tricycle, and the Pashley Post Office bikes.

Pashley started Brilliant Bikes as a subsidiary brand specifically to sell his designs.

I was a little surprise to discover the tagalongs were that young, only 20 to 25 years old. He designed the first one for his own family's sake.

Or from the UK, M10 Threaded Rod Ball Joint Swivel Connector. Max Load Weight 190kg but it doesn't look like it's design for constant movement, e.g. no lubrication.

s-l400.jpg (28.99 KiB) Viewed 306 times

[Albrecht]

What does anyone make the seat posts, I don't think mine are original ...

They are supposed to be 1" or 25.4mm.

[Albrecht]

I don't know if mine is original, but it has an aluminium alloy block in the hitch. I thought that the steel post rubbing on aluminium wasn't a good idea, so I fitted a couple of Oilite bronze bushings. Couldn't find one long enough, so used two 10mm x 13mm x 10mm ones.

The transverse 8mm bolt that holds it in place is or was wrong two. When I looked inside the horizontal hole through the aluminium D, I thought it had been threaded but could not work out why. Then I realised it was because the bolt was threaded all of its length and it had been cutting into the alu. Really it should be bushed as well, as both are loaded and friction surfaces, but there's not enough meat in the alloy to do so, so at least I'll replace the bolt with a shanked one.

It needs a M8 (or may be a 0.333") bolt with a 30mm shank.

I'd also alter it to put thrust washers either side of the D, between it at the steel, to stop slop or wear there.

Is there a better ready made hitch for it?