Cycling UK Forum

I'm planning a new winter project, that of building a tadpole trike. I'm having difficulty sourcing a suitable stub axle/hub assembly. I'm thinking of either manufacturing my own-pricey and time consuming, or adapting some kart/wheelchair stub axles. Has anybody any experience of either approach? I've pretty much sorted a design, but this is a sticking point. Thanks

Milfred Cubicle wrote:I'm planning a new winter project, that of building a tadpole trike. I'm having difficulty sourcing a suitable stub axle/hub assembly. I'm thinking of either manufacturing my own-pricey and time consuming, or adapting some kart/wheelchair stub axles. Has anybody any experience of either approach? I've pretty much sorted a design, but this is a sticking point. Thanks

Have a look at the designs around, and let them inspire you.

There is also a useful US site Recumbents.com that has a lot of info on designing and building

Also look at Atomic Zombie

... and I take no responsibility for any ideas that you get from Atomic Zombie!

Depends on your budget as well...

I've had two trikes, one and early Pete Ross, the other a 2010 ICE sprint, I also have a SON hub on my current (ICE) trike.

The basic arrangement is always the same - a bolt (or similar) of ~10mm diameter running through the hub to a sleeve attached to the frame, and attached by some steering mechanims - the newer one is much better, and is basically a headset - the sleeve for the axle is mounted where the fork would normally go - there is no steerer protruding (although some direct steer trikes do have some steerer showing for the bars to attach)

Wheelchair axles look good, but they handle lower loads and very much lower speeds.
ICE will sell you a front wheel (hub to tyre) for sub £100. Then add a bolt of the appropriate diameter (It's actually a rod with a thread only at the end, you could go for the SON system, of a rod with an allen bolt into the end to secure) to attach to your support system (easy to drill a hole of a known diameter)....