Custom trike rear extension

Continuing the custom tadpole recumbent trike project, here are recent posts:

• Chain installed on recumbent trike — August 12, 2024
• Solar panel frame for trike take-2 — August 09, 2024
• Fenders for custom trike — July 25, 2024

The original trike came with a luggage rack; however, that was bolted onto the rear wheel fork. That means, all road corrugations will be transferred directly to whatever luggage is on the luggage rack or side panniers. Also, the effectiveness of the shock absorber is reduced; as much weight as possible needs to be above the shock absorber. So, one requirement was to move the luggage rack mounting above the shock absorber.

The second requirement was framework for mounting the overhead solar panel.

The trike frame has an open end, for possible extension:

I measured carefully and determined that aluminium tube of 55mm OD could be inserted. So, purchased a 300mm length, 2.5mm wall thickness, from here:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006996429358.html

Many Chinese vendors will sell tube in OD increments of 1mm and different wall thicknesses. This particular vendor, only 300mm length, but there are others that will sell longer lengths.

Also purchased 22mm OD, 2.5mm wall thickness, 500mm length, from here:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005177763572.html

Created the extension, with 3mm thick aluminium strap wrapped around the 55mm tube and held in place temporarily with pop rivets:

At the workshop I attend, Mal helped me; used the workshop's MIG welder to put some spots of weld to hold it all together. I was then able to hammer the extension into the trike tube, held in place with a pipe clamp and 4.0mm pop rivets:

Made some more pieces of strap to mount the luggage rack:

...not quite finished. I'm going to put a couple of lengths of tubing as cross-bracing to make it more rigid.

The 22mm horizontal tube has vertical tubes at each end. This will be for mounting the overhead solar panel. You can see in the photo, the vertical tube is black; it is 22mm OD and length 675mm. I bought it here in Australia and it was rather expensive.  

Tags: light