BasilMay 10

I’m once again considering to restore and electrify my recumbent bike. It’s such a shame that it’s dusting away in my parents attic. The problem is though that I would need to upgrade it’s brakes to discs and with a 3 wheeler that’s not straight forward. I think it should be possible though.

#Cycling #RecumbentBike #RareBikes

Show threadKinetixMay 11
@basdriver
What make is that, and why do you need or want to change the brakes?
Show threadBasilMay 11

@kinetix It was hand build over 30 years ago by a small Dutch bike factory, they used as much standard parts as possible on their bikes to minimise the need to make their own parts. The aluminium composite lightweight frame was completely hand build. The current drum brakes are not going to be sufficient, at the time I did reach higher speeds, specially downhill, but it was scary sometimes as the front brakes would heat up and slip while the V-brake on the back would lock.

@adamrice

Show threadBasilMay 11

@kinetix Possibly I could upgrade the drums, but I do want to use a powerful motor set up and the current brakes on the small wheels are not going to be safe. There’s suppliers for electric systems around that have a shop and they usually also sell other upgrade parts. I’ll do my research and see what is possible, but liquid operated disc brakes have my preference as it also cancels the need to tune the double cable set up to make left and right brake evenly.

@adamrice

Show threadKinetixMay 11

@basdriver That's quite the rig! I haven't experienced drum brakes like that before, I wasn't aware they were under powered.

Is it a double pull brake because there's front and rear brakes on the machine?

All of the trikes I've dealt with so far are single pull front left and right - but they're also all discs, either straight cable pull or hydraulic.

Show threadBasilMay 11
@kinetix It’s a cable V-brake (pads on the rim) in the rear and a double cable drum setup on the front, front and rear operated independently. Hydraulic would be ideal but might also be complicated and expensive. Just need to do research in what is out there today, haven’t driven this bike for at least 15 years. As these were build on order they are very rare. Later models did offer disc brakes but it was very expensive at the time.
Show threadBasil
@kinetix Stored dry and secure and with only high grade aluminium, stainless and titanium alloys, the bike itself is in good condition. The running gear is Shimano titanium, it only needs a clean up and lubrication, thankfully, as the titanium alloy chain is extremely expensive. In today’s money the bike would cost the equivalent of about 15,000 € today, of which a good chunk went to the chain alone. The later disc brake upgrade they offered would have put another 1,000 - 1,500 € on it.
May 11 at 6:07pmWeb
Show threadKinetixMay 12

@basdriver Fortunately, if you get discs on the front, you could simplify the setup and just do single pull brakes to the each front side. More than enough stopping power, and long lasting stopping power from any speed - my trike is >26Kg on it's own and my commute used to be a ton of downhill. Brakes are standard cable pulls to BB7's, and I never once felt any issue with them. My wife, who generally doesn't ride as quickly as I do, has never had issues either.

(Basically just suggesting 3 brakes would be overkill and you could lighten/simplify your setup if you so desired - you may have to adjust to braking side-side, though, which takes all of about 2 minutes)

I hope you don't have much problem finding some wheels that'll work for you.

Show threadBasilMay 12
@kinetix You mean one brake handle for each wheel? I think the rear also has a locking option to use it as a parking brake. Could you make a picture of how the disc is mounted on one of the front wheels?
Show threadKinetixMay 12

@basdriver
Yes, that's what I mean. There's locking brake levers available so that you don't require any special device or 3rd brake to be the parking brake.

I will take a picture of a trike wheel that is set to have a brake rotor on it and a picture of a mounted setup - I think the trick for you will be finding the parts to mount the callipers to.

Show threadKinetixMay 14
@basdriver Pictures! There's 2 here showing the wheel and where the brake rotor gets mounted to it. I put on the brake lever picture to show what that looks like - the silver pin in the middle is spring loaded, so when I pull on the lever from the locked position, the pin releases and the brakes operate normally. Both sides have the locking lever.
Show threadBasilMay 14
@kinetix Thanks! Have since learned that the back brake might actually be the issue, but if I look at it, I don’t think fitting discs would be a big problem and I still would like to go hydraulic. The back brake has a locking handle that works the same. Someone suggested it is only a parking brake and not supposed to be used while riding, to be fair, nobody ever instructed me on riding a trike and I may have been teaching myself wrong while figuring it out at the time.
Show threadKinetixMay 15

@basdriver I would pretty much agree with the suggestion that the back brake is not terribly well intended for that, and none of the trikes I've seen so far have a back brake except as a parking brake. Ice and HP Velotechnik (perhaps others) often have a back brake with a separate ratcheting lever strictly for parking, while the other brands I know have the locking levers for the front and no need for the rear.

I guess you could go for a ride or two and see if you can fade the brakes by just using the fronts, see how those drums perform on their own?

Show threadBasilMay 15
@kinetix Yes, if it goes through, I’ll open it all up and see what the state is, have to take the bike apart anyway to get everything a good clean and lubricate what needs lubrication. New tires also, I hope the control cables will be good as it’s all from the Shimano Titanium line so it should be rust free materials. But won’t start until I at least know I can fix a motor and battery powerful enough for what I want, and actually get a kit to do so.