Building a Quadricycle

[unjonharley]

I have mention buying old scooters several times on the board..

I have two 12v, four 24v, one 36v wheel and an old Rascal 24v drive.
My kid just gave me a heavy duty 12v motor out of a walk a long golf cart.

Thank Figman for coming up with a pusher cart..

I plan to use a 26 inch 18 speed bike rear frame.. A 20inch BMX rear wheel in the frame.. There is enough room to mount a 24v motor in front of the wheel.. A chain from the motor to the small drive sprocket, then chain to the 24 inch wheel..
Leave the top bar and fork neck on the 26 inch frame.. Then cut the top bar six or so inches from the fork neck.. The fork neck will slip over any seat post.. The attach a pipe patch clamp to the six inch stub left on the fork neck.. Drill the top bar of the frame and match hole in the pipe clamp.. This is where the hitch pin will be allowing the pusher to self level with your bike.. NOW That should be as plan as mud..

[FIGJAM]

I knew about the scooters, but arn't they 24volt.

It looks like most of the "kid cars" are 6 or 12 volt, so it's easy to use a bigger battery for more range without useing multiple batteries in series.

Thanks for the support.....

I'll use it for the heavy lifting.

[unjonharley]

The 12v motors I have. Are from the first razor scooters. They wouls not carry a adult very far with two 12v 10ah batteries. Where the 24v with two 12v 10ah gave up more distance.. I intend the 12v motors for a wind generator on the playa.

I figure four batteries 12v xah. in wire saddle bag over the pusher wheel..
I rigged a 24v with two sets of batteries with a three point rocker switch. Line to the motor, line to one set and line to second set..

The charger on a mobility scooter went toes up.. Put four machine screws (nuts both sides of body) studs. Two + and two -.. 12v battery charger cables clamped over the stubs with a cut off switch in the 24v system. Flip switch, clamp on the charger and away it go's. Could do this for pusher cart..

I Craig's List a 3hp lawn edger for thirty buck.. Could platform the engine ovr a drive wheel for a playa pusher.. That would be sweet.. Big wheel from a garden tractor. A sprocket the size of the rim. and centrifugal clutch.

[Tiahaar]

well whadaya know, they make 'adult' training wheels, who knew?

could be home built by a clever burner, a trike alternative as it were, but I can see it having traction issues in loose deep stuff if the side wheels were set too low...hmmm...
ok never mind if you're thinking of modding your bike to a trike that would be better.

[BBadger]

I loved those power wheels as a kid at Toys R Us. My parents never could afford one though.

The problem with the old Powerwheels was that they caught on fire, so maybe with a metal bike frame it'd be okay.

[Ano]

Well, in a sad way to end this story, I do not think I have the skills, resources, or time to build a tri/quad, thus, it will be happening this year. Feel free to use this topic to chat about alternate bike-related forms of transportation...

[maladroit]

I am building one, and will post a photo in here. So if you find me in 2013, we can ride off into the sunset.

[lucky420]

I'm right there with you ano. I know I don't really have the skill set to build a quadricycle...sigh

Now just trying to save up the money to buy a used one. I would like a 4 seater but can probably only afford a 2 seater

[Ano]

Well, in a sad way to end this story, I do not think I have the skills, resources, or time to build a tri/quad, thus, it will be happening this year. Feel free to use this topic to chat about alternate bike-related forms of transportation...

Funny thing, I worded this wrong.

It will NOT be happening this year. I went back and read this and I got excited for myself, until I realized that I'm an idiot.

[Elliot]

You sound pretty smart to me. You aim high, which is a good thing. Then you realize if you are in the process of biting off too much, before you get in trouble -- also a good thing. I've aborted a few projects myself, including a 35 foot MV that I had a good start on.
Carry on!

[BAS]

You reminded me, I need to go to a local bicycle collective and see if I can scavenge space, talent, and stuff for some projects. (I've got equipment to loan them, if I remember to retrieve it from my dad's workshop.) They are only open on Fridays, and I need to look up the hours.

Thanks for the reminder.

[Ano]

Fuck giving up! I'm building myself a Granny Bike, and bumping this to see if anyone else has seen/had experiences with them out there. I already searched Eplaya and heard "they seem to do alright" overall, which is good enough for me, because "alright" is better than "nothing."

I'm going to Granny Bike two cruisers together. My girlfirend already has one she morphed into a little creature she called "moxie" - had a mouth and eyes, a tail, and was a very comfortable beetlejuice-inspired ride! I'm going to make Moxie's brother, a more evil furry version with a tail that will (hopefully, if this flame effects class takes off and goes well) shoot fire. It's going to be an adventure. Just need to find him a name now...

[lucky420]

Good luck Ano...I admire your determination

[Savannah]

Yeah--there's still time to tinker and learn. Think of it as experimentation--you don't have to know how it's going to turn out. You're a mad scientist of bicycles, testing hypotheses.

[Marscrumbs]

After seeing how much fun I had on my modified e-trike one year, my Fearless leader made for himself a e-quad mostly using PVC for him and his wife. It was easier than welding and tore down for transport to the playa.

[AntiM]

I've seen good PVC quads, and sad PVC quads which were sagging and unhappy in the sun.

And I've seen enough e-quads on the play to know they fly under the DMV radar, but I've experienced the intense questioning at Gate for our pedal-power quad to know there's a chance a quad with an assist could get "stored" in the impound lot.

[Canoe]

... my Fearless leader made for himself a e-quad mostly using PVC for him and his wife. It was easier than welding and tore down for transport to the playa.

Any photos?

[bm_cricket]

Sooooooo, what is the final word on quadricycles? If it has no engine and no fire effects can it have 2 wheels, 4 wheels, 6 wheels? I know I can ask the DMV directly but I'm SO EXCITED about about the playa that all I want to do is BUILD BUILD BUILD....

PS, I just saw the movie Spark tonight and it reminded me how much I want to go run away to the circus. I just love climbing into a nice, clean, comfortable bed and it takes money to do that... And it takes semi-normal employment to get money...

[Canoe]

..If it has no engine and no fire effects can it have 2 wheels, 4 wheels, 6 wheels? I know I can ask the DMV directly ...

1, 2 or 3 wheels, with pedals that move it along, you can call it a bike, even an e-bike. State of Nevada definitions of bike and e-bike.

4 or more wheels and technically it's licensed by BM DMV, and the application deadline was May 15, 2013.

Smaller wheeled bike-looking contraptions out in the day that have too many wheels are sometimes overlooked for having their wheels counted, but you can't count on that, and without a DMV license they may be barred at Gate.

[Elliot]

Sooooooo, what is the final word on quadricycles? If it has no engine and no fire effects can it have 2 wheels, 4 wheels, 6 wheels?

Correct. As for the vehicle itself, if it is strictly human-muscle-powered, it is completely free of vehicle restrictions and requirements. I've been "pulled over" a couple of times with four wheels and four people for not having an MV sticker -- a good laugh always resulting.

Fire effects is a separate matter, I believe.

[Canoe]

... 4 or more wheels and technically it's licensed by BM DMV, and the application deadline was May 15, 2013...

Looks like I was wrong?
That would technically apply to e-bikes with four or more wheels, but not to human-only powered?

[bm_cricket]

I just got two different answers.... To a question with only two possible answers. I was confused so I emailed the DMV and one of the Hotties gave me an "official" word: "Non-Motorized vehicles do not need any permits to operate at the event."

If you are bringing one then have a contact from the DMV who says it is okay just in case somebody gives you a hard time....

[Elliot]

I win, I win!

As for electric motors, BM follows Nevada state law: Bicycles may have an electric booster motor of no more than 1 horsepower = 750 Watts, without any licensing requirement. The definition of bicycle includes tricycle.

And that's it. Any more than three wheels with any kind of non-human power, or more than 750 Watts on two or three wheels, and it is a Mutant Vehicle subject to all the rules for such.

[kmoffat]

We bought a used surrey (aka quadricycle) and are decorating it up for this year's burn. The one we have originally came from these guys http://www.surreycompany.com/about.htm. It seems pretty well built but some folks have warned us that it will tend to sink into the soft playa due to it's weight. Anyway, we're giving it a try and can report back afterwards. Ping me after if you're interested in that.

Cheers! Kent

[FIGJAM]

With those tires I don't think you'll have any problems.

[lucky420]

i reallllllly want one of those!

[illy dilly]

This is the multi-wheeled Human powered thang we're bringing. We call it The Fish Bike. Cause it looks like a giant angler fish. Its hard to see in the pics, but the large circle in the front are eyes, and there is a rod that goes out to hang a light off of. The Princess Seat is the high seat in the back. Its the Princess Seat cause that person gets a free ride and a great view.
I'm waiting for the last pieces of el wire to show up so we can light it. Should have it done by Monday, and will post pics then.

Family on Fish Bike 2.jpg

Family on Fish Bike 1.jpg

[lucky420]

Illy! That is fantastic and I'm super jealous right now

[Elorrum]

lucky, we need to get a welder.

[Ano]

Checking back in.

So I decided to continue to aim high, and I built the granny bike from two of the recommended bike frames - just so happened to be huffy cranbrooks, aka what yellow bikes are made from! Thought that was nifty. It also happened to be the body popular bike on playa this year, so I felt self conscious since I hadn't spray-painted the wheels... Still that teal that I saw everywhere..

To make a long story short, the granny bike is not for a beginner, and definitely not as functional as it seems. The instructions are incredibly vague and the diagrams don't even match up with that you end up with. Part of the diagrams involve attaching non-moving parts directly into the front fork, which would prevent it from turning. Once I had gotten all of the pieces in, through a combination of luck, familial aid, and beer, I discovered that the bikes liked to buckle in and slowly warp all the nicely cut steel parts. Even after re-adjusting the bikes multiple times, it kept failing. I had to improvise and add two more PVC braces to the front to even hold the damn thing together.

On playa, pedaling was an unpleasant chore. It felt like the bikes were constantly fighting eachother and it was the opposite of fun to be on. It looked great and functioned as a mini-camp, leaving us able to carry a bag with essentials like sunscreen and lotion, but the effort of pedaling what felt like ten bikes at once was not worth it. I ended up turning it into two bikes midweek because my ten-mile-a-day bike commute legs were sore and miserable from pushing it around.

The granny bike looks attractive, and maybe it will work better for you, dear reader, but for me, it was money and dreams down the hole... There's always next year. I think I'm going with an American speedster, since I've heard great things about them from the folks i talked to on playa... Another disaster? Or will I finally find my dessert?

The bright side of the granny bike fiasco is that I earned myself some tinkering skills! Albeit, weak skills, but tinkering nonetheless!!!