I’ve been doing some research on recumbent bicycles recently
and really like the idea. The problem with an upright bicycle is aerodynamics,
the upright sitting position maximises wind resistance. This is not a problem
at 10 mph, but as speeds increase it become a very big factor. By 20
mph most of the energy expended to push a bike forward is being used just to
push air out of the way.
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| The Spirit Short Wheel Base Recumbent |
The recumbent overcomes this problem by placing the rider in
a more reclined position, greatly reducing wind resistance. For the same amount
of energy it is possible to go a lot faster on a recumbent. It’s a lot easier
to move at 20 mph on a recumbent.
They do have disadvantages, the rider is lower down and has
a poorer view, an important factor when mixing it with cars. On an upright
bicycle you can get out of the saddle to cushion your body against the shock of
rough roads and potholes, and to apply more power going up hills.
The single biggest problem I discovered with a recumbent is
cost. A serviceable mass produced upright bicycle can be bought for as little
as 300 euros, a low end recumbent starts at about 1000 euros. So I’ve decided
to try and build a recumbent. I bought a plan online from Atomic Zombie who
produce plans for recumbents, trikes and cargo bikes. The plans costs about 20
dollars each and are a PDF download. They are comprehensive, well written and
lavishly illustrated with photos.
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| Draper 130 A Stick Welder |
I chose the Spirit, a short wheelbase racing recumbent to
start with as it’s about the simplest design available. I bought the steel
needed last week, which cost about 18 euros. A small 16 amp stick welder cost 120
euros and a 600 watt angle grinder 55 euros. I'm on the look out for suitable
second hand bikes I can strip for parts, like wheels, gears, brakes etc. All going well I should be on the road for less than 200 euros in parts.
I am learning how to cut metal accurately with the angle
grinder and to weld it together. Welding is not that difficult and although
ascetically my welding is poor, the joints seem solid. Mistakes are easily
overcome as metal is a much more forgiving material than wood. I will start
building the recumbent in the next week or two and will post updates here as the build progresses.
For plans of recumbents, trikes and cargo bikes Atomic Zombie
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| Bosch 600 watt Angle Grinder |
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