I met with Dylan who showed me two entry level Trikes, The KMX Tornado F8 amd the Sun Seeker Eco TAD SX. Both are entry level trikes and can be upgraded. They both have similar features abut there are differences.
The KMX Tornado F8 has a 20 inch rear wheel with 16 inch front wheels and 8 speeds. Its low to the ground however and I had trouble sitting in it and getting out. I also found the seat to be a tad too small for my liking, The KMX also was hard to turn because the handlebars are right there against my hips leaving little room to maneuver. Maybe the handlebars can be adjusted. I did not ask but for me the seat was a bummer. No pun intended. I did ride it around the block and it was wanting to weave back and forth. Very sensitive steering. Oh, and the KMX only has 8 gears.
The Sun Seeker ECO Tad SX at $899 has features not offered by the KMX. Firstly all three wheels are 20's, The handlebars are kind of chopper style with room for more traditional controls. I personally do not care for the twist shifter of either trike quite frankly. Another thing is the seat which is a more traditional mesh type with a padded bottom which I had no trouble getting my 285 pounds into. The Sun Seeker also has disk brakes on all three wheels. Both trikes have locking brakes. The Sun Seeker has only 7 gears.Handling was a little awkward but not as bad as the KMX and I could easily turn 90 degree turns on a sidewalk. Not so with the KMX. If I was lighter, down around the 210 pounds I should ought to be, I dont think the KMX would be an issue,
Neither trike has a derailleur pipe on the boom so you have to order a different boom or have the existing one modified. The reason I looked at these trikes is that has prices go for a trike they are at the low end of the price scale. The KMX being $999 and the Sun Seeker being $899.
So lets talk upgrades. DIY types.
I would prefer a 24 inch rear wheel and you can do this with the KMX but not the Sun Seeker.
Water Bottles. The Sun Seeker has mounts on the left and right handlebar. The KMX had none.
Computer or Phone mount. Many people place the computer on the derailleur post but it's not available, I think the lack of a derailleur post is dirty pool. Utah Trikes has a boom with post in the XL category to accommodate riders with longer legs but it costs $125. I can probably modify the existing boom for much less.
Lights. I like the fact seat of the Sun Seeker has horizontal bars across the back which is ideal for mounting a taillight. I did not see how you could do this on the KMX.
Now I am getting to the 3D Printing aspects. For any of these trikes I can 3D print what I want. I can mount my cell phone on the frame by making a mount, I have already deigned a taillight using a triangular flashlight from Harbor Freight which has a blinking red triangle of LEDs. For a flashlight mount I could make that too and attach it to the frame.
But what if we went further with a 3D printer? What if we build a trike from scratch and used a 3D printer to make interconnecting frame components. I envision building a trike frame from lightweight thin walled aluminum round or square tubing which has been interconnected with 3d printed joints and then wrapped in carbon fiber. Virtually no welding. The only area that I am shy about is the angles of the steering tubes. Maybe have two short sections of the steering tubes built and connected with a 3D printed joint as well which is covered in layers of carbon fiber.
For the rear of the trike I think either a customer-built rear fork or using a back end from a girls mountain bike which can be cannibalized for parts such as the cassette, derailleur and front crank set.
Anyway those are my thoughts. A commercial trike with 3D printed lights and cell phone brackets or a carbon fiber trike with these parts and additional 3D printed parts you will never see because they are buried under layers of carbon fiber cloth.
Utah Trikes is located at 40 S. Main Street in Payson, Utah and they are a pleasant group of trike lovers who have been is business for 10 years.
Is a Trike for you? It is for me and these are the main reasons for wanting a trike as they apply to me:
1. Hands. My hands are destroyed from my Military service. The heel of my hands cannot take any pressure and scream in pain after only a few minutes on a mountain bike. The trike is easy to grip and no pain.
2. All-weather riding. You can ride a trike in almost all weather conditions except heavy snow. Try that on a two wheeled bike.The trike gives stability and stretches out the riding season. This is important because I have high blood pressure and ring actually lowers it.
I would immediately upgrade the Sun Seeker as follows:
1. Boom
2. Front derailleur
3. Front crankset
4. 8 speed Shimano Nexus or Sturmey Archer internal hub. Or maybe just an 8 speed hub.
5. Maybe upgrade the brakes because they seemed a little soft.
6. 3D printed tail light
7. 3D printed Cell Phone mount.
8. 3D printed flashlight mount.
Here are some photos of the Sun Seeker.
Thanks for reading.
No comments:
Post a Comment