Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by knowbody on April 26, 2010 at 9:31am

braking the mold with surgical implants

recently picked up a used recumbent tricycle pedicab. after assembling this behemoth it was apparent that the rear brakes didn't work and the front ones needed immediate attention. the shimano deore lx v-brakes themselves were in good condition but the replaceable pads were unevenly worn which is a hint to why things were such a mess. shopped around and found avid's after-market replacements for two sets but kept looking because i really didn't like the quality of what i got and still needed a third to complete the set. then one shop sold me three sets of multi-formula replacement pads (in error) because they were really for kool stop tectonic brake holders which looked great but required some modification to fit the shimano.

the tectonic's insert were just a tad too wide for the slots of the existing holders so i trimmed them using a large paperclip to guide the blade of a utility knife arond each segment (3 segments per holder). also had to cut a new grove to accommodate the pin that secures the pads to the holders.

the finished product brings the system up to the most current standard in brake pad formulations. now i can lock into a skid with either the front or the back and even both without the danger of diving the boot off the rim.

Permalink Reply by Mike Bullis 5.5-6.5 miles on April 26, 2010 at 2:36pm

Very cool, alan.

Permalink Reply by knowbody on April 27, 2010 at 5:25am

thanks mike! i really think you hit a particular need in developing this group btw. fabrication from scratch is a worthy endeavor but there are so many "customizations" which require retrofituneering to create a solution that works.

Permalink Reply by knowbody on July 27, 2010 at 10:52am

non-newtonian matrials: d3o

the organic engines suv/pedicab being the unique vehicle which it is, relegates me to having to create any accessory to go along with it. the mesh hammock-like seat on my trike is relatively comfortable even though the sit bones do make contact with a solid metal bracket beneath the seat, it was just a matter of time before this needed to be addressed. the solution was to buy a beanie containing d3o and gutting it for what was hidden inside. here is the result:



barely visible behind the seat is the basket which once housed a rackmounted dell poweredge server. by pairing the scavenged face plates and matching them up to some metal ladder-like ikea thing-a-mabobs acquired for $2 at the brown elephant... making this basket the perfect compliment to the diamond plate decking of the behemoth.



there's been a few other things (some of which i can't reveal) but that plastic strap dangling on the right (left handlebar) is a ziptie brake-tender and hidden beneath the seat is a cellular enhanced gps trackable alarm system attached using the metal cap of a grease catch! how's that for hodgepodgery?

Permalink Reply by Mike Bullis 5.5-6.5 miles on July 27, 2010 at 5:18pm

Wow. And I thought my homemade 2 and 3 speed fixed gear hubs were cool because I beat the S3X by 5 years.

Permalink Reply by knowbody on July 28, 2010 at 2:17pm

homemade eh? now that i'd really like to see!

Permalink Reply by Mike Bullis 5.5-6.5 miles on July 28, 2010 at 4:36pm

Well, here is one I made from a fifties Bendix Power Brake 2 speed hub.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21499296@N08/sets/72157622894296310/
Has the same range as an S3X without the middle gear. Has less slop, too.

I have a step by step 'How to' I did on .pdf for converting Sturmey Archer AW and FW hubs to 2 and 3 speed fixed. On my other laptop, though, and it is 800 miles from where I'm at now. I'll try to post it this weekend.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on March 19, 2012 at 1:50pm

Extension carved out of plate aluminum from the hardware store made to modify the existing plastic cable stop on a Raleigh pursuit to both stabilize and lengthen the stop to allow the use of Mickey Mouse cable adjusters:

Home-made brake drop bolts (plus Sheldon nuts) to allow shorter-reach dual-pivot Shimano brakes to fit in a 27" -> 700c conversion.

Front Brake with drop bolts and custom mount for front rack:

Permalink Reply by Mike Bullis 5.5-6.5 miles on March 19, 2012 at 4:39pm

Very cool.