Dumaguete Info Search


reinventing the tricycle?

Discussion in 'Dumaguete City' started by RHB, Sep 27, 2007.

  1. OP
    OP
    RHB

    RHB DI Senior Member

    Messages:
    744
    Trophy Points:
    168
    Ratings:
    +19 / 2
    The drawings are for demonstrating the concepts only, Yes it will have to acomodate at least 4 people. It's very interesting to me having traveled around the Philippines just a small amount, that each region has its own concept of what a trike should be, and as well how many people it should carry. The latter seems directly proportional to the remoteness and size of the munincipality.
    Trikes in Cavite can carry two or three, one of me at 6'2", very small nimble and geared for geting as many fares in succession, since it is in Metro Manila, rides are short and passengers numerous. The opposite is the Siaton Trike basically similar to the dumgte model but with a mini easy ride cabin stuck on the back instead of the luggage rack. I am fairly adventurous, but I became fearful riding down a big hill on one of these with no less than 19 people on board. some on the roof.
    So there does need o be compromise, my idea is to give an urban trike the ability to travel faster, more nimbly, more safely. To carry 4-5 folk, and some luggage. We may have to forgo the house load of bamboo furniture, the two pigs and a goat, and the 5 sheets of plywood. There are in fact cargo trikes better suited to those tasks anyway.
     
  2. India-One

    India-One DI Forum Adept

    Messages:
    459
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Ratings:
    +5 / 0
    the best thing RHB is to build one PROTOTYPE of your design, and will have it shown on the street of dumaguete, and wait what feedbacks we can hear form fellow tricycle drivers.
     
  3. OP
    OP
    RHB

    RHB DI Senior Member

    Messages:
    744
    Trophy Points:
    168
    Ratings:
    +19 / 2
    yes that is the plan, if you go back, I think I made that clear when I mentioned I had the motorcycle already. But the design proccess will go slowly, and I welcome expert opinion and practicle advice.
    One step at atime, If it proves to be too costly, then there is no point in making a prototype, Unless I want to tool around in town with a cool expensive one off. Hmmm...
     
  4. India-One

    India-One DI Forum Adept

    Messages:
    459
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Ratings:
    +5 / 0
    RHB, just curious, what type of OEM motorcycle have you modified? i guess its ganna be cool if you can build-off that prototype, and roam around the city "pimping"
     
  5. OP
    OP
    RHB

    RHB DI Senior Member

    Messages:
    744
    Trophy Points:
    168
    Ratings:
    +19 / 2
    Mr. India-one;

    Here is what I have to work with. It is a Rusi (chinese honda clone) 150cc made specificlly for tricycle conversion. I bought it when I first got to dmgte to get around.
     

    Attached Files:

  6. Dave

    Dave DI Junior Member

    Messages:
    38
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0
  7. Dave

    Dave DI Junior Member

    Messages:
    38
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0
    Local Oregon company

    A proto was in our local mall. The Oregon company was looking for advanced sales.

    [​IMG]
     
  8. OP
    OP
    RHB

    RHB DI Senior Member

    Messages:
    744
    Trophy Points:
    168
    Ratings:
    +19 / 2
    I have seen this bike, cool! Very advanced design with brushless (three phase) motor, using lithium batteries. I was originally toying with the idea of using electric as a power source, but ruled it out as the price tag for that bike as built is $14,000 USD. It has the performance of a 300cc gas engine but the cost amortized per kilometer at 9 pesos per fair makes it largely impractical for capital starved philippines driver owners. Maybe their is another lower tech electric approach that might work, but the local trike is at the bottom of the transportation food chain, so I decided to work with efficiency of design, high tech ideas, locally avalable materials. Carbon fiber, kevlar composites are difficult to obtain the Philippines.

    Polyester resin fiberglass, and light weight metal tubing are commonly avaiable here. Even bamboo, if it could be water and bug proofed and encapsulated, might be a viable material. It has a very high strength to weight ratio.
    Not all composites are exotic, So even using glass cloth with say 2 mm ply as a sandwich core might have some use. I have not gotten cost figures yet zeroed in for alternatives.

    The technology and expertise exists here for that method already. I have a family member who makes pump boats, although they omit the glasscloth and just use gobs of epoxy putty, they could be taught.
     
  9. India-One

    India-One DI Forum Adept

    Messages:
    459
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Ratings:
    +5 / 0
    nice proto bike dave, but not practical to PI, maybe 30 years from now, i hope inovators form PI like RHB can grasp some techno ideas on that bike, and integrate it to bike suitable for PI.

    RHB, a good bike to sacrifice, hope to see the proto when i get home
     
  10. Dave

    Dave DI Junior Member

    Messages:
    38
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0
    I like how you think RHB...Simple is good.
    There are many clever folks in RP India_One. I hope someone there could find a way to invent a cheap clean trike. That would be very useful.
     
Loading...