Transportation
Briggs and Stratton powered bicycle
I’ve been wanting to have a powered bicycle (with usable pedals) to tow my bicycle campers with. Electric to me is too much money and a hassle, plus on a long journey when the juice runs out you’re stuck pedaling. I favor the old briggs motors. They’re 4 cycle (no need to add oil to…
Read More
Economical Reverse trike
My dream project conceived over 40 years ago. This is my third attempt at creating a high mileage one person trike. Borrowing ideas from Dale Malewicki’s California Commuter trike I fashioned a basic rigid front swing arm. This helps stabilize the trike in corners but also makes for a bumpy ride. To do it again…
Read More
Burningman pedal car
When my wife decided to come with me to the Burningman art festival I started looking for ideas on a two person pedal vehicle that I could make for the event. I spied on this picture. During WWII when France was occupied by the Germans and fuel was confiscated for the war effort,…
Read More
FWD recumbent trike
I had an idea of making a skate type quadracycle. I felt this would be a fun racing vehicle on a short tight-turn course. Before making a full scale mock-up I wanted to test out the idea of using neoprene wheels. I purchased two wheels from a push scooter outfit and decided to…
Read More
The Cycle Kart
For PDF plans, click here! Once my other prototype proved the neoprene wheels would work, I ordered 4 wheels from a push scooter outfit. These are 9″ in diameter, which are bigger than most. A BMX free wheel hub was added to the drive wheel. I don’t have proper machining tools for accuracy, but I…
Read More
DIY car top carrier
Here I am playing around again with a $20 sheet of 4×8 foot 4mm thick fluted plastic. I thought I’d make a car top carrier. I buy my fluted plastic at Laird Plastics Inc. (206-623-4900) in downtown Seattle Washington where they stock several thicknesses, sizes and color choices. Made with zip ties and held down…
Read More
Teardrop bicycle cover
This was an attempt to make a teardrop shell fiberglass plug for my road bike. Plywood ribs were attached together using 90 degree brackets. Holes spaced 4″ apart were drilled on the rib edges. 1/8″ wire was treaded thru the holes. Thin wire was used to attach the chicken wire to the 1/8″ wire…
Read More
Electric recumbent scooter
This is the first stand up scooter I made into a recumbent. It was a hoot to ride for about 4 miles, then the battery would drain and soon you were forced to walk the rig home.
Read More
Little burningman trike
The second time I went to Burningman I brought my older brother. I brought the big trike and made this little sail trike adding a 2hp Briggs and Stratton edger motor for back-up power. I pounded on a roughed-up tube onto the drive axle for front wheel food activated friction drive. I made a…
Read More
High mileage trike #2
This was my second attempt at making my dream 150+ mpg one passenger vehicle. I started out with a rear engine design but opted to try a front engine placement for better cooling and balancing. Later I tried to make it a rat rod type vehicle, but eventually abandoned the idea all together. Fast…
Read More