how to build a cargo bike

Step 14 Adaptor for the brakes

this adaptor delivers the power of one handle to two brakes simultaneously. and last but not least one needs a ...

Comments

[cararta]

you do not show a good picture of connecting front and back together....I assume done with the pivot only....... Would it have been easier to fabricate an axle between front wheels and install pivot there? guess not as would be in the way of cargo unless at the complete back of the box. Never seen one of these cargo bikes before so just commenting......

[carkat]

connection is done via the pivot only -> see step 12, last picture. afaik the "nihola" bikes have an axle not connected to the box that makes using the trike safer - you don't push the load from side to side.

[sillywilly]

I've given this type of connection a lot of thought and had an idea. Since the pivot point is ahead of the front axles, that adds the possibility of more leverage pushing down in back (if the box is loaded heavier in back) What about installing a small hard rubber wheel (with bearings) upside down on the frame going underneath. Maybe aluminum-plate the bottom so the wheel does not wear a groove? I don't knw, just a thought. I am sure it would stabilize the tendency for the box to do any rocking up/down in back, pivoting on it's axle. Should allow a person to carry a lot more weight if they wanted.
SW

[dwosullivan]

This is not really necessary, the rear wheel provides nearly no braking force in a heaver bike like this, especially with a couple of kids low down, lowering the centre of gravity. See sheldon brown: The fastest that you can stop any bike of normal wheelbase is to apply the front brake so hard that the rear wheel is just about to lift off the ground. In this situation, the rear brake cannot contribute to stopping power, since it has no traction. http://sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html Instead you could have just used the left and right brake levers to the left and right wheels. You would of course need to brake evenly to reduce brake steering but that would be much easier to control than a home made device to pull two cables with one

[kb18951452]

I think this devices is for one handle to pull two breaks located on the front wheels? Brakingly evenly is certainly important, but i see no reason why trial/erro, and adjusting each breaks sensitivity wouldnt accomplish even breaking. I don't know that i can agree that two brakes levers would be "easier to control than a home made device to pull two cables with one." I mean, one lever sounds easier than two to me. Plus, doesnt that make this instructable even cooler? Why not make a homemade system? I say, if your gonna build a bike from scratch, Go big, or go home.