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Speedbiker
human power supergeek

USA
1995 Posts
Posted - 02/08/2012 :  07:15:39  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Right, Mika. Someday maybe Richard will let some young powerhouse ride the banana and then we will really see what a great design it is.
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Upright Dave
Starting Member

USA
44 Posts
Posted - 07/01/2012 :  21:07:01  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Richard Myers

First question Do you know how to sew Spandex / Lycra ? Can you install long zippers ? If the answer is NO then you need to find some one that can. I started sewing when I was very young and I had my sister help me get started with the curve of the nose. I used a lot of pinning and clips to stretch and form the Lycra. Make sure you have a lot of extra material as you can cut the excess of after final sewing. I sowed a practice tail box and separate nose cone out of dress material Spandex before I tackled the full fairing. The lighter weight Spandex forms and sews easier then the heavy Lycra I bought over the internet. Big long zippers are tricky to install as you need more slack then you think. The long zippers came from a boat builders supply and were one long piece that I cut and installed the zipper hardware. The fairing I built is much more difficult then a body sock that you would sow for a Tour Easy. The steel frame on my jester is 3/16 steel rod and is stronger and almost as light as aluminum. If you looked at my trike fairing the red striped is a plastic table cloth over a steel frame, the green one uses a steel / bamboo, poster board construction with a plastic table cloth glued over the poster board.
Hope this helps.

Richard Myers
Ohio
http://tinyurl.com/3445gr



Bike looks great although I don't like yellow. I saw the 3/16" steel bar at the hardware store. Seems kind of heavy. How much does the bike weigh? The F-40 is suppose to be 34lbs. Has anyone seen the skeleton of the F-40? What did they use for the skeleton?
Edited by - Upright Dave on 07/01/2012 21:08:00
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alevand
human power supergeek

USA
1646 Posts
Posted - 07/02/2012 :  04:47:07  Show Profile  Visit alevand's Homepage  Reply with Quote
1/4 x.035 4130 tubing is available from Wicks, also brake line tubing is available at the auto parts store. Would save 1 pound of weight.

C:
Tony Levand
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Jeff Wills
human power supergeek

USA
1123 Posts
Posted - 07/02/2012 :  20:37:59  Show Profile  Visit Jeff Wills's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by alevand

1/4 x.035 4130 tubing is available from Wicks, also brake line tubing is available at the auto parts store. Would save 1 pound of weight.

C:
Tony Levand


I would think that any metal tubing would be easy to damage in a tip-over. If I were going to do a skin-over-frame, I would look at the struts and fittings made for kites. Lightweight, designed to hold tensioned fabric, plus durable enough to be crashed into the ground multiple times.

__________________
Jeff Wills
All my bikes:
http://home.comcast.net/~jeff_wills/Gallery/index.html
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warren
human power expert

4229 Posts
Posted - 07/03/2012 :  05:53:46  Show Profile  Visit warren's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Lightning uses aluminum tubing. The frame is all bent aluminum tubing and is welded together. It's very lightweight, and though I have heard of many F-40s crashing I have not heard of anyone destroying the rear sock frame. I think the seat frame takes the brunt of the shock from any crashes.

-Warren.
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Richard Myers
recumbent enthusiast

USA
174 Posts
Posted - 07/09/2012 :  12:33:56  Show Profile  Reply with Quote

Tony you are calling My bike ugly The Chiquita Banana has been much improved with new canopy, reshaped rear section, added zipper and I FINLAY found where the tire and brakes were dragging! I still feel the steel " wire " is almost as light as aluminum , it is strong and easier to repair. I raced the Chiquita Banana at Calvin's this year and posted 202 miles. I had to go back 8 years to find a faster time. The blue foam is crash protection and helps hold the body shape at speeds or in a cross wind. Chiquita sails great in the cross wind and has finally shown the speed I felt this design had in it.

If I were ever to build another road Streetliner I would build from scratch and not modify the way I did on this Jester. BTW that nose cone I designed and made the plug for is CARBON FIBER . Do you actually think Garrie would stoop so low as to build me a Fiberglass fairing?

Richard Myers
Ohio
http://tinyurl.com/3445gr
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Garrie L Hill
human power supergeek

USA
1299 Posts
Posted - 07/09/2012 :  17:42:53  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Fiberglass? What's that? ;-)

Garrie "carbon based lifeform" Hill
HPRA Co-Dictator of the East
for pics of some of my time and money sucking projects
http://garriehill.winkflash.com/
and
http://s58.photobucket.com/albums/g277/cfbb/
and videos
http://vimeo.com/5513519
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Jay67
Starting Member

USA
1 Posts
Posted - 10/07/2012 :  10:17:35  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Upright Mike

Rich Myers Banana flavored Jester! This is one of the coolest DIY bodysocks I've seen. Narrower and probably faster than an F40. He told me, the seat had to be tilted up a bit for him to see over the top. Him and Garrie worked on the fiberglass nose cone's shape.



Mike, do you know how to get in touch with Rich? I would like to find out how he created the bodysock. I have been doing a lot of research on velos on the web and on the Bent Rider forum. I live in PA where we have many hills, and I ride a Catrike Villager, and it may make more sense to get a fairing and a body sock (which I can take on and off based on the seasons) in order to ride in the colder and rainy weather.

I wanted to see if Rich's was removable and how he made it. It looks awesome!

Jayden
Thanks,
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Garrie L Hill
human power supergeek

USA
1299 Posts
Posted - 10/07/2012 :  10:37:56  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Take at look at Richard's photo site http://52511c.winkflash.com He has also done a similar treatment on his trike; which might be just what you're thinking of doing.

Garrie "carbon based lifeform" Hill
HPRA Co-Dictator of the East
for pics of some of my time and money sucking projects
http://garriehill.winkflash.com/
and
http://s58.photobucket.com/albums/g277/cfbb/
and videos
http://vimeo.com/5513519
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Richard Myers
recumbent enthusiast

USA
174 Posts
Posted - 10/08/2012 :  18:31:46  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Jay67, The spandex is removable but I did not design Chiquita to be ridden without the cover. If I am overheated I can unzip both sides and the bottom is not completely closed in. Chiquita is balanced and will take a hard hit from gusty winds. It now had 3 different canopies, open top, closed top and a top I can ride in the rain. Both the open top and rain top use 1/8 " safety glass and I am going to rebuild the closed top with the 1/8 " safety glass. The rain top has a wind screen wiper. Plastic scratches where safety glass does not and gives you a much superior view.
If you do not have sowing experience or can rely on some one to do the sowing spandex is not the material to try and learn to sow. Zippers are a very big challenge to install on spandex. I can give you help in the form of " how to " but sorry I am not in the business of sowing for anyone but myself, because making a complex body sock like Chiquita is a DITCH ! I think you can contact me threw this sight.

Richard Myers
Ohio
http://tinyurl.com/3445gr
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alevand
human power supergeek

USA
1646 Posts
Posted - 10/09/2012 :  06:38:42  Show Profile  Visit alevand's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Hi Rich,

Do you have a picture of the rain and aero caps with safety glass? Where did you get the glass?

Tony

C:
Tony Levand
Edited by - alevand on 10/09/2012 06:41:59
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Richard Myers
recumbent enthusiast

USA
174 Posts
Posted - 10/09/2012 :  13:21:23  Show Profile  Reply with Quote

Hi Tony
The safety glass is 1/8" laminated car safety glass. I made a pattern and took it to my local glass shop and they cut the glass for me. Then I made the frame. The windscreen wiper is just a cut down wiper blade. The construction of the canopy is wire frame with 1/2" foam rubber covered with Naugahyde. I did not have the correct spray for foam rubber at the time but I now have 3M FOAM FAST #74 and this should work.
The open top canopy's "V" shaped glass is two piece with PETG side panels. I sues PETG side panels on the rain canopy.
Here is the link to pictures http://photobucket.com/ChiquitaBananaLiner


Richard Myers
Ohio
http://tinyurl.com/3445gr
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Upright Dave
Starting Member

USA
44 Posts
Posted - 10/31/2012 :  22:10:03  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Richard Myers

You need to know how to sow Lycra and practice with Lycra from a fabric store like Joanne's but you need heavy Lycra and good metal zippers to make a good body sock . It tales a lot of pinning and fitting to build a tight fitting sock like my Jester has. Take a look at my pictures (the link under my name )and you can get an idea what I am talking bout.
Check out www.spandexworld.com
Richard Myers
Ohio
http://tinyurl.com/3445gr



I see a lot of different weight spandex. Do you remember what weight spandex you used?

I see from spandex world:

Point de roma 10oz
Moleskin matte 8oz
Rough moleskin 8oz
Jumbo spandex 10oz

I will take a guess at this. Did you use Point de roma since it comes in yellow and its 10oz?
Edited by - Upright Dave on 10/31/2012 22:12:08
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