Load-bearing Bikes/trikes?

[The Kilted Commodore]

I have on my drawing board at the moment, a design I am working on for a custom bicycle/tricycle that would carry a small self contained printing press station on the back, most likely of a chest-of-drawers design.  Now, my question is this: Does anyone here have any examples of load bearing bicycles/tricycles they would be willing to share? I'm trying to work out how to set up the rear of the vehicle, as thats where most of the weight will be.  Steamier examples are great, less so are fine as well.

[Brigadier Mobius Rosewell]

As an avid recumbent builder, I have scoured the Net in search of various designs!
 I believe a pedicab with removable canopy ( for rain or sun ) would be just what you need.
 Try 'Home-built Pedicab' in your browser, as well as HPV sites ( Human Powered Vehicles ).

 Many post to show their creations, but are rather secretive when it comes to actual plans or details.
 Having more than 7 recumbent bikes and trikes built so far, I have taken the long way around many an engineering problem so feel free to contact me if I can be of any assistance.

[The Kilted Commodore]

The pedicab idea is a good one, and one I had been considering. The other idea I had was to attach a third axle, so there would be a 4 wheeled platform area capable of holding the cabinet with the letterpress bolted on top of it. the cabinet would be secured by a metal wrap-cage, with an opening to allow for drawers and such to open. Obviously this whole setup would be rather heavy. I can see the pedicab setup being a good basis to begin with.  Is this still preferable to the extra axle setup?

[Prof. Brockworth]

I can't say I've ever seen a three-axle HPV.  No need really; the press isn't going to weigh more than a stout person; just arrange the centre of gravity to come between the axles so it won't flip!

If you want to stay with two wheels, the 8 Freight is a nifty design - low load bay, looooong wheelbase.

Some friends built a huge amplifer (called Beatrix) which is a lot like a chest of drawers.  She's here - and she's built onto a trailer.  The trailer has the advantage that you can swap engines, which is good as Beatrix comes in around a hundred kilograms.  She's hefty, but has lovely bass.

Another option to consider is a tadpole-trike like the old ice-cream bikes, something like this.  They're uncommon but like rickshaws they sometimes turn up in salvage yards and round the back of real bike shops.

[The Kilted Commodore]

Professor, your help is invaluable! I hadn't even considered the trailer option. And the tadpole trike is a good suggestion as well. Many thanks!

[sasha_khan]

http://www.messengers.org/resources/history/cargo.html


This may be of some inspiration

[Great Bizarro]

If you are intending to use lead type, you are probably not going to be able to peddle such a heavy load as that would create.

[The Kilted Commodore]

Actually, I'm not certain what manner of press would be used, it just needs to be small. I'd been considering a style of letterpress, however, I dont intend to do type with it.  I intend on using some manner of press that can run woodcut or some other relief style prints.

[akumabito]

http://www.bakfiets.nl/eng/models.php
http://www.workcycles.com/workbike/

[Prof. Brockworth]

I think the plan has two big variables right now: the bike and the press.  One communicates to the other - a light press allows you conventional bikes, a very heavy press will require great wackiness.  Finding a press or a bike will probably define the rest of the project.

Personally, I like the idea of a desk built where an ice-cream bike's ice-box would be, with a single-sheet press atop the desk, and plates, ink, rolls of blank paper and printed bills in pigeonholes in the desk.  There would even be room for a bucket of wheatpaste for that Victorian bill-sticking thing.  And a fine parasol to keep the sun off your apparatus...

[Prof. Brockworth]

Came up elsewhere: Pashley Loadstar

[Silas P. Morgan]

I want to turn an old small girl's bicycle into a weird trike.... so far most of what I have figured out "should" work....

The rear wheels will be free-spinning, the original axle was a short piece of threaded rod, I figure I'll have to reinforce the rod between the wheels on the (bent) frame, but I'm not sure if it will be strong enough to not bend right at the wheels....

I've tried searching on the internet, but so far I haven't found any information on how strong the rear Axel has to be...... I can just mess with it myself, and see if it works... or hopefully someone has already figured this out.......

[Paul 8v]

That 8 Freight does have a massive wheel base. 
 
May I suggest a Sturmey archer hub as the gearing mechanism, this would eradicate the need for a long cage rear mech which would have trouble keeping tension over such a large distance. 

It would need to be built horizontal dropouts instead of vertical ones so the correct chain tension could be applied, but these are readily available or can be machined out of suitably chunky steel to cope with the stress which will be placed on them with all that weight. 

The main thing is the chain will not be flapping around so much as it will only need to cope with one cog rather than 7, 8 or 9 as is found on most modern gearing systems.

I think the later sturmey archer hubs came in 5 speed, which to be honest is more than enough to ride about on, if you need more gears i think there are other manufactures out there that do ones with a higher number of gears but Sturmey are British and old so fit the design aesthetic better.

[Prof. Brockworth]

The rear wheels will be free-spinning, the original axle was a short piece of threaded rod, I figure I'll have to reinforce the rod between the wheels on the (bent) frame, but I'm not sure if it will be strong enough to not bend right at the wheels....

I've tried searching on the internet, but so far I haven't found any information on how strong the rear Axel has to be...... I can just mess with it myself, and see if it works... or hopefully someone has already figured this out.......

Do you mean spreading the back of the bike super-wide and bolting one-sided wheels onto it?  Most frames won't take that sort of bendage without a high risk of breaking and near-certain creasing and folding -- have fun if it's a dumpster project but not if it's a quality piece.  Maybe put up a sketch?

[Prof. Brockworth]

I think the later sturmey archer hubs came in 5 speed, which to be honest is more than enough to ride about on, if you need more gears i think there are other manufactures out there that do ones with a higher number of gears but Sturmey are British and old so fit the design aesthetic better.

They did indeed come in 5-speed and a mutant 4-speed; they're both much rarer than the 3-speeds though.  A low-gear 3-speed ought to be spot on for a project like this, I'd think. 

[sir jons de sloop]

trikes should be the other way around two wheels at the front its more stable that way

[Johnny Payphone]

Heavy loads on tadpole trikes are hairy indeed a high speeds.  Having spent the better part of a decade building bikes and carrying heavy loads around on them, I would say that an extended-wheelbase standard trike built for industrial use would be your best bet.  Check out that workcycles link, they've got some great designs.  For sheer hauling of 500lb+ loads the recumbent Organic Engine (http://organicengines.com/) has the highest advertised load rating of any trike I've seen for sale (750lbs).

You want to drag that weight, not push it like an outboard motor.  I have a friend who's built a puppet theater on one of those Worksman trikes and he just uses an electric assist motor to get around.

The problem is, trikes are finicky bastards.  You'll save yourself a world of hurt if you just buy one.  OE sells kits if you need to modify it a bit to suit your needs.

Your project is ambitious, sort of like the old-fashioned version of the chalk printing bike, I do hope you'll figure out some way to run the press from the pedals.

[aquafortis]

I was wondering about getting my larger dog to pull a trolley full of shopping. Has anyone tried dog power here? Certailnly compared to a cat they are strong and obedient, there may be potential in this aspect of the creatur.e.

[Johnny Payphone]

You need to do a google image search for "dog cart"!  Every kid used to have one of these things.  I was just wondering the other day why kids don't do that anymore.

The most creative method I've seen is a sort of sidecar harness that makes the dog the motor of your bike.

[chironex]

Some friends built a huge amplifer (called Beatrix) which is a lot like a chest of drawers.  She's here - and she's built onto a trailer.  The trailer has the advantage that you can swap engines, which is good as Beatrix comes in around a hundred kilograms.  She's hefty, but has lovely bass.

Saw some homies cruising up and down Southbank blasting hip-hop on some low riding bikes once...

Another option is this:
http://www.motoringpicturelibrary.com/preview_image.asp?lcID=25&fleID=5701
The construct is powered, but looks like a more modern, lighter one could be made to work by human power.