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Extendable Frame

 

The frame was built from scratch by our team. We purchased Chromoly steel tubing, aluminum tubing, and clamps in order to weld a completely custom frame. Our goal for the frame was to have three parallel tubes that would be able to extend as Troy grew.  We accomplished this by inserting aluminum adapters into the steel tubing, which would allow for the steel tubes to slide inside one another, and extend much like an average bike seat does.  Slots were cut into the tubing to allow for clamps to firmly seal the steel tubes together. 

 

It was imperative that the adjustable components of the frame be parallel, or else the frame would not be able to extend in unision. A wooden jig was built, shown to the left, so that we could ensure that all components would be welded at the proper angles.

Rear Suspension

 

Two steel plates placed on top of the rear fork and were bolted in with washers and nylock nuts with 3-¼” holes drilled through each plate to allow the rear fork to move closer to the main bike frame. A hole was also drilled through the top of the rear fork so that a u-channel could be attached. The fork connects to this u-channel, which was welded to the seat tube of the frame, and is attached with a bolt and nylock nut. This design allows the entire frame to be raised since the fork length is constant while the adjustment on the two steel plates will change the angle.

Bike Project

 

Our bike was designed to accomdate for our client's, Troy, needs. Troy had spastic hemiplegic neuromuscular cerebral palsy, which means that the left side of his body is constantly tensed making it difficult for him to stay upright as well as operate pedals and handlebars on a standard bike. He also is projected to grow to be over 6 feet tall, so our mission was to design a bike that he could operate independently, safely, and comfortably as he grew. Through this project we worked closely with a bike expert, Les Welch; JMU machinists, specifically Mark Starnes; and a technical consulatant/welder, John Wild.

Final Product

 

This is Troy riding the same bike my team designed at an event hosted by JMU Engineering 2 years after he recieved his bike.  Below is the bike we built on the back of the Troy's family van. 

Disk Brake Adapter

 

The braking system included a front rim brake and a rear disk brake, triggered by one right hand brake. The rim brake was standard, but the disk brake had to have a trike adapter added to it in order for it to stop both wheels at the same time. The disk brake adapter essentially was a manufactured disk that bolted onto the gear that would be squeezed by the caliper. It held in place and stopped the axel by having a key slot which tightened the disk with the gear attached onto the axel

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