The total cost was some where between $100- 200 dollars and this was for the steel that I bought from a steel merchant rather than Bunnings/Masterrs as there cost are a lot higher and you Have to buy a certain size only . I found gathered and picked up about 4-5 bikes to cut up for parts . One for the back half two for the front wheels assemble and a good set of gears from one of them . I started collecting a bikes about a month before starting the project .

Niall, cheers for posting this, I'm just starting a similar (but two-wheeled) recumbent project , and your video has given me a few hints!

Great work, very informative video. Id like to share a great tip for stick welding. When you place the earth lead put a bit of scrap plate steel with it. Use this to warm up your rods by dragging them along it before commencing the structural weld. That way the rod will be ready and strike an arc easily. Also the weld will be cleaner and stronger. Great vid tyvm

Thats great to hear you are going to build a recumbent, welcome to the world of recumbents as once you have ride on a recumbent theres no going back. Good luck on the build.

Very good. I learned a lot from you. Thank you.I made a trike inspired by his trike. I used the same technique

Been riding my AZ Streefox for about 6 weeks now. Steering and all has worked great from the first. My main difficulty has been with the deraileurs and idler pulley. Ive about got it all worked out though. Redid my derailleurs to position closer to the gearing. Changed the idler from a metal idler like in the plans to a nylon idler pulley. The dang metal one was too loud. Heck im using a 220v arc welder. Does fine. Dont really desire a MIG. Do like your chop saw though. Now i need to change my crank bearings, they are too loud. Hope to build more trikes, bikes from AZ. Oh, the seat, i ended up with a padded seat all the way up to support my head with lumbar support. I just kept positioning temporary boards til it felt right and then used hard foam to prop the lumbar and head, then 2 inch foam over that off an old mattress pad.

Great ! Thank You ! Safe and enjoyable riding of course ;)

Thanks, one of the vids that made me build my own one which turned out superb

Good video and a good explanation, it looks so simple, use a simple weldig machine. And it is always exciting when the trike goes for his first ride. I see that you have fun on the buildingplan and fun at the ride. Keep on going.

gracias por compartir tus ideas que han sido muy provechosas para mi porque estaba navegando en busca de informacion para construir un triciclo y como aprovechar al maximo las piezas de bicicleta que tengo. Cuando lo construya voy a postar el video para que puedas ver si puedes aprovechar alguna de mis ideas....un gran abrazo a la distancia hermano!!!

Most Excellent Work was well done Sir! Now I just wish I had a shop set up with tools to do my one trike projects. Sadly everything I had owned in a tool shop was stolen while I was serving in the military. Anyway, it looks like you had done an excellent job and a very well done video. I estimated that for the cost of the tools and equipment I would have spent on a new trike. (sigh) But I am hopeful some day I can put one together. I am already collecting the spare bikes. For both the Trike & trailer.

AC stick welders are a bugger to use, my hats off to you Mate!

That's a pretty cool build! :) Congrats!

Thanks for the great video. Hoping to do something similar in the near future.

Thanks for the tip this will help heaps!

I started welding when i was 18 years old , i had to teach my self , the same with wood work and cabinetry. I learnt how to plaster tile and lay floor boards etc. You have to start some where and as you go along you will get better and better at it . You just have to start. Theres places to learn how to weld try your local tech school , from there the only thing holding you back is yourself and your imagination....

Thanks for the video, I have plenty of donor bikes and plan to build a trike myself, If I do well on the trikes I will probably tig weld the rest and possibly go to aluminum built frames.

Well done! Very interesting welding tech as well. I have a question. How long is the square tube from the lower suspension joint to the seat angled tube center point right where you have welleded ? It looks very short? Ok. I wait your answer anyway.

grind a little of the blue paint off first where your going to make your tack.. makes for an easier start.

Wow. Amazing plan on that . Awesome skills. Thank you for sharing .

Hi Niall. As a guide wheel, try using the toothed wheels from a spare rear derailleur with a spring to keep a little tension. There shouldn't be any noise cause the teeth would catch and move with it also it should keep the chain in good line with the chainwheel and freewheel.

Awesome Niall, simply awesome. Nice build. Great video.

this video is getting me excited to build my own! so one question i have for you is what the thickness of the steel is that you used is?great video and thanks!

Lots of good incite here, thank you! Have you considered converting to scratch start tig welding? You can use your current welder. It works great!!

Try grinding off the paint for a better strike.

Thanks. Nice ride.

I'll admit I have no experience at building anything but as I watched the video and the problem with the noisy wheel you had to replace, I wondered. Wouldn't it be easier to just put a small pinion in there?? I also thought it would nice to put an extra diagonal support for the rack. Anyway considering it's home-built and your resources to avoid high costs I think you made and excellent job. I've been lately learning about recumbent trikes, I really like what I see. Here I've been trying to find someone to build one for me but I haven't been able yet. I hope you build more and still improve your design!! Best wishes!!

DEAR FRIEND NYALL POVEY suas ideias são fascinantesm e me aguçou mais ainda a ideia que eu tinha anteriormente de fazer algo assim como a street strider caseira, ficou muito bacana também estou fazendo algo parecido com o que voce fez , gostei demais de suas dicas,,,,, parabéns pela criatividade...

Very nice trike. Have you thought about making a 4 wheel bike. Taking 2 mountain bike wheels and use them in the back and 2 slightly smaller wheels in the font. Keeping the peddles where they are.

Hey Mr Niall, Nice work & inspirational. I'm about to get started on cutting up n making both (wife & myself 1). As Mark Alden mention his tip & another FYI: if you'd wire brush- cleaning or grinding the area that Ur trying to tac weld, it helps w/starting Ur arc. Just a helpful tip (I'm no pro welder by any means) clean area makes for easier n cleaner welds. Enjoyed it 👍n Thx from DavnTenn

\thatnks for posting great video it has given me a few ideas

muchas gracias, en lo sencillo también hay belleza.

i like it. but gonna make mine into an electric bike. can u show more on the steering assembly i am still having issues figuring this out ty.

Good work. What is the chassis/body sizes?

So did you find your standard wheel axles hold up ok? Because most recumbent trikes have a lot bigger hubs?

What was the approximate cost of your project?

Came across and rode a recumbent trike for the first time today and found it really fun but like many I don't have £1000 + to spend on the ice trike I tested. Given my 5+ years experience in the engineering field i had to take a closer inspection of the frame and functions and quickly realised that it would be quite a good option for my first home build and found this video quite helpful. Had a few good ideas that I think would be quite effective so ill be doing a video journal myself that ill be sharing soon. Can't wait to get into work Monday morning and start gathering materials for my build.. how many hours would you estimate on your build to date?

nie ważne jak,ważne że sam.Dobra robota!

Is there a easy way to adjust the kingpin´s because there we need to be precise for the camber and wheel adjustment. is there a kind of mold for?

Thanks for the comments I have been able to ride much as we have just bought another house so till Things settle I will have to wait but I am really dieting to get on the bike as soon as I can happy riding ..

You god, thanks, I've been killing the head in the shop, thinking how to make the main draw.

i enjoyed that video as allways

Great! I am studying from your video.thank you!

Great video Where did you get the plans please im in the uk

I like the way this is done and am wondering how well this could be made into either an email bike or a hybrid bike with pedal assist and have a trailor hitch to pull a small trailor behind for both going to the store or hunting it would help a lot.

Ok fair point I will have to find an old shirt to where. Thanks

awesome....sir may i know what new innovation u hv made in this trike

A trike for under $200, nice. 👍 as for modifications, I would have angled the boom up for the pedals and not added the heavy metal rack piece. Raising the boom for the pedals makes for more efficient pedaling. And a set of bolt on aluminum bike racks would be more than sufficient for anything you’re going to carry on them, and be much lighter. The only criticism I have is you welding over the paint. I see you’ve been welding for years, self taught, my grandfather taught me how to weld, he was an owner operator of a welding shop. Built horse trailers and did repair work mostly, but he was big on starting with a clean, rust free surface. Clean off the paint before you weld, you’ll have a much better looking and stronger weld when you’re finished. But over all, nicely done. Kind of makes me want to build my own. 👍

Very interesting I would suggest with the chain guid wheel, why not use an old single speed sprocket from a rear wheel.

You should consider grinding the paint off, that way you don't overheat the parts trying to weld them and get a cleaner stronger weld. Overall nice build.

Yes the recumbent is still going but I have taken up down hill mountain bike riding lately so it has not been out much .

What hubs/axles did you use for the front wheels? I cannot imagine that a stock axle would support the weight when fastened on one side only..

Great video, very inspiring, Thanks👍

Nobody on youtube ever uses more protection than a helmet when welding. It's important.

you´re driving on the wrong roadside :-) greeting from the continent

I've just started hunting around for a recumbent trike. this is a lot cheaper than whats on the market here in aus, 2.5k plus. and theres none for sale in tas.

Excellent video . Thanks .

Hi Niall. What did you use for an axle for the front wheels? Mild steel or hardened steel?

What size square tubing are you using one or one and a half inch square tubing?

Enjoyed your video. Im also building the streetfox and am at the front brake/steering brackets stage. Got past the steering tubes 75deg/ center point alignment stuff, whew! I see you are using a weight bench for your seat. How is that working for you? Im all over the place trying to decide which seat to use.

Hey Niall, Great vid! Did you think of using a small sprocket, like one from a derailer instead of a roller blade wheel? It might offer less friction, but hey, if it works it works!

4:05 whay havnt you ground away the paint ????

Hola amigo buen invento tienes algunas medidas como para tener alguna idea ..

I like this build and am wondering if this can be made as a hybrid ( gas/electric ) pedal assist trike and add a small pull behind trailor for going to the store also what size are the wheels and can 4 inch wide fat tires be used for this? I am a little large about 260 in weight ( pounds ) I really like the way it is made. What do you think of the idea?

would like to have seen the rack being built choice of backbox maybe motorcycle box with lights on back side panniers

Hi did you make any special changes to the front wheel axels

just wondering, was all the steel used to make the trike mild steel or a mix of chromo and mild steel?

Hi Niall. I have started to build my trike. I have bought a bmx for the wheels. I thought it had 14mm axles but it has 10mm. I still have to get a couple of bike frames for the steering and head sets and a decent bottom bracket. This is the only video I keep coming back to as it is more informative to us. I think i have watched it about 9 times now. Still going to watch a few more. :). What size (thickness) plates did you weld to the steering to bolt the wheels to. I was going to weld the front and back wheel hangers together (front and back, front and back from each side so they match) but the fronts are steel and the reatrs are aluminium. :(. I might weld thick washers on them for more thickness. Thanks for the inspiration and help. Ian

Hey Naill, Been watching your video(s) of your Recumbent bicycle.. great work.. You have inspired me to get started on one and I was wondering.. which plan(s) did you follow from the Atomiczombie website? p.s keep up the great work :)

nice job

The box steel was as thin as i could weld with out blow holes in it (about 1.6mm). Weld what every thickness you feel comftable welding, next time Im going to use round piping and thinner and mig weld it to keep the weight down..as im looking at building a fairing for it next. Hopfully next time i will document it a bit better as some times a got carryed away with the building and forgot to video what I was doing..

Its funny, I'm going to be building this exact same trike soon. Street Fox right? I've never welded before but we'll see how it goes.

Super 👍

Im loking for 6061-T6 aluminun square tube 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" x 1/16" online but Ionly find 1/8" wall. I was checking different information online and everybody talking about 1/16" wall not 1/8" wall. Can I build a recimbent with 1/8" wall?

great video! You've mentioned some plans for making a trike. Would you be so kind to give me some info on that? I think i may undertake a trike building project

hi was just wondering what kind of box section steel you use mild or stainless and wall thickness thanks good video want to build one myself did you paint it up when all done would love to see finished trike

Try a bit of loctite 'wick in' in between the plates in your welder. It'll take the rattle out.

Where do I learn how to do this? What's the name of the dicipline used to build things like these? Welding, sawing and all that...

nice work mate, even with old school arc welding, i am looking to use similar plans but tig and aluminum.. hiw comprehensive were the plans?

With your time and materials what do you think the trike is worth?

Now install a hub motor on the back wheel to make an E-Tadpole. :)

instead of using the skate wheel to keep the chain off the frame, what about using a derailleur pulley from another bicycle?

nice, very nice !

Execellent video!

I have just watched both of your videos building the recumbent trike. What size steel did you use. I have a couple of 4ft lengths of roof bars (for a roof box on a car) which are 30mm x 20mm x 1mm thick steel. I dont know if this is strong enough or if I have to buy some other steel. I am thinking of doing the same back end as yours instead of a solid build. Suspension seems it would be more comfy. I am thinking 26" wheel on the rear and either a pair of 24" or 20" on the front. Is there a certain distance from the rear fork pivot or join the front axle has to be or is the rule of thumb the centre of the front wheels in line with the knees. I will buy a set of plans from AtomicZombie, but have not decided which ones I will go for. Thanks in advance. I am in Uk.

Excelente es usted muy ingenioso.

You ride on the left side right? So you will need a front view mirror.

Hi! I know recumbent bikes are better for people with back issues but all trikes I see including this one have another problem. The backrest is very sloping and you have to bend your back in the upper part to see the road. This causes upper back issues, the body takes the same posture if you are sitting on a desk. Is there a way to make the backrest more upright?

thank you sir it is helpful to me

Молодец. Я тоже буду делать трайк)))

hi, i have question about front wheel hubs, did you use normal hubs, or hubs made for recumbent trikes and lefty MTB, and are normal hubs strong enough to be used like that?

Sir. You might get a book about welding. And maybe get a grinder to help prep the surface?😮

nice job...thanks.

Parabéns. Belo trabalho!

Otimo video amigo...parabens...gostaria de saber as medidas por favor...

Me podria pasar las medidas de los angulos del tren delantero ?

try having lower aps on your welder. seems like you have to much. Try 45-55. Only a tip :) since i saw you had lots of slag. looks cool. you got a sub from me :)

yes i have just bought a mirror after a car passed me that i didnt hear was coming .

what size steel did you use for the frame....was it 40mm x 40mm or 50mm x 50mm?

Very very good