I have another question to ponder. I was thinking 8" to top of side-deck. but we got to thinkin' that leaves 6 1/2" clearance [ On-road only ]. Does this sound about right. Deck will be 36" x 36" with nothing hanging but the side-deck wheel. There still doing a lot of talk and not much welding on my deck yet, good thing it's cold and snow. I can wait awhile yet, If it was nice like some of you guys in sunny places, I'd be looking for another welder.
I was surfin' another site last night and there were people complaining about going across metal grate bridges with solo bikes. With a sidecar do they bother you much? There's a bridge In Kelona BC that has metal grate, I'm going to have to cross. Any advice would be nice.
Thank a Pile, Brian [ brian-holt@shaw.ca ]
that frame height depends on the diameter of your wheel and where the axle is placedyour 6 1/2 "clearance sounds good.make sure your mounts will line up to the bike OK, when the frame is level all around.more experienced builders will give you more help here :o)
The only time I've had any problem with steel grate roadways is with a narrow 21" tire on a solo bike. Some have had problems with a flat tread radial tire also.
The ridges, like some road seams, will have a tendency to hold the tire to one side or the other until enough lateral pressure forces it to pass (hop) over the ridge.
This can cause a real problem with a solo bike. If the front wheel is on one side and the rear wheel stays on the other, the rider could lose control and overturn. Like being caught on both sides of a railroad track.
I have found that road seam ridges, bridge grating and rain grooves aren't much of a problem if you relax and don't try to hold too tight on the bars to try and control the bike. This could cause a tank slapping wheel wobble and you might go down. Relax a bit and the bike will take the path of least resistance and the gyroscopic effect will keep it up.
With a sidecar rig these conditions are a lot less noticable. With auto radials on the bike there may be a tendency to resist crossing ridges but the same applies to a car. Two track vehicles just react differently than single track ones.
Lonnie
I've been over the bridge with a car and it does tend to grab the tires, but if you let it find it's route it's ok. I've seen people block the bridge and back a car off they were so scared. Mostly noise, While driving freight truck you get a ripple up and down over and over but no sideways stuff, Like circus ride, but sides and oncoming idiots. They scared me a few times.
But 100/200 ton electric hauls were worse. If you had seniority you could come from underground mine to 100 ton for 2 weeks till tested then with seniority bid and get 200 ton to drive and read pocket books while driving, worst you could get was 3 days off. Idiot driving fuel truck gas/desiel was coming head on at me empty, Thankfully. Instead of getting over he stops on my side of road, I couldn't see front of kenworth when I stopped. Kinda heart stopping, Especially your brakes are no good over 5 mph they fry, so retarder till almost stopped, I could have killed him if I'd gotten out of cab.
