Leo's Homebuilt Custom Recumbent Projects - 1/2007 & 10/2005

Leo has been so busy that this page is a little on the large side but I did want you to be able to see how well his latest effort, a good looking recumbent trike, turned out. I've left his previous projects here also. ss

In January 2007 Leo finished the trike in the photos below and wrote:

"Well, I finally finished the trike, took a few months off building, but it was worth the wait. I was really surprised how good it came out. all of the steering geometry paid off, it goes straight and it can be steered just by leaning. I think it needs a higher final gear, then it will really crank. The adjustable sliding seat track makes adjusting the seat so simple, it will go from a 6' person to a 5'2" just like a car seat, and about 2" more in the boom. Only problem is that I've run out of room in my shop, have to sell these to build another one."

Early days in the life of the trike	Finished and basking in the sun!

"The trike weighs in at 43 lbs, considering it is made of square steel tubing and has a truck adjustable seat track and a metal shell seat, I was surprised it is that light, it's not much more  than a production model. I had two people sitting on it and it will hold at least 300 lbs. I found a place to get free steel tubing and with an ample supply of this material, it makes fabrication much less expensive. I've got plans to buy a better MIG or possibly a TIG welder so I can use aluminum on the next one."

Back in October, 2005 Leo sent in these photos of his homebuilt recumbent with these comments...

"I TOYED WITH THE IDEA OF BUILDING ONE OF THESE WEIRD LOOKING BIKES, AND AFTER SEEING A COUPLE OF THEM AROUND TOWN I DECIDED TO MAKE ONE. I COLLECTED A FEW DISCARDED FRAMES OUT OF THE ROAD SIDE TRASH, AND TOGETHER WITH A FEW OTHER NON-BIKE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, HERE IS WHAT DEVELOPED. TOTAL COST OF PARTS UNDER $1O.OO, THE COST OF CABLES AND A CHAIN BREAKER TOOL. INCLUDED ARE: RIDING LAWN MOWER SEAT, STRIDE GLIDER EXERCISE MACHINE, LAWN CHAIR, AND A STEERING COLUMN SHAFT FROM A CHRYSLER SEBRING, AND SEVEN SPEEDS TO BOOT. THE MOST EXPENSIVE PARTS WERE THE CANS OF PAINT, $12.95"

"...I HAVE ALREADY STARTED COLLECTING MORE RAW MATERIAL
(JUNK BIKES), I AM A FIRM BELIEVER IN " SELECTIVE CURBSIDE RECYCLING" TO
BUILD ANOTHER ONE OR TWO. THE PROBLEM IS, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH THEM
AFTER I BUILD THEM, I THINK HAVE A LOT MORE FUN JUST BUILDING THAN I DO
RIDING."

Regarding the bike shown above Leo wrote "... I redesigned it with USS and built it a big brother to go riding with, the low rider rides sooooo much better that the short one I actually made two of them, one was the prototype, it looks like crap but it rides great, I am going to hate to cut it up, but I have plans for some of it's parts a trike that's in progress on my bench."

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