Trike questions

[Tim Hall]

As mentioned om the Tandems board, I've just bough a Longstaff tandem trike. I've a few questions which are trike, rather than tandem, related so I've put them here. 
The serial number stamped on the rear BB shell ends in -88, so I'm guessing it was made in 1988.

It's got a two wheel drive with a six speed block.


 A bit of web based research turned up this post https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=18038.0 which suggests the grease nipple isn't particularly useful and that a Trykit conversion is better than the Longstaff 2WD transmission. I can't find anything about what maintenance, if any, is needed for the 2WD unit nor how they work. Pointers would be useful.

It's got a rear carrier bolted to it.

At present I bungee a small rucsac to it to carry waterproofs, tools, fags etc.  Is there a neater solution?   There is a pair of M10 bolts on the left and right sides , facing outwards (see photo). What are they for?  There's also a pair of M5 hex head socket bolts facing downwards on the carrier cross member. Again, what are they for? Light fixing?

Finally, what bodges are available for fitting rear mudguards. As you can see it's got rear hub brakes. I'm thinking of attaching something to there.




 

[LittleWheelsandBig]

The Longstaff 2WD uses paired 7sp Maillard freewheel bodies. You only get 6 cogs because Longstaff’s ‘baked bean tin’ takes one of the cog positions on the first freewheel. The plastic ring covers most of the cog positions on the second freewheel. Maintenance is not easy and replacing wornout cogs is becoming ever more difficult.

The longterm answer is a replacement Trykit 2WD unit that uses Shimano cassettes, of course. http://trykit.com/ will machine your existing half-axles to fit their freehub unit, so it is a bit cheaper than converting a 1WD trike.

The Tricycle Association forum is where the real trike experts hang out. A useful thread to read might be https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/on3wheels/failed-longstaff-2-wheel-drive-t2468.html

The fittings on the rack crossmember are to mount a pair of custom (bent steel) taillight brackets.

Most folk bungee down an oversized saddlebag on top of the ‘toast-rack’. Rufus the tandem trike has a very nice custom racktop bag. https://judithswallow.com/tag/tandem-trike/

Not sure what the M10s are for. They might be rear mudguard mounts. Usually mudguards are bolted to stiff framework that clamps around the rear axle. https://pedal-trikes.blogspot.com/2012/07/10th-july-2012.html

Primax tandem drum brakes are pretty rare. Most Longstaffs used Arai tandem drums, sometimes with the weighty cooling fins machined off.

[drossall]

Try paging through the photos on Trykit's site - last (right-hand) menu item. Various relevant illustrations of mudguards and racks.

[Tim Hall]

Brilliant, thanks both. I'm off down a couple of internet rabbit holes.

[Ian H]

There was a good reason why, in the days of compulsory mudguards, AUK didn't mandate rear guards for trikes.