Author Topic: Flevotrike?  (Read 1827 times)

Flevotrike?
« on: 25 February, 2022, 09:10:07 pm »
https://www.recyclebent.com/fr/post/4214

What can anyone tell me about one of these? I will probably not pursue this one, it being a bit far and about half the price of the machine to go and get it and also a bit difficult to hide from Mme, but it is very tempting  ??? I also have the plans (or various bits of them) on a hardly drive somewhere.
I am intrigued by the humongous great single chainring and worried by the apparent absence of a second brake (and the one fitted looks to me like a hydraulic canti - can one count each side as an independant brake?).

Of course if the price came down by a good bit (if it's still unsold since september) it could be tempting! :facepalm:

So who knows anything about snakes, python or other?

Mr Larrington

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Re: Flevotrike?
« Reply #1 on: 26 February, 2022, 01:11:03 am »
They are supposedly marginally easier to learn to ride that the two-wheeled version and, er, that's about it.
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Re: Flevotrike?
« Reply #2 on: 26 February, 2022, 06:22:54 am »
IIRC, Bikefix's Darth Stuart had one and could ride it proficiently.

I have a set of printed plans that I was given in the mid '90s.
If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is...

Re: Flevotrike?
« Reply #3 on: 26 February, 2022, 09:27:46 am »
It has lots of interesting features, not sure they are significant improvements on a normal trike and they lose the advantage of the simplicity and ease of riding a trike - which is a lot of the appeal.
I’m fascinated by the flavour/python concept but I reckon too much of a pita to learn.  If they were cheap it would be a different matter.
simplicity, truth, equality, peace

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
  • Custard Wallah
    • Mr Larrington's Automatic Diary
Re: Flevotrike?
« Reply #4 on: 26 February, 2022, 11:56:18 am »
Darth Stuart had a Flevoracer – the two big wheels variety – and reckoned it took him about a week of practice before he could do a lap of the block round the shop without falling off.  Multiple BHPC champion Ian Chattington had a Racer too, for the occasional LOLZ0RZ when he wasn’t kicking everyone’s arse* in a faired Davies.

Once you get the hang of the things they work fine, especially in the bits of their home country where a motorway flyover is like unto an Alpine col.  We went touring for a few days after the 1990 Europeans with a Native Guide riding a Flevobike with a huge home-built single-wheel trailer.  He only touched the handlebars when gears or brakes were required and usually kept his hands behind his head.

* Slash spent a while in the late 90s not racing.
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

Re: Flevotrike?
« Reply #5 on: 26 February, 2022, 01:09:34 pm »
They are supposedly marginally easier to learn to ride that the two-wheeled version and, er, that's about it.

Digging into the memories of a few years ago I had a passing working acquaintance with a local italian who had built a python ("peeton"! It took me all our collaboration to understand what he meant.) trike, perhaps from plans, prehaps totally diy. I never saw it (his home was out in the limousin profond) and he was forbidden to even think of riding it by his close family after he put it in a ditch that might not have been on his side of the road. Pompiers were mentionned in the telling of the tale! He was very taken with the concept, which I didn't know at the time. I think the angle of the hinge is perhaps a bit critical and he didn't get his sums right; it must be one of those things that is dependant on body weight and riding position to remain stable - get it wrong and the beast will never go in a straight line. Difficult to think of a trike being unstable (stability being their principal advantage). The two-wheelers must be real snakes, hissing contempt at all timorous humanoids!


Once you get the hang of the things they work fine, especially in the bits of their home country where a motorway flyover is like unto an Alpine col.  We went touring for a few days after the 1990 Europeans with a Native Guide riding a Flevobike with a huge home-built single-wheel trailer.  He only touched the handlebars when gears or brakes were required and usually kept his hands behind his head.



Do I infer that the gentle foothills of the Limousin would not be a fitting playground for such a toy?

IIRC, Bikefix's Darth Stuart had one and could ride it proficiently.

I have a set of printed plans that I was given in the mid '90s.

I may be tempted to chop up a bit of steel now that I have a photo or two of the real thing. Can I refer to you if there are any chunks missing in the plans that I have? (I think they are fairly complete)

Re: Flevotrike?
« Reply #6 on: 26 February, 2022, 01:21:04 pm »

IIRC, Bikefix's Darth Stuart had one and could ride it proficiently.

I have a set of printed plans that I was given in the mid '90s.

I may be tempted to chop up a bit of steel now that I have a photo or two of the real thing. Can I refer to you if there are any chunks missing in the plans that I have? (I think they are fairly complete)

Sure.

I know 'Stormbird', as he is known on forums, has built a Python trike, and has riden it with YACFers on some rides at Mildenhall rally. I think it was at Mildenhall in the late '90s that I saw Darth Stuart ride a Flevo trike (if not it must have been a Leicester Spokesfest in the early '00s. I remeber being impressed by him riding one wheel at the back over about a 6" obsticle - getting the rear end at about 30deg!

If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is...

Re: Flevotrike?
« Reply #7 on: 26 February, 2022, 02:25:28 pm »

IIRC, Bikefix's Darth Stuart had one and could ride it proficiently.

I have a set of printed plans that I was given in the mid '90s.

I may be tempted to chop up a bit of steel now that I have a photo or two of the real thing. Can I refer to you if there are any chunks missing in the plans that I have? (I think they are fairly complete)

Sure.

I know 'Stormbird', as he is known on forums, has built a Python trike, and has riden it with YACFers on some rides at Mildenhall rally. I think it was at Mildenhall in the late '90s that I saw Darth Stuart ride a Flevo trike (if not it must have been a Leicester Spokesfest in the early '00s. I remeber being impressed by him riding one wheel at the back over about a 6" obsticle - getting the rear end at about 30deg!

I have done worse - several meters in a tractor balanced on one wheel (downside front wheel, 4wd tractor). A bale of wrapped sileage on the loader, a sloping path in front of the barn and a rock just placed to lift the upside rear wheel into orbit with the other following lift-off. I did not need to change underwear - but it was close!

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
  • Custard Wallah
    • Mr Larrington's Automatic Diary
Re: Flevotrike?
« Reply #8 on: 26 February, 2022, 02:49:29 pm »

Once you get the hang of the things they work fine, especially in the bits of their home country where a motorway flyover is like unto an Alpine col.  We went touring for a few days after the 1990 Europeans with a Native Guide riding a Flevobike with a huge home-built single-wheel trailer.  He only touched the handlebars when gears or brakes were required and usually kept his hands behind his head.



Do I infer that the gentle foothills of the Limousin would not be a fitting playground for such a toy?

Front-wheel drive, not light and Dutch gearing?  If you have thighs like tugboats, calves like a gazelle's and bionic blood you’ll probably be OK :D
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime