The quickest way to spot a home-make recumbent is the seat. A lot of times they are made of wood with foam padding, or have a "lawn chair" look. I decided to build a version called a "sling seat" because it looked good, and more importantly, looked comfortable.
The frame is made from electrical conduit tubing, which is available in several sizes at most hardware stores. The only drawback is a zinc coating which needs to be removed before heating since it gives off toxic gas. Other than that, it is pretty easy to bend and work with. The plans on the web actually give full size printouts, which make it easy to get the right fit.
The covering is made of a material called Phifertex. It is a vinyl covered nylon mesh, and is designed for outdoor furniture. It is extremely strong and rip resistant. Its main advantage is allowing sweat to evaporate from your back while you are riding.Instead of sewing the material onto the frame as the plans suggested, I used grommets and lacing. That will allow it to be adjusted to the right tension, and allow it to be easily replaced.
4 comments:
I already knew that. I can't wate to see Mom in it.
Slick! Seems like you could use a couple of strips of duct tape or something in place of a rear fender when the road is wet.
Impressive!
You know Neil is going to have some duck-tape-related solution. That's his approach to windshields as well.
Wasn't phifertex invented by Michelle Pfifer? Just like Gore-tex was invented by Al Gore...or was that the internet?
- Mike
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