2015-12-20 Kickoff Meeting and Video - Measuring the Past to Build the Future Electric Handcycle


This video shows Ted and Cody riding my two main handcycles. The first one is called the Travel Bike. It is a lightweight, narrow handcycle that comes apart and is perfect for travel. The second handcycle is my everyday bike that I keep at home. I’m mainly seen running my two border collies with this bike. That is my bio-assist version. 


The kickoff meeting was held at Wojcik Cycles on December 20, 2015. Our main goal was to make detailed measurements of both existing handcycles and be able to design a new bike using the best features of both.


The Travel Bike getting measured. Notice the silver coupler in the black tube. This is a stainless steel S&S Coupler http://www.sandsmachine.com/spec_ssc.htm that allows the bike to break down in minutes and fit just about anywhere, including the back of a Fiat taxi in Italy.


We measured the head tube angles and the steering trail. This illustration shows that the travel bike has just a little bit of trail. We’ll probably use a similar head tube angle (55 degrees) and trail on the Electric Handcycle, but we’ll use a 20” wheel.


Measuring the trail on the New England Handcycle. Again, the trail is small…a few centimeters.


Ted Wojcik (left) and Cody Wojcik (right) with the tools of the day. We got all the key measurements made, and Cody started a Solidworks model of the geometry of both existing bikes.