And always in the back of my mind is the fact that all our trikes are sourced from overseas and as such we are at the mercy of international exchange rates and trade policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So where do our options lie? Face down on the ground as I see it and struggling to even turn over. But just for the exercise, let us have a look at the practicalities of making a trike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Setting Up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\nFirst up some tooling. While it\u2019s possible to make lots of things with a hacksaw and some files, let\u2019s not pretend we are crazy enough to do that! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- We\u2019ll need a welder, preferably a TIG welder. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- We\u2019ll have to make many round cylindrical things and that means a lathe. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- To shape and drill metal accurately means a milling machine. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Add on a variety of hand tools, files, drills, grinders, plus the various extra tools needed for the machine tools.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
![\"Milling](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dtrecumbents.com.au\/DTRecumbents\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Mill.jpg?resize=600%2C478&ssl=1\")
Milling Machine<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nSay $10,000 worth (and these are only small but capable machines). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oh, and a means to draw and design our trike. And don\u2019t forget we need to have or be prepared to learn the skills to use all this stuff. Otherwise we have to pay some else who does have the skill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Technical](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dtrecumbents.com.au\/DTRecumbents\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Drawing.png?resize=625%2C187&ssl=1\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nFrame Decisions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What will we make the frame from. Aluminium? Make a decent light frame hey! Ahhh, but the high strength weldable aluminium alloys aren\u2019t available in AU. 6061T6 is available in limited sizes (mostly for the aerospace industry) but heat treating this after welding is pretty much a no-go, and the current state of the art bicycle frame material 7005 is simply not available in any size. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\nOK then, we\u2019ll use steel. Budget bikes from Asia often advertise they are made from \u201chigh tensile\u201d steel, ok for our entry level trike we\u2019ll use that. Ah, maybe we won\u2019t\u2026not readily available here. Right then, mild steel it is, at least we can get that! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To save some frame weight (about 25%) we can use higher strength chrome molybdenum steel (4130) that is typically imported for aviation and race car use. It\u2019s significantly more expensive but in the quantities we want it\u2019s tolerable.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n![\"Lathe](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dtrecumbents.com.au\/DTRecumbents\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Lathe.jpg?resize=600%2C400&ssl=1\")
SmalLathe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nParts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Now we need some cycle parts. Lots of cycle parts. Hubs, spokes, rim strips, rims, tubes, tyres, brakes, brake discs, steering bearings, handlebar grips, shifters, derailleurs, cables, crankset, pedals, odd nuts and bolts, the list seems endless. Throw in the recumbent parts like idlers, steering track rods and bearings, and then make provision for accessories like headrests, accessory mounts etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\nSourcing from within Australia is desired, but the choice can be limiting as the importers bring in parts to support the bikes they sell, not to support budding builders. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n![\"Steel](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dtrecumbents.com.au\/DTRecumbents\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Cruciform-and-tubes.jpg?resize=625%2C267&ssl=1\")
Part that need to be made: The Cruciform (cross piece) and various smaller parts that need to be made.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\nTake wheel hubs as an example: on a trike\u2019s front wheels we want to use a hub with a through axle configuration to match our axle (12 or 15mm). This limit\u2019s our choice significantly, and when we then choose a spoke count to match available rims we are probably down to a choice of two, neither of them cheap. A manufacturer in Asia can order several thousand hubs built to their specification for a fraction of the cost per hub compared to our option.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n![\"Collection](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dtrecumbents.com.au\/DTRecumbents\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Some-Parts.jpg?resize=600%2C448&ssl=1\")
Generic bicycle parts<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nChoosing, for the point of this exercise, components that are low to mid-tier, the cost price for enough parts to fit out a trike (3×9 speed) comes to $1300 in round terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Building it<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\nLabour is a tricky question, it\u2019s really hard to know how long it will take until it\u2019s done. Let\u2019s allow 60 manhours, remembering we are making everything other than standard bike parts. (And I think this is actually on the low side.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Commercial welding rates are between $60 and $100\/hr, so we\u2019ll use $75 and halve that for the cost rate (but I don\u2019t think there will be many welders working for $37.50\/hr). Labour cost is therefore $2250. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
First up some tooling. While it\u2019s possible to make lots of things with a hacksaw and some files, let\u2019s not pretend we are crazy enough to do that! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- We\u2019ll need a welder, preferably a TIG welder. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- We\u2019ll have to make many round cylindrical things and that means a lathe. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- To shape and drill metal accurately means a milling machine. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Add on a variety of hand tools, files, drills, grinders, plus the various extra tools needed for the machine tools.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
Milling Machine<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Say $10,000 worth (and these are only small but capable machines). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oh, and a means to draw and design our trike. And don\u2019t forget we need to have or be prepared to learn the skills to use all this stuff. Otherwise we have to pay some else who does have the skill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nFrame Decisions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What will we make the frame from. Aluminium? Make a decent light frame hey! Ahhh, but the high strength weldable aluminium alloys aren\u2019t available in AU. 6061T6 is available in limited sizes (mostly for the aerospace industry) but heat treating this after welding is pretty much a no-go, and the current state of the art bicycle frame material 7005 is simply not available in any size. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\nOK then, we\u2019ll use steel. Budget bikes from Asia often advertise they are made from \u201chigh tensile\u201d steel, ok for our entry level trike we\u2019ll use that. Ah, maybe we won\u2019t\u2026not readily available here. Right then, mild steel it is, at least we can get that! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To save some frame weight (about 25%) we can use higher strength chrome molybdenum steel (4130) that is typically imported for aviation and race car use. It\u2019s significantly more expensive but in the quantities we want it\u2019s tolerable.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\nSmalLathe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Parts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Now we need some cycle parts. Lots of cycle parts. Hubs, spokes, rim strips, rims, tubes, tyres, brakes, brake discs, steering bearings, handlebar grips, shifters, derailleurs, cables, crankset, pedals, odd nuts and bolts, the list seems endless. Throw in the recumbent parts like idlers, steering track rods and bearings, and then make provision for accessories like headrests, accessory mounts etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\nSourcing from within Australia is desired, but the choice can be limiting as the importers bring in parts to support the bikes they sell, not to support budding builders. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\nPart that need to be made: The Cruciform (cross piece) and various smaller parts that need to be made.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n \n\nTake wheel hubs as an example: on a trike\u2019s front wheels we want to use a hub with a through axle configuration to match our axle (12 or 15mm). This limit\u2019s our choice significantly, and when we then choose a spoke count to match available rims we are probably down to a choice of two, neither of them cheap. A manufacturer in Asia can order several thousand hubs built to their specification for a fraction of the cost per hub compared to our option.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\nGeneric bicycle parts<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Choosing, for the point of this exercise, components that are low to mid-tier, the cost price for enough parts to fit out a trike (3×9 speed) comes to $1300 in round terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Building it<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\nLabour is a tricky question, it\u2019s really hard to know how long it will take until it\u2019s done. Let\u2019s allow 60 manhours, remembering we are making everything other than standard bike parts. (And I think this is actually on the low side.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Commercial welding rates are between $60 and $100\/hr, so we\u2019ll use $75 and halve that for the cost rate (but I don\u2019t think there will be many welders working for $37.50\/hr). Labour cost is therefore $2250. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
![\"Recumbent](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dtrecumbents.com.au\/DTRecumbents\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Frame-fabrication.jpg?resize=600%2C400&ssl=1\")
![\"recumbent](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dtrecumbents.com.au\/DTRecumbents\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/GT3-e1741829783797.jpg?resize=450%2C340&ssl=1\")