Do you ride a recumbent bike? I haven’t ride my bike recently but I tried to ride it. But its idler was cracked!
Cracked idler wheel
Here is my recumbent bike “Volae sport”. I used to comute by this bike. but recently I often ride other bikes.
One day, I found it…
The idler (the small black wheel) was cracked. and then…
It was completely separated.
Off course I can get it from Hostel Shoppe. (Here) But, Sending it from the U.S. to Japan is not affordable. So I decided to build it by myself with my 3D printer.
First of all, I measured the previous idler. After that I started making a 3D model.
Draw the cross-section of half.
Mirror the body.
Put a hole for the bearing.
Add six rib. It helps adjusting a gap with the bearing.
Here is another version which have dents. So called cocked pulley? It is expected to prevent sliding chain.
Printed idlers with Makerbot replicator2X, ABS, layer hight 0.3mm.
(L) Cocked pulley, (R) Original shape.
Putting into bearing.
Press the bearing with vise.
Well done!
Cocked pulley and hard were.
Finally, assemble it onto the frame.
Renewed idler and chain.
Is it seems completely fixed? I rode it the other day. It made a little noise but I wasn’t so concerned about it.