Culticycle ( as shown in below video ) is a Pedal Powered Tractor prototyped by farmhack for cultivation and seeding, built from lawn tractor, ATV, and bicycle parts.

Speed : Speed is 3 – 4 mph depending on choice of gearing and pedaling speed.

Benefits : Small tractors do many jobs very well and very fast, but also consume fuel, compact soil, cost a lot, and cause physical damage to the operator – mainly spine and joint problems. Many of their jobs could be done, slower but better, by human pedal power. This Culticycle is better for operator’s body, less soil compaction, no fuel use, cheaper than a tractor; easily adaptable to specific needs.
Material used for prototype :

• the front ends of 2 bikes welded together at 42” on center;
• a lawn tractor differential mounted in a unistrut rectangle for a rear end , with 3/4″ round axles and 20” ATV tires;
• a bike frame welded above the rear end with motorcycle sprocket and chain driving the differential (a springloaded idler tensions the chain);
• a belly mount lift to hold cultivators, seeders, etc.;
• a bike handlebar, separate from the bike frame and joined to the front end, steering the front wheels.
• The materials are rebar, unistrut, landscape rake tines, and parts from bikes, an ATV, and a lawn tractor.

Human Effort Required : The effort required is similar to climbing a 10 degree slope on a seventies Schwinn 3 speed.

It attempts to show that human pedal power can do some jobs of small tractors, albeit in twice the time, and that the design can be simple enough that no extra weight is needed for traction.

Status : This prototype was built for testing: a more easily buildable version is in the works.

More Videos : are available at http://farmhack.net/tools/culticycle

Contact for this tractor : http://farmhack.net/users/green-tractor-farm

Credit : http://farmhack.net

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