Dual Suspension Recumbent???
Discussion
Liquid Knight said:
Try before you buy- center steering (pythons) with moving bottom brackets have some unique skill requirements and can be twitchy as hell, the guy the the video is doing a crakcing job of making it look easy :-)As an aside I always query suspension that also imparts significant fore-aft movement into the system rather than just up-down, yes its disipating energy but its also altering steering angles and transfering into the drive train.
I've bought this......
...from eBay for £150!
No suspension and the seat cusion is pants but a good bike at a very decent price.
Is there an Underseat steering conversion for the Dawes Lowrider as it's my personal preference?
Also a few choice modifications will follow.
I have this bike to get used to riding again while I build my previous design (shed clear out permitting).
...from eBay for £150!
No suspension and the seat cusion is pants but a good bike at a very decent price.
Is there an Underseat steering conversion for the Dawes Lowrider as it's my personal preference?
Also a few choice modifications will follow.
I have this bike to get used to riding again while I build my previous design (shed clear out permitting).
Good luck with your project, £150 is a good starter price for a bent (yes, despite the terrible looking seat!) If its usable I reccomend riding as is for a while till you decide what you like/dislike.
I rode up Portland this weekend (defying the "fact" that 'bents can't climb) and came back with a list of 10 changes to make! Changing from DF to recumbent has been great fun but every ride yields further learning and requires modifcations so far... maybe after a few weeks I'll have it dialled in?
I rode up Portland this weekend (defying the "fact" that 'bents can't climb) and came back with a list of 10 changes to make! Changing from DF to recumbent has been great fun but every ride yields further learning and requires modifcations so far... maybe after a few weeks I'll have it dialled in?
I'd at least try a hybrid with 700c wheels and front suspension if you haven't already, Cube, Focus and Ghost specialise in these bikes which are faster and more comfy than a similarly specced 26" hybrid for your riding at £500-£2k:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?Mod...
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/focus-crater-lake-hybrid-2...
For greater comfort you can fit a suspension seatpost, more comfy saddle and 35c or even 38c tyres.
Scott Speedster & Cannondale Ultra are also good but the Specialized Crosstrail is significantly heavier.
A recumbent does sound fun though!
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?Mod...
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/focus-crater-lake-hybrid-2...
For greater comfort you can fit a suspension seatpost, more comfy saddle and 35c or even 38c tyres.
Scott Speedster & Cannondale Ultra are also good but the Specialized Crosstrail is significantly heavier.
A recumbent does sound fun though!
Edited by Roman on Monday 8th November 11:15
Due to working silly hours I haven't been able to get to a shop to buy a front light as yet, but my local petrol station had these for sale at £5.99.......
...so with a screw driver, a bit of reverse engineering and Duct-Tape I turned the torch into this....
....it works just as well as any L.E.D light on the market for a fraction of the price.
...so with a screw driver, a bit of reverse engineering and Duct-Tape I turned the torch into this....
....it works just as well as any L.E.D light on the market for a fraction of the price.
Time to start putting my plan into action.
As well as a Bike I have bought a spare frame and bits as well from a Police auction for £2.12
The plan being to cut the down tube out of the frame and use its crank housing as a base for the project. I went to see the boys at Wisbech Engineering to ask their professional opinions.
They suggested instead of cutting the spare frame about and trying to weld dirty Aluminium I should (at the prototype stage at least) use Steel. This would be less complicated and cheaper (I can use my M.I.G instead of a couple of hundred Pounds of their T.I.G work). So they asked if I was using a standard sized crankset and very kindly gave me this to use.
Other ideas were punted about and I went home to look at the donor frame that is now promoted to mock up frame instead.
The seat post clamp was my original idea to secure the lower part of the frame to the forks but it won't work because it doesn't open enough. The drop out from my old Banshee will either be used as a base for a new design or simply have the top hole reemed out to fit directly to the wheel spindle. Then I took the front mech' off and had a moment of clarity.
A simple hinged pipe clamp welded to the subframe and clamped to the fork legs.
I'm off to a black smiths for the Steel and a D.I.Y shop for the pipe clamps.
As well as a Bike I have bought a spare frame and bits as well from a Police auction for £2.12
The plan being to cut the down tube out of the frame and use its crank housing as a base for the project. I went to see the boys at Wisbech Engineering to ask their professional opinions.
They suggested instead of cutting the spare frame about and trying to weld dirty Aluminium I should (at the prototype stage at least) use Steel. This would be less complicated and cheaper (I can use my M.I.G instead of a couple of hundred Pounds of their T.I.G work). So they asked if I was using a standard sized crankset and very kindly gave me this to use.
Other ideas were punted about and I went home to look at the donor frame that is now promoted to mock up frame instead.
The seat post clamp was my original idea to secure the lower part of the frame to the forks but it won't work because it doesn't open enough. The drop out from my old Banshee will either be used as a base for a new design or simply have the top hole reemed out to fit directly to the wheel spindle. Then I took the front mech' off and had a moment of clarity.
A simple hinged pipe clamp welded to the subframe and clamped to the fork legs.
I'm off to a black smiths for the Steel and a D.I.Y shop for the pipe clamps.
shouldbworking said:
more visible, better at hill climbing, simpler to maintain
No offence but all of that is BS, sorry!Have ridden dikes of all sorts for 25+years, have never been more "visible" (had cars slow to pass etc) than riding my 'bent, people just aren't used to seeing them and slow to look! (that and the 6ft flag with 3M tape and lights on helps... :-)
Climbing has nothing to do with bikes and everything to do with the "engine" on it, if you're unfit you won't climb, if you are- you will. Yes 'bents are often heavier (they've missed out on almost a century of developement unlike DF bikes) and that makes climbing abit harder (until you get used to it) but DF is not "better" its different.
I have no idea how you got "simpler to maintain" Dude- a bike is a bike, 95% of the parts are interchangable, a 'bent is no more different to a road bike than a MTB is!
Sure, the guy could just ride a regular DF bike (like the sheep) but he wants to experiment, why stifle that with lies and nonsence?
scubadude said:
shouldbworking said:
more visible, better at hill climbing, simpler to maintain
No offence but all of that is BS, sorry!Have ridden dikes of all sorts for 25+years, have never been more "visible" (had cars slow to pass etc) than riding my 'bent, people just aren't used to seeing them and slow to look! (that and the 6ft flag with 3M tape and lights on helps... :-)
Climbing has nothing to do with bikes and everything to do with the "engine" on it, if you're unfit you won't climb, if you are- you will. Yes 'bents are often heavier (they've missed out on almost a century of developement unlike DF bikes) and that makes climbing abit harder (until you get used to it) but DF is not "better" its different.
I have no idea how you got "simpler to maintain" Dude- a bike is a bike, 95% of the parts are interchangable, a 'bent is no more different to a road bike than a MTB is!
Sure, the guy could just ride a regular DF bike (like the sheep) but he wants to experiment, why stifle that with lies and nonsence?
Excellent typo.I explained the situation earlier. I can't ride upright for long due to a lower back injury. It may only be twenty six miles a day but I work six days straight. So it's a personal issue for me and not some comersial venture. That's why all the progress is on here and not the Patent Office. Suspension seatposts only deal with lateral movement and not directional impacts caused by pot holes and such.
Liquid Knight said:
I explained the situation earlier. I can't ride upright for long due to a lower back injury. It may only be twenty six miles a day but I work six days straight. So it's a personal issue for me and not some comersial venture. That's why all the progress is on here and not the Patent Office. Suspension seatposts only deal with lateral movement and not directional impacts caused by pot holes and such.
Have you seen these LN? I use one on the rear of my Mountain Bike Tandem. They're extremely good at absorbing pot-hole, rock, log, etc. impacts. My OH says it feels almost like a full sus on the back on the tandem.http://www.thudbuster.com/
Have a try in something like a Nazca Pioneer. 2x 26".
If you can, try a 2x 26" bike without front suspension before jumping to conclusions. A lot of your weight is over the rear wheel, suspension is optional on the front wheel, esp when it's 26".
Oh it will be RWD, FWD is, as far as I know, only used in "track" racers.
I've had a Pioneer for 5 years and it has been very good to me (7mile commute the first years). Well built, great "sets" (shimano) available,...
Sounds like you don't have a lot of experience with recumbent, if you have any questions, ask away. Also, Nazca frames are fitted with holes for both a steer under you (comfort) or over you (speed & manouvrability).
Edited to add: some of "us" fit "balloon tyres" if the need arises for more comfort. Haven't tried them myselves but they are generally well recieved, Marathon makes them iirc.
If you can, try a 2x 26" bike without front suspension before jumping to conclusions. A lot of your weight is over the rear wheel, suspension is optional on the front wheel, esp when it's 26".
Oh it will be RWD, FWD is, as far as I know, only used in "track" racers.
I've had a Pioneer for 5 years and it has been very good to me (7mile commute the first years). Well built, great "sets" (shimano) available,...
Sounds like you don't have a lot of experience with recumbent, if you have any questions, ask away. Also, Nazca frames are fitted with holes for both a steer under you (comfort) or over you (speed & manouvrability).
Edited to add: some of "us" fit "balloon tyres" if the need arises for more comfort. Haven't tried them myselves but they are generally well recieved, Marathon makes them iirc.
Edited by ZesPak on Wednesday 24th November 11:07
rhinochopig said:
scubadude said:
Have ridden dikes of all sorts for 25+years, have never been more "visible" (had cars slow to pass etc) than riding my 'bent, people just aren't used to seeing them and slow to look! (that and the 6ft flag with 3M tape and lights on helps... :-)
Excellent typo.The issue of low gearing (it is a mountain bike after all and only good for about 25-30mph flat out has been solved thank's to this guy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOZ-_ClKRmg
Check out his other videos. Chris you are a genius.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOZ-_ClKRmg
Check out his other videos. Chris you are a genius.
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