RECYCLED RECUMBENTS!!!!!!!
NEW BIKES ON June 12, 2009!!! There is a way where there is a will! And there is almost no wrong way to make this bike! Read on! (I remain an imperfect record keeper. If I have mis-labeled or forgotten a credit below, please forgive first, and write me to correct it second.)
(I also put a few recent project of mine back on the A.D.'s bikes page.)
The red bike is an old friend (too good to delete from the October edition), kind enough to stop by and visit while I was out on the DALMAC tour in 2008. Richard Fulton bought a bare frame from me 5 years ago, I think. He built it out into this beautiful red bike he calls his "Radio Flyer". Richard's picture of this bike, against a background of Michigan scenery, is what persuaded me to GO and do the DALMAC tour. A great trip, and it was good to see a frame of mine so well used and in service. Thanks for finding me, Richard!
On to new builders!
Arvin, in California, has built three bikes. So far. Which one do YOU like the best, Arvin?
From Bob in Minneapolis this Spring. He has framed a little differently than the plan - interpretation is a wonderful thing!
Carl Begley sent me this picture of his blue bike. Below is a detail of his unique seat frame -
Carl sys he took advantage of some ball joints he uses on Jeeps in his work.
For something entirely different, a letter from "compa4" shared this built from muffler tube bike. I'll tell ya, inserting a head tube through the muffler pipe is not for the faint of heart!
Ed Michener is like Bob in Michigan - he got the frame from me, but the rest - goodness, I think he's done a great job assembling his bike and detailing it. He promises me another shot as soon as he gets his fairing on it. Fancy!
Gary Brown did this Mach 2 bike. Classic from the plan. Then he began to improvise -
Gary calls this his 'skid loader', based on the pistol grip USS steering. Unique frame assembly too.
This is from a different 'Gary', from Ohio this time. Simple, padded seat. You don't HAVE to bend conduit to get comfortable.
Gene just south of the border is justifiably proud of of his Mach 2. He did a great job of assembling his bike onto a frame we made here. Gene also had his graphics people come up with a great vinyl lettering decal for the bikes, and was kind enough to send me a supply of labels - you will start seeing my bikes look a little sharper for Gene's gift.
Jerry Mayaard has been seen here before - I had a picture from him of the (now) orange bike back in it's primer color stages. Jerry has gone on to demonstrate his addiction to building - I believe he said this blue bike is his fourth!
From Jim One, this first bike. The seat looks like an innovation from a 70's kitchen chair.
Lorne Henderson in March sent me a picture of his parts. Where have you gone since then, Lorne? This sort of full scale 'layout' is a good idea for any bike project - you get a better idea of where you are going with it!
Mike Metzger has also shown me his Mach 2 bike previously on this page. However, his wife wanted a short wheel base bike - like this one. This gives you another idea of what can be done to recycle a lady's road bike frame.
Paul Bartels new bike, a classic EZ Clone. He flirted with me just a little, but then finally decided to make the seat himself.
Rob Getman build this EZ Clone bike, very nice.
THEN Rob (did I say this was addictive behavior?) built this bike. He didn't have another men's frame donor bike, just a lady's frame, so he made this
Unique
joint above the bottom bracket. Unique!
This one I hope to see in person. Rob Hemenway in Sheboygan sent me this picture, also an EZ clone bike. Sheboygan is just north of Milwaukee. On a strong day (good tailwinds) I can range just about that far, maybe meet at Kohler-Andrae State Park south of town....
Here's a Texas bike by Rod Weeding.
And another in the Lone Star State, this is Tom Dout aboard his project.
These just in on June 13.
Tim DROVE up here on Friday, June 12 with this bike. He was 80% done and wanted some mechanical advice and help. (He did call first - I couldn't persuade him we could do it all over the phone. Anyway, we added a brake bridge and a cable stop, stomped on it a little for alignment, and Tim got his first ride in in here on Dexter Ave. yesterday. I got to see 'that grin' again.
And last for this edition, I was chatting up this new group of builders to my old hack friends on BROL (http://www.bentrideronline.com/messageboard/showthread.php?t=50349 - some of them aren't so old but all of us are builders. Fella by the call name of comreich shared this bike on the message board. With his permission, I have transferred that picture here - a beautiful Mach 2 bike.
Very nice, gentlemen! That's this 'edition.' Thanks for browsing. If you sent a picture and I missed it, write and let me know. If I missed your intent, or there is a better shot than above, send it in! I love seeing what others do as home builders, and I very much appreciate seeing where you go with your project. No finer payback for what is out here on the web than your responses to it. Keep the faith!
Check out details by me and by others on the detailing page here. Detailing
Check out a few new shots of my bikes here. New Page 2