Presenting the Redneck Recumbent

[Frank Lee]

Yeah... went off on another tangent the other day...

[JasonG]

Go FrankLee !!
You call yourself a redneck? The paint matches, and its not just primer.
Tell me that you used rattle cans not real paint and I might respect you again
Red and Black, you a bulldogs fan?
Honestly, how does it ride? Got the shifter hooked up yet?

[mcrews]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Yeah... went off on another tangent the other day...

Nice wood work on the seat Frank Lee..............(did you even sand it)

[Dieselman]

Originally Posted by JasonG

Honestly, how does it ride? Got the shifter hooked up yet?

I hope it doesn't go too well, 'cos it sure isn't going to stop...

[Frank Lee]

The paint is factory original purty.

I thought the plywood and board seat qualified it for redneck status!

I did sand the slivers down from the fresh cut areas. That's it tho'. That seat is more comfortable than it looks. Even with no pad it seems to beat a regular seat even with a gel pad.

Thought it would do for prototyping/testing, until I determine if this thing is junk or not.

It rides like... a recumbent. That is to say, either I'm a clod or you kinda have to re-learn how to ride a bike, just like a little kid. I haven't crashed it tho'! Shifters and brakes = not hooked up yet. I'm not ready for the top gears anyway. The ergos seem great- very comfortable- but then I don't have any lengthy rides done yet.

Edit: One more comment about ride quality: As you can see, there will be no sharp turns done with this set-up, at least until I learn to release my "outer leg" from the pedal. Considering adding rear wheel steering...

[Christ]

Great job, Frank. Expected nothing less than a plywood seat from you... honestly.

[Frank Lee]

I didn't even have to fire up the welder!

Or buy so much as a single bolt. At first I was just going to sort out the ergonomics... wanted something to sit on... went back to the woodpile and picked out stuff that was about the right size... and there it is. Didn't even cut the seat back to size!

Nice wood work on the seat Frank Lee..............(did you even sand it)

What? And sand that nice brown paint off?!?

At 22.5" at the lowest point, the seat height is decently low for such a bike.

I'm going to fab up a different handlebar set-up. My knees brush against this one.

If the concept proves itself I'll make nicer components.

[Christ]

You may want to consider a lower Cg to aid stability, but I believe you'll enjoy the recumbent position.

[mcrews]

Originally Posted by Dieselman

I hope it doesn't go too well, 'cos it sure isn't going to stop...

Frank Lee, I'm sorry I questioned your "REDNECKEDNESS" concerning the seat......


I DIDNT EVEN THINK THAT THERE ARENT ANY BREAKS!!!!!

You are back up (or down) in the evolution pecking order.

(gotta give you credit for not firing up the welder......)

[Rokeby]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

I didn't even have to fire up the welder!

But I take it you did fire up the Sawzall on the donor bike,
which appears to have been a "boys" bike.

I suspect you had to pry the front fork tubes outward quite a bit to accept the
the rear wheel axle. I would expect something like 1-1/2 inches. That would
create a severe bending moment at the crown where the fork tubes attach to
the crown. Better keep an eye on that area for micro-cracking, in the
weld/silver solder, whatever.

"Be careful out there!"