Snatched another bike from the jaws of the garbage truck - Franken-bike-E on the way?

[MetroMPG]

There's one route I take in the electric car to get around the city's biggest hill that swings me through a parking lot of a town house/apartment complex. Last week on my way through, someone had obviously just moved out, because there was a giant pile of garbage at the curb.

In it was a bright pink girl's bike (wee one, with 12 or 14 inch rims). Neglected, kind of rusty, and one flat tire.

But I couldn't resist, so I stopped and stuck it in the back of the car. Carried on my twisting route around the Giant Amp Sucking Hill.

I now have enough donor bikes to make my own Bike-E style 'bent. Someone lent me a Bike-E for a couple of weeks, a bit more than a year ago, and I fell in love with it. See my Bike-E thread.

Everyone should try a bent at least once.

Whether I'll actually get around to it... that's another question entirely. I have a bad habit of biting off more than I can chew, projects wise. I tend to dream and collect piles of junk more than I actually make stuff from said piles.

[MetroMPG]

Here it is. I'm thinking I could use the front wheel, forks & headset for the front of the Franken-Bike-E.

But I'd rather go with under-seat steering so I can use better front wheel geometry than the Bike-E had, which made it unstable, rather twitchy, and prone to chopper flop in the steering department (my biggest complaint about the machine).


The women's Peugeot is a FreeCycle find that is my Pirate Bike emergency back-up system.

[trebuchet03]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Everyone should try a bent at least once.

Each type I say But I agree

The Bike-E CLWB will have a much different ride compared to my Hi racer SWB And my Hi racer rides much differently than a mid or low SWB or any other LWB

That is, because you (general) have ridden a 'bent before - that doesn't mean you got the same experience It's somewhat like the difference between a triathlon bike with twitchy fast steering and a touring bike that's less sensitive. Except with 'bents, the differences (even within the same class) vary to a much higher degree

-----
But while we're sharing rescue stories... I just rescued a peltier cooler fridge thinger (I might make a super cool laptop pad). Shortly after bringing it home, I gave my self one HELL OF A SHOCK when I went to touch a heatsink on the control board... Ya,I found the rectification bits and I happened to be holding the metal back plate which was grounded. It freaking knocked me over for a few seconds... Yes, that was dumb - but it didn't kill me as of 30 minutes (now) after

[metroschultz]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Whether I'll actually get around to it... that's another question entirely. I have a bad habit of biting off more than I can chew, projects wise. I tend to dream and collect piles of junk more than I actually make stuff from said piles.

Ditto.
That is why I have to get going on this car.
help.....computer.....pulling....me....in.....
aaauuugghhh!!!!
now that I'm through playin i will go to work.
S.
be back soon.

[trebuchet03]

But I'd rather go with under-seat steering so I can use better front wheel geometry than the Bike-E had, which made it unstable, rather twitchy, and prone to chopper flop in the steering department (my biggest complaint about the machine).

You know, you can bend the steering bars to come back to you... This way you don't need a big head tube angle to let a straight handlebar reach your arms.... My 'bent has a long curved bit of aluminum that makes it tiller steering. It takes a few minutes to get used to, but I really love it (almost as much as tweener bars).

[MetroMPG]

Glad you're not dead, treb! Take heart from the fact that Taser Inc. would assure us that if you don't die immediately as the result of the shock, your death shortly thereafter will definitely not be shock-related.

Originally Posted by trebuchet03

The Bike-E CLWB will have a much different ride compared to my Hi racer SWB

What's the C in CLWB?

I agree - everyone should ride all kinds of bents ... & trikes!

I actually got to try a fairly wide selection when I rode along with a HPV club in a Santa Claus parade a couple of years ago. Tried some really neat custom & high end store bought machines of various flavours.

Tiller steering... Good idea. I think it might be too dynamically weird for my tastes, but I could start with the tiller, just because it'll be easier to set up & get the machine operational. I can always retrofit it to USS later if I want to.

[trebuchet03]

C = compact

It's when the crank is near the head tube. The definition is pretty vague, but it seems anything where the crank path crosses past the head tube is "compact." Really, there's nothing compact about these bikes

[Gone4]

Trying a bent is something I really want to do. Unfortunately they cost a lot or you have to put a lot of effort into making one, when you aren't even sure you'll enjoy it. Hopefully I can meet someone who is willing to loan a bent to me so I can play

[AndrewJ]

So the Pugeot Mixte is your backup bike? :jealous:

[bennelson]

I always thought that a recumbent bike or trike with an electric motor and nice, smooth fairing would be a fantastic vehicle!

So many great designs out there, hard to choose.

How about carbon fiber?
Put a motor and fairing on this one!