Donation
I was kindly given a half-made tall bike by a friend, who had given his 20-minute attempt at a tall bike.
The centre of gravity was horribly out, and it had numerous issues. He had given it a quick spray of black to make it look more presentable (which began to peel off within a day).
On the upside, it had working brakes.
The centre of gravity was horribly out, and it had numerous issues. He had given it a quick spray of black to make it look more presentable (which began to peel off within a day).
On the upside, it had working brakes.
After giving it a closer examination, I could see that the central steer tube was totally bent and out of line with the two frames, twisting them apart and damaging the welds slowly but surely. As for the BB weld, it was literally a seat-post, fixed in place only by a seat clamp and a weld to the top frame.
The chain was set on a ridiculously low chainring, so that every time you pedalled, the bike would try to wheelie and you'd simply fall off the back, adding to the whole centre-of-gravity issue.
I couldn't exactly "fix" it... so I took it completely apart and basically rebuilt it into another tall bike.
The chain was set on a ridiculously low chainring, so that every time you pedalled, the bike would try to wheelie and you'd simply fall off the back, adding to the whole centre-of-gravity issue.
I couldn't exactly "fix" it... so I took it completely apart and basically rebuilt it into another tall bike.
It took me a few hours of work, but I managed to use the sleeving method for steering, having one long fork-tube cased by a long head-tube. The fork-tube was made up of 4 seat-posts welded onto each-other, and then fastened at the stem, as this was my first ever attempt at creating a Tall Bike with a threadless headset.
While I was at it, I also elongated the chain enough to put it up another chainring, and re-welded all the previous welds.
The fork-tube snapped within the hour, so I had to rebuild another one, using a combination of spot-welding and line welding. I also installed some regular MTB bars as opposed to the BMX bars, which were making it easier to tip back.
While I was at it, I also elongated the chain enough to put it up another chainring, and re-welded all the previous welds.
The fork-tube snapped within the hour, so I had to rebuild another one, using a combination of spot-welding and line welding. I also installed some regular MTB bars as opposed to the BMX bars, which were making it easier to tip back.
Tall Bike Mark IIII has been fairly successful due to its' simplicity in having only one brake, and no gears or suspension to look after.
The steer-tube recently broke yet again (July 18th), and I've run out of seat-tubes to sacrifice. I need to find a metal merchant in my area that sells thick steel tubes of the same diameter as a fork-tube. I've already checked every merchant and every industrial estate in and around my area, to no avail.
So until I can find a solution for that, mark IIII remains inactive for the time being.
The steer-tube recently broke yet again (July 18th), and I've run out of seat-tubes to sacrifice. I need to find a metal merchant in my area that sells thick steel tubes of the same diameter as a fork-tube. I've already checked every merchant and every industrial estate in and around my area, to no avail.
So until I can find a solution for that, mark IIII remains inactive for the time being.
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