I want to build a recumbent...

[GrahamNR17]

Evening folks,

I've pretty much avoided this part of the forum for ages, as I never really considered a recumbent being 'my kind of bike'. But then someone made me have a go on there's a few days ago, and now I want one But, it goes against the grain for me to just buy a bike as I can never find one that I don't have to make major alterations to, and besides, I enjoy the tinkering.

So, I've just spent a very frustrating hour with Google trying to find a frame on which to base a machine. Does anyone just sell recumbent frames and not the whole bike? I'm after a two-wheel short/shortish wheelbase.

Any pointers gratefully received.

Cheers,
Graham (currently on the dark side)

[hubgearfreak]

atomiczombie and an a course at night school in welding.

[Cunobelin]

BHPC

Lots of info, lots of experience and well worth visiting a couple of events for ideas.

Also learn from others mistakes - the "So you want to build an HPV" book covers design and the common mistakes

[GrahamNR17]

atomiczombie and an a course at night school in welding.

No way amd I riding anything I've welded

[GrahamNR17]

BHPC

Lots of info, lots of experience and well worth visiting a couple of events for ideas.

Also learn from others mistakes - the "So you want to build an HPV" book covers design and the common mistakes

Superb, many thanks! I'd no idea there were so many in the wild that they actually had an organisation

[Swizz69]

Bentech sell framesets.

[wellingtonrock]

Also Raptobike:

(from their website)
Low Racer Frame Kit
[100101] 849.00 EUR


his frame kit allows you to build your own low racer, exactly according to your own specifications. The frame kit contains:

Frame (alu7005) powder coated in white with KIT marking
Front fork (CrMo) powder coated in black with v-brake and disc brake mounts
Stem and tiller
Seat and mounting brackets
Noseboom
Chain idlers with bolts and protection covers
Nuts and bolts

You add components like wheels, drive train, shifters, brake and a headset. Most of these items can be purchased through our web shop.

By buying this product you acknowledge the fact that you are buying a frame kit and not a complete bike. You need skills and special tools to build an actual bike from this frame kit.

Select the seat size and tiller type below. You can also let us mount the headset, cut the front fork to the right length and place the starnut. In this way you do not need special tools to mount the fork.

[hubgearfreak]

then there's these. i'm not recommending them, just bringing them to your attention

http://www.ihpva.eu/com/conKit/
http://www.cruzbike.com/kit.html

you may get further help/tips from velovision
http://www.velovision.co.uk/forum-new/

[GrahamNR17]

Blimey, there's a whole load of undiscovered fun I'm gonna have this year then

Fantastic, thanks for all the links

[dkmwt]

Also ICE sell frame sets, at least they used to.

[kevinp]

Try the atomiczombie ones they are very cheap to make and ride very well, I made this for just under £200.00 I had been scrounging old bikes for a month or two before for some of the bits.

[GrahamNR17]

Love the atomiczombie machine you've built, that's very impressive

I really like the machines made from old bike frames, though the Bandito on AZ looks like it might make my 'nads a tad vulnerable in a collision

I might take all these ideas and come up with something of my own design. Been chatting to the engineering department at work, and they have some very tempting looking aluminium box section about 8 feet long and 4 inches square. I'm imagining a fork at the back for a large wheel, and steering parts from an old bike frame up front, and a bottom bracket attached somewhere in between. Simple, though potentially a bit flexible. If I use the full 8 feet, I might be able to mount the dog crate on it too

Oh my heads in a spin, this is a whole new area of DIY and tinkering. It's gonna be a good summer in the garage this year

[Cunobelin]

Love the atomiczombie machine you've built, that's very impressive

I really like the machines made from old bike frames, though the Bandito on AZ looks like it might make my 'nads a tad vulnerable in a collision

I might take all these ideas and come up with something of my own design. Been chatting to the engineering department at work, and they have some very tempting looking aluminium box section about 8 feet long and 4 inches square. I'm imagining a fork at the back for a large wheel, and steering parts from an old bike frame up front, and a bottom bracket attached somewhere in between. Simple, though potentially a bit flexible. If I use the full 8 feet, I might be able to mount the dog crate on it too

Oh my heads in a spin, this is a whole new area of DIY and tinkering. It's gonna be a good summer in the garage this year

For box aluminium have a look at the KMX Karts range they have used this very successfully.

[hubgearfreak]

that's lovely kevin, i guess it's steel. did you suceed in using an arc welder as suggested in the book?
or are you already a migmagman?
what's the wall thickness of the tubes?
have you got anymore photos of it, particulaly of it being built?

graham, when you mentioned 4" square, you reminded me of wobblyjon's recumbent.
on his website below, you need to look at recumbents. the 2x4 is made of 2x4, and it rode nicely, when he was good enough to let me have a go
http://xntrick.co.uk/

[GrahamNR17]

...graham, when you mentioned 4" square, you reminded me of wobblyjon's recumbent.
on his website below, you need to look at recumbents. the 2x4 is made of 2x4, and it rode nicely, when he was good enough to let me have a go
http://xntrick.co.uk/

s'made of wood

'old on a minnit... I got pallets outside