Alt Bike Culture - My winter project: El Cheapo tall bike

Hey all,

I figured this should go in the Alt Bike section since I'm not really building a frame from scratch, but if this is supposed to be in Framebuilders mods please feel free to relocate it.

I started working on this project yesterday (December 27th), so I'll make a few posts just to make sure it's current.

Also, I apologize if my terminology is off. If I say the wrong things please correct me! This is a learning process for me.

Here we go!

I picked these bicycles up at the local dump. You gotta love free!

I'm aiming for a five foot seat height when I'm done.

Also, I'm the joking type, and since tone is lost on the internet I'll put a :lol: if I'm just kidding around

I call this Project Assplant, stolen from another member on here :lol:




http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk16/lukepighetti/tall%20bikes/numero%20uno/7191b41a.jpg

Two frames and components off the other!



http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk16/lukepighetti/tall%20bikes/numero%20uno/07b28847.jpg

Frames stripped




http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk16/lukepighetti/tall%20bikes/numero%20uno/fe00c031.jpg

Rear triangle removed (Sawzall action)



http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk16/lukepighetti/tall%20bikes/numero%20uno/4750f650.jpg

Top rear triangle removed



http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk16/lukepighetti/tall%20bikes/numero%20uno/15425095.jpg

Measuring bearing races :lol:



http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk16/lukepighetti/tall%20bikes/numero%20uno/cb90c18a.jpg

Frame alignment tool :lol:

A quickie update

Here's the REAL frame alignment tool ($17 at the local hardware store, who knew they carried these things? :lol:)

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk16/lukepighetti/tall%20bikes/numero%20uno/189d3174.jpg


http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk16/lukepighetti/tall%20bikes/numero%20uno/17a5a2b1.jpg

I didn't want to drop money on tapered bushings, so I went this route instead. The headtube bearing races have radiused corners and the fit is very good (well, not to a machinist!) so this should work out for my first attempt. It's 5/8" steel threaded rod, grade 8 washers, and grade cheap (2?) nuts.

I may go buy some more nuts so I can lock them down before I start the welding, which wont be for a while! :(

Finally got fitup on the lower frame seat post pretty good. It was kind of tricky because the top bikes downtube has an octagonal cross section. :crash:

Here's a pic of fitup. Gap is constant all the way around, but not to a machinist!

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk16/lukepighetti/tall%20bikes/numero%20uno/fitup1.jpg

Here's a pic of the mitering. I appreciate files and hacksaws more now.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk16/lukepighetti/tall%20bikes/numero%20uno/fitup2.jpg

An overview of what this accomplishes

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk16/lukepighetti/tall%20bikes/numero%20uno/931393a3.jpg

Are you going to weld the seat post of the bottom bike in place or just tighten the bolt?

I will tighten the bolt at first, and once I see that the bicycle rides well it will get welded. :)

wanna see more...dont leave us hangin' bro !
had mine three yrs now, thinking of stripping it and really cleaning it up !
yet another project !
good luck !

No worries! I got another update for you.

A few words before the pictures. I have so much respect for guys who TIG weld roll cages. I can run a decent (not good) bead flat, but trying to run around a pipe with a hand amptrol only is extremely humbling. Also, people say fitup is critical for TIG and they are not lying. I thought I would get away with a 1/8" gap on some thin tubing, and it didn't work at all. I ended up just blasting it with some 6013 and that didn't make it any better.


Regardless, here are some pictures. And people wonder why I don't weld stuff for them. :LolLolLolLol:


http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk16/lukepighetti/tall%20bikes/tallbike01.jpg

Head tube extension all set up and ready to go.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk16/lukepighetti/tall%20bikes/tallbike02.jpg

Fit up on the seat post was terrible so I blew right through it in the middle. Learning experience. I'm going to add a support that will run parallel with it.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk16/lukepighetti/tall%20bikes/tallbike03.jpg

Head tube all welded up.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk16/lukepighetti/tall%20bikes/tallbike04.jpg

Top head tube extension weld

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk16/lukepighetti/tall%20bikes/tallbike05.jpg

Bottom head tube extension weld

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk16/lukepighetti/tall%20bikes/tallbike06.jpg

Fork extension weld #1

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk16/lukepighetti/tall%20bikes/tallbike07.jpg

Fork extension weld #2

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk16/lukepighetti/tall%20bikes/tallbike08.jpg

Extended fork

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk16/lukepighetti/tall%20bikes/tallbike09.jpg

The bike almost done

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk16/lukepighetti/tall%20bikes/tallbike10.jpg

Me standing next to it (I'm 6'3"). Yes the chain is on the wrong side. Woe is me. :LolLolLolLol:

Maiden Voyage! Plus some thoughts on the bike.

I need to add in that extra rear support and fix my chain line.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvT2F8spudk

A big hearty fukkinA dood from Socal. Looks good. Got me a mountain bike frame and am looking for a 2nd frame for my own tall bike.

A big hearty fukkinA dood from Socal. Looks good. Got me a mountain bike frame and am looking for a 2nd frame for my own tall bike.

fukkin right there guy! this bicycle is wikkid high, feel like a god damned sand piper flyin straight for a change!

haha, I got my chainline worked out I think. I had my first successful ride earlier, but it was at night so no videos. I'll snap a video tomorrow with all the updates. Thanks for the reply, it made me laugh. :)

Dude, I love tallbikes.... rock it out, man!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEm_esKCdAw

Last post guys... this has been a fun (albeit short) project. Next one will have more engineering behind it. :)

Dude, I love tallbikes.... rock it out, man!

This bike is so much fun. It makes me want to ride again. I'm going to build a nicer one this time, and keep this one for daring friends. :)

I bet with the seat being just behind the rear axle that thing pulls wheelies really easy. At five feat in the air you probably learn to ride wheelies without falling off.

Careful, tallbikes are like gateway drugs. Next you'll be riding a littlebike, chopper or unicycle in public.

They are a blast.

haha....love the tall bike! Be sure to post again when you start your next project!