Utility Cycling - Utility Commuter Bicycle

I could not find a bicycle at any price to do what I needed. Easy dismount; crank 5 inches forward to sit up straight; and a front rack that can handle 40 or more pounds without effecting the steering.

I had to design one and build it.
It took much more time and money that I ever thought possible. And I forgot to add a rear rack onto the frame so it could hold more weight than the aluminum racks.

http://commutercycling.blogspot.com/2012/04/construction.html

The only thing that comes close is the Worksman Lowgravity bike and it requires a very expensive hub gear and possible Schlumpf crank set to get as wide range of gears as a mountain bike drive train.

I just wish some company like Sun Bicycles would start making bicycles like this. Or at least a custom frame builder could do it.

275545

That is a beautiful build you have there. I agree that there is indeed a market for an "urban light-cargo/commuter" a bike that can haul and that will also fit on bus bike rack (a problem with many cargo bikes due to their longer wheel base). Running double 20" BMX sizes wheels front and rear with a frame built to fit a full size adult in an upright riding position with mountain bike gearing and setting the top frame bar just barely over the top of the tires height and extending it out the front and back over the top of both the front and rear wheels as a strong mounting point for racks or baskets that is part of the frame is the best I have seen so far along those lines:

http://james.architectureburger.com/cycle/cargo.html

I like your design as well but it doesn't have the smaller wheel in the rear as well to keep the cargo in the rear at a lower center of gravity as well.

Very nice. Reminds me of the Soma Tradesman and their "Pick Up Artist".

http://somafab.blogspot.jp/2011/09/more-cargo-bike-news.html

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8285/7684356796_8d645db46f_b.jpg

Nice work Jawnn!

Do you have any more photos, especially of the work in progress? It looks like you lengthened the steerer on a BMX fork, I am especially curious about how that was done.

The first thing I did was search for bikes that would work for me. Looks like more on this thread.

This is the search results
http://commutercycling.blogspot.com/2011/08/ultimate-utility-bike.html


The rear triangle is from a Chinese mtb and holds a 24" wheel now that I had new drop outs added. I used an old Biopace crank.

I also designed and built the handle bars, using 7/8th" airplane tubing from Wicks aircraft supply.

The front fork was a simple trick of holding the extension on an angle iron with the cut off steer tube.

http://commutercycling.blogspot.com/2012/04/construction.html (no photos of that operation.)

It was really hard to keep the front and rear aligned while constructing.


The links on this forums do not work very well, try just cruzing my blog.

This looks like a really good bike. Too bad I did not see it before building my bike.

http://james.architectureburger.com/cycle/cargo.html