noglider 

I like it. I guess I'll soon post my Raleigh Twenty which I'm currently souping up. I have the Primo Comet tires and aluminum rims and a drum brake front hub. It won't be lightweight. We could test ride each other's bikes. I'm currently near Newark and on the way to Manhattan.

thugpipe

This bike is far from light weight, I weighed it with my luggage scale and it clocks in at 27.5lbs. If I changed the tires I could shave 2lbs off the bike but I like these too much.

Sure I'm down, is your twenty a folder or a solid frame? Let me know when its done i rent a space in the ironbound for my shop.

Sixty Fiver

Looking forward to that.

My 20 has been souped up just a little... running Comets I get a much plusher and faster ride at higher psi while the lower psi Marathons are pretty much bulletproof. Have been riding this bike in one form or another for 5 years and have put 20,000 km on the bike. Used for commuting, utility riding, towing, and touring with distances of as much as 160km a day... my long commute is a 100km round trip and this bike does it more than any other.

Always amused when people ask if it is fast, if I ride it on the sidewalk, or tell me that I could not possibly ride this small wheeled bike any distance.

tarwheel 

Very cool bike. I love it! Seems like a great option in a urban setting with relatively short commute distances. My commute is 30+ miles round trip, most through the suburbs, so it wouldn't suit my purposes, but it looks like it would be a blast to ride. ... I bet you were a BMX rider from way back, eh?

Chris_in_Miami

I've been tempted to get a mini-velo for a few years and every time I see a great build like yours, I can feel the resistance slipping away a little. I've had the Hookworms in 20" and 24" sizes and I didn't like the weight, but they're really tough and can take some serious urban abuse.

thugpipe

take the plunge! I now have 3 mini velo, the bully, a Mercier Nano, and a Dahon Silvertip and I love them all. my next project is to redo the nano.

I love these hookworm tires the weight hasn't really bothered me but I should probably throw on a pair of Schwalbe Kojaks like I have on the Silvertip just to see if it has a major effect.

Sixty Fiver

They are like doing crack.

I have my P20, the Moulton, my generic folder that lives in the boot of the car, and a nearly stock Raleigh 20... my daughters ride 20's and my wife has a 20 that matches mine.

Erwin8r

Cool bike to start, and even cooler when you were done with it! That looks like a heck of a lot of fun to ride, and that's what would seal the deal for me... I miss my mini-velo...

a1penguin

Cool looking bike. It looks sturdier than the folding bikes I've seen. I agree that some flame decals would look nice on it.

JoeyBike

Do a Google image search for "Burro bike" and take a peek at what i believe to be the first bike ever with that styling. Way more expensive than an O8 bike tho.

Alas, Burro has been out of the biz for a long time now.

Nice job on your build! Looks like fun.

thugpipe

thanks! It is a ton of fun!


I have seen the Boro it was a sweet ride but unfortunately bikes like this a rare birds in these parts, even my bike has been discontinued after a very shot production run. I think they only made the Bully in 2011 and it was only dumb luck that I found mine, it had been collecting dust in that shop for a few years.


Everybody wants flames on the bike! The Flames are on my nomex jumpsuit I wear when I ride.......its all about me, I don't want the bike distracting from that!!!!

yea I have a Dahon Silvertip folder and it is nice but I feel so restrained when riding that bike. Between the aluminum frame, the lockjaw hinges, and the skinny tires it feels much more delicate, don't get me wrong I love that bike and it is the best folder I have ridden but you have to be more subdued with it. With the bully I can go hog wild if I feel like it.

thugpipe

wow just found this bike in the frame builders thread, hadn't realized how extenisvly modified it was. I am dying to build up my own frame to replace this one the bully was really just a "cheap" route to seeing how i liked this disc brake arrangment. very nice work, I really have finish setting up my shop so i can start machining parts and jig up the frame.

thugpipe

Ok this time its done........I think. I added my birthday present to the bike a shimano ZEE Shifter and Derailleur I can now call this "My Ten Speed"

UberGeek

Gorgeous machine

thugpipe

what the hell here are some update pics:




I have had the bike for about six months now and I have made a few changes like the Rival cranks, charge spoon seat, and the Paul chain keeper. the bike is fantastic still I just don't get tired of it, it is fast and handles great and it is also a real attention getter! the only thing is that everyone who sees it asks me where it folds every time.

JReade

When will this platitude die?!

thugpipe

who can say but I take joy in peoples surprise when a bike that many of them are dismissive of because it is not within the norm changes their perception. I don't think the saying is going anywhere as long as people think that there is one right way to accomplish an end. I made the statement because unlike any other bike I have owned or rode before I really do get a lot of unusually looks and interest in this bike and a few seem to really be bothered by me passing them at speed.

thenomad

sorry, not initiated into the mini world yet but what makes this noticeably different than an actual BMW with a long seatpost and a geared wheel? I understand the mini wheel acceleration/nimble etc. Seems like one could be put together from a BMX and spare parts to try it out. Still end up with a small rugged curb jumper.

thugpipe

well there are quite a few significant differences between this and a bmx actually although it can be hard to discern at a glance. first the particular geometry of this frame makes it pretty stable at high speeds probably related to the wheel base being about 4in longer than almost any BMX, second the 135mm hub spacing and the chain stay clearance for the multi speed system this frame has are not easy to adapt to a bmx which has a 110mm or 120mm freewheel hub, third disc brake mounts are a pretty unique feature of a bike this size. I am sure you could work on a bmx and make a workable multi-speed bike but it would require some heavy frame mods and this was a mostly bolt together job with minimal frame modifications also the geometry might make it very twitchy but I am not sure of that. finding frames of this type in the USA is very difficult.

As for the small wheels, I hate all this moment of inertia crap people talk about at length, i think it is 99% gearing that make the difference and i like having smaller wheels with fat high pressure slicks like the hookworms because it is lighter than a big wheel with fat tires and the small wheels make for a much smaller bike that is easier to carry up stairs, on trains, and through crowds when needs be. The fat high pressure tires roll fast but give crazy good grip in turns and make for an extremely aggressive handeling road bike.

fietsbob

A 406 wheel Bike Friday is my favorite wet weather bike, now. a lower step over I suspect.. [21"]

rcschafer

Man I really want a Bully Bummed that the US flirtation with mini-velos faded about as soon as it started. Guess there's still a few Nanos available.

-=(8)=-

I was just looking at mini's on the 'net!

Your bike is awesome!!
After riding and loving a folder, I thought how cool it might be to build up a 20'', non-folder.
You have done a fantastic job!!

thugpipe

Keep looking the bikes are out there! So far I have found two Bullies, I found the other one used and my brother liked my bike so much I built one up for him and he loves it too. I am very disappointed that minis haven't been given more time to take off, I blame bike shop guys. 90% of bike shops have been EXTREMELY dismissive of me and my bike I have one guy who built my wheels who understood what I was doing and was really into it but most bike techs aren't interested in anything that isn't a standard bike.

here is a quick pic of the two bullies I have found and it makes a neat before and after shot though this image is a little old now.


thanks I am really proud of how it turned out and it is a big improvement over my folder(dahon silvertip) even though this bike is heavier than my folder it is faster, handles better, and stops quicker. If you can find one get it! there are a few other minis out there in the USA the Mercier Nano, the Soma, Biria Mini 20, and the Cannondale hooligan. I owned a Nano but for me the wheel base was too short and it felt too twitchy this bikes long wheel base and geometry just feels right. I have become a bit of a mini velo nut, if I ever go back to Tokyo I am totally bringing back a Tyrell CX, I love steel frames and that bike is beautiful.

mconlonx

Still love this bike. Although it still needs Shimano hydraulic disc brakes...

thugpipe

that is in the cards but I am kinda broke from the initial build still and an additional $200-$300 is not gonna happen. beside I told you Magura MT2s because of my narrow bars!

thanks!