Post your utility bike thread
#426
Just Ride!
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: No Longer In Venice
Posts: 182
Bikes: Diamondback Overdrive, Karate Monkey, Kona Cinder Cone, Beaten up Beach Cruiser, Surly Long Haul Trucker, Surly Pugsley
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Finally done!
#427
touring newbie
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 137
Bikes: Sun Kruizer 3
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DVC45, I like that rigid Diamondback frame. Nice bike!
oldfool, I like your home brew utility bike. I grew up about 40 miles from Bayou Blue, and I've handled quite a few flat-back feed buckets for horses. That's a great idea for those buckets!
oldfool, I like your home brew utility bike. I grew up about 40 miles from Bayou Blue, and I've handled quite a few flat-back feed buckets for horses. That's a great idea for those buckets!
#430
ganbatte!
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: nyc
Posts: 1,648
Bikes: '06 Vanilla touring, '09 Vanilla cx, Zanconato cx, Moots Psychlo-X RSL prototype, Nagasawa track, Kalavinka track, Black Cat 29er, Cannondale Rize 2 26er, Serotta CRL Legend
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__________________
3RENSHO SRA | CO-MOTION CROSS | SAMSON | KALAVINKA | DE ROSA | DE ROSA PRO | CANNONDALE SIX13 | CO-MOTION NOR'WESTER
many many bikey photos
3RENSHO SRA | CO-MOTION CROSS | SAMSON | KALAVINKA | DE ROSA | DE ROSA PRO | CANNONDALE SIX13 | CO-MOTION NOR'WESTER
many many bikey photos
#432
ganbatte!
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: nyc
Posts: 1,648
Bikes: '06 Vanilla touring, '09 Vanilla cx, Zanconato cx, Moots Psychlo-X RSL prototype, Nagasawa track, Kalavinka track, Black Cat 29er, Cannondale Rize 2 26er, Serotta CRL Legend
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Yep, Mavic X717s. No problems with the Fat Franks thus far...
__________________
3RENSHO SRA | CO-MOTION CROSS | SAMSON | KALAVINKA | DE ROSA | DE ROSA PRO | CANNONDALE SIX13 | CO-MOTION NOR'WESTER
many many bikey photos
3RENSHO SRA | CO-MOTION CROSS | SAMSON | KALAVINKA | DE ROSA | DE ROSA PRO | CANNONDALE SIX13 | CO-MOTION NOR'WESTER
many many bikey photos
#433
Banned
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Maryland
Posts: 5,155
Bikes: rockhopper, delta V, cannondale H300, Marin Mill Valley
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I put huge tires on my bike once, man that sucked. I ride alot and it's hard enough without a ton of rubber. I guess with disc brakes and tires like that, your rims will last forever. Is that the thinking? I gave mine fatties away after a week. You must be a beast!
#434
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Lorain County, Ohio
Posts: 248
Bikes: 1992 Bridgestone RB-T, 1997 KHS Summit X converted to an Xtracycle, 1993 Trek 970 SingleTrack, 1973 Raleigh Grand Prix
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I just finished putting this together this afternoon, so my first ride was with a load on the back.
Just a bit of headshake until I got rolling. I sure got a lot of looks!
Just a bit of headshake until I got rolling. I sure got a lot of looks!
__________________
Steve - Lorain County, Ohio
1992 Bridgestone RB-T
1993 Trek 970 SingleTrack
Xtracycle conversion on 1997 KHS Summit X
Steve - Lorain County, Ohio
1992 Bridgestone RB-T
1993 Trek 970 SingleTrack
Xtracycle conversion on 1997 KHS Summit X
Last edited by smorris; 09-13-09 at 06:09 PM.
#435
Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: earth
Posts: 46
Bikes: steel ones
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i like the looks of that dutch utility bike macfred. interesting triangulation probably makes for a stiff frame. who makes it? are the wheels different sizes or is that an optical delusion?
thanks
thanks
#436
Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Schwerte / Germany - Workum / The Netherlands
Posts: 42
Bikes: can't count them all
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It`s an optical delusion...
Wheels are both 622 / 28".
grettings
andy
#438
Bent builder
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: London, Ontario
Posts: 334
Bikes: Magic leaning delta FWD trike, various bents and Fisher Sugar 3+
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Hi all, I have a DIY longtail but it's pretty generic so I haven't ever bothered to take photos of it. Instead, however, I thought I would show off the custom cargo bike I made for a local delivery service.
I call it The Truck. It is almost 11 feet long with an 8 foot wheelbase, it will carry 12 common plastic tubs for a gross vehicle weight of 500 lbs. The rear wheel has zero dish and uses a special 14mm BMX axle with a 6-speed cluster. The kickstand can be remotely operated by cable with a special pull handle mounted atop the stem. Chain slap is minimized with a layer of UHMW beside the chainstay. Mostly made with materials and bike components rescued from the landfill.
:)ensen.
I call it The Truck. It is almost 11 feet long with an 8 foot wheelbase, it will carry 12 common plastic tubs for a gross vehicle weight of 500 lbs. The rear wheel has zero dish and uses a special 14mm BMX axle with a 6-speed cluster. The kickstand can be remotely operated by cable with a special pull handle mounted atop the stem. Chain slap is minimized with a layer of UHMW beside the chainstay. Mostly made with materials and bike components rescued from the landfill.
:)ensen.
Likes For purplepeople:
#439
Endurance junkie
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Posts: 155
Bikes: '93 GT Pantera, '03 Fuji Marseille, '05 Klein Attitude, Dahon Impulse, Bike Friday Family Triple
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Any reason you put the rear wheel so far back? For load carrying, handling, and turning radius, it would have been better to have the rear wheel at about the CG of your load (assuming your rear wheel can take the additional weight)
#440
Bent builder
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: London, Ontario
Posts: 334
Bikes: Magic leaning delta FWD trike, various bents and Fisher Sugar 3+
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It will negotiate normal street corners without problem. A U-turn is still possible in a space that is at least 25 ft wide, but as you might expect, the movement is more like that of rotating the front wheel about the rear wheel. For really tight maneuvers, I recommend the operator dismount and, facing backwards and straddling the front wheel, use the handlebars as if moving a low flat dolly.
The beauty of the cable-operated kick-stand is that the rider need not worry about balancing the load while dismounting. Even better is that the load is only about 8"-9" from the ground and if you come alongside a curb with the sides just overhanging, the bike can be set down on the curb without much tilt. Though that seems like a lot less clearance for turning, it still calculates to cornering at about 0.5G... more than most riders ever do on any bike and way more than any fully loaded cargo bike should be going.
:)ensen.
#441
Endurance junkie
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Posts: 155
Bikes: '93 GT Pantera, '03 Fuji Marseille, '05 Klein Attitude, Dahon Impulse, Bike Friday Family Triple
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Just amazing - the cable actuated center stand is ingenious.
My theory for loaded CG is more from trucks so prob not appropriate for bikes...
My theory for loaded CG is more from trucks so prob not appropriate for bikes...
#442
Bent builder
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: London, Ontario
Posts: 334
Bikes: Magic leaning delta FWD trike, various bents and Fisher Sugar 3+
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Actually, I studied trucks and other cargo vehicles of various types for this commission. Take a look at the next truck that goes by.... flatbed, cube, semi-trailer, etc. The rear axle(s) will be behind the middle of the loaded area.
There are several design reasons I can think of why Xtracycle puts their rack over the rear axle. One primary consideration is shipping weight and size. Moving the load forward entails making the extension kit even longer, and thus harder to ship. Moreover, because it is an addition to the existing bike, the designer cannot be certain exactly if the bike frame being modified is even strong enough to carry extra weight. By putting all the cargo weight on the rear axle, Xtracycle guarantees that any bike frame can be used, regardless if it is a Bianchi or a Flying Pigeon. Finally, the load itself is almost never large enough to affect the handling of the overall vehicle, especially if using the Wideloader wings to carry the weight down low. IME, only loads in excess of 100 lbs negatively affect the handling of the typical longtail with wings, and only when moving slower than 2 mph. If I had to guess, I'd say that the load has to reach 200 lbs before the bike requires constant attention while in motion. For what it is supposed to do, it is a good design.
:)ensen.
There are several design reasons I can think of why Xtracycle puts their rack over the rear axle. One primary consideration is shipping weight and size. Moving the load forward entails making the extension kit even longer, and thus harder to ship. Moreover, because it is an addition to the existing bike, the designer cannot be certain exactly if the bike frame being modified is even strong enough to carry extra weight. By putting all the cargo weight on the rear axle, Xtracycle guarantees that any bike frame can be used, regardless if it is a Bianchi or a Flying Pigeon. Finally, the load itself is almost never large enough to affect the handling of the overall vehicle, especially if using the Wideloader wings to carry the weight down low. IME, only loads in excess of 100 lbs negatively affect the handling of the typical longtail with wings, and only when moving slower than 2 mph. If I had to guess, I'd say that the load has to reach 200 lbs before the bike requires constant attention while in motion. For what it is supposed to do, it is a good design.
:)ensen.
#443
Uber Goober
__________________
"be careful this rando stuff is addictive and dan's the 'pusher'."
"be careful this rando stuff is addictive and dan's the 'pusher'."
#445
Bent builder
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: London, Ontario
Posts: 334
Bikes: Magic leaning delta FWD trike, various bents and Fisher Sugar 3+
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Thanks.... the biggest problem was the required size. I am working out of an 8'x10' shed and the bike is 11' long. I'm sure the neighbours though it pretty funny to see the bike slowly growing out the door of a backyard shed.
:)ensen.
:)ensen.
#446
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: chicago,il
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#447
Banned
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Maryland
Posts: 5,155
Bikes: rockhopper, delta V, cannondale H300, Marin Mill Valley
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Very nice, cabana!
I removed the rear rack from my Marin, but it's easy to hitch the B.O.B. when needed.
I removed the rear rack from my Marin, but it's easy to hitch the B.O.B. when needed.
Last edited by qmsdc15; 10-31-09 at 06:21 PM.