DIY/DIY(Redundant?) Recumbent

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cannonball2

cannonball2

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Oct 28, 2010
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Colonial Coast USA.
I know there is a bike build in this but the 4stroke FD is DIY so what better place than DIY for an all DIY?

Was whining on Deacons Expedition Impossible thread yesterday about needing seat and handle bar upgrades for the BIG RIDE. Especially need to something to get my poor old palms off the handle bars. That wise guy Ferball-lol- suggested a recumbet as it settles the comfort issues. Honestly never thought of one, so descided to build on this morning. It was made straight from the scrap pile. The rear section is from a 24" suspension bike because all I had left were 24s. Less distance to fall anyway. The rest is Recycled Recumbent. Will use my favorite 97cc Lifan 4stroke in FD configuration. While this bike will be fully ridable by pedaling, its developement is primarily as an MB, with comfort and simplicity as the main goals.
 

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cannonball2

cannonball2

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Oct 28, 2010
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Colonial Coast USA.
Got a little more done on what ever this thing is gonna be. Got the handle bars laid out and will start on the engine mount tomorrow. After the engine is worked out will fit myself into whats left space wise. Since I dont know jack about recumbents, Im just bumbling along doing it my way. As I said in the first post this is an MB, the pedals are just to get it going, and maybe be used in an emergency. Notice where the shifter is, over the rear axle. I havent shifted my Mongoose in the last thousand miles. Figure if something breaks I will select me a speed I like and pedal home. The only controls on the bars will be a brake handle on the right with linked brakes along with the throttle, and the lift clutch on the left--simple. Any way Im having a blast not having to build around something already built. Yeah DIY!
 

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cannonball2

cannonball2

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Oct 28, 2010
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Got the bike to the rideable stage today. What a hoot!, Would have done one of these a long time ago if I had known, The seat is VERY comfortable even cushionless. Been riding this thing almost non stop since about 3pm., changing out handle bars to see which ones I want to use, the bars in the pics are probably it. Has no brakes now and the bottoms of my shoes are nearly gone! The FD is all fabbed, engine will be here tomorrow. Forgot I dont have a MC clutch handle, trying to scare one up. This thing should be a blast under power. Thinking I can mount the fuel tank to the seat back, reducing the engine profile. This thing is in its roughest form, it gonna finish up nicely, the seat looks crude but once all glued together and covered should look pretty good.
 

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happyvalley

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Jul 24, 2008
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Good lord, man, it's hard keeping up with you on these builds, how many do you have anyway? I'm gonna move and buy a house next door just so I can keep up and borrow the ones you get tired of, lol. :D
 
cannonball2

cannonball2

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Oct 28, 2010
3,682
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Colonial Coast USA.
Yeah, Im tellin ya. Every time I finish a new build I convince myself this is it, then I see somethin or get to thinkin about how I could do this and wham another build. I can rationalize this one as something I have never done. This is not exactly a scratch built, but I have enough of myself in it to where its special. I hope it motors as well as it pedals. If I hadnt stripped a bike to make this one this would have been #12, I for sure need to find an outlet for a few of em. Hopefully this is the one I will ride on Deacons theoretical Expedition Impossible. I believe it will be quite comfortable on the long haul.
 
Elmo

Elmo

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Sep 3, 2009
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Your bike looks a lot like the recumbents that I build. I built my first seat like the one you are building. there is a more comfortable design out there. It is here if you are interested http://sites.google.com/site/recycledrecumbents/seat-frame-construction. My method of fastening it to the bike is better than his and I can post some pics if you want me to. You are gonna love this thing you can ride as long as you want to and never have a pain from the seat.
 
cannonball2

cannonball2

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Oct 28, 2010
3,682
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Colonial Coast USA.
Hey Elmo, yeah your current build was the starting point on my recumbent quest. I actually took scale sizes of a printed picture of your your bike to get dimensions. When I stumbled across Recycled Recumbents on a search the sizes were right on. I am using a rigid seat for several reasons. The engine is behind me, so it forms a bulkhead for heat and noise to a degree, secondly it becomes a mounting point for the fuel tank maybe, tail light etc. I have sat in both sling and rigid seats in homebuilt aircraft for extended periods and the sling is more comfortable, but a well positioned rigid, with the proper padding is good too. After a bicycle seat, just the bare boards of the seat and its position is light years ahead. I plan to build a pedal only one of these, I have a thin wall hi strength steel Murray road bike standing by. This one is a little heavy, (great for an MB) as it was made from a late 60s Western Flyer which had thick wall tubing. Im really stoked over this bike, looks like a great touring mount.
 
cannonball2

cannonball2

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Oct 28, 2010
3,682
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Colonial Coast USA.
Well it is mechanically finished, just took a short ride. Ran and rode great. I hooked the cantilever brakes up in the back, heck my shoes stop better, have to see whats up. The Lifan cranked on the second pull and ran perfectly, just love those little engines, this one is #4. This thing moves down the road very smoothly, guess its the long wheel base, just eases over bumps, gonna love this on the long haul. Still have to fab the mount for the front brake, and a few other details, then disassemble for paint. Not too bad though for a bike that was an idea last Sat. morning. BTW I bought some cables at Walmart for $5 that had every cable for a multispeed bike plus the ends to finish. What was cool they were real long to fit all bikes, worked perfectly on this long thing.
 

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atombikes

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Feb 14, 2010
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cannonball2 said:
Well it is mechanically finished, just took a short ride. Ran and rode great. I hooked the cantilever brakes up in the back, heck my shoes stop better, have to see whats up. The Lifan cranked on the second pull and ran perfectly, just love those little engines, this one is #4. This thing moves down the road very smoothly, guess its the long wheel base, just eases over bumps, gonna love this on the long haul. Still have to fab the mount for the front brake, and a few other details, then disassemble for paint. Not too bad though for a bike that was an idea last Sat. morning. BTW I bought some cables at Walmart for $5 that had every cable for a multispeed bike plus the ends to finish. What was cool they were real long to fit all bikes, worked perfectly on this long thing.
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Two things-your seat bottom looks kinda long, might want to shorten it some to avoid issues with the back of thigh irritation. The other thing is the seatback; I'm thinking that you're gonna want some support on that seatback, it looks dangerous the way it is.
 
cannonball2

cannonball2

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Oct 28, 2010
3,682
221
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Colonial Coast USA.
atombikes said:
Two things-your seat bottom looks kinda long, might want to shorten it some to avoid issues with the back of thigh irritation. The other thing is the seatback; I'm thinking that you're gonna want some support on that seatback, it looks dangerous the way it is.
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Thanks for the input, so far I havent noticed much thigh contact but shortening it some might be a good idea. The seat is quite sturdy. The side buttresses carry the load to an oak 1x2 cross member at the rear of the seat. the whole thing is screwed n glued with urethane glue into a very strong unit. You can flip it over and sit on the apex and bounce, nary a creak. Things are always in a evolution with my builds, so Im open to ideas, apperciate yout thoughts!
 
cannonball2

cannonball2

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Oct 28, 2010
3,682
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Colonial Coast USA.
Well I guess its pretty much finalized on the build. Rode it a good bit last night, and thought it a bit twitchy. Built the front fork as per the plans on RR. Suspected a trail issue. Measured it and sure enough it had just about zero. Then realized I had used a 24" rear wheel instead of a 26-27, that changed the rake and hence the trail drastically. Went through a bunch of forks until I found one that produced nearly 2" of trail, this little Hot Pink beauty(now I have real motivation to paint this thing). Stable as a rock and hands off above 8-10mph. Welded in the bridge for the front brakes and installed the single pull handle, which I really like. Fabbed a heat shield/exhaust deflector which keeps the seat cool. The engine in operation is not as close to the seat as in the pics, the lift clutch is locked and the engine is in the higest position. Added a rear frame kick stand, a computer, bar end mirror, and a new slick type front tire. Also added a d-rail shifter on the bars, I now have 5 speeds, just in case. Eases down the road in a 22mph cruise, tops at 25 on a 2.125 roller, this one is goverened. I really like, it plan to spend some time soon painting and detailing.
 

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cannonball2

cannonball2

Well-Known Member
Oct 28, 2010
3,682
221
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Colonial Coast USA.
Elmo said:
Looks plenty strong. What is the size of the bottom tube? I like the Hookworm on the rear, how does it do?
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The bottom tubes are 3/4". Its over built probably, I tend to do that. Should stand up to the rigors of a motor long term. The rear tire is actually a Duro 3x 24 costs about half what a Hookworm costs and it came with the tube. I thought fitment might be a problem, but it went right on the rim with a little care of the tube, and cleared all the structure just fine. It offers a good surface for FD. Been riding it a lot this afternoon, and its almost not like riding a bike exactly, sittin there in a comfortable seat, just easing along. Its pretty cool!
 
cannonball2

cannonball2

Well-Known Member
Oct 28, 2010
3,682
221
63
Colonial Coast USA.
Hopefully this thing is finalized. Added a suspension front end, which had to be modded a fair amount. I dont suppose it could ride any better now. The new fork also increased the trail by another inch+ now its even a bit more stable. Am going to add a carry tray to the lower bar under the seat. Will haul a gallon of fuel and may a few tools etc.
 

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