christophe31

Hello,

i'm christophe from toulouse in france and this is a picture of the 2 long tail i have build

HPIM1711.jpg
HPIM2314.jpg



and this is how i build the first https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgY3RIGASbA

bye,

Christophe.

Fizzaly

I got it going with multiple gears even, rides wonderfull very little flex, broke chain though, i just had to try and do a wheelie(almost did one) Now i just need to finish the temp rack set up as, for now im just going to go with the two cheaper racks back to back and just add some additional support, i might add some sort of a "shelf" to one side as my main reason for this build is to make it easier to haul frames and wheels around so we shall see how i go abouts that. All in all im quite satisfied with it so far picked up the tandem derailleur cable so im not a bit over 16$ into the project and still having fun with it. Once i get a rack finished im gonna throw some satin black over it and ride her. I am going to down the road upgrade parts as most are from crappy walmart bikes but they will work for the time being.

wpryan

Why not leave the bottom bracket intact on the donor bike (I understand this won't work for a one-piece crank) and just take the pedals off. The spindle width is already somewhere around 110 mm, so it wouldn't take too much bending on the main bike to make the dropouts match up. In addition, wouldn't it make sense to keep the top tube on the donor bike (on a "boys" model) and cut it to length to get the right geometry?
I'm intrigued, and I want to try this.

EDIT: Sorry, I wrote this after having read only the first page of the thread, not realizing there were 16 pages so far. I'm all caught up and my questions, for the most part, have been answered. On another note, I bet I took eight of those X-Mart donor frames to be recycled this summer. Yes, I'm kicking myself, but they shouldn't be too hard to come by. Thanks to all for the posts and the pictures!

wpryan

Since the last post I found a donor FS bike at the pawn shop for $16, and had another good candidate for the front, a Trek 850 Antelope that had a bunged-up rear derailleur hanger. The Trek was otherwise in good shape, with plenty of nice stuff, considering it was free. I basically sailed with what has seemed to work for everyone else here, but I did have a good closeup on the connection and how I did that. I used the pivot point instead of the bottom bracket, and took the bushings out of the old frame to use in the rear triangle. Then, as the wheels from the donor Mongoose were something I would not likely use for anything, I took apart the cup-and-cone rear axle and used the parts for the main connection. The cup bolts were perfect for just outside the bushings, and the set bolts worked well on the inside of the dropouts.
Now I'm left with an unused bottom bracket, and had an idea. Maybe I can find a way to use the old spindle/axle to attach a kickstand system. I'll post any results.

wpryan

Thanks to everyone for the ideas and inspiration for "Stretch." Everything came together very well on the back, especially my old license plates. I like that even better, I think, than the requisite skateboard deck. Add the studded tires (see "home made DIY studded tyres" in the Winter Cycling forum), and it's perfect for the skiff of snow we got last night. I see a lot of miles on this in days ahead. Thanks again.

Sixty Fiver

"Stretch" is what I named my bike... it is not a stretch to understand why.



Nice work and I bet you are enjoying the snow more than some.

wpryan

Now that I've got the xtracycle built up, I was looking at the donor rear triangle and thinking of a way to make that work on a recumbent. Based loosely on a Bacchetta Giro, I added the wrinkle of a rear suspension. Attached is a rough sketch of my thoughts. I suppose I might have put this entry in the recumbent or framebuilder spot, but neither place seemed to have anyone who was working with this kind of stuff.
Does anyone have any ideas, suggestions or general criticism of the idea? I love the creations I've seen here, and value your opinions. Otherwise, I'm going to start scrounging some parts and put my limited welding skills to use. Actually, I cut a 2x4 to attach to the rear triangle to get a better bead on measurements and distances, but I'm still mainly in the idea stage. Thanks in advance for your help.

Sixty Fiver

From last Sunday...

(image unavailable)

grinningfool

Sixty Fiver, do you always bring 3 gallons of milk when you go on a picnic ?

badmother

There is plenty stuff like this on the net, just look around. There is a 2"x4" recumbent looking much like the one you presented. Try the Alt Bike Culture thread.

Sixty Fiver

Only when I am making 3 gallons of home made loco cocoa...

LucianTheOne

I sold to a friend my first Xtracycle, and I really need to bild another one. I'm incomplete whitout it. I have most of the parts, but I hezitate between a clasic transmision 3x8 and a gear hub Nexus 8.
Until now I did'nt seen a Xtracycle whit Nexus 7 or 8. It will be enough? Are many hills in my region, and I carry big loads.

That was the last ride whit my first Xtracycle.

artur elias

I sympathize with you!

No, I didn't sell my first one, but I'm already deep in the processo of building my second and better one. I bought a nice old hybrid/touring Giant a couple of months ago, than went after a cheap Y-frame for the rear triangle, so I don't have to use a tall hard tail rear end like I had to in the first build; and other small stuff.

Bike has already been tested, cargo area is the next step.

I'm making pictures of every step this time, so I can put a tutorial online.

Back to your question:

I had to cope with 9 gears only in my first Xtra, because of a chain management problem wich rendered the small chain ring impossibe to use. I miss the low gears often, and that's actually one of the reasons to try another (better) build.

badmother

Time to build another one for sure! I use a Nexus7 on Dogbike2 https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...+a+new+dogbike . Justb put a "new" set of wheels on it today (no pix yet) w 590-37 cream tyres. The hub in the 622-47,s that I used for two years need a rest and a makeover. Also 622-47 is a bit much, had some problems with rubbing (rear triangle is made for 552, front bike is for 622.

Also I just built (almost finished) another one. Are going to use only bags on that one, no "wideloaders". It is 3x7 for now (90`s mtb) but if I keep it i`ll convert it to Nexus7. Soo much easyer. Just make sure you choos the right chainwheels for front and rear. I gear them for hills, not for speed.

Sixty Fiver

My next upgrades will be to build a new rear rack system and perhaps add an electric power assist to the front wheel to make it an AWD extra bike and make those long loaded climbs a little easier.

badmother

Make sure you give us pix! I`ll try to take AND post some this weekend to show what I did on the new build. Not much different from before, but trying to save some weight where it is possible and also trying to atach BOTH the rear racks to the rear triangle. Partly becouse I want it far back, away from my feet and partly becouse I want it to be easy to mowe the "extra" part to a new front bike frame if I want to move it to a differen "front bike frame".

mountaindave 

+1 on Nexus. Choose your front chainrings carefully. You probably wouldn't even need more than two. If you haven't checked out Sheldon Brown's website, he has some great info about the Nexus 7/8 that will help you decide how to set it up.

FWIW, my setup is a single chainring in front and Nexus 7 in back. I don't know the size of the chainring off the top of my head, but it is "medium sized." I ride it to Costco and back with a hill in between (uphill both ways ;D) and I don't have a problem with 50-70 lb loads.

MD

Sixty Fiver

From yesterday... will be keeping the studs on for a while yet.

(image unavailable)

While I was at the shop I gave the chain and drivetrain a good cleaning and changed out the Suntour Vista derailleur for an Exage Mountain that I had just rebuilt.

Shifting got a little lighter and I knocked a few hundred grams off the bike's weight...

LucianTheOne

I start building my second Xtracycle. For now I have a doubt. I wanna weld a tube between main frame and rear triangle.
What tube will be better? The green or the red? I don't have a green tube long enough, so I'd prefer the red one. It will be strong and stif enough in that pozition?

purplepeople

You'll need two tubes. The first is to replace the missing seat tube from the donor bike. Without it, the rear triangle will just spread until it breaks. The second goes from the top of the donor chainstays to top of the main frame chainstays, not horizontal like your red line.

:)ensen.

forn man

You guys inspire me. My buddy gave me a sunburst-looking rear triangle from an old aluminum Cannondale. Viola! Cargo bike. It's the coolest bike I've ever had. People stop and stare when they see my kids riding on the back of this thing. I can't wait to pack a pig out of the woods on it. Next project: plywood Long John

badmother

Looking good! Joined jul 2009 and this is your first post. You must have been "lurking" for quite some time

johannrissik

Way to go Forn Man. Keep us posted on the plywood long john. Is this where you've been lurking ?https://bicycledesign.net/2011/05/btw...f-cargo-bikes/

Sturmcrow

Nice bike, Forn Man!

Has anyone on here made a poor-man's stoker stem (to put a handlebar out towards the back) by cutting one end off a threadless stem and sticking a quill stem down into the hole left?

I'm wondering if it is possible. The aluminum seems plenty thick, even if I end up having to bore it out a bit.

Alternatively, I'm thinking about taking that same threadless stem, cutting it in half, and lengthening it with an internal or external sleeve. Any opinions?

Barchettaman

FornMan - love the foot pegs on the bottom bracket of the donor rear triangle - very neat.