Unconventional, Unorthodox, Irregular, and just plain insane? What have you seen?
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Unconventional, Unorthodox, Irregular, and just plain insane? What have you seen?
There tends to be common themes you see amongst certain categories of bikes. For example touring bikes will have construction, components, and accessories that tend to lend themselves to comfortable long distance riding while loaded up. Road bikes often use space age materials and designs that reduce their weight for improved performance. Overall, there tends to be symmetry to some degree, and consistency towards a goal you want to achieve with a type of model bike and it's intended range or type of riding.
And then there are the bastards. Unconventional, unorthodox, inconsistent, irregular, and in some cases, insane? Things that might not make sense or lack symmetry, to stuff you wonder if the person was either insane or maybe a genius ahead of his or her time? Stuff that makes you question everything you've learned, seen, or been told about cycling. Franken bikes? A 2 stroke kit on a carbon bike? A CB radio mounted to a bike?
I'm curious what you have seen out there.....
And then there are the bastards. Unconventional, unorthodox, inconsistent, irregular, and in some cases, insane? Things that might not make sense or lack symmetry, to stuff you wonder if the person was either insane or maybe a genius ahead of his or her time? Stuff that makes you question everything you've learned, seen, or been told about cycling. Franken bikes? A 2 stroke kit on a carbon bike? A CB radio mounted to a bike?
I'm curious what you have seen out there.....
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 8,688
Mentioned: 46 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1074 Post(s)
Liked 295 Times
in
222 Posts
Well, there was this guy with a DIY, weld-free SWB, FWD ’bent, where the owner/builder had forced a derailer gear rear wheel into a SUSPENSION fork, spreading it considerably. It was a 24” too.
Or the guy who’d lowered his handlebars by welding some iron strips from fork crown to a length of pipe clamped in the stem, then using pipe clamps to hold his bar to the iron strips running vertical from old bar position to fork crown. And it was a quill stem w/o removeable face plate.
Mostly though what irritates and amazes me are those who build expensive,(illegally) high powered ebikes based on department store bikes hardly fit even for human power output. And as if to add insult to injury, many of them simply unhook the front brake entirely.
Or the guy who’d lowered his handlebars by welding some iron strips from fork crown to a length of pipe clamped in the stem, then using pipe clamps to hold his bar to the iron strips running vertical from old bar position to fork crown. And it was a quill stem w/o removeable face plate.
Mostly though what irritates and amazes me are those who build expensive,(illegally) high powered ebikes based on department store bikes hardly fit even for human power output. And as if to add insult to injury, many of them simply unhook the front brake entirely.
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 2,599
Bikes: 06 Lemond Reno, 98 GT Timberline mtn.bike
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 426 Post(s)
Liked 699 Times
in
436 Posts
Nothing too unusual. But I used to live near the NCR (now called York Heritage) rail-trail. Liked riding by the Emu "farm" on the PA side. Also the gnome display on the MD side.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Hacienda Hgts
Posts: 2,102
Bikes: 1999 Schwinn Peloton Ultegra 10, Kestrel RT-1000 Ultegra, Trek Marlin 6 Deore 29'er
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 822 Post(s)
Liked 1,955 Times
in
941 Posts
I came across a group of lowered chopper style adult sized bikes on the local MUP. Just cruising around 10 mph. Very cool IMO.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 39,217
Mentioned: 211 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18398 Post(s)
Liked 15,494 Times
in
7,317 Posts
#6
Banned
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Lincoln Ne
Posts: 9,924
Bikes: RANS Stratus TerraTrike Tour II
Mentioned: 46 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3352 Post(s)
Liked 1,056 Times
in
635 Posts
I have posted about it many times, but what I find insane is the number of cyclist that are suckered into ever increasing number of gears on a bike. And too the insane prices of CF (plastic) bikes. Those bike will NEVER last like a metal bike. The plastic gasses of in time and becomes very brittle. There are Wright Bros steel bikes around, and with new tires would work just fine. I would willing to bet that if one of todays CF bike if kept around would be so brittle in 100 years a good thump would break a big hole in it.
Likes For Doc_Wui:
Likes For woodcraft:
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 5,938
Bikes: Colnago, Van Dessel, Factor, Cervelo, Ritchey
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3943 Post(s)
Liked 7,286 Times
in
2,942 Posts
I have posted about it many times, but what I find insane is the number of cyclist that are suckered into ever increasing number of gears on a bike. And too the insane prices of CF (plastic) bikes. Those bike will NEVER last like a metal bike. The plastic gasses of in time and becomes very brittle. There are Wright Bros steel bikes around, and with new tires would work just fine. I would willing to bet that if one of todays CF bike if kept around would be so brittle in 100 years a good thump would break a big hole in it.
P.S. Yawn.
Likes For tomato coupe:
#10
Banned
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Mississauga/Toronto, Ontario canada
Posts: 8,721
Bikes: I have 3 singlespeed/fixed gear bikes
Mentioned: 30 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4227 Post(s)
Liked 2,488 Times
in
1,286 Posts
That is a pretty good description of recumbents.
Likes For wolfchild:
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 39,217
Mentioned: 211 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18398 Post(s)
Liked 15,494 Times
in
7,317 Posts
Likes For indyfabz:
Likes For JanMM:
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 3,835
Bikes: Trek Domane SL6 Gen 3, Soma Fog Cutter, Focus Mares AL, Detroit Bikes Sparrow FG, Volae Team, Nimbus MUni
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 892 Post(s)
Liked 2,052 Times
in
1,074 Posts
Likes For downtube42:
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 3,835
Bikes: Trek Domane SL6 Gen 3, Soma Fog Cutter, Focus Mares AL, Detroit Bikes Sparrow FG, Volae Team, Nimbus MUni
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 892 Post(s)
Liked 2,052 Times
in
1,074 Posts
The Alt Bike Culture subforum is pretty quiet, but that's were we post our creations.
#15
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,467
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4335 Post(s)
Liked 3,958 Times
in
2,646 Posts
A whole thread on something pretty crazy: https://www.bikeforums.net/alt-bike-...ar-newfix.html
#16
Veteran, Pacifist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Seattle area
Posts: 13,327
Bikes: Bikes??? Thought this was social media?!?
Mentioned: 284 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3897 Post(s)
Liked 4,829 Times
in
2,228 Posts
nahbs
__________________
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Likes For Wildwood:
#17
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,467
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4335 Post(s)
Liked 3,958 Times
in
2,646 Posts
#18
Veteran, Pacifist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Seattle area
Posts: 13,327
Bikes: Bikes??? Thought this was social media?!?
Mentioned: 284 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3897 Post(s)
Liked 4,829 Times
in
2,228 Posts
Jon will build it, if you come.
__________________
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Likes For Wildwood:
#19
Expired Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: TN
Posts: 11,507
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3657 Post(s)
Liked 5,393 Times
in
2,738 Posts
You don't have to go far to find "just plain insane." Several proudly posted right here on BF....
#20
For The Fun of It
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Louisissippi Coast
Posts: 5,845
Bikes: Lynskey GR300, Lynskey Backroad, Litespeed T6, Lynskey MT29, Burley Duet
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2134 Post(s)
Liked 1,643 Times
in
825 Posts
Kinda related. I was cycling down our local MUP a few weeks back. In the distance was a runner/jogger coming at me at a very good clip. Smoking a cigarette as he ran.
Likes For Paul Barnard:
Likes For Paul Barnard:
#22
n00b
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,397
Bikes: Surly Karate Monkey, Twin Six Standard Rando
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 428 Post(s)
Liked 466 Times
in
273 Posts
there's a subred_dit page called "just riding along" that is a steady stream of weird stuff.
a friend of mine who works in a shop privately shares the weird stuff he sees every day, but it's best to not share those publicly. in short: some riders should not be working on their own bikes without supervision.
for some wild bikes that look unconventional but probably function wonderfully, check out:
a friend of mine who works in a shop privately shares the weird stuff he sees every day, but it's best to not share those publicly. in short: some riders should not be working on their own bikes without supervision.
for some wild bikes that look unconventional but probably function wonderfully, check out:
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 1,606
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 581 Post(s)
Liked 921 Times
in
518 Posts
Partner and I used to play a game called 'Trash Factor' where we sat near a busy bike path and looked for cyclists with ridiculous clothes and accessories.
High points were given to people smoking while riding or with a deck of smokes under their t-shirt sleeve, large radios haphazardly taped to the handlebars, and expensive bikes paired with a $14 helmet from Walmart, among others
High points were given to people smoking while riding or with a deck of smokes under their t-shirt sleeve, large radios haphazardly taped to the handlebars, and expensive bikes paired with a $14 helmet from Walmart, among others
Likes For ClydeClydeson:
#25
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,605
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
Mentioned: 123 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10947 Post(s)
Liked 7,474 Times
in
4,181 Posts
I have posted about it many times, but what I find insane is the number of cyclist that are suckered into ever increasing number of gears on a bike. And too the insane prices of CF (plastic) bikes. Those bike will NEVER last like a metal bike. The plastic gasses of in time and becomes very brittle. There are Wright Bros steel bikes around, and with new tires would work just fine. I would willing to bet that if one of todays CF bike if kept around would be so brittle in 100 years a good thump would break a big hole in it.
If someone is looking to ride a bike for the next 10 decades, then sure- maybe they shouldnt choose CF. For the other 100% of cyclists though, that isnt a concern so your point sucks.