try right clicking and opening in another window to get a closer look at the mechanismas well as the details of the build
MATERIALS:
Kona Huma Huma Nuka Nuka A Pua Ah... not just the Hawaii State Fish... but a cruiser by Kona Bikes
Dumpster Dive Trek MTB from the 80's... found on the way to a DCMTB meeting... given to DCMTB team mate Vince... given back the night I requested it... the night before I needed it....
Tail end of a Jamis Exile Single Speed which would fit a 29 inch wheel... a second incarnation for a bike that has already seen a good bit of action
wheel barrow through Freecycle... where I got a free wheel barrow and met a new gray haired friend
random v-brakes in the front off the Blizzard
avid disc brake in the rear which came off the front of a Karate Monkey from when I upgraded to a larger disc
Deore levers that may not be perfect for V-Brakes or Disc Brakes
XT rear derailleur that saw lots of action on my Karate Monkey when it was a geared bike
five speed thumb shifter that needs to be upgraded... nice toss into the pot of stone soup from my brother Marc
NEW XT rear cassette that could be replaced with something less Gucci
new chain.... that has been shortened too many times
used 32 tooth front chain ring from Big Wheel Bikes Bethesda 8 Bucks... it has a cool name.... but I forgot it
some black Haro BMX bars also used from Big Wheel Bikes 15 Bucks
SCORE!
thanks Big Wheel Bethesda
nothing purchased at Griffin Cycles in Bethesda... but the shop guys were cool and helpful...
some spacers and a tandem length brake cable from my friends over at City Bikes Adams Morgan... retail... not cheap... city prices that we rationalize with city rent and city employee salaries
shorty stem... also courtesy of my brother Marc
perfect stem and perfect handlebars that save this build and make this bike
bent 27.2 Thompson seatpost
orey grips... new
WTB saddle that may be a women's saddle... but I had it... it was not attached to a bike
WTB front wheel off my Rocky MTN Blizzard that I have not ridden since I wen the way of the 29er
used all my brake and derailleur housing... barely had enough
paint from Home Depot
nuts, bolts, washers.... more washers.... all from Frager's Hardware... where I also bought my boys Flexible Flyer snow saucers that I do not think we have had a chance to use since I bought them
okay... let me review this mentally to see if I missed anything
head to toe
front to back
the front end fork and headset is the old Trek Dumpster Dive
then a long 2X4 box style steel frame
with a wheel barrow and its handles attached to extensions
using the wheel barrow handles... not just for show
although it looks pretty cool
steering column is part steel pipe and part kona
cups and frame from kona
with fork from kona attached to a steel pipe cut to size
crazy long top tube
not measured
some seriously ugly stick welds.... but I heard that stick welding is the track bike of welding... all with some J&B Weld to try and make things a tad more pretty
not even guesstimated by doing a stand over
just a random length dictated by the length of pipe I cut
I used a saws all in low light on an unlevel surface
a vise was not within a city block of this project
a laser level was used for laying out the basic frame
while a jig was not even part of the equation
even if we were building two bakfiets simultaneously
oh... when I say "we"... I mean my friend Adam
I was the nutty professor's assistant
we worked in a low light setting
my cuts with the saws all were on unlevel surfaces
a vise was not within a city block of this project
a sharpie was used to mark the cuts
but a ruler or a square were not anywhere near that Sharpie
compass? protractor? are we sailing across the atlantic?
the build happened in between drop off and pick up
and in between drop off and pick up
we had to respect naps
not my naps... not adam's naps
but adam's son theo's naps
waking up from his morning nap
then allowing him to take his afternoon nap
the timing was perfect
I had to help clean up before pick up
it was amazing how it all came together
adam has finish-itice
he has to finish or he gets sick
the steering mechanism is oddly simple but not so simple
the steering steers from the back
a long rod is attached to the base of the front steer tube... maybe called a "canter?"
connected by another long rod
a rod that needs to bend such that it does not hit the frame or front wheel on turns
we finished in 8 days
frame to build
not working every day
the frame was finished and put on top of the honda element
where I rushed across time to get my boys from school
that night
I primed... painted... clear coated... and assembled the bike
rode it around DC for an hour
then went downtown the next day and did some deliveries for Cargo Mike at Edible Arrangements
Edible Arrangements is popular at Valentines Day
so busy... Cargo Mike needs to call in for back up
so busy... Cargo Mike has to take the roll of dispatcher to cluster the jobs so that the days before and the days after Valentines Day can have as many deliveries a day as Edible Arrangements can handle
delivering may be easier than good dispatching
most messengers will tell you... there is not much good dispatching
deadhead.
there was lots of work which allowed for lots of clustering
the wheel barrow design was not entirely efficient
that will be reworked
but no need for immediate reworking
the frame is too long and the wheel barrow is not entirely efficient
but it all rolls
it rolls and it stops
it rolls and it stops and it carries all sorts of shit
the grocery getter has already done a few trips that would have normally been done in the car
and that is not taking into account working for Cargo Mike and Edible Arrangements