Old Schwinn Road Bike Chop Chop Build

I thought some of you may be interested in what's going on with my Latest build - I am doing some radical engineering to rig up a swing arm dual suspension bike.

First, I started with a gigantic road bike that was given to me, set up for very tall riders. I chopped the head tube and the seat tube, removing almost 4 inches of tubing.

I'm going to affix a 1/2" axle perpendicular to the seattube with heavy welded steel. The swingarm axle hold a welded double sprocket offset about an inch that will feed the left side 36 tooth sprocket, anchored via clamshell on a 24" wheel. The swingarm width will be 7 inches, with my custom hub being 6 1/2" wide. The hub will ride on a 1/2" axle! It will take something to break that.

I am shooting for a 47" wheelbase.

I did some test fittings on the frame to get an idea of how it would look.

I'll need to dish out some money for sprockets, tube and tire, stepup drillbit (to put 5/8" bushing into swingarm), and two shocks to support the swingarm.

I will be running a 1' piece of heavy Duty unistrut along but slightly below the top tube/ down tube interface. That will hold a spring saddle and grab the top of the shocks.

 

[Timbone]

 

[Timbone]

 

[FurryOnTheInside]

Merry Christmas. Very interesting. I don't believe in it myself but many do. Spoke tying/soldering, I mean. Lol

 

[Timbone]

Merry Christmas. Very interesting. I don't believe in it myself but many do. Spoke tying/soldering, I mean. Lol

Merry Christmas!

Tying and soldering is an old school technique, used by bicycle racers decades ago when wheels were much simpler. There's still a lot of debate about its effectiveness, but arguing about it has mostly ended because modern race wheels are so strong, light and stable. You can't even find 3X wheels in a Cat 5 race these days!

But for motorized applications, this could be a big advantage. In effect, the soldered cross section effectively moves the hub flange farther out. If you can end the microbending at the spoke flange, the chances of a spoke break approaches zero.

If I could find a 12 gauge spoke vendor who could provide me with custom lengths, I would go with them. I suppose my quest here is to build a really solid and reliable 14 gauge spoke bike wheel.

Timbone

 

[Frankenstein]

Merry Christmas!

Tying and soldering is an old school technique, used by bicycle racers decades ago when wheels were much simpler. There's still a lot of debate about its effectiveness, but arguing about it has mostly ended because modern race wheels are so strong, light and stable. You can't even find 3X wheels in a Cat 5 race these days!

But for motorized applications, this could be a big advantage. In effect, the soldered cross section effectively moves the hub flange farther out. If you can end the microbending at the spoke flange, the chances of a spoke break approaches zero.

If I could find a 12 gauge spoke vendor who could provide me with custom lengths, I would go with them. I suppose my quest here is to build a really solid and reliable 14 gauge spoke bike wheel.

Timbone

Ebay, I bought custom length 12g spokes on there, he even said if you need shorter than what the listing range was just to message him and he'll make it work

 

[CrazyDan]

Those swingarns look like they are pieces of a chopped up stop sign post. That thing looks cushy as fork. Maybe do the same thing on the right as you did the left for the chain to fix the pedal chain issue?

 

[Timbone]

The swingarm is made from 1 inch square channel that you can get cheap at Lowe's. Check it out - it is stronger than any bicycle chainstay and the perforated holes are great for attachments.

The cold weather has me stymied. Really dying to test my new rear wheel.

Your idea concerning using an offset for the chainline is a good one. Thanks!

 

[Timbone]

 

[CrazyDan]

No pedal chain for now? Man that looks like a comfy ride.

 

[Timbone]

No pedal chain for now? Man that looks like a comfy ride.

I'm Flintstoning it! For now.

I cannot get a standard BMX/410 chain to stay on. I need something more along the lines of a 5 speed/ 6 speed chain. Still looking around.

Tomorrow the HD Lightning CDI arrives. I'm going to move the needle clip on the Dellorto carb up one notch. It's running a bit rich at mid throttle and I have the needle set at the richest setting. The bike starts and idles very well.