Recumbent Update

This weekend, I fabricated the steering tube, and installed the handlebar. I also installed the brakes, and measured for the rear derailleur cable (I have a new one that is just barely long enough). The handlebar is going to be crowded with grips, gripshifter (on the right only - thumb shifter on the left) and brakes. It came from a kids bike, but is the perfect shape for this project. If I find I can't use it, I have a couple of backups, but I really like this bar because it has such a nice droop to match my arms coming up from below.

I modified the seat a little to make the back-to-bottom connection stronger, but in the process, tipped it back about 5 degrees further. I think it might be a little more than I had wanted, but it's still not quite as far as some production recumbents. The only way to tell for sure is to try it out on some test rides, which I am really looking forward to.

I had some black rip-stop nylon laying around that was leftover from a temporary streamer we put on the balloon when the Belarussian military shot down a balloon during the Gordon Bennett. Always a rebel. Although it may not be strong enough to stand up to years of wear and tear, I decided to go ahead and use it since I may be building a better seat fairly soon anyway. I measured and cut the fabric, now I just have to sew it up. I can't wait to installed the seat cover so I can sit in the exact position I'll be riding in. The boards I've been sitting on are little too stiff and thick to get a true feel for pedal position, arm angel, neck support, etc. At any rate, I'm beginning to install all the little parts to get it ready to ride - just as the weather is turning crummy.

Jack

Pictures of the Recumbent Project

I took some pictures tonight. I finished the seat mounts, and laid out the steering. The first three pictures are of the seat mounts. Then a couple of whole views, and one showing my "test seat" (a couple of old drawing boards). The last picture is the rear brake mount. I left the kickstand mount on the bottom tubes when I cut them from my old mountain bike so I could reuse it. It also has a tab for mounting a fender, which would be a nice addition later.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I replaced our water heater last weekend. Not a hard job - don't hesitate to try it yourself when the time comes. And it will come...
Jack

Recumbent Seat Progress

On my recumbent bike project, I assembled the crank with just the two stock chainrings (with bearings and cones from the ramp cruiser) and figured out how I will attach the seat bottom in the back. I welded on two flat plates, and drilled them to accept two U-bolts that will hold the seat bottom rear cross tube. The front mount will have a similar arrangement. I'll weld a small plate to the cross bar and use a single U-bolt to clamp it to the top frame tube.

I found two perfect seat back support rods - I tore apart an old bike rack that was broken in three places, and the rods that mounted it are the perfect length, predrilled, and look very nice. I welded tabs on the seat back to mount them and they fit great. If this sounds confusing, take heart, I'll take some pictures soon and load them.

It's beginning to look like the recumbent I had pictured in my head, even if it is quite heavy. The Recumbent Blog has an interesting post today, on what little difference a superlight bike makes for the average Joe. I wonder how much difference a superheavy bike makes.

I still haven't found fabric for the seat. I have some black rip-stop nylon in the closet - maybe I'll just use that for now, and sweat it out. I need to get that sewn together, so I can sit in the seat to plan out my handlebars. I need to throw some primer on, too, before it starts to rust.

Jack

Good News for the Project

I found a source for the bearings and cones I'm missing for my recumbent project. A friend gave me a pretty nice mountain bike sometime back that he dug out of a dumpster at his secure storage unit. He wasn't scrounging, but most of the bike was sticking up, and immediately he thought of me and our fleet of bicycles at work. It had some damage and a few pieces missing, but it was a high-end one that appeared to be repairable. You might recall, it's the one I started to tear down to use as a base for my recumbent, only to realize after removing EVERYTHING that it was aluminum, and thus beyond my welding capability.

To make a long story shorter, I reassembled it Monday evening , and tuned it up Tuesday evening, digging through my pile of spare parts to replace whatever was missing to make it usable. I'll take it to work today and swap it out with one of the older "ramp cruisers" I donated last year that is wearing out. The bottom bracket on the "one-brake, three-gear, death trap" of a ramp cruiser is the same style/size as my recumbent.

Now I'll be able to resume assembling the recumbent to fit the seat, and make some handlebars.
Here's to good friends! Yeah!

Jack

Axim Fixed

It worked! With some help from a friend at work who repairs things like this, I was able to resolder the terminals from the connector to the motherboard. It powered right up when I tried, and later worked perfectly when I put it in the cradle to hot-sync and recharge. I'm so happy again.

Jack

Pain and Depression

My Axim has a booboo. The sync/charging connector on the bottom of it, is loose. I haven't decided if I want to try soldering it, replace the motherboard, or send it out for repair. I did find some great information on the Axim Users site, and mustered up the courage to take it apart. The connector is small, and the wires coming from the back are tiny. Soldering without destroying the whole thing would be a challenge. It would take a very sharp soldering iron. I need to confer with the experts on this one before I go any further. It's time to go upstairs.

Jack

Update

I changed the sidebar - little changes so you might not notice. I deleted the few personal blogs I read and moved the other items up. Did you ever click on "Letters to Fiona"? It was a brief, but deep, well written blog. Maybe you've had a relationship like that, where you met someone really, truly incredible, then realized you were headed in two different directions. You saw them wave through the back window as they left, taking your heart with them. If you ever do read it, start at the oldest entry, and read upward.

I swapped out my CO2/argon bottle today. Now all I need is a whole bunch of time. I've been wearily consumed the last week or more. Working a lot, busy evening schedules, full weekends. Sorry I haven't written more.

Jack

Go Figure

I finished welding up my seat back, and attached the back and bottom together. I don't think the joint is strong enough to last through much abuse, so once I figure out the best angle for the seat back I think I'll weld a gusset in to make it permanent.

Elsewhere in the project I became frustrated. Evidently I left the bottle valve on last time I welded, and there is a slow leak at the regulator. I have almost no co2/agron left. Another week of no welding. So I decided to start assembling the bike so I can test fit the seat. I started to assemble the crank, so I could figure out the chain rings, and. . . . . where are the crank bearings . . . . .where are the crank bearing caps . . . . . hhhhmmmmmm. For the life of me I can't find what I did with them. I have a red bin that all the parts are kept in, they just aren't there. gggrrrrrr.

Jack

Cleaning Up

My son barfed in the car on the way home from picking up my daughter at school today. He tried to get it out the window. I just finished cleaning up both sides of the door, the window, the seat, and the carpet. At least it didn't happen in front of the all the kids at school. He'd be an orphan. So, now he's watching a movie and getting ready to go to bed early. "Buzz Lightyear of Star Command." Whatever - he likes it.

I bought more wire for the welder today, so the great bicycle is rolling again. I got an 11 pound roll this time, since it was only a little more than the 2 pound roll. Cheaper in bulk, again, I guess. It was the same thing when I bought the argon bottle, so I have the big one. Now I'm all set for winter, which coincidently appears to be coming. It's been raining for about four days and the ten day forecast shows 4 different words for "rain". Sure beats 90 degree weather.

Jack