The EggBeater - or - how to fold a bike without quantum mechanics

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SwissGuy

Professional Amateur Tinkerer
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Location
Berlin
Hello my fellow builders. Sometimes live is happening and bikes are building themselves. This is one of this occasions. Originally I planned to build a trike with an egg-shaped front basket, hence all the egg-puns, but then my live really got complicated and the build went down a completely different road: I will move to Berlin in a few days and I needed a suitable bike to take me to the train station and to take it with me on public transport for free. I needed a folder. As I did this before, I knew what I had to do and went at it. But with the big move ahead, money was scarce and this build had to be cheap and mostly stock parts. In all (without tools) I spent about 60 Euros on this bike, which is very much ok.
But enough preface, here comes the final product of my journey to the finish line of the build off 13:

The EggBeater
0110423bd83ce437273cc14c92dc7601.jpg

Taken apart it looks like this:
ae38dbe366fda62b6bbc7caff8fa8a62.jpg


As I mentioned above, my intent was to build a bike suitable for short rides in the city, from and to the S-Bahn (public transport), which is allowed to be transported for free (once folded it counts as luggage and is free of charge). I wanted a short wheelbase, hence the 26" wheels and as few cables and wires as possible (single speed, kick back brake, front brake, lights with integrated battery). The look should be ratty, so that it would blend in, when left behind at the railway station. And all that for as little money as possible...
This bikes handling is very good. It turns on a dime, but you have to be careful in high speed turns, because the ground clearance of the pedals is around 7cm only. It's definitely a pedal scraper...
The transmission is perfect for my actual uphill downhill terrain I have now. For Berlin I'll probably make the chain longer and put it on the larger chainring to have more speed on the flat land.
The folding process works fine for me, as I'm already used to it. This time I added some straps in strategic places to make the carrying of the folded bike a bit easier.
For the overall size of the bike I have made some comparison shots with another bike (the Capitan, since they are cousins..) but it's about 10cm shorter then most of my other bikes. And the overall look is the one of a classic railway station beater bike.....
So I can say all my goals achieved and all that amidst all the other stuff going on like exams, flathunting, packing up our flat, farewell parties....

The build thread
Here you can jump directly to the step-by-step for the Kee-Klamp installation

That's what I started with:
8987cde2066a50b24a7f298228a2cdbe.jpg


Here's what's the omelette is made of:
Stock parts:
  • cheap old frame (Krauter Aluette), meant for 28" wheels
  • 26" fork from a ladies Herkules
  • set of 26" wheels, hubs and spokes from the same Herkules (single speed, kick back brake), rims from an old MTB
  • front fender from the same Herkules
  • handlebar from a kids bike (Puky)
  • 175mm cranks of unknown origin
  • assortment of various unnamed parts from my leftover box (front brake, grips, bottom bracket, pedals, kickstand, reflectors, saddle, seatpost, ...)
  • frontlight converted to led
  • backlight (former frontlight, converted to led) stolen from "Capitan Terror"
New parts:
  • Cheap tyres and tubes (30.- €)
  • short piece of 3/4" tubing (1,30 €)
  • and finally the secret ingredient: 4 kee-clamps (30.- €) for 3/4"
And credit where credit's due: The original idea for making a folding bike with couplings comes from here: https://www.instructables.com/id/Folding-Fixie-without-welding/
 
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The EggBeater in it's natural habitat:
64c5bd6b276f9bbfdc6c68b53bc0664c.jpg


Who needs a lock...?
d48c977b951da52585d60bb306b4340c.jpg


Chainside view:
68288a58eff0b83cedac16c6231f7798.jpg


Left side view:
3a0a0915800bef2d84bf80e14849c746.jpg


That's how the couplings look up close:
They are meant for 3/4" tubing (26,9mm). But as you can see, there is enough space left to accommodate 28mm tubing without any filing and even 29mm will fit with some filing, grinding and a rubber mallet...
72bfba143193a2649b7dd64ccc88a47a.jpg


Some more details you can find in the build thread...

Made some comparison shots with the Capitan
793a8d184ca3aa7296ac0e2540351d50.jpg


b050d4e26036254b07870907a76e3dcd.jpg

55caa94417bfe16aec8d75f4e340bdab.jpg


It's about 10 cm shorter than the Capitan
4bb1ed0ca4274cca2f7d9d68691b8881.jpg


Ground clearance of the pedals is about 7,5 cm
e53addb27bea53ac749ee12cbd3c718b.jpg


And here comes my "in the fountain" shot:
b48ac4fc95c258a4e1bbb74c6b72587b.jpg
 
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Moving in a middle of a build-off is not easy. But looks like you accomplished what it was you were after. Well done.
 
Best videos on RRB! You have created a tasty omelette SwissGuy! All the best on your new life adventure in Berlin.
Viel Glück!
 
Very innovative And creative. Pretty awesome actually. Patient this thing love your idea .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Very innovative And creative. Pretty awesome actually. Patient this thing love your idea .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Actually the original idea comes from a dutch guy, who posted it on instructables.com (see end of post one in this thread), which is my goto site for innovative ideas, inspiration and out of the box tinkering. A little bit like ratrod, but not only for bikes... [emoji6]
And as far as I know, some of you guys hang out their as well (thinking of @OddJob and @LukeTheJoker)

Gesendet von meinem K00E mit Tapatalk
 
I love the breakaways that you added. Best fountain video ever.
I especially like how you "locked" it to structures.
Congrats on the build and the move!
 

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