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Hello, I know I'm a bit late to this party but I do need to throw my hat in the ring this year. I've got a bike I've been dreaming about building for over a year now. Those of you who have followed my past builds will see a some familiar trends but don't call me a one trick pony just yet, I've got a few more tricks up my sleeve. This bike isn't going to fit very neatly into what most people would call a Rat Rod but luckily the first rule of RRB's is you can't talk about what is and isn't a RRB. I'm definitely in for some challenges, I need to make some super skinny hubs for one. Here's some teaser pics of my progress and materials. I finished the full size drawing this morning and I'm now officially making some sparks, er, I mean sawdust...
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Why not a wood/composite bike? It should be light and quiet too!:cool2: Looking forward to what you have constructed in your mind already Chris..
 
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Why not a composite bike? It should be light and quiet too!:cool2: Looking forward to what you have constructed in your mind already Chris..
I thought about just sculpting a frame in foam and wrapping it in carbon but that seemed too easy. I work for a place that builds custom yachts and I'm getting these "scraps" for free! I do the wood work though so that's where my head is.
 
I've been studying wooden bikes and I have to say that so many are design fails. I set out to really rethink the bike frame with wood as the material. It seems like most wooden bikes are clumsy chunky things where the wood has just been substituted for metal like this:
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I really admire bikes like this where the material leads the design and results in fresh new solutions:
dezeen_Thonet-Concept-Bike-by-Andy-Martin-Studio_ss_1a.jpg

Of course wooden bicycles are nothing new. This one has a lot in common with the one above and its from 2 centuries ago.
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And then there's the marriage of wood and metal which opens up a world of design opportunities (and headaches).

b2a68f2e4ea42113d5571a66c62bf4c8.jpg


I realized last year that my '17 build off bike shape lent itself well to a wooden frame. I've tweaked the design a good bit so its a pretty fresh shape. And I'm aiming to get this bike in at under 40#'s to quiet those critics who called L'Angelo a Fatty. The carbon is going to be used in between the laminates to help strengthen and stabilize the wood. It should have some natural spring in the fork and the "seatpost" to smooth out the ride. I'm actually building this one with the idea that its a production prototype. I know that's a bit of a stretch but hey I can dream right?
 
And 'BANG!' you did. If the bike prototype doesn't materialize, you could sell that prize to many I'm sure, me included~!
We could add our own 'shop name' in the black section.
 
Howzit goin with Woody?

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Thanks for checking in, I'm afraid this may be another off year for me. I haven't even had time to think about it, let alone work on it. Its all I want to do but my "Have to do" list is never ending so I never get to work on the "Want to do" list. Its beyond frustrating. Its absolute torture to have this thing you're burning to make and yet you never have a chance to work on it.
 

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