This might be big...

[yoothgeye]

If you're anything like me, most of your bike builds are quick and usually mostly done before a camera comes out. That's what's happened with this one.

I discovered that one of my students at church has a grandfather that builds tall bikes that they ride in the parade. I asked him about it and told him about some of my plans, he said if I built a crazy bike in time for the parade (Dec 5th) that I could ride with them. So I started the bike on November 5th.

Still some more welding to do to make sure it's beefed up enough, and add the fork end to the extended front fork. The drivetain is in working order. I made the 24" Roadmaster mountain bike into a single speed with a 26" mountain bike rear wheel (had to cut out the kickstand mount only to mount the 26"er, looked real good with all that tire) The top tire is firmly inflated and the bottom tire is firmly inflated. The middle tire is aired down alot so I can add air if it slips or take air out if I get too much drag. I cut the drop outs off of 2 bike frames and welded them to the angle iron pointing down so there is also some up and down adjustments for both "slave" wheels. The pink fork is for added support.

Once I'm done I'll get some photos with me for size reference, but those back 3 wheels are all 26". The seat sits well above my head. Once I know from some test rides that it will hold up I will get video.

 

[yoothgeye]

Trying to organize bike parts last night and realized that a project like this is a good way to eat up a lot of parts and make some frames unusable so I will finally find the nerve to throw them away.

 

[KJV]

dude, thats a 78" bike. 8)
gonna run three up front ?
looking forward to seeing finish photo.

 

[yoothgeye]

dude, thats a 78" bike. 8)
gonna run three up front ?

Would like to run 3 up front, but I am trying to do as little welding up front as possible and I am running out of 26" wheels with good bearings and tires.

Hard to see in the photo, but I have 1 long piece of pipe welded to a separated front shock, I have it angled forward a bit to give it some rake. On the bottom I will weld and gusset another 26" fork and mount either a 26" or 24" wheel/tire (whatever I have that I trust). Once I am done and the bike is operational and if I have time I might weld on a 20" fork and a 16" fork above the front tire and have the tires touch and spin each other in opposite direction just for looks.

 

[Motopecane]

Why minimal amounts of welding if you don't mind me asking?

 

[yoothgeye]

Why minimal amounts of welding if you don't mind me asking?

When I weld, I make sure my joints are good, but the fewer welds I make, the more I can trust it.

I went home for lunch and welded up the fork and put on a 26" front wheel. Wheeled it over to my kid's swingset and climbed up on top of it, sat on it and bounced a bit, nothing bent or cracked.

Got my wife to come out and "spot me" she asked what she was suppose to do... "I don't know." I said.

I went about 3 foot and the tires slipped on each other and I learned that I should've used a girls frame, as I tried to jump out of the way I couldn't get my leg over the top bar and hit hard in the grass, should, head, hip. Feels like I pulled my groin. I took some Aleve.

I won't give up, I just need a better area to practice. I filled the middle tire and it shouldn't slip anymore. I may make some big training wheels. haha

 

[Blackwell]

Whoah, that thing's pretty cool! I hope you're OK after your spill.
On a bike that big, maybe you should bring along a parachute?

 

[yoothgeye]

Whoah, that thing's pretty cool! I hope you're OK after your spill.
On a bike that big, maybe you should bring along a parachute?

My head hurts, and my groin, I will wear my helmet on my next attempt, I think I need a rigging under a tall tree and a spotter until I get the feel for it.

It is pretty intimidating on the thing, there is a lot of "sway" in the front end, kind of hard to explain, I think I will just have to get use to it.

 

[Sinner4]

Get on a tall bike like your getting on or off a moving horse. On my bike the bars are almost 6 ft high and the seat is almost 5 foot off the ground. I have had 20 people, from a guys that were 50 to kids that were 14 ride it with no problems at all.

Take all turns slowly and not to sharp and NO WHEELIES AT ALL, its along way down.

My tall bike vid if you care to view.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs7L0yJygg0

 

[yoothgeye]

Thanks for the acdvice, but my tall bike isn't a traditional tall build, but I will take the advice (even though I've never been on a horse, haha).

Here is the "finished" bike.

And here are the pills I get to take a few times a day because of the bike.

 

[yoothgeye]

Oh yeah, I'm 5' 10" for size reference on the bike.

After the failed ride attempt I firmly inflated the middle tire so all the tires are pushed tight together, before I ride it again I will spray belt dressing on the tires to make them sticky so there will be no more slipping.