Build your own recumbent bike part 2. DIY short wheelbase recumbent bike. Steerer tube and forks.

[@eugeniosolari]

Yes, this second is as good as first one, feels like woking with an old friend!

[@fabiov973]

Nice job!! Cardboard Aided Design? 😀 I'll have to try it myself! 🙂

[@DDiegoBigode]

Parabéns aí, continue assim. Estou acompanhando o trabalho, eu Tb amo as reclinadas

[@markthomasson5077]

Great work, simple design. Small correction, Rake: relative to horizontal (not frame), I think. Also have a look at Geekbike, his design uses zero rake, back facing fork to give trail. Apparently much improved

[@GavTatu]

Trail nicely explained.

[@petroniomarques7850]

Please, how many centimeters is the wheelbase?

[@olsonspeed]

Do you prefer the SWB bike to the Cruz bike clone?

[@alanvaughan4143]

Hi mate, clever sod aren't you 😆👍.. This is a daft question I suppose but does it take a while to educate the body to operate in this position compared to riding a normal bike ?. My main rides are a vintage Marin Eldridge grade cruiser that I made and a vintage Whyte PRST 1 ( my pride and joy). As always Stay safe ..Alan

[@Gee-Man-Adventures]

Ha ha thanks. Yes it takes some getting used to and you use slightly different muscles so it can take a while for the legs to adapt. The main thing is that you can never pull on the bars, you need to press your back into the seat and push with the legs. Great on the open road, not so easy in town or going up steep hills.

[@macsmandy1]

GeeMan, Super good stuff on your site. Thanks a million. Alan, have no worries, there is not much to changing riding from your diamond frame to a recumbent. Biggest problem of riding is all the nay-sayers. A couple things to remember but firstly; go to bike shop selling recumbents and try them out(every type they have) before you start building this one (and this one's a gem.) Straddled the frame and before you set down, grab and apply the brakes as the bike will move backwards (the dealer will think you've tried others!) Sit down and put your lead foot on the peddle and bring it straight up awaiting the starting forward push, lean back in the seat, push the pedal forward and get your other foot up, and away your go! Easy Peasy! DON'T OVERTHINK IT!

[@brucewmclaughlin9072]

Bents do have a slight learning curve and there are a couple things you take for granted on an upright that you do not do on a bent. Power comes from your legs and holding the handlebars on an upright to help you power up a hill does not work on a bent the same way. Uphill, as you can not stand you need to select a lower gear and spin . For the first 4 years of trying to do this low gear spin up the hill I would make it part way and mash the pedals at low rpm the rest of the way. You need to train for hills if you want speed going up them. Over time hills will see you coming and lay down for you. Any bent you buy ( I suggest used ) will be a different beast till you have a good 250 miles on it. All components except for steering and seat are the same as road or mountain bikes . Another minor thing to get used to is gearing down at every stop you make as you can not stand and balance the bent if you try to start off in a high gear. Select which foot is your lead foot and get that foot to move the pedal to get you going before getting your other foot up. When you are moving you can clip in with your other foot. It takes a while to get used to clipless pedals and unclipping to the side is somewhat different than an upright , so another thing to practice. I ride with short crank arms 153 mm and clipped in as I average 85-90 rpm ( it took over a year before I could be consistent in rpm's) and my pedals are on the second notch , nowhere near the maximum retention. I enjoy comfort and the seat that came with my new Giro was a seat loved by many ,just not by me. So I now have a full mesh seat and that is what my preference is. As my bent is a touring bent it is still giving me the two things I want in a bent or bike ,Speed and Comfort. An upright bike gives me speed only .

[@juvenaldorosariorosario6531]

Gostaria de saber de quanto por quanto é esse metalon. Obrigado.

[@paul-hill]

I put a seat on mine like yours a few years back. I now ride trikes. I can send you pictures, have you a face book page.

[@Velomanable]

Your welds aren't to bad I've seen a lot worse by so called professional guys lol im a structural steel welder/ fabricator

[@Gee-Man-Adventures]

Thanks. That makes me feel better 😅