Not a cruzbike

[Scott Haggenmiller]

Hi, I built something like a cruzbike and wanted to post it somewhere. I've been riding my way down from 320 lbs and trying different bikes out and having fun. I don't see a lot of used recumbents but come across free df bikes all the time so i got a wire feed from a friend and set to work making my own.

I call the black one a "first pancake" or "proof of concept" bike and not a cruzbike but it has been fun to build and tour on it.

I also wanted to say thanks to all the people who believed in this type of bike enough to spread the word about how much fun dynamic boom riding is, it must not have been easy getting here. Thanks for your hard work.

 

[psb123]

Nice one Scott! the red one looks like a vendetta clone. i have a homebuilt mbb bike too. it's posted in BROL homebuilders Section.

 

[psb123]

test posting a pic...

 

[Bentas]

Hi psb ,have seen this bike before, probably on brol ,love so many things about this build from the frame design ,the color,discs even the stand is kind a funky, did you build it?

 

[Scott Haggenmiller]

Thanks, I must have missed the BROL section. It's nice to see other builders creations, nice build psb.

 

[Charles.Plager]

Very nice!

 

[telephd]

good on ya! nice job on the build

 

[billyk]

Nice. But I'm curious, it looks like there is only a very weak if any connector between the head tube and the boom. What happens when you apply force to the bars? (In any direction)

The reason I ask is that you don't want to be wasting effort bending metal. Is the front assembly rigid?

 

[psb123]

Hi Bentas, thanks! Yes my bike build can be seen in BROL, since there's no homebuilder's section here. About the kickstand, yes it is a highly modified one. It was orignally a dual leg kickstand that wraps around the rear wheel when folded. Mostly used in ladies mixte bikes or kids bike. moved the pivot/hinge mechanism closer to fit the downtube end, cut off the solid legs which were very heavy and difficult to bend, and replaced with hollow metal tube bent to the desired shape.

Hi psb ,have seen this bike before, probably on brol ,love so many things about this build from the frame design ,the color,discs even the stand is kind a funky, did you build it?

 

[Scott Haggenmiller]

Hi Billyk, I used a front reflector and welded a piece of pipe to it. There is a bit of flex that I haven't addressed yet, my main goal was to try to ride "a" moving bottom bracket bike, though I hope to buy one some day. I have put around 300miles on it in worst shape than this and wanted to give up on it three times but the bike is so comfy it's ridiculous.
First attempt...

I found an old couch cushion to cut up, so soft

ICovered the seat, not my favorite color


It was fun though


Recovered the seat in snake skin, rode it like this most of the summer


I made a cardboard cone in the fall and despite feeling silly it made the bike much easier to pedal, same speed less effort / same effort slightly more speed. Win/win.

 

[RAR]

Scott, totally awesome. You'd great job. Hope to see riding someday.

 

[SamP]

I suspect you're losing a nontrivial amount of power in that front triangle, stiffening the front triangle is one of the major things that has happened as the CruzBike models have evolved over time.

But otherwise... cool man!

 

[PJS]

test posting a pic...

Scott, psb123, what are the handlebars you both have used there (the curved road-like ones that look like Silvio/Vendetta bars)?

Good work!

 

[Scott Haggenmiller]

I have tried a flat bar off a mountain bike and found that it made my arms cramp up. It placed my hands by my chest and made it awkward to ride. Drop bars gave a better reach for me and seem more comfortable.

 

[PJS]

Hi Scott, thanks for the reply! I figured the flat bars didn’t work for you. I like the somewhat-flared road bars you put on. Do you know the manufacturer/model for those?

 

[Scott Haggenmiller]

I used a pair of old bars I bought used, clamped them in a vice and bent them to what I wanted. There is a thread on handlebars somewhere on the forum here. I know there are brand that have something similar to what I have.

 

[bladderhead]

feeling silly

Yeah, putting a fairing on that bike makes it look silly.

 

[Scott Haggenmiller]

I rebuilt the tail box out of coloroplast now and added a door so it works as a storage space too. The tail box makes my average pace 2-3 miles per hour faster so I’m keeping it on the bike, silly or not it’s fast. I really gotta buy a vendetta frame someday.

 

[McWheels]

That's not silly, that works. This is a silly rear fairing. Best of all the Belgian responsible thought it best secured at the top by a short red string around his neck. It didn't go well.

View media item 358View media item 357

 

[Scott Haggenmiller]

This is the new tail box with a motorcycle led bulb on a 18 volt drill battery