Sissy bar failure....

[Jimmy the Gent]

1. Ten-foot piece of conduit - check
2.- Sand to fill it with so it won't kink - check
3. Satisfactory place to bend it for the proper fit and look ( a support pole on a building near home) - check


It kinked...badly.


So; what did I do wrong?

[RonK]

Heating the pipe with a handheld propane torch...not to the point of being red hot, mind you...just warmed up to get the metal a little more malleable

[gcrank1]

You do know there are conduit benders, right? Dont buy one, make a friend of somebody with one.

[aka_locojoe]

Or you could do this...

[udallcustombikes]

The sand has to be tightly packed in there, damp is best.

[Jimmy the Gent]

You do know there are conduit benders, right? Dont buy one, make a friend of somebody with one.

Yes; I knew about the benders, none of my friends have one...they don't "get" this whole bike business anyway - I need new friends.

Or you could do this...

This is great!!

....an idea worth borrowing for sure...

The sand has to be tightly packed in there, damp is best.

See; that I didn't know....


One more question: If I use my original sissy bar clamps what size conduit is best?

[gcrank1]

Jimmy, My friends mostly dont get it either........but Ive had lots of years here to 'cultivate' my support network. Check with a local 'handyman', many have professional type specialty tools and are easy to get along with. Old retired guys in your 'hood that seem to be doing their own upkeep and maintenance probably have skills and tools nobody knows about and we ain't all ornery coots.
FWIW, one of my best friends calls my gravity bike the,"downhill death bike" .

[udallcustombikes]

I don't know if a conduit bender can get a small enough radius for a sissy bar. The best way is to cap one end of your conduit and then fill it about 1/4 full of water and then add some sand and tamp the capped end on the ground to compact the sand, water, sand, tamp, water, sand, tamp until full. Then cap the open end and proceed to bend. Once it is bent remove the caps and tap the sissy bar with a mallet to knock the sand out. You might need to use a hose to flush out the remaining sand.

I would recommend using 3/8" conduit, it is closest to the size of a purchased sissy bar.

[gcrank1]

My thought, short of actually trying it, was that to use the C-bender to bet the initial bend going and the tube stretch started would make the damp sand filled final bending to easier.

[udallcustombikes]

Another option if it is winter or you have a giant freezer would be to seal one end, fill the entire conduit with water and freeze it. That is how they keep the brass tubes from kinking when they make instruments (Thanks "How Its Made"). Never tried it myself, but the theory is solid.

[gcrank1]

Ohhhhh........thats COOL

[Jimmy the Gent]

I've been forced to put this part of it on hold for two weeks- yes; I'm that broke.

...but as soon as I can; I'll let you guys know how it turned out.

[Spincycle]

Get your conduit at the hardware store. On your way to the check out use the conduit bender off the shelf. Then ask for a discount on the bent piece of conduit you'd like to buy.

[jackdaw]

Get your conduit at the hardware store. On your way to the check out use the conduit bender off the shelf. Then ask for a discount on the bent piece of conduit you'd like to buy.