The Alumasled was built in 2006, its my second aluminum honeycomb composite bike. I built it from scratch, and became my favorite bike to ride. This bike has about 2500 miles on it. Its been used as a canvas for many of my parade and theme rides with the Coaster BC, its been Phantom of the Opera bike complete with a 40 inch wide 6 foot tall pipe organ (cardboard with working electric keyboard ) attached to it, it was Santas sled covered in red wrapping paper with xmas presents piled up on the back, its been completely covered with shamrocks and carrying a pot of gold, its been a wizards ride as four legged dragon creature carrying a pot of mystical goodies on it. This bike has been a show bike, its been to many bike shows and car shows. But most of all it my favorite bike to ride.
The abuse is showing, the hot sun and the rain storms it has sat thru, the stuff that has been bolted on and glued to it have taken its tole on the veneered edges. The lower edges have been shreaded from bottoming out on dips and bumps in the curbs and sidewalks, its fallen over, the points on the front and rear have been bumped on stuff and are quite ragged. Its time for a rebuild.
Here we go.
This was the bikes maiden ride, before the veneer was applied.
This is the bike as last riden, with the wizards creature still on it.
To remove the back wheel remove the side panel. These panels are held on with screws, there are thru inserts in the removed panel to keep the panel from crushing when the screw is tightened, there are threaded inserts that the screw is screwed into.
The side panels have all been disassembled from the rear. Here you can see the damage from bottoming out on bumps and curbs, and the corrosion from water trapped between the panels.
Here is the Alumasled blown apart.
The panels around the bottombracket and the head tube were held on with double sided tape. The BB is epoxied into the honeycomb, as is the head tube, an eccentric slug that rotates to adjust the chain tension.
The main frame showing damage from bottoming out. And NO there is NOT a tube frame inside, the honeycomb composite IS the frame.
Thats the original concept drawing in the background.
The abuse is showing, the hot sun and the rain storms it has sat thru, the stuff that has been bolted on and glued to it have taken its tole on the veneered edges. The lower edges have been shreaded from bottoming out on dips and bumps in the curbs and sidewalks, its fallen over, the points on the front and rear have been bumped on stuff and are quite ragged. Its time for a rebuild.
Here we go.
This was the bikes maiden ride, before the veneer was applied.
This is the bike as last riden, with the wizards creature still on it.
To remove the back wheel remove the side panel. These panels are held on with screws, there are thru inserts in the removed panel to keep the panel from crushing when the screw is tightened, there are threaded inserts that the screw is screwed into.
The side panels have all been disassembled from the rear. Here you can see the damage from bottoming out on bumps and curbs, and the corrosion from water trapped between the panels.
Here is the Alumasled blown apart.
The panels around the bottombracket and the head tube were held on with double sided tape. The BB is epoxied into the honeycomb, as is the head tube, an eccentric slug that rotates to adjust the chain tension.
The main frame showing damage from bottoming out. And NO there is NOT a tube frame inside, the honeycomb composite IS the frame.
Thats the original concept drawing in the background.
