I love this site and love all the wild and wacky builds folk do on here, but was thinking instead of looking back at retro what about a trend for looking into the future while keeping a cruiser type theme, i.e an ultra modern cruiser, super slick with space age modern materials, some off the wall designs, drivetrains etc, radical new designs with maybe integrated lighting, fancy wheels, I have seen at the bike shows new builders coming to the fore touching on the ideas, budnik bikes for example with clean slick designs but something without the OTT price tags, even using original bikes but updating them with modern tech or am I crazy and is everybody happy staying with the retro styles? Any ideas or pics would be great as I think its just another area of styles to look into, think 50 years ahead and what type of bike you would want to ride along the beach then, obviously still leg powered and achievable to build now!
Futuristic cruisers for the next generation?
- Thread starter dezzie
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:
I think with any "future" bike, you would have to consider a different drive system. I think shaft drives look futuristic. My wife took my shaft drive on the tweed ride, and people were snapping pictures of it at every stop. It just looks like something is missing!
Well, I don't think it as futuristic, but it is a bit nonconforming compared to todays bikes in design and material. It's my 102 inch long, aluminum honeycomb composite bike, I built about 9 years ago. There is no tube frame, the head tube and the bottom bracket have stub tubes that are epoxied into the 1 inch thick aluminum honeycomb core.
I have shown this bike on RRB many times, nothing new or very futuristic to me. But it is my favorite bike in the world, because it is the only one like it in the world.
Your 'chainline' better be dead on!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
I would like to see the Gates belt drive used on a classic cruiser/rat...
Also better brakes! Discs may not have the look, but I am sure someone will come up with a way...
Been thinking about modifying a Harley belt drive and sprockets to a bike like I did with the big rear chain on BigJim...
Luke.
Also better brakes! Discs may not have the look, but I am sure someone will come up with a way...
Been thinking about modifying a Harley belt drive and sprockets to a bike like I did with the big rear chain on BigJim...
Luke.
I gotta say that I despise the Gates belt drive system, but I'm always tempted to get an old brit-style roadster and make the conversion, just b/c the break-away seatstays would allow for a belt to be installed without modding/chopping the frame.... That's my mental illness; when it comes to bikes, I feel driven to do tings just b/c i can , even if i probably shouldn't.
Gates is fairly new, but belts on bikes isn't new. Has that "new" vibe, though.
I gotta say, I agree with CeeBee about most "new" bike stuff being recycled ideas from yesteryear. The exception, of course, is the computer stuff. Not the little computer on the handlebar that Freds use to figure out their cadence and total mileage, but the computers running stuff like Shimano Di2, which is electronic shifting. They got a wireless version. I read an article in the last Dirt Rag about a LaPierre full-suspension rig with an automated computerized suspension system. Suspension on bikes has been around forever, but this is the first time that a computer responds to input from the rider, the bike, and terrain to automatically alter how the suspension behaves. I can see how that kinda stuff is impressive, but I'm a pessimist. I always imagine the headaches that occur when things go wrong with stuff like this.
The most modern thing I've ever put on an old-school cruiser is, I got some rad lights on the Worksman that I commute on. Generator hubs and lights have been around for a very long time, but LEDs are kind of new, and the things these companies do with the optics these days are truly astounding. A far cry from the halogen set-ups from about ten years ago. But, that's not like a revolutionary new thing; it's more like an old thing that has evolved into a very impressive system to run on any bike....
Gates is fairly new, but belts on bikes isn't new. Has that "new" vibe, though.
I gotta say, I agree with CeeBee about most "new" bike stuff being recycled ideas from yesteryear. The exception, of course, is the computer stuff. Not the little computer on the handlebar that Freds use to figure out their cadence and total mileage, but the computers running stuff like Shimano Di2, which is electronic shifting. They got a wireless version. I read an article in the last Dirt Rag about a LaPierre full-suspension rig with an automated computerized suspension system. Suspension on bikes has been around forever, but this is the first time that a computer responds to input from the rider, the bike, and terrain to automatically alter how the suspension behaves. I can see how that kinda stuff is impressive, but I'm a pessimist. I always imagine the headaches that occur when things go wrong with stuff like this.
The most modern thing I've ever put on an old-school cruiser is, I got some rad lights on the Worksman that I commute on. Generator hubs and lights have been around for a very long time, but LEDs are kind of new, and the things these companies do with the optics these days are truly astounding. A far cry from the halogen set-ups from about ten years ago. But, that's not like a revolutionary new thing; it's more like an old thing that has evolved into a very impressive system to run on any bike....
If you go to the "Luckly Little B@$+@rd" thread you can see my illusion purple "Little ......." cruiser. Carbon Girvin forks, carbon seat post, carbon handlebars with integrated stem, Skyway mags and 3pc cranks. Not at all what Felt intended for a cruiser but I like it.
- by Gigmata
Last edited:
Yes gigmata its your bikes that inspire me, already looking for girvins for my new bike i havent got yet as your builds pretty much get my point of what i said about a cruiser design but with modern stuff and materials i would like to see the next step up from that though, maybe integrated l.e.d lights in the frame tubes or seatpost or handlbars etc, wide carbon rims or titanium bling.
futurist is like the flying cars we ar suppost to be using so when you say what stuff would like to see in 30 years on a bike in the future eveything modern is just to coplcated so nothing new will come to as good as what one can actualy use , cost is an isue
Found this e-bike on youtube, it has an old style but with very modern features, this is what I mean about designing something with new ideas and materials but with an older style, love the light on the front, would not be hard to design a cruiser with this sort of design and materials - -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5484kGWavA
This reminds me, I saw in the archives that a few years ago (Brian might have posted them in the gallery section), there was a science fiction themed build off. It seems related, and though I'm not sure what mine would look like for sure, it sounds awesome.
There was a star wars theme bike that looked pretty futuristic. Other than that, I too have thought of doing the belt drive. I was just going to replace the chainring with a VW pulley, and use the generator pulley from the same , welding it to a sprocket to use in the rear. Also thought of building a gear drive bike like pictured above. I found 3 flywheels at the salvage yard in different sizes with the same tooth pitch and size so they would all mesh. But I'm guessing it would just be heavy, inefficient, and noisy.
I finally got my Little B@$+ard (purple) back from my local shop. I will take real pics of it next week. I likely will take off the Carbon Girvins and replace them with aluminum Girvins so I can run a disc brake up front. I, you see, would like to stop at lights so I don't get hit by a car. I have never been happy with caliper brakes.
- by Gigmata
- by Gigmata
Last edited:
That chainless bike is wicked
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
