Heliotrope Cycles

[heliotrope]

This is my very first bike and hopefully not the last. This picture is the day I got it rolling, no brakes or hand grips, it does have LED headlights and taillights.

This is her rearend. This is where it gets interesting to look at, and build.

Here it is as I ride it everyday along with my girlfriends new electra. It now has a disc brake up front and turned aluminum handgrips. It still stands on the pedal.

 

[Riverbend Bicycles]

I like it! Very long, very low, and very unique.

 

[user 135]

Nice clean lines, looks like something from the Jetson's.

 

[Jazmanaut]

Smooth! very well done!

 

[Dangler]

WOW! that looks cool... :mrgreen:

 

[heliotrope]

Thanks for the compliments guys! This one definately does get attention. What started my building this bike was an idea from a motorcycle. A very clean single sided swing arm. Having never built a bicycle before and not riden one in over 16 years, i thought why not. So i drew it up on a post-it note and took it to the custom bike "guru" and was met with, "So you want to do a single huh? yeah you and a few others, we tried it and it can be done." well that just fuled the fire in me. Being a minor machinist and tool builder for the areospace industry I had some skill. This is the first prototype, since assembly the rear hub has never been apart due to a failure. It has been tested to 350 pounds by a dear friend. I told him that I didnt know if that axle would hold up so be careful. What did he do? went right off a curb, it didnt break or bend so I was satisfied with that axle. I just dont like being told I cant do something. If you have any questions about the assy feel free to ask(pat pending!). Oh the fun thing about the rear hub assy are, there are no fasteners holding it together, no bolts, nuts, threads or tapers of any kind. I think I have found kindered spirits here.

 

[dangratsdan]

He rides with the Coasters BC, but has been working 2nd shift so we don't get to see them as much, GET A DAY JOB, or take some vacation and come ride on Thursdays pub ride again. He has made another change to the bike, he was riding with only 24 spokes..... 12 on each wheel. Crazy man, crazy.
Dangerous Dan

 

[JoeyMac]

I really like this design. Low, sleek, it looks like it's going fast when it's sitting still. Very well done!

 

[heliotrope]

Hey ya danny baby! Fancy meeting you here!Ive looked, I cant find your wheeler anywhere, did you post it? Hes right, i wanted a look of no spokes so i thought how many spoke could I really get away with? I got down to 12 spokes per wheel. I rode it alot, for a whole year and never broke or bent a spoke. the failure was in the rim. A spoke nut pulled right through it when I hit the brakes real hard. Go figure. I think everyone that I (used to) ride with thought I was nuts and just waited for the wheels to collapse! HA-HA!

 

[Adapt]

There are some really great ideas here...

 

[CYRUS]

Gotta say thats one of the nicest customs I've seen in a while great job !

 

[heliotrope]

Like I said, this is my first bike and plane on doing a trike, but with no chian. Does that still make it a bike of it doesnt have a chain but still is moved by peddle power? I think it does. The trike would be just like, Knumber Won, above frame wise, but the rear wheels would be canted in about 7 degrees like a sports wheelchair, cable driven with an internal brake. talk about clean!

 

[GodHatesCleveland]

very nice....

 

[heliotrope]

As stated above I had 12 spokes in each wheel for over a year without a spoke failure, it was the rim that ultimately failed. Any way I found a picture of it in that spoke depleted state at the Art of the Bike Show a few years ago. Its funny, people noticed the spokes before the rearend, and some never even noticed the rearend cause they were so fascinated as to where all the spokes went. When you think you have people figured out they surprise you.

 

[CCR]

...When you think you have people figured out they surprise you...

im still tryin to figure out which way its pointed :mrgreen: j/k

honestly i noticed the left side drive before i noticed the the missing right side stay

 

[heliotrope]

Hey dont feel bad, after I built it I had try to figure out how to sit on it! You know, I didnt think that, the chain ring would garner any attention other that how small it was, but it get alot of it too. Hey shows you how much I know.