STRETCH CRUISER ADVICE NEEDED!!!

[RustyGold]

Totally agree with Joe. I have a single speed Felt Scythe with a forward pedal frame...and it desperately needs some gears

Jason

 

[ZygoteLittle]

A 42 or 44-tooth crank w/a 13-34-tooth 5 – 7-speed freewheel/cassette should be enough to handle most hills without overstrain issues. This configuration should provide Gear Inch numbers low enough for climbing and yet tall enough for safely going downhill without the risk of piddling-out.

“Bad Finger’s” Gear Inch numbers are 32.117 - 99.272 Gear Inches with a 7-speed Shimano MegaRange freewheel.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

A 42 or 44-tooth crank w/a 13-34-tooth 5 – 7-speed freewheel/cassette should be enough to handle most hills without overstrain issues. This configuration should provide Gear Inch numbers low enough for climbing and yet tall enough for safely for going downhill without the risk of piddling-out.

“Bad Finger’s” Gear Inch numbers are 32.117 - 99.272 Gear Inches with a 7-speed Shimano MegaRange freewheel.

That's good information for the test bike that I've started (HERE). I'm planning to use the derailleur set-up from the donor bike. I'll have to check to see what gears are on the cassette.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

My first test bike is done. The geometry proved to be very comfortable to ride! At this point I don't feel the need to change anything, so I'm encouraged to start work on my real design that's in the works.

Thank you all for your input! Still wanting to hear from any of you to add any insights on the subject.

 

[A.S.BOLTNUT]

If it feels right , go for it .

 

[The Renaissance Man]

I've been on the hunt for raw tubing for frame building. I have access to a tubing bender that is set up for 1" pipe (the actual OD is 1.315"). I can easily get schedule 40 1" pipe without a problem, but it's much thicker and heavier than I would prefer.

What do some of you frame builders use?

 

[Starnger]

I usually use 1, 1.5 or 2 mm wall thickness tube, depending on the size and the purpose. The common sizes i use are 15mm for cantilever tubes, 22mm (7/8 inch) like for handlebars and seatposts, 25mm (1 inch) for smaller tubes, like mid tube, then 31,5mm (1 1/4 inch) for most of other tubes, like top tube, and finally 38mm (1 1/2) for thick bottom tube that carries a lot of weight and stress. Those sizes i have taken from one of my Dyno frames and they seem easy to work with because they are common imperial measurement sizes, compatible with many standard frames you will come across and a lot of tube benders.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

My local steel supplier doesn't stock thin wall tubing.

 

[Starnger]

My local steel supplier doesn't stock thin wall tubing.

That's a pity! Back in the days when i used to live in Amsterdam i used to ask a local blacksmith to order tubes for me when he made bigger orders to his supplier. He could get me anything, but i had to wait for that to happen.
Now in Poland those things are super easy to get, we have few metal suppliers in a close outskirts of town (about 40 minutes by bike) who store a lot of different tubing in their huge warehouses. I just come there, buy the tubes i want (usually most of the sizes i use are in stock, the only shortage is thin wall 22mm tubing, i have to buy 2mm instead of 1, perfect for bent seat posts because it provides extra strength, but not for handlebars bcause they get heavy this way), they sell it 5 or 6 meters minimum. Then i ask them to cut it for me at the place by pieces of 2m long maximum, load them to my trailer and get them wherever i need.

So, my advice to you is try asking local blacksmith, where does he get tubing of particular sizes you want, he might have an answer. Hope you will succeed!

 

[horsefarmer]

Starnger, That trailer setup is awesome! love the hitch setup.

 

[tjwilson]

Typically I'll use 1" for top and down tubes, 3/4" for seat and chain stays, 1/2" for a bridge between stays, sometimes solid 1/4" rod for truss supports. If there isn't a significant price difference between .049" and .065" wall I'll use the .049" to save weight. Although, .065" gives a little more material for grinding areas smooth. I've noticed that for some diameters, depending on the supplier and, at different times, the thinner wall can cost more. I usually get mild steel, A513 DOM (drawn over mandrel) mild steel. I have treated myself to 4130 chromoly with .035" wall a time or two in the past but that can be twice the price and is a little harder to weld.

I've mixed wall thicknesses (.065" & .049") without trouble. I usually end up including 3/16" mild steel plate too. With MIG I've found that if you start welding into the thicker material and spend less time with the arc on the thinner material you can get a weld without blow-through. From what I've read TIG is easier to mix thicknesses because of the greater control you have over the arc. Haven't tried TIG though (yet).

I have purchased material locally but have found that the convenience of ordering it online is hard to pass up. It has been a while since I've done a direct price comparison but the difference wasn't huge. There is an advantage to being able to get exactly what you want, in the thickness and length that you need, even if there is a slight premium, jeeze I almost sound like a salesman ;-)

These are the suppliers I've used. In my experience the price of steel seems to vary quite a bit. It's usually worth it to check pricing from both to see who has the best price at the time I'm ordering.

onlinemetals.com
speedymetals.com

Hope this helps!

 

[Starnger]

Starnger, That trailer setup is awesome! love the hitch setup.

Thanks! Since the last year (when that pic was taken) i got it powder coated black, now it looks even better. Still am looking for nice wide whitewall tires and painting or replacing the wheels, but i'm not in a rush with that. The hitch is made of the wheel of the original supermarket trolley i used, the wheel itself was replaced by the axle connecting the wheel-base with the bearing to the trailer rod. It is bolted to two bent sheets of steel and with a sick piece of rubber wrapped over the chain-stay. The rubber provides third axis of freedom without scratching the paint. The only flaw of this system is that it would not work over non-round tube chain stay. That is not often a case, but for example my Electra Ghostrider has a oval-shaped tubing there. Anyway, now i am almost always using it with my "truck" bicycle - Electra Delivery, which i have assembled with the lower gearing especially to allow it to tow the heavily loaded trailer easily. One of more recent pictures of this trailer can be found here. It also allows to flip the rear wall and to use it with a cushion as a passenger seat - very comfortable solution Another original wheel of the trolley can be bolt-on in front, so the trailer can nicely roll by itself, without a bike with it.
Sorry for off-topic

 

[RustyGold]

McMaster and MSCDirect are two other possibilities...probably not as much selection for stock (listed under 'raw materials' in both catalogs, I believe) than the above two online suppliers, but, they may be cheaper/faster.

Jason

 

[deven_science]

I use 1" or 1 1/2" EOM mild steel tubing for the frames, and 3/4" for the stays, typically.