BikeHacks

Lion Bellworks Follow up

Last fall we gave away a Lion Bellworks Bell and recipient Rod installed the prize on a home made cargo bike.  He was kind enough to send along some pictures and comments. Readers feel free to identify donor parts.

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This is my first effort at a cargo bike and while there are a few improvements that will go into the next ones, I am quite pleased with the results. Based on comments I receive every time I take it out, it is meeting with a lot of interest from folks. I expect that there is a pent-up demand for a utilitarian bicycle like this.

When building this unit, I tried to incorporate as many parts from donor bikes as I could. Your readers might enjoy identifying the parts that are used in un-ordinary ways - you might even make another contest out of finding them!!

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And let me say that one of the most endearing aspects of the bike is the Lion Bellworks bell. I use any and every excuse to ring it and it usually turns heads that have a big smile on them - it truly is the most musical bike bell that I have ever encountered!!

I would really be remiss if I did not mention www.atomiczombie.com. Brad and Kathy's website were the inspiration that started my interest in bike hacking. Beginning in the fall of 2011, I purchased the first set of plans and began constructing my first cycle project, a recumbent tandem tricycle. Since then I built a long wheel base recumbent bicycle and a recumbent tadpole racing tricycle. Some of the ideas that were incorporated into the cargo bike came from the Atomic Zombie plans. If you haven't already checked out their website, I encourage you to do so.

Ammo Can Bike Cooler

Refreshment can be an important part of cycling and recreation, and reader John wanted a way to keep his beverage of choice cold.  He did a great job of transforming an Ammo Can into a cooler and he documents the process below.  Putting the entry together made me thirsty . . .

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I needed a cooler I could bring on my bike when shopping, but more importantly for kickball, softball, and other drinking league sports, since I found no commercial options I built my own. I decided to use an ammo can because I saw so many saddlebag conversions done by motorcyclists. I chose a fat .50 cal ammo can because it is slightly larger than the typical .50 cal cans most people are familiar with while still being small enough for bicycle use.

I was able to pick one up from the surplus store for just under $30 in pretty good shape. First thing I did was sand the entire box and made sure to remove any rust I encountered. Once everything was sanded and looked rust free I started painting. I bought self-priming spray paint, but to be on the safe side I still bought primer. I decided to go with the familiar cooler colors of white over red. I even did a final clear coat layer to hopefully keep the can looking good for a while. This part took 4 days to do because of the extended dry times.

After painting came the hardware mounting, I chose to use hardware from Velo Transit. Since the cooler was going to be carrying the weight of ice, beer, and the can itself, I thought it was better to go with proven hardware vs. whatever I could think up at home. I chose to mount the hardware lower on the cooler body so it would be invisible when viewed from the opposite side. Once the hardware was on, it was time to glue the insulation into the cooler. I choose super tuff rigid .5 inch insulation foam.



The foam I used claims to have an R3.3 rating which I don't really know what it means, but it was the best I could find for .5inch foam. I had to carve out holes for the nuts and washers of the mounting hardware. I just cut pieces for each side and the bottom and glued it in with construction adhesive. To protect the foam, I bought lexan to use as a liner for the cooler. I just scored and broke it with a utility knife, which actually worked very well. After gluing down the lexan with the adhesive, I covered every seam with silicon caulk to prevent water leaking into the foam. I ended up with an interior space that is 10.5 inches long, 5.5 inches wide, and 8 inches deep, it can hold 9 regular sized cans with ice and a 6 pack of the larger 16oz cans with ice.

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Tent Pole Bike Cargo Rack

Reader Chris has become somewhat of a mainstay on BikeHacks with his DIY hacks.  He came up with a spotlight, a car horn, and you might have wondered about the mount he used for his LED light strips.  That question is answered in the video below. 

What I am curious about is if Chris has come up with his own wind powered electrical system for his house.  Certainly sounds like wind is an abundance resource where he lives =)

 

DIY Cargo Bike Plans

Over at Tom's Cargo Bikes, Tom has been generous enough to document the process of building one of his 'hillbilly' cargo bikes via BikePortland.

                                               Photo Credits in this post go to Toms Cargo Bikes

If you're like me, and constantly think of how cool it would be to have a home-built bakfiets or cargo bike, this might be just the inspiration you're looking for.  Of course you also need to be able to weld, on know someone who might do it for you in exchange for say, beer. 

Tom put up some great high resolution pictures of a build in process, along with accompanying notes. If anyone has experimented with such builds, we would love to post so give us a shout out. 

Also, be sure and check out Tom's Flickr photos, where he documents a bunch more of his creations, and don't miss this profile of Tom over at BikePortland.

Cargo on.

Bike Rain Shelter Storage

We all face different parking dilemmas, and although reader Assen had plenty of space, Assen wanted a rain free parking place.  The solution is below.  If readers have come up with innovative parking ideas feel free to contact us for posting. 

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I needed a rain-sheltered place for the bike, so I put down a rubberized 4 x 6 rug on the balcony. Lifting the bike way up should do the trick.

 

 

DIY Bike Canister

It is smart to ride with enough tools to make simple repairs, but a good set of tools can be expensive and you want to hold on to them.  Taking your tools with you can be a pain and reader Neil came up with a way to keep his tools with him and secure at the same time.  Take it away Neil.

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I wanted a way to store my road repair tools and parts, on my bike, while discouraging theft. Presenting the Tool Canister:

I'm a huge fan of PVC and the structures it can create with a little effort. They are in a sense adult LEGOs and a very easy medium to work with for people with little construction experience (*cough* ME *cough*). After spending a lot of time brainstorming in the plumbing section of my hardware store, I came up with an idea for a secure-able tool kit.

Right now I keep a metric set of Allen wrenches, a crescent wrench, screw driver, spare chain, and a spare inner-tube.

The basic parts are always the same, the only variable is the SIZE of the pipe and its accompanying fittings.

***Because you may need to place your hand inside the pipe during the build, pick your PVC pipe/fittings starting at 3 inches (that's the internal diameter or width of the pipe). If you aren't sure... try to fit your hand in the pipe @ the store, if it doesn't fit start @ 4 inches.

You will need to purchase the following essential components:

1) PVC Cap

2) PVC Female Adapter

3) PVC Plug

4) PVC Pipe (Cut 3.75 inches shorter than desired length of container from Cap to Plug)

5) U-Bolts, steel or zinc (ex: 1 inch bolts are for 1 inch diameter wide bike frames/handlebars,)

6) Carriage Bolt, steel or zinc

7) Nylon Locking Nut, steel or zinc - Count of 6

8) PVC Glue (or any Silicon Sealant/Glue)

9) Long Shackle Padlock (must be long enough to clear the diameter of the Female Adapter that you are using, and the internal clearance must be wider than the thread of the plug - see image of plug above)

You will need access to a drill, hack-saw (to cut the pipe and any screw shaft protruding past a tightened bolt), a wrench or pliers (to tighten the bolts), possibly a round file (to compensate for any miss-aligned drilled holes, or to widen holes that were drilled to small), and a hammer with a ball (not a hook).

First you want to pick a spot on your bike that you will attach the canister to. Make sure it has clearance for your widest diameter piece (the Female Adapter (2)), and the measure out the length that you want. Keep in mind if you mount this length-wise in the triangle frame of your bicycle that you may have difficulty reaching in for tools. Cut your Pipe 3 and 3/4 inches (3.75) shorter than the length that you want and hopefully just measured.

The basic construction is as follows. Put the Cap (1) on one end of your PVC Pipe (4), the Female Adapter (2) on the other end, and the Pug (3) goes in the Female Adapter. This is the same if you use larger pipe/fittings.

a) First, you will drill 1 hole where the Cap meets the Pipe. From the inside drop 1 Carriage Bolt into that hole so the thread is on the outside. Lightly screw on a Nylon Locking Nut to hold it in place. (Carriage Bolt secures Cap to Pipe)

b) Next, drill holes along the length of pipe, opposite the side of the Carriage Bolt, which will accommodate the U-Bolts (2 holes side by side the width of the U-Bolt). Do this twice, in-line so it will mount straight onto bike tubing/handlebars/rack.

c) Then, from the inside and starting with the holes closest to the Cap (this can be tricky to line up), drop the U-Bolt into the drilled holes so the thread is on the outside. If you are having trouble, grab you round file and widen up those holes. Lightly screw on a Nylon Locking Nut to each thread to hold it in place. (U-Bolts secure Pipe to Bicycle)

d) Now, drill 1 hole where the Pipe meets the Female Adapter, on the same side as the other Carriage Bolt. From the inside drop 1 Carriage bolt into that hole so the thread is on the outside. Lightly screw on a Nylon Locking Nut to hold it in place. (Carriage Bolt secures Pipe to Female Adapter)

e) Take your Plug and screw it into the Female Adapter so its snug, not tight. Note how far the Plug goes in by counting the threads. Unscrew the Plug from the Female Adapter. Measure from the exposed thread to the end of the Plug (the end that was screwed in). Approximately 1/4 inch past this measurement,is where you will drill on the Female Adapter to create holes for your Long Shackle Padlock. (Padlock secures Plug to Female Adapter, and prevents people from opening the Tool Canister).

f) Finally, insert one end of the padlock shackle into your Female Adapter hole that you drilled in step e). Mark the center, where it lines up on the square protrusion of the Plug. Drill a hole on this marking to create holes for your Long Shackle Padlock. Repeat steps e) and f) on the other side of the Plug and Female Adapter to create the other holes for your Long Shackle Padlock.

g) Unscrew the U-Bolt nuts and affix the Tool Canister to your bicycle, and tighten all of the Nylon Locking Nuts with a wrench or pliers.

h) From the inside, apply pressure to the Carriage Bolt so the square area will catch on the drilled hole. If this doesn't happen grab your round file and widen it a small bit at a time. Tighten the Nylon Locking Nut onto the Carriage Bolt. (If the Nylon Locking Nut is to hard to tighten, get a regular Nut)

i) Using your Hack-Saw, cut off protruding threads on any bolts, leaving 1/8 inch of thread exposed past the nut. Using a Ball Hammer, tap the ends of the threads, so they flare out and flatten onto the Nut. (Flared Bolt threads secure the Nut, and prevent them from being unscrewed with a wrench)

h) Now just take your sealant or glue, and coat any steams or holes to keep the water out.

Extra Credit - Buy some anti-rust spray-paint, and coat any exposed metal (or the entire canister) to prevent rust.

ADDITIONAL PICTURES FOR REFRENCE:

Inside the canister.

Padlock holes.

Final Product and Prototype

The whole project should cost about $25-50 (your stores prices may vary) plus labor and depending on which lock you get and what you use for sealant/glue.

As everyone knows anti-theft measures are meant to discourage theft not stop it. This is supposed to make the zipper bags more appealing than your canister, but if a guy brings bolt-cutters, he's cutting your bike chain and taking the whole enchilada, Tool Canister and all.

If you aren't ready for the investment of a drill, borrow one.

Notes -

Hacksaws are good for cutting your lock off if you lose your key.

Everyone should have a wrench or pliers for general bike maintenance.

Round files and hammers have so many uses and they are cheap and abundant.

D-Lock Suitcase Transport Hack

Reader Adlar from Stamford, CT submitted the following hack.

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As a person who solely relies on his bikes for transportation, one of the issues I have had is transporting everyday luggage. I currently own a bike trailer that does the job but I did not feel comfortable leaving it locked at the train station with my bike. The challenge was to attach my suitcase without a trailer and have it survive the 2 mile ride.

The first picture shows the difference between the D-lock and Kryptonite locks used.

It is important to note that with the D-locks used, there was too much play between the attached handle. This led to tire rub on both the handle and the suitcase. I suppose this could have been alleviated with smaller D-locks, but then I saw my Kryptonite disc locks and figured they might work just as well. Using the disc locks kept the suitcase at a safe distance on both my 700c single speed and 26 inch folder.

The single speed has an Avenir seatpost rack and the folder has a Topeak explorer rack attached. Both have performed flawlessly! Thanks and happy riding!

Recumbent Bicycle Trailer Hack

Reader Tim contacted us and sent along a great hack he came up with to haul stuff with his recumbent bike.  All text and pics are Tim's.  Thanks Tim!

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This is a bike trailer I built using used walkers I bought from the Goodwill Shop for $5 each.  One walker makes up the main frame and parts of a second walker were used to close in the bottom, which then became the front of the trailer.  I built it specifically to pull behind my recumbent trike, but left a short arm on the left lower front end should I wish to adapt it to an upright bike in the future.

Scrap aluminum was used for the hitch mount on the trailer and the trikes rack as well as to enclose the rear of the trailer.  The wheels were left over from another project.  It would be nice to have used a set of lighter bike wheels, but part of the purpose of this project was to see what I could do with what I had on hand.  The bed is a piece of scrap luan drilled out for weight and held on with zip ties.  Left over webbing was used front and rear to save weight.

Aluminum sides hold the axles which are bolts running through blocks of scrap oak.  These are of aluminum sheet salvaged from an old stop sign.  The only thing I purchased for this, besides the walkers themselves, were some nuts and bolts and the hitch.  The hitch is a 3/8 inch Ball Joint Linkage Quick-Disconnect from McMaster Carr, $7.  I do not have any pics of the trailer in progress, but it is not too difficult to see how it goes together just from the photos.

The weak part of the design is probably the rack on my trike.  It is not the strongest rack on the market.  Too much forward weight on the trailer and the rack could bend.  A stiffer rack would work better.

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Feetz

Out of The Netherlands comes the Feetz TriBike.  This cycle was created by Dutch designer Lennart Vissern with one idea in mind: shopping on a bike with a child.  With a quick and smooth fold it transforms from a regular bike to a shopping cart.  It also has 5 gears and weighs 62lbs (28kg) and comes with a 5 year warranty. 

 

It can also transform into a baby carriage!  This cycle offers the same benefits as the Taga, but with a different design.



Photo credit goes to Feetz

The Netherlands is the dizzle.

P Clamps for Rack Stabilization

Attaching stuff to your bike can be tricky.  Yes, certain parts come with an express purpose in mind, but they do not always function the way you want them to.  Reader CamoDeafie, who also submitted a post on Military Bags as an affordable bike bag option, did not like the parts his rack came with so he came up with his own solution.

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I recently got a Sunlite Alloy rack for one of my bicycles, which does not have rack eyelets on the seat stays, after trying to get the OEM clamps to stay, since the seat stays tapered upwards, the OEM stuff kept wriggling and loosened by going further down the seat stays, so I decided to go get a couple P clamps, and mounted them to the original mount holes on the rack itself, it is now very secure and a rather clean looking rack :)

This is the Sunlite clamp system; a V bar and a straight bar, the straight bar is supposed to be on the outside of the seat stays, while the V bar is supposed to be inside, between seat stays and seat tube; due to the V shape, it would not stay in place on a seat stay system that tapers towards the seat; thus after riding it a while, or putting any load on the rack, the clamp would wriggle and fall down towards the crossbar;

I replaced the OEM clamp system that kept falling down on the tapered seat stays with two P Clamps; here is the relatively clean installation; I say relatively, because compared to the OEM style of mount, it is better, but it is not as clean as a braze-on system (which would really be awesome to see..)

a view from the seat tube area;

overall view of the rack area from above;

And yes that is a Cat Eyes rear light mounted in place of the rear reflector.