Home Made Bikes

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flag R-M-R
Posted: Jan 12, 2020 at 12:39 Quote
Hill Climb used to be a race category! This was way back when bragging rights came from climbs, not descents, because bikes were hopeless at descents. The format was based on time and the climbs were never (that I saw) so challenging as to throw into question whether riders could make it up. The ones I recall were often held on fire roads or ski hill access roads. Not many people miss this format!

Surprisingly, I don't recall any wild machines, probably because bikes from that era were already close to ideal for the purpose with low front ends, long stems, rigid forks, steep head-tube angles, and components selected for light weight. The typical changes were just a super narrow front tire and maybe removal of the front brake and large chainring.

The routes were typically not steep enough to require dedicated geometry. Moving the saddle forward or using a seatpost with forward offset would've been enough. A high BB would be good, as you mentioned. If the course was super steep, like the hillclimb format for motorcycles, then yes, the bikes would begin to resemble hillclimb motorcycles with large rear tires and longer chainstays. In this format, it would look a lot like a trials bike with longer stays.

You're correct that a URT would be well suited to this format. I'm not certain rear suspension would ever be the ideal choice, though. Maybe if the course had some faster and rougher sections, in which case it's getting close to normal cross-country.

I've always liked machines designed for an extremely narrow scope of use, as they can really explore the limits of what's possible when few compromises need to be made for versatility - top fuel dragsters, for example.

Alternatively, just be Chris Akrigg, put on some jeans and a dirt jump lid, and grab your singlespeed street bike.
flag jamieridesbikes
Posted: Jan 12, 2020 at 13:15 Quote
I guess the ideal set up would depend entirely on the course. I'm picturing an uphill DH trail with rock gardens and slippery bits. Pretty wild geometry isn't uncommon now for the downhill side of things, maybe it's only a matter of time before someone pushes the opposite end it all.

f*ck he didn't just enter on a trials bike, he beat Chris Beaumont. A trials bike is obviously the best choice! Maybe TrialsUpDuro is the next big thing for the industry, hill climb but with walls to hop up...
flag aks2017
Posted: Jan 13, 2020 at 12:24 Quote
Alright, so I'm going a new direction for the jig. Still need to work on the rear axle fixture, and organize my files. This evening I'm going to sit down and make a bill of materials, both for the frame and the fixture. I'm stoked for it though!

The square 8020 I get to use from school, so I'm loving this. And then I'm going to tweak my dropouts and add in the derailleur hangar, and finalize the cone sizes for each place on the fixture. Yay Smile

photo
flag laynehip
Posted: Jan 13, 2020 at 17:33 Quote
Was going to get these CNCd but broke out the hacksaw and file instead.
Drop outs done (still need to do some finishing work on them but they at least fit)

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flag ktm87
O+
Posted: Feb 4, 2020 at 8:44 Quote
why did you go so thick on the tubing? thing is gonna weigh 80lbs
flag NorCalNomad
O+
Posted: Feb 4, 2020 at 10:11 Quote
ktm87 wrote:
why did you go so thick on the tubing? thing is gonna weigh 80lbs

#huckingisn'tdead
flag ktm87
O+
Posted: Feb 4, 2020 at 10:12 Quote
looks like .125 wall. you could go half that and it would prob be bomb proof still
flag joose
Posted: Feb 4, 2020 at 14:09 Quote
Go big or go home I guess. Don’t hate and a dudes build folks.
flag laynehip
Posted: Feb 4, 2020 at 14:47 Quote
ktm87 wrote:
why did you go so thick on the tubing? thing is gonna weigh 80lbs

So I used a gas-less MIG to weld the front and I was worried about welding thin tubing (due to lack of skill and also the welder). So I thought thicker would be better.

The rear is actually like 5mm thick.

80 pounds is probably a good guess haha.
flag NorCalNomad
O+
Posted: Feb 4, 2020 at 15:02 Quote
laynehip wrote:
ktm87 wrote:
why did you go so thick on the tubing? thing is gonna weigh 80lbs

So I used a gas-less MIG to weld the front and I was worried about welding thin tubing (due to lack of skill and also the welder). So I thought thicker would be better.

The rear is actually like 5mm thick.

80 pounds is probably a good guess haha.

jezuzEek
flag joose
Posted: Feb 4, 2020 at 18:47 Quote
laynehip wrote:
ktm87 wrote:
why did you go so thick on the tubing? thing is gonna weigh 80lbs

So I used a gas-less MIG to weld the front and I was worried about welding thin tubing (due to lack of skill and also the welder). So I thought thicker would be better.

The rear is actually like 5mm thick.

80 pounds is probably a good guess haha.

Learning experience haha
flag edvin-m
Posted: Feb 5, 2020 at 14:04 Quote
Anyone have a good source for tubing and frame components in europe? I want to try my hands on welding up a hardtail and then progress to a full-suspension. I could only find ceeway in europe but the website lacks quite a bit in user friendliness... I have a source for straight tubing here in Sweden, but sadly no dimensions suitable for seattubes or headtubes.
flag JokerT
Posted: Feb 5, 2020 at 22:10 Quote
Reset Racing dir everything Bike specific and aircraftspruce die Tubes with straight wall thickness.
flag thekernel114
O+
Posted: Feb 5, 2020 at 23:31 Quote
So I'm going to start collecting parts to make a dj hard tail, where is the best place to order BB shells, headtubes, dropouts etc. In Canada.

 


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