Okay first thing

I posted a message here awhile back that said something about recumbent
owners being crazy. Now I take that back, I have been riding my regular road
bike for a couple of months now, and my back is starting to act up again
(now I know why I stopped riding) and can now appreciate the support of a
recumbent seat. You are not mentally ill. I am! Anyway - now that I have
realized the huge advantage of a bent, I am going to start on my first
project bent. I have several donor bicycles in my garage, and have started
to remove all the bolt on parts, I haven't cut anything into pieces yet. I
know that most of the department store type bikes are pretty cheaply made,
but surely there are some parts / components that can be used in the
construction of a bent. Being that this will be my first attempt I am not
expecting it to be the best home built recumbent in the world! Actually if
it even can be ridden at all I will be amazed. I am not really going to
follow any "plans" more just follow plans in my head. Question 1: Are there
any components that should be absolutely avoided from dept store bikes? I
have a Ross comfort bike, a Murray legacy 10 speed, and a huffy Santa Fe 12
speed so far for parts. Oh yeah I should mention that the area where I live
has no real LBS nearest on is about an hour and half away by car.

Ken


--
It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value.
Arthur C. Clarke
English physicist & science fiction author (1917 - )

Ken Marcet wrote:

...Being that this will be my first attempt I am not
expecting it to be the best home built recumbent in the world! Actually if
it even can be ridden at all I will be amazed....

See http://www.mile43.com/peterson/wb.html.

I saw a "Huffy Easy" once - a Tour Easy clone built from old Huffy
parts. It easily weighed more than 1/40 of a ton.

--
Tom Sherman - Rock Island County Illinois
Tetrahedral carbon lattices are not forever.

"Ken Marcet" wrote in message
...
I posted a message here awhile back that said something about recumbent
owners being crazy. Now I take that back, I have been riding my regular
road
bike for a couple of months now, and my back is starting to act up again
(now I know why I stopped riding) and can now appreciate the support of a
recumbent seat. You are not mentally ill. I am! Anyway - now that I have
realized the huge advantage of a bent, I am going to start on my first
project bent. I have several donor bicycles in my garage, and have
started
to remove all the bolt on parts, I haven't cut anything into pieces yet.
I
know that most of the department store type bikes are pretty cheaply made,
but surely there are some parts / components that can be used in the
construction of a bent. Being that this will be my first attempt I am not
expecting it to be the best home built recumbent in the world! Actually if
it even can be ridden at all I will be amazed. I am not really going to
follow any "plans" more just follow plans in my head. Question 1: Are
there
any components that should be absolutely avoided from dept store bikes? I
have a Ross comfort bike, a Murray legacy 10 speed, and a huffy Santa Fe
12
speed so far for parts. Oh yeah I should mention that the area where I
live
has no real LBS nearest on is about an hour and half away by car.



Ken:

Please destroy those Murray frames before the punk Columbine type high
school kid killers steal them to make their pipe bombs. If you want to
practice welding on those frames do so, just be sure to destroy them when
you are done. I'll bet you can make nicer welds on your first try than you
find on the Murrays. But don't be too quick to chop up Ross frames - there
are some good ones that deserve to stay intact.

Now then, if you look around you can find older road bikes with proper
chromemoly frames and good components for as little as $35.00 or so. As you
pass a yard sale always scan for bikes. If you are a dump picker kind of guy
you can find what you need and get them for free. The price of the used
parts will always be small compared to the effort you will make. eBay is
mega source for used parts. I suggest you use friction shifting so you can
mix components as needed.

You could also buy Easy Racer clone plans. Why not work toward something
that will be a pleasure to ride when you are finished.

Home builders are not hard to find on the internet and they are usually more
than happy to provide detailed information and photos. Look for them.

Good luck.

skip

skip wrote:

...
Please destroy those Murray frames before the punk Columbine type high
school kid killers steal them to make their pipe bombs....

While the punishment of death was too severe for their sins, several of
the "victims" at Columbine had done plenty to provoke the retribution.
The school authorities share some of the blame for allowing the
privileged (i.e. athletes, popular students from more affluent families)
to constantly engage in physical and verbal abuse of lower social status
students. If the double standard had not existed, the situation would
almost certainly never have escalated out of control.

Ye who sow the wind shall reap the storm.

--
Tom Sherman

"Tom Sherman" wrote in message
...
skip wrote:

...
Please destroy those Murray frames before the punk Columbine type high
school kid killers steal them to make their pipe bombs....

While the punishment of death was too severe for their sins, several of
the "victims" at Columbine had done plenty to provoke the retribution. The
school authorities share some of the blame for allowing the privileged
(i.e. athletes, popular students from more affluent families) to
constantly engage in physical and verbal abuse of lower social status
students. If the double standard had not existed, the situation would
almost certainly never have escalated out of control.

Ye who sow the wind shall reap the storm.

--
Tom Sherman


GAG!

skip wrote:

GAG!

Happy to oblige.

--
Tom Sherman

"Tom Sherman" wrote in message
...
skip wrote:

GAG!

Happy to oblige.

--

Tom Sherman


Oh what a wonderful world it would be if we could all be losers. Isn't that
right Tom?

skip

"Tom Sherman" wrote in message
...
skip wrote:

...
Please destroy those Murray frames before the punk Columbine type high
school kid killers steal them to make their pipe bombs....

While the punishment of death was too severe for their sins, several of
the "victims" at Columbine had done plenty to provoke the retribution.
The school authorities share some of the blame for allowing the
privileged (i.e. athletes, popular students from more affluent families)
to constantly engage in physical and verbal abuse of lower social status
students. If the double standard had not existed, the situation would
almost certainly never have escalated out of control.

Ye who sow the wind shall reap the storm.

--
Tom Sherman

That is about the most absurd and pathetic explanation of a massacre I have
ever read

skip wrote:

"Tom Sherman" wrote in message
...

skip wrote:


GAG!

Happy to oblige.

--


Tom Sherman



Oh what a wonderful world it would be if we could all be losers. Isn't that
right Tom?

You tell me Skip.

--
Tom Sherman - [ ]

Mark Leuck wrote:

"Tom Sherman" wrote in message
...

skip wrote:


...
Please destroy those Murray frames before the punk Columbine type high
school kid killers steal them to make their pipe bombs....

While the punishment of death was too severe for their sins, several of
the "victims" at Columbine had done plenty to provoke the retribution.
The school authorities share some of the blame for allowing the
privileged (i.e. athletes, popular students from more affluent families)
to constantly engage in physical and verbal abuse of lower social status
students. If the double standard had not existed, the situation would
almost certainly never have escalated out of control.

Ye who sow the wind shall reap the storm.

--
Tom Sherman


That is about the most absurd and pathetic explanation of a massacre I have
ever read

You have not understood what you have seen, and have obviously learned
nothing.

I find it tragically comical the way people are shocked when violence
leads to retaliation, as they have self-deluded themselves into
believing they are morally superior when they are not.

Enjoy the repercussions of violence by those in power!

--
Tom Sherman - [ ]