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Using BMX frame to make 20" wheel touring bike?
I kind of like bicycles with twenty inch tires.
I once had a Bike Friday NWT and found it rolled fast and was not as cumbersome as a full size wheel bike due to its 20" wheels. The small wheels made the bike easy to handle even when not folded. Easy to pick up..... carry up stairs.... into house..etc. BUT.... the reality of it was that I didn't NEED the folding aspect of the NWT frame.... and in fact found the added complexity of the hinge and al a nuisance Having said that.... how feasible is it to build a touring bike out of a good BMX frame? Could have 20" wheels without the folding aspect.... just use long handlebar and seat post extensions see link http://www.diamondbackbmx.com/depts.asp?deptid=6 |
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#2
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Using BMX frame to make 20" wheel touring bike?
Your best bet is something like a moulton http://www.alexmoulton.co.uk/ I have a bmx, its great for "messing around on" with my childer in the local park. As a converison to a touring bike - no way! The frame is very robust (read heavy) and the fork only accomodates a bmx ahead style headset and stem, the rear dropout is for a single speed and you can only use 15 mm axles... I could go on but I think you get the idea. Also check out Cannondale Hooligan - now that's what I call kool! http://gb.cannondale.com/bikes/08/ce/model-8HL1.html On Mar 6, 4:45 pm, wrote: I kind of like bicycles with twenty inch tires. I once had a Bike Friday NWT and found it rolled fast and was not as cumbersome as a full size wheel bike due to its 20" wheels. The small wheels made the bike easy to handle even when not folded. Easy to pick up..... carry up stairs.... into house..etc. BUT.... the reality of it was that I didn't NEED the folding aspect of the NWT frame.... and in fact found the added complexity of the hinge and al a nuisance Having said that.... how feasible is it to build a touring bike out of a good BMX frame? Could have 20" wheels without the folding aspect.... just use long handlebar and seat post extensions see link http://www.diamondbackbmx.com/depts.asp?deptid=6 |
#3
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Using BMX frame to make 20" wheel touring bike?
"Rik O'Shea" wrote:
Your best bet is something like a moulton http://www.alexmoulton.co.uk/ Ahh yes.... would LOVE to have a Moulton but just too pricey!! Ouch! Also check out Cannondale Hooligan - now that's what I call kool! http://gb.cannondale.com/bikes/08/ce/model-8HL1.html Very cool!!! I go this idea from the latest Adventure Cyclist mag I subscribe to. They had an article abt RAGBRAI in it and a picture of a guy that did the tour on what "looks" like a BMX bike rigged up as a touring bike! No kidding. So I decide to post abt this idea!! |
#4
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Using BMX frame to make 20" wheel touring bike?
"Rik O'Shea" wrote:
Also check out Cannondale Hooligan - now that's what I call kool! http://gb.cannondale.com/bikes/08/ce/model-8HL1.html What's this thing cost? Where to buy via mail order? |
#5
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Using BMX frame to make 20" wheel touring bike?
"Rik O'Shea" wrote:
Also check out Cannondale Hooligan - now that's what I call kool! http://gb.cannondale.com/bikes/08/ce/model-8HL1.html Crap!!! Doesn't look like its available in the USA!!! Not listed on the cannondale USA site anyway!! Why? |
#6
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Using BMX frame to make 20" wheel touring bike?
On Mar 6, 11:45*am, wrote:
I kind of like bicycles with twenty inch tires. * I once had a Bike Friday NWT and found it rolled fast and was not as cumbersome as a full size wheel bike due to its 20" wheels. The small wheels made the bike easy to handle even when not folded. Easy to pick up..... carry up stairs.... into house..etc. BUT.... the reality of it was that I didn't NEED the folding aspect of the NWT frame.... and in fact found the added complexity of the hinge and al a nuisance Having said that.... how feasible is it to build a touring bike out of a good BMX frame? Could have 20" wheels without the folding aspect.... just use long handlebar and seat post extensions see link http://www.diamondbackbmx.com/depts.asp?deptid=6 Is anyone still making something like the Haro Dart? 6SPD 20" rear wheel, plenty fast and light, pretty compact. I loved mine when I was younger, until that roller disk brake failed and I wrecked the thing into a car. http://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/haro/260 This guy was selling one for $150 at the end of 06, maybe there are more to be had. Hell, if I saw one of those for $150 I'd probably buy it for nostalgia. |
#7
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Using BMX frame to make 20" wheel touring bike?
In article
, "Rik O'Shea" wrote: On Mar 6, 4:45 pm, wrote: I kind of like bicycles with twenty inch tires. I once had a Bike Friday NWT and found it rolled fast and was not as cumbersome as a full size wheel bike due to its 20" wheels. The small wheels made the bike easy to handle even when not folded. Easy to pick up..... carry up stairs.... into house..etc. BUT.... the reality of it was that I didn't NEED the folding aspect of the NWT frame.... and in fact found the added complexity of the hinge and al a nuisance Having said that.... how feasible is it to build a touring bike out of a good BMX frame? Could have 20" wheels without the folding aspect.... just use long handlebar and seat post extensions Your best bet is something like a moulton http://www.alexmoulton.co.uk/ I have a bmx, its great for "messing around on" with my childer in the local park. As a converison to a touring bike - no way! The frame is very robust (read heavy) and the fork only accomodates a bmx ahead style headset and stem, the rear dropout is for a single speed and you can only use 15 mm axles... I could go on but I think you get the idea. Sir! I would direct you to the lighter end of the BMX racing frames, where frame weights dip below 3 pounds: http://www.bikemania.biz/ProductDeta..._Frame_CarbonP ro5 For a normal seating position, you're going to need a long seatpost. Recent BMX frames tend towards MTB seatpost diameters, so long seatposts are available, at least if you're not too tall or too heavy. Getting the bars high enough may or may not be a problem: a low road-style bar position isn't going to be much higher than the normal place where BMX bars go, and a high bar position can use either a tall stem or a BMX-style riser bar. BMX frame ends or not, there are derailer claws that will allow you to hang a derailer off the back. I did this myself in converting an old Kuwahara to a 6-speed, but a derailer drivetrain will also require a frame respacing, which is only practical with a steel BMX frame. For non-steel frames, you could use a hub gear system, of which the obvious choice is the Sturmey-Archer XRF-8, which has 8 speeds, can be as narrow as 115 mm, and has gearing especially suited to small wheels. http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/sturmey-archer-hubs.html Note that 115 mm is a bit wider than the stock width of 110 mm for BMX rear ends, but it shouldn't matter. This is a fun project, and I think the variant with a hub gear makes for an interesting and very practical small-wheeler. The combined markets of serious folders and recumbents mean there are some very nice wheels and tires available if you want to spend some money on upgrades. S-A claims 1840g for their 8-speed hub. Roughly speaking, add that to the bike weight of a lightweight BMX, wave your hands a bit, and that's probably what your finished bike would weigh, though there's a lot of room to replace BMX-oriented parts with lighter bits if bike weight is a real issue for you. That said, I'd be flabbergasted if you could make the bike weigh more than 30 pounds, and I think that 25 pounds would be possible with enough money and parts changing. A Norco Pro BMX weighs about 23 pounds: http://www.norco.com/bikes/bmx/race/norco_pro_bmx.php These are not heavy bikes, and they're cheap. Go for it! -- Ryan Cousineau http://www.wiredcola.com/ "In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls." "In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them." |
#8
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Using BMX frame to make 20" wheel touring bike?
On Mar 7, 6:24*am, Ryan Cousineau wrote:
In article , *"Rik O'Shea" wrote: On Mar 6, 4:45 pm, wrote: I kind of like bicycles with twenty inch tires. I once had a Bike Friday NWT and found it rolled fast and was not as cumbersome as a full size wheel bike due to its 20" wheels. The small wheels made the bike easy to handle even when not folded. Easy to pick up..... carry up stairs.... into house..etc. BUT.... the reality of it was that I didn't NEED the folding aspect of the NWT frame.... and in fact found the added complexity of the hinge and al a nuisance Having said that.... how feasible is it to build a touring bike out of a good BMX frame? Could have 20" wheels without the folding aspect.... just use long handlebar and seat post extensions A better basis might be a Xootr Swift http://www.xootr.com/xootr/swift/bikes.shtml |
#9
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Using BMX frame to make 20" wheel touring bike?
JennyB wrote:
Having said that.... how feasible is it to build a touring bike out of a good BMX frame? Could have 20" wheels without the folding aspect.... just use long handlebar and seat post extensions A better basis might be a Xootr Swift http://www.xootr.com/xootr/swift/bikes.shtml I don't need the folding aspect Just want small compact wheels |
#10
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Using BMX frame to make 20" wheel touring bike?
On Mar 7, 9:24*pm, wrote:
JennyB wrote: Having said that.... how feasible is it to build a touring bike out of a good BMX frame? Could have 20" wheels without the folding aspect.... just use long handlebar and seat post extensions A better basis might be a Xootr Swift http://www.xootr.com/xootr/swift/bikes.shtml I don't need the folding aspect Just want small compact wheels I know, but in this case the folding aspect seeme not to add to weight and complication. |
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