Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 33

Thread: Tall Bikes

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Where the climate suits my clothes.
    Posts
    5,601

    Tall Bikes

    "There's some seriously scientific shit going on that blows every other vehicle out of the water."

    https://www.redbull.com/us-en/tall-b...rld&cmpid=RBFB

    I used to see the hipsters riding these around Cambridge and Boston when I lived in the city. Usually at night in large packs with all kinds of lights and other accessories.

    Anyone ever ridden one? Built one?

    Not gonna lie, It seems like a fun project. Too bad I have absolutely no welding equipment, knowledge or skill.

    Maybe I need to get DoWork on the job...

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    in your second home, doing heroin
    Posts
    14,690
    Ridden quite a few. Fallen off several. Never sober on either.

    Google 'CHUNK 666 portland' and plan your road trip. You will find your people.
    Besides the comet that killed the dinosaurs nothing has destroyed a species faster than entitled white people.-ajp

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Posts
    725
    Hipsters.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Glenwood Springs
    Posts
    887
    Tall bikes are definitely fun, and so are swing bikes. They all seem to be one off garage builds. I've ridden both around Carbondale when a bunch show up for full moon bike rides, but its been a few years. What I really want to see is a tall swing bike! That would be wicked.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Ogden
    Posts
    937
    bumps are for poor people

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    YetiMan
    Posts
    13,370
    I have a tall bike I built with no welding.

    The top frame attaches to the bottom frame at 3 points:
    top forks have an "axle" made of allthread and 3/4" diameter washers that clamps to the stem of the bottom frame. The head tubes of the top and bottom match angles and the offset of the top fork matches the length of the bottom stem so they turn with no resistance.

    The bottom frame has a seatpost that comes up and bolts to a kickstand clamp on the top frame.

    The rear triangle of the top frame has another false "axle" made of allthread, and there are aluminum struts connecting the top rear dropouts to the bottom rear dropouts.

    I have front and rear brakes set up with tandem cables (for length).

    Drivetrain is 1X7....I have square taper bottom brackets in both frames. Top has the crank on the left side and drives bottom through a primary chain tensioned by a modified derailleur bolted to a bracket that bolts to the water bottle housing of the bottom frame. Bottom frame bottom bracket has two equal toothcount drive side cranks with the crank arms cut off, left side is driven from the top primary chain, then the right side drives the rear wheel as normal. I have a friction thumby running a tandem cable to the rear derailleur.

    On the rear aluminum struts, which are super strong and cross braced with grade 8 hardware, I built steps on both sides to step up to the pedals.

    I love my bike, it rides really shockingly well and people trip out when they see it.

    So, no welding, it can be done...just takes careful planning and execution.

    Name:  11705136_396842210517427_6389876305302540091_n_zpseyfatkln.JPG
Views: 696
Size:  222.3 KB

    this is an old photo before the drivetrain was finalized. This is when I was just running chain direct from the top BB to the rear wheel. It was OK like that, but had interference issues with the top frame chainstay and bottom frame brakes so I couldn't access the whole cassette worth of gears, and to clear the brakes I had to run a ginormous (52? maybe 54 tooth chainwheel that made climbing brutal).
    That's why I developed the other more complicated drivetrain. I'll go snap some shots later and put them in this thread.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Uber Alles California
    Posts
    3,933
    Quote Originally Posted by ill-advised strategy View Post
    ok well, I guess the thread is over then.

    glad I bothered to write that up.
    no that was totally worth it, lulz

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    The Land of Subdued Excitement
    Posts
    5,437
    Is that you riding it?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    2,620
    I know fuckall about tall bikes but that's neat to hear how you did it. Never really thought about a lot of those aspects.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Treading Water
    Posts
    6,683
    Would you ever think about a Tall EBike?
    However many are in a shit ton.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Looking down
    Posts
    50,491
    Pennyfarhthings?

    I was at an event a few years ago where they had a pennyfarthing race, and one rider wound up in the hospital (duh). Greg Lemond was there and I got a few pics of him riding one. I'll see if I can find them. There was a guy who rode one across America, which is quite a feat, considering the downhills in the Rockies. You just put your feet up on the bars and pray.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    the ham
    Posts
    13,370
    Quote Originally Posted by ill-advised strategy View Post
    I have a tall bike I built with no welding.
    Someone who I assume lives close to me because I see him a lot in the hood has one that's remarkably similar to yours: no welds, front fork attaches to a spindle with a roller shim through the original stem, aluminum angle bar between the rear axles... it's even yellow! The only real difference is that he has the upper chain go to one of the lower crank's chainrings, and the other is the original drive chain to the cassette.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    The Land of Subdued Excitement
    Posts
    5,437
    How do you get off?

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Bottom feeding
    Posts
    10,827
    Snort.
    Well maybe I'm the faggot America
    I'm not a part of a redneck agenda

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    The Land of Subdued Excitement
    Posts
    5,437
    Har har har.

    I found a YouTube video. Very anticlimactic.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    1,482
    They seem to be all the rage lately. Seen 3 different ones in Burlington the last couple of weeks.

    Sent from my SM-G950U using TGR Forums mobile app

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Where the climate suits my clothes.
    Posts
    5,601
    Thanks for sharing Ill Advised.. sorry I missed it earlier.

    Inspirational for sure with the no weld setup, i have 2 old raleigh frames in the garage that may have this in their future.


    Please share pics of the drivetrain and top to bottom frame attachments at the stem, seat post and rear dropouts if you get a chance!
    Last edited by JayPowHound; 10-17-2017 at 03:41 PM.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    At the foot of Arrowwood
    Posts
    1,240
    No fucking fun at all!

    Name:  tall.jpg
Views: 395
Size:  25.2 KB
    あなたのおっぱいは富士山のように美しいです。富士

    Kendo Yamamoto "1984"

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    YetiMan
    Posts
    13,370
    here's those photos finally:

    Overall
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	2017-10-20_14-47-01_118.jpg 
Views:	77 
Size:	1.42 MB 
ID:	216525

    top rear dropout attachment and top of rear strutwork
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	2017-10-20_14-45-59_280.jpg 
Views:	72 
Size:	1.36 MB 
ID:	216521

    lower drivetrain
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	2017-10-20_14-46-10_533.jpg 
Views:	71 
Size:	1.40 MB 
ID:	216522

    top to bottom chain tensioner:
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	2017-10-20_14-46-27_424.jpg 
Views:	70 
Size:	1.40 MB 
ID:	216523

    bottom bottom bracket and chainrings
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	2017-10-20_14-46-37_335.jpg 
Views:	64 
Size:	1.35 MB 
ID:	216524

    Top fork to bottom stem attachment:
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	2017-10-20_14-43-44_283.jpg 
Views:	55 
Size:	929.9 KB 
ID:	216526

    Center attachment point:
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	2017-10-20_14-45-47_998.jpg 
Views:	56 
Size:	1.14 MB 
ID:	216527

    sturdy, very rideable, no welding!

    When I was little and my mom was in college, she was down to her last money and her car broke down. Instead of fixing the car, she said fuck it and got a Ross mtb, which was one of the first mtbs in town at the time, and rode everywhere all year for years. She was going to give that bike away and I was like NOOOOO!!!! so I saved it and tried to make it into a rider for my wife, but it was just too big for her, so it sat until I found just the right bottom frame and made that sentimental frame the top of this kickass tall bike. My elderly mom is stoked her sentimental mtb is this working piece of art that's so fun and people love so much. Riding this bike is one of the best parts of summer.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Posts
    2,835
    Awesome! The story and the build.
    "Judge me by the enemies I have made." -FDR

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    in your second home, doing heroin
    Posts
    14,690
    Hey bro.

    I like bikes.

    So I put a bike on top of my bike.

    So I can bike.
    Besides the comet that killed the dinosaurs nothing has destroyed a species faster than entitled white people.-ajp

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Treading Water
    Posts
    6,683
    Amazeballz.
    Hats off to you. Thanks for delivering the stoke today.
    However many are in a shit ton.

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Where the climate suits my clothes.
    Posts
    5,601
    Awesome, thanks for sharing. My project will start next week, I'll update this thread as it progresses!

    Edit** Please chime back in with any specifics you can about the rear strut work. Connections, bracing, and what looks like an on/off step.. TY Sir!
    Last edited by JayPowHound; 11-20-2017 at 05:17 PM.

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Vinyl Valley
    Posts
    1,806
    Quote Originally Posted by ill-advised strategy View Post
    I have a tall bike I built with no welding.



    Name:  11705136_396842210517427_6389876305302540091_n_zpseyfatkln.JPG
Views: 696
Size:  222.3 KB
    Rad project and a good story to go with it.


    Quote Originally Posted by kidwoo View Post
    Hey bro.

    I like bikes.

    So I put a bike on top of my bike.

    So I can bike.
    lol

  25. #25
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars
    Posts
    3,807
    Quote Originally Posted by mtngirl79 View Post
    How do you get off?
    Phrasing.
    You are what you eat.
    ---------------------------------------------------
    There's no such thing as bad snow, just shitty skiers.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •