15.1.11

Summer Touring Addition



Alaska

Most Alaskans know how to ride a bike. And most only do so in the summer time. This past summer I became an Alaskan and therefore rode my bike only during this season. Currently it's mid January, the bike handlebars are hanging, and the only thing leaving my garage is a 4 wheel drive Toyota.

These are few photos taking from a small tour starting from Anchorage and ending in Haines, Alaska. The trip had the tendency of being nightmarish, but with a little ingenuity, it trended towards dreamish:


Amongst the wise spruce forests and bewildered road side moose, a black panther, sleek and dare I say, sensuous, paced the pavement in search of his daily nourishment and nightly bedding. This black cat moved more mechanically than biologically; a sound machine purporting kinetic efficiency. Thunder clapped and heavy rains draped the sky almost every day of this tenuous easterly migration. Alas, his strong will to reach the more bountiful and beautiful South-East coast granted him great strength when times were testing. Finally did he reach the land, though with irreparable scars to prove. The backbone of this great cat was broken, and forever broken it was. His life ended in the lattitude 59d 27m North. May he rest
in peace.


Here is a timeline of a broken seat tube. The first sign of fatigue started about 400 miles from the destination. It made it in honor of Mr. Rig, Mr. Jerry Rig. -



5.6.10

Finished With General Welding! Generally

The Rear Triangle

Chain Stay Taper:


----------->



----------->

MIG weld & grind. Place Henry James plug-in dropouts within. Place in Jig with seat tubes. Align. Weld.

----------->

I tapered the seat tubes by cutting them at arbitrary angle and then placing a small piece of metal on top and then welding and grinding. The seat tube to seat stay weld was by far the most difficult on the bike.


Butt Welding


Nope






---------->


Yep

2.6.10

Finally! In the God-Damned JIG

Is the inspiration for:


This bike.

He's tall, it's tall, everybody's happy.

The tubes came from two old JCPenney bikes, a male and a female pair. These bikes were pretty rusted and broken (pulverized). I chose the bikes because they had the same diameter tubes, so I could butt-weld them together to get a taller frame.

The frame design:


(You have to click on it and zoom in to see the actual design)


Is loosely based off of the Surly long haul. It's not the most novel bike around, but the information on sizing was easy, and I know from reviews it's a solid bike. Here are some of the specifics for the bike:

Seat Tube Length
(Center-Top)








630mm
Top Tube Length
(Center-Center)








625.0mm











Head Tube Angle







72.0°
Seat Tube Angle







73.0°
BB Drop







50.0mm
Chainstay Length







460.0mm
Wheelbase







1085.3











Head Tube Length







210.0mm
Fork Length







390.0mm
Fork Rake







45.0mm

I followed the Paterek method for designing the bike. You do this once, you get it down pretty quickly.

Mitering is tough and I thank cutting fluid for its help. I love you, cutty. Special thanks also to TI, Usher, and Aaliyah for their musical support. Now - the rear triangle. Tall bike is welded, being painted now as a giraffe by a friend.


(Apologies to the female friends)

18.5.10

Big Day Today

Lots of work to get done.