Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Bike Of The Week: Line Rider




A bike that came together so ridiculously easy I can't believe it! No welding required, just nut and bolted, screwed and spacered. It started out as a free bike that I had intended to make into a crotch rocket inspired road singlespeed. It sat around for about 2 months before that idea was supplanted with the ski bike idea. I scrounged around for some additional free materials and thanks to freecycle (Thanks Karl!) and a co-worker (Thanks Sheila!) I procured the garage door hinges and old skis needed to get this thing "rolling." I started off by removing every part but the seat post/seat, bars, and bottom bracket. Next I took the axles out of the hubs, keeping all spacers and nuts for re-use. I put the axles through the center pin of the garage door hinges, put a nut on the outside of the hinge pin, and bolted the axle to the drop outs.
Now to attach the skis. Out front I simply took the binding off of the ski and screwed the hinge to the ski. Had to re-drill a few new holes, but the ski material (presumably fiberglass) drilled very cleanly, so it was easy. I used a strap of Natuzzi webbing for a limiter on the ski, to keep the nose pulled up and prevent a high speed get-off into the snow!
Out back I cut some spacers out of an old decking board. this gave me the lift-kit needed for the ski to clear the bottom bracket and allow the rear suspension to work. Screwed it all together with deck screws (counter sinking the bottom 4) and it was almost time to get going. I put another limiter on the tip of the rear ski, using a water bottle mount to anchor it to the frame. Mounted the axle, but with some Delrin spacers to fill in the loose play.
I took it to "Murder Hill" out in the park and right out of the box it was PURE fun! From the top on the first run and it was just like riding a regular bike, maybe easier. I need to fab up some foot pegs, but other than that I think I got it all right. I could not stop giggling about how cool this thing is! Just a blast! I rode a chute today for about 3 hours that was banked up about 3 feet on each side, and it carves in the powder very easily, but the back ski could be a bit shorter ideally. Good quad workout running it back up each run too.
I would be happy to help any of you make one of these for yourselves if you want to have fun. It would be a blast to get about 4 or 5 of us and bomb the Y Camp hill and Devil's Backbone!
Later!
Squirrel, I hope you still have the Raleigh! Let's derby!

7 comments:

Unknown said...

We have 2 ski bikes, Rassy is buying more material for a few more too:) A race of 5 or so down Y camp hill would be a hoot...the walk back up on the other hand would blow ass:)

Peace

B I D W E L L said...

Count me in for a ski bike race-

Travel Gravel said...

Shuttle service perhaps?

Travel Gravel said...

One of the guys in our warehouse built one yesterday, that makes 5 available. He works part time at 7 Oaks so he got some ski boards on the cheap, or free. I now need ski boards!

B I D W E L L said...

Pegs and a bolt work great for foot pegs- takes only a couple minutes also.
That and you can tell your friends you got shocks and pegs and that you got like 3 feet of air.

Travel Gravel said...

I cut the bars on Tina's cage to make some sweet pegs!

Unknown said...

Love the garage hinge mounts....great job....building a new one tonight or tomarrow here at the day job:)

Peace