In anticipation of the application being approved, for me to store a bicycle on site and some steel. Approx 6 metres cut in to one metre pieces. I though I would start a build log, as a preview as to the weird shit that goes on inside my head.
I plan to make a bicycle out of forge twisted solid steel bar, as per the trial pictures bellow. It will be based on the design created in bikecad.com . Which takes height and various other measurement to create the most ergonomic bike for you. Not just the fit out, but length of the tubes etc. This program is for bicycle makers.
Nikita will weigh approx 35kg and is based on the bikecad recommendations for a road bike. However at this stage she will run mountain bike wheels and gears to help accomodate her weight.
In case some of you wonder, I have thought this out, and as absurd as some of this project sounds it is thought out and I am doing it all for varoous reasons. I welcome constructive feed back of all kinds but will thoroughly ignore pedestrian comments such as “it’s too heavy” and comments regards how to do the precision welding with out warping the frame of center.
So bellow are piccies of bikecad and twisted steel. Just a start for an awesome project ahead
Tomorrow I officially start the build of my bicycle. I have 2 bicycle frames on site, one to gut for technical parts I cannot be stuffed making my self e.g., head set where the handle bars go through, and bottom bracket where the pedals go through. And another to use as a template in case my measurements and angelometry is off (neologism!!).
But first to start with measuring steel and making pretty twists!! Like this triall version
The front fork is missing from this piccie. But all the pieces have been turned in to parts. Now I have to fit the parts to the frame (meaning, blowtorch and hammer, cut and grind, untill functional and aesthetically pleasing).
The back wheel fits! I just need to beat the shit out of the front fork, and do the paint job! Hopefully it will all be done by the end of next week!
That being said, would we like it to hang in the green room for a week so people can gawk at it? I know another exec and I discussed having more art in the green room. I don’t know if that counts
By the end if Sunday, I am aiming to have a rough assembly of Nikita, my “wrought iron bicycle”.
This mean the frame will be assembled including front fork and handle bars etc. After this I can throw out the bicycle carcasses and and take home my remaining steel from the job. This will massively reduce the area this project takes up as storage in the middle container.
Then comes fitting accessories for wire, tubing and break calipers. At the end of next week I am aiming for this project to be filly assembled, functional and taken home
Appologies for the extended time this project has had so far. I’m taking a mental health break till the 7th of June. Upon which I will take this project up again. It is near completion, and I will aim to get it done as soon as possible.
So I actually did stuff on my twisted steel bicycle today.
Apologies it has taken so long. But such is the nature of lock down, site works and me being a nutter. I’m not going to make commitments on when I’ll get it done and out of there, unless needed. Because historical I haven’t been good at that.
However the frame is assembled and bashed into appropriate shape and I am in the process of welding on brackets and break callipers. So the assembly is nearly over!
I think she could be a forge mascot when finished!!
I think we need to organise a fun ride/roll once Nikita is complete. Maybe From HSBNE to Newstead Park and back? flat, wide bike path along the river the whole way, organise Pizza at the space when done.
I like your optimism, it’s a good quality. There is probably quite a bit of fitting to he done at home, all the cables, handle bar tape ect… I’m basically doing the welding at the shop, then taking it home to make it functional.
