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Step 13Bike build out!!!!!!!! FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!`
Well, the time has finally come! The frame is finished, the paint and poly are dry, polished and waxed. So, I commenced stripping down the first bamboo bike to use it's components for the new bike. I'm going to make some improvements to the old bike (re-do the joints, so they taper into the bamboo, like this one, and paint the lugs, again like this one) and build it up with a Shimano Dura Ace kit and probably sell it... I'm definitely looking into incorporating and building these as a business!
Anyhow back to my build. It only took about 15 minutes to strip down the old bike. I'm reusing almost everything. The cables should be the same length (as it turns out they were longer). I have a different bar and stem set, and Zero Gravity brakes for this new one. Putting together a bicycle could be an independent Instructable all on its own. But for the sake of time and because this is my VERY FIRST TIME and I'm learning as I go, I'll leave that up to some one more learned than I.
I started with the fork and headset, seemed obvious. I found this sweet headset from FSA, Maple wood... Very cool. My other choice was to go with bamboo spacers. I read the directions on the headset to make sure I had everything in the right order and set the stem in place atop the whole thing. Next the bars and Shifter/Brake levers with cables still attached. I installed the bottom bracket and crank, in the reverse order in which it came off. I hung the brakes. I then installed the rear derailleur hangar and front and rear derailleurs. I already think there's going to be a problem with the placement of the front braze-on derailleur hangar. Big bummer! I really should have waited till I was at this point to drill holes!
The front derailleur is turned at an odd angle as it relates to the front chainring. I drilled out the rivets holding it in place and began playing with the assembly to see if I could align it properly. I found the right location and re-drilled holes and pinned it back in place with the rivet gun. You can see 2 of the holes from the original placement, but it's hidden pretty well by the whole assembly, the crank, chain and derailleur. But, I know it's there... So word to the wise - don't get ahead of yourself, some things should be left to the end.
Next I installed the weels and chain. And another problem arose. In an effort to make the rear dropouts look cool, I wrapped the driveside (chainstay) dropout excessively. This impedes the chain when shifting into the smallest cog on the 10 speed cassette. ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Whatever, out comes the rasp! I carved out a chanel for the chain, and actually it looks pretty cool. Only problem is, it's black inside the chanel and not painted. Oh well, it's in a place that woud've gotten oil all over it any way! Just more to perfect for the next one.
I strung the brakes and derailleurs (this is quite a process, definately best left up to the bike shoppe, if you have any concerns whatsoever!). This took me quite a while as it is the first time I've done it, but I figured I built a frame from bamboo! I should be able to string the thing too, right? After a quick trip around the living room to make sure the seat and handle bar were set up properly and to see if there were any odd creeks or cracks, I taped the bars!
ITS FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyhow back to my build. It only took about 15 minutes to strip down the old bike. I'm reusing almost everything. The cables should be the same length (as it turns out they were longer). I have a different bar and stem set, and Zero Gravity brakes for this new one. Putting together a bicycle could be an independent Instructable all on its own. But for the sake of time and because this is my VERY FIRST TIME and I'm learning as I go, I'll leave that up to some one more learned than I.
I started with the fork and headset, seemed obvious. I found this sweet headset from FSA, Maple wood... Very cool. My other choice was to go with bamboo spacers. I read the directions on the headset to make sure I had everything in the right order and set the stem in place atop the whole thing. Next the bars and Shifter/Brake levers with cables still attached. I installed the bottom bracket and crank, in the reverse order in which it came off. I hung the brakes. I then installed the rear derailleur hangar and front and rear derailleurs. I already think there's going to be a problem with the placement of the front braze-on derailleur hangar. Big bummer! I really should have waited till I was at this point to drill holes!
The front derailleur is turned at an odd angle as it relates to the front chainring. I drilled out the rivets holding it in place and began playing with the assembly to see if I could align it properly. I found the right location and re-drilled holes and pinned it back in place with the rivet gun. You can see 2 of the holes from the original placement, but it's hidden pretty well by the whole assembly, the crank, chain and derailleur. But, I know it's there... So word to the wise - don't get ahead of yourself, some things should be left to the end.
Next I installed the weels and chain. And another problem arose. In an effort to make the rear dropouts look cool, I wrapped the driveside (chainstay) dropout excessively. This impedes the chain when shifting into the smallest cog on the 10 speed cassette. ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Whatever, out comes the rasp! I carved out a chanel for the chain, and actually it looks pretty cool. Only problem is, it's black inside the chanel and not painted. Oh well, it's in a place that woud've gotten oil all over it any way! Just more to perfect for the next one.
I strung the brakes and derailleurs (this is quite a process, definately best left up to the bike shoppe, if you have any concerns whatsoever!). This took me quite a while as it is the first time I've done it, but I figured I built a frame from bamboo! I should be able to string the thing too, right? After a quick trip around the living room to make sure the seat and handle bar were set up properly and to see if there were any odd creeks or cracks, I taped the bars!
ITS FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Did you save weight from the aluminium-incarnation of your frame to the bamboo-reincarnation?
I'll try my own in the next months based on your instructable and post the results.
How is your first bike holding up??
One split is on the top tube, maybe 30deg to the side of the top, and the others are at the seat tube/BB join, vertical, one either side of center, also maybe 30degrees. For my first bike build I used ALL bamboo tubes and had a BB blank, ali seat tube insert, and ali steerer. It looks similar to your first frame with the exception of the chain stays. I didnt put a bridge in either the seat stays or chain stays and wonder if I have too much flex at the BB...and need to add a ton more carbon, with a couple of bridges. I wasnt worried about a little flex. My bike is just a single speed (NOT fixed!) flat city commuter so I wasnt worried about climbing or crazy descents.... thoughts...? My other thought is if I try to fix/hide them the cracks will just keep growing..! Thanks rob / robtaylornz () hotmail dot com
I'm in the process of building a decent bamboo single speed road bike. (alex s500 wheelset, fsa crankset and headset, tektro front caliper brake, specialized seat, aero razor seat post, easton stem, fuji full carbon fork, dimension bullhorn bars). Nothing fancy, but solid components. I'm about $380 in materials into the build. If you include all the extra bamboo, carbon, and epoxy I'm about $500 in.
Additionally brando meres is in the process of testing his latest bamboo bicycle design for production.
And yeah - Panda's bikes are cool, but seriously they're making a small fortune at what they're selling a bike for! $12 - $20 in bamboo probably, $30ish for tubing, and at most $250 in component build cost! That's decent coinage for a single speed. At a build cost of $300ish, 200+% profit is nice! But then there's labor, rent, lights, blah, blah...
Sounds like you have a pretty nice set up, and at under $500 - score for you!
I actually kept about 1/2 inch of open tubing above the carbon wrap, and on my first bike I even cut the carbon down the split (with the dremel tool) to match the original cut out on the original tubing. This allows the full clamping capacity of the original system.
Keep the original system in place here if the threads are in order on the original built in clamp. Don't wrap the carbon up quite that high, then paint the left over steel the color you want - black, or whatever, so that it matches the carbon below, it looks seemless that way.
IF you have additional questions along the way just ask... I'm interested in other's experiences as well, both good and bad. We can all learn from each other.
I like what you're doing with what sounds like and old steel frame. Great way to recycle a bike and put it back on the road!