Build Your Own Tall Bike Without Welding

 by TimAnderson
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This is the easiest way to make a tallbike.
You don't need a welder, you just need whatever tools you have.

It was 1997 or so, and I was noticing that all the cars looked the same, and all the houses looked the same. Then I realized how expensive that was for the people to do it, to go out and buy whatever new car the superbowl halftime ads told them to.
It must take a powerful fear to motivate such extravagance.
The fear of not blending in.

I resolved that at least my bicycle wouldn't be just like every other.
In a blur of frantic grief for the conformists, I started working on my bike.
I recalled something we used to make as kids, "upside down tallbikes".

Note - This instructable is "descriptive documentation" and doesn't show any hands building things, just the things themselves.

Warning - you can fall off one of these and get hurt.
At least one person broke an arm falling off one of my bikes. I felt really bad and didn't let anyone ride my tallbikes for a year or so.
 
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Step 1: Get the Right Kind of Back Wheel, Invert the Fork

The most important thing in this whole project is to get a back wheel with the right kind of hub.
The kind you want is called "coaster brake" or "bendix hub" or "back brakes" or "standard".
In the U.S. it's the default type of hub on a bike that has no other name.
It's our nation's greatest contribution to the bicycles of planet earth.

By using this type of hub you'll avoid having to mess with shifter cables, derailleurs, etc.
It'll make your tallbike building experience much quicker and more pleasant.

I bought this cruiser bike for $20 from a yard sale on Cape Cod.
I could tell something good was going to happen, so I took these pictures.

As seen here,
I took the fork and handlebars off and put them back on upside down.
TheMaker888 says: Apr 22, 2012. 2:44 AM
you still have those purple bars?
would you sale them to me?
AronC0816 says: Sep 9, 2010. 8:44 AM
I got bored so I drew up a diagram of what he did to attach the handlebar stem. I had thought this same idea up a while ago but never went about doing it.
Tall Bike Fork.bmp
Mr.Sanchez in reply to AronC0816Sep 22, 2011. 11:03 AM
Thnk U so much ...you clear the concept.
AronC0816 says: Sep 9, 2010. 8:17 AM
If you build another one of these I have a recommendation for you. You can take an aluminum crutch apart so you just have the wishbone shaped outer part and use it as the seat support. Just invert it and bolt the "Y" shaped opening on both sides of the hub. This way the support is much stronger. Also if your a bit OCD like myself it makes the bike symmetrical.
AronC0816 says: Sep 9, 2010. 8:14 AM
Just wanted to let you know I love this build! The only thing that worries me is using the coaster brake rear hub. I feel like if your up that high they it may be dangerous because these hubs have a tendency to skid, causing the rider to have to suddenly jump off. But if it works then more power to you!
dallas1996 says: Feb 21, 2010. 11:40 PM
 i am doing this project . and i am stuck on this spot have any tips for a young builder 
BreeBait says: Nov 16, 2009. 11:32 PM
But welding is half the fun! lol, very interesting concept... i want to rake out my tall bike.

mama.jpg
ewilhelm says: Aug 1, 2007. 1:22 AM
Let's take a video tomorrow of how to mount and dismount a tall bike!
ReCreate in reply to ewilhelmOct 6, 2009. 8:42 PM
Dismounting is easy, painless no. XD
MrL33TPenguin says: Feb 13, 2009. 6:52 PM
how do you get onto a tall bike?
barf_malak in reply to MrL33TPenguinAug 18, 2009. 10:21 AM
i was wondering that too...
Zaphod Beeblebrox says: Jul 22, 2009. 4:33 PM
add this to my group!
mattricherd says: Jul 27, 2008. 11:05 PM
Wow, that is great. But it is too much risky. I will not apply it.

jacob

<a href="http://community.widecircles.com"rel="dofollow">Wide Circles</a>
Nkevin90 says: Jun 29, 2008. 8:58 PM
sorry, but this step has me bewildered; what do you do here? jam the big pipe into the steerer tube and then what? I don't understand how it tightens. and once I understand that, I'm making two of these; my friend and I bent our old frames, so flipped upside-down, they should work fine as great tallbike cruisers! props on this, but I'd love to know how to fasten it.
TimAnderson (author) in reply to Nkevin90Jun 30, 2008. 4:24 PM
The original method seen here clamped the tube over the stub of the headset. A simpler way is to jam the handlebar column pipe in the steerer tube, poke it out the bottom, drill a cross-hole and put a bolt in it.
monkeeeee001 says: Apr 28, 2008. 8:20 PM
I don't quite understand what you did for the handlebars. Did you chop a stem in two and insert both ends into steel tubing? I love the idea and am eager to make one to ride in the HOBT Mayday parade. -Ari
kamikaze_Co-Pilot says: Apr 13, 2008. 9:52 PM
I built one just like this back in the summer of 1976. I even have the pics to prove it. Great to see someone else came up with the same idea! - Thank you.
TimAnderson (author) in reply to kamikaze_Co-PilotApr 13, 2008. 10:10 PM
Post the pictures! Any idea when the first one was made?
kamikaze_Co-Pilot in reply to TimAndersonApr 15, 2008. 11:10 AM
I have to look for the pics but I know I have them. When it was made? I only know of myself and you who came up with this idea. I put together mine wirh my dad's help in 1976. I had my dad spot weld it together and I used a car steering wheel in place of handlebars. Later I had painted it red and silver. I no longer have the original bike. Some jealous neighborhood kids destroyed it. I'll never forget how cruel they were to me and the bike.
IamMcLovin says: Oct 21, 2007. 11:11 AM
Great Instructable, just finished mine last weekend. However for the steering column I used 1/2 steel pipe with a T joint at the top and some 1ft pieces for handle bars. I also bolted the pipe to the top of the fork for steering and it works great.
ewansud in reply to IamMcLovinApr 9, 2008. 11:29 AM
Hilarious. Hats off to you bro. This is the answer to high gas price and pollution.
senate says: Apr 8, 2008. 12:24 PM
popular mechanics ran an article around 20 or 30 years ago on building a tall bike out of bike parts and hose clamps basically. this is like that.
Full Frontal Graphic says: Mar 27, 2008. 2:26 PM
That last picture looks like a bicycle version of a moving van. Nice work on the trailer too.
Full Frontal Graphic says: Mar 27, 2008. 2:01 PM
These are great, you can see forever and you don't get run off the road by cars passing you 2 inches away. I taught my dog to ride on my shoulders, like a shawl, with her front legs on the left and her rear legs on the right shoulder. She loved it. This is plenty tall enough to be fun to ride, but short enough as to not get you arrested driving it on the road. Your mileage may vary.
screemrhed9 says: Feb 25, 2008. 7:14 PM
i gotta hand it to you man, that is a sick bike for not having any welds.
Automaticman says: Aug 9, 2007. 8:21 PM
How exactly did you take off the pedals and chainwheel. I've gotten this far and kinda gotten stuck. Great idea though, can't wait until its finished!
asher-escher in reply to AutomaticmanNov 25, 2007. 5:30 PM
There are kinds of crankset that are easier to take off and reverse, and kinds that are harder..
TheBikemaniac says: Aug 9, 2007. 10:21 AM
Dude that is one cool ride, I love finding projects that don't require welding because I don't have a welder and it's by far less complicated + I never would of thougth to turn the bike upside down great idea! I have to make myself one with my tiny clown bike!
eragonsdragon101 in reply to TheBikemaniacAug 27, 2007. 5:05 PM
Clown bike??!!! LOL
BicknellStudio says: Aug 14, 2007. 12:10 PM
I added long forks to my bike and experienced the "wheelie" effect; so I dumped some BB's down the forks (after capping the bottoms, of course ;-) and it helped to counter weigh the front. No more wheelies!
DaddyG'sChopper.JPG
number0 says: Aug 9, 2007. 3:53 AM
Great...-...
rocknrollskwurl says: Aug 3, 2007. 10:02 AM
thankyou! i love it when i can build stuff without a welder! until i get loads of money or go to the right yardsale and get one this will work great!
cesar harada says: Aug 2, 2007. 6:03 PM
Gorgeous project ! But I d definitely do some welding just in case ! And by the way, TIM ANDERSEN IS GOD !!!!!!! bravo !
Leon Close says: Aug 1, 2007. 11:03 PM
Wow, that's too easy not to do.
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