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Homemade Sport Utility Bike (SUB)

Homemade Sport Utility Bike (SUB)
I was faced with two options for my bike cargo needs - build and hitch a trailer or find another less cumbersome solution. Enter the Xtracycle.

From the Xtracycle website:
With a bike trailer, you'll leave it at home because you prefer the way your bike rides without it, then later wish you had brought it along.

Great, I'm sold! Except... College... Money.... Oh yeah, lackofcash-itus :( Here's my $10 solution for a great idea!

Sorry Xtracycle guys - At the moment, I just can't afford to pay for the engineering :(
 
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Step 1Materials

Materials
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  • SUB 002.jpg
  • SUB 004.jpg
Donor Bike with rear suspension (note the type of swing arm used)
Conversion Bike
Steel Tube
Grade 8 Bolt
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93 comments
1-40 of 93next »
Nov 21, 2011. 5:09 PMrmartinez27 says:
http://www.cicle.org/feature-articles/xtracycle-clone-from-junk-parts.html

check this out, sans support bar, via oldtimer hal, the man the myth the legend at Highland Park, Los Angeles, California's Bike Oven!!!
Mar 31, 2007. 12:42 AMVisitor says:
Have you made a rack for this?
Nov 11, 2007. 1:22 AMCosantoir says:
OK, I'm a bit puzzled here...

The whole point of the Xtracycle and similar longbikes is to provide support for a larger stronger cargo rack. Without such a rack, what's the point? You've added weight and complexity to the bike, reduced its handling and weakened the bike, all without any meaningful gain in cargo-hauling capacity.

A seat tube rack could be fitted without any further modification of the bike, and such racks aren't really strong enough to be worth the trouble in the first place. Fabbing a heavy-duty version of a common frame-mounted cargo rack would allow at least as much cargo capacity, as well as eliminating the groceries-in-the-wheel issue, and wouldn't require any mods to the bike. Something like the heavy-duty built-on rack of the Peter White Cycles "Silk Road" bike maybe? http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/tout-terrain.asp

Also, why the rod from the top of the donor rear triangle to the bottom bracket shell on the bike, as opposed to running it to the top of the seat tube?
Apr 9, 2008. 2:20 AMGroundingStick says:
Here's the setup I use in Iraq. Originally I was going to build a trike, but trebuchet03's design saved me loads of time i don't have. I assembled this off-duty, with minimal sleep loss, within a week. I bent the rack out of discarded tubes (black: white board stand, white: part of a twisted metal bed) and the cage is what holds sandbags in place (they're stacked around our CHU's as protection from incoming fire). The whole bike, with the exception of the brake lines was completely free, as our FOB has lots of broken bikes laying around. Nobody seems to find the time to fix them, though most are fubar anyways (unless you're willing to go the extra mile and mod). I fashioned the mount out of a broken aluminum guard-rail. I realize, that bolting it through the frame is not the best option, but beggars can't be choosers. Though heavy, the result is stable, handles well, and can carry me, my weapon, and a full combat load. Thanks allot trebuchet03!!
Sep 29, 2011. 8:22 PMdark8587 says:
That upper left image, the one with the SAW, is awesome. Makes me think of zombies.
Jun 4, 2008. 12:55 PMhomba says:
My tax dollars at work :) You deserve a raise and a promotion ... awesome!
May 8, 2011. 5:36 PMWasagi says:
Beautiful! I have a P.O.S. Bike with rear suspension I got for free and fixed up, and I may just do this with it. Thank you!
May 4, 2011. 9:02 PMThe nerdling says:
every one you need to put suspension onn them
Feb 26, 2011. 12:10 PMthe big smile says:
Great idea, this plan for a wheelbase extension.
I added one more stay, to reduce the stress on the chainstays on the frontframe. And than I mounted two regular racks.
Jan 10, 2011. 10:32 PMda winksta says:
you should attach the support tube at least to the middle of the seat post.
Jul 9, 2010. 5:44 PMtaiden says:
I guess I don't understand the point of this. It looks like you extended the wheelbase. How does that make it a 'sport utility bicycle'?
May 21, 2010. 10:46 AMturbonut48 says:
Using the chain until it breaks is false economy. The chain stretches and then wears out the sprocket teeth because the chain pitch lengthens. 
Change the chain on a regular basis and your sprockets will last forever.
Oct 6, 2009. 1:05 AMjunkmailca says:
Hi All, I was inspired by the design, and found myself in a similar cash situation (grad school so you can do the math). Here are a few photos of my attempt (with some modifications) and it is AWESOME! I put about $50 into the metal and welding, and $50 into the army surplus bag panniers (also homemade). So all things being equal it worked out pretty well (especially when compared to the cost of a real xtracycle).
Oct 6, 2009. 1:10 AMjunkmailca says:
Here are the pics
Sep 21, 2009. 6:08 AMHycro says:
I wonder if there were a way to attach to the seat post bolt...I can think of a way, but it requires a piece of flat bar (Or is it called flat stock??) welded into the end of the tube that will attach to the seat post bolt, that is also cut in such a way that the bar rests against the seat tube, and the bolt just keeps it from moving around, but most of the pressure is on the frame...I don't know if what I suggested would even work, if there were welds, let alone if you just used all bolts...but if it did work, it could have the potential to be stronger than attaching to the kickstand mounting bracket...since on some cheaper model bikes, the kickstand mounting bracket welds are VERY cheap...
Jun 24, 2009. 3:07 PMbudgieeye says:
Hello here are the German version of a SUB. Details will follow. Greetings!
Mar 28, 2009. 1:18 PMdmorrill22 says:
I might try this sometime... Why didn't you take the spring/shock from the swing arm and use it as well... It would have added nice suspension to the new bike...
Jul 1, 2008. 1:45 PMmacrumpton says:
I don't really understand the Xtracycle concept. You can buy a new cheap tandem bike for about $250 and that includes a second set of pedals for occasional passenger use. These cheap tandems must be pretty strong too since they are made to hold another person, which weighs more than any load I am likely to carry. A folding/removable rack/panniers and you are all set.
Dec 23, 2008. 1:20 AMfrogmeetcog says:
random thought: where does one aquire a "silent freewheel hub" like the ones that police bikes have? I vaguely recall hearing that the manufacturer(s)have an exclusive contracts with various police departments...
Nov 2, 2008. 11:06 AMYerboogieman says:
looks like your chain is in need of some care
Nov 3, 2008. 4:38 PMYerboogieman says:
yeah, just dont use wd-40
Apr 16, 2007. 1:20 AMvisitor 5000 says:
I agree this project is useful and ingenious in it's simplicity. I have one question though. In regards to the metal support rod being too short. If it was too short wouldn't that lower the back end of the frame? If so, that would increase your 'trail angle' or 'rake' on the front wheel. Which should have the same effect as a Chopper type front end, which can be ridden with no hands very easily.
Oct 22, 2008. 9:41 PMextremegtafan says:
I don't see how the chopper type can be ridden at all, as it seems that when you turn, the tire just lays over. A bike with good trail angle has straight front forks. If a bicycle has a good center of balance, combined with a good trail angle, even the worst bike rider could probably ride no handed. For example, saying the back of the bike was facing the right of the screen, forks like so- / would have fairly bad trail angle, and forks like these- | would be great, but not so easy to turn. Somewhere in between would be perfect.
Oct 23, 2008. 2:20 PMextremegtafan says:
Thanks for clearing that up.
Oct 6, 2008. 8:54 PMgalenorama says:
Just add another seat to the old seat post, voila, passenger seat.
Oct 22, 2008. 9:14 PMextremegtafan says:
Nope. There's no seatpost there, that's just the rear suspension. If there were, though, they still wouldn't have a place to put their feet.
Oct 8, 2008. 3:38 PMkennyraceboy says:
hay thats pretty good!! I just had to make one!! Ya like?
Oct 8, 2008. 8:53 PMkennyraceboy says:
hay i just created a flickr account, so you can view the pics in a higher resolution.

I made it outta an old huffy, full suspension bike and an old speed bike.
The tanks on the side are old petrol cans for a boat, with the tops cut off

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kennyraceboy-bikelord/
Oct 8, 2008. 8:12 PMkennyraceboy says:
thanks mate. : ) nah i don't have a website or anything of the sort. but here are some more pics
Oct 21, 2008. 8:44 PMextremegtafan says:
That gave me an idea... Is $2 USD a mile a good fare? We don't have taxi's around here, so I wouldn't have much competition, either. Then again, almost everyone has a car or truck.
Nov 2, 2008. 11:09 AMYerboogieman says:
actually you want $3.50 standard fare
Nov 2, 2008. 9:49 PMextremegtafan says:
I see... 25 cents a block, 14 blocks is a mile(here anyway), 14x.25 is $3.50.
Nov 3, 2008. 4:37 PMYerboogieman says:
Yep, pretty much.
1-40 of 93next »

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Author:trebuchet03
I'm an Engineer in San Francisco. Mass producer. Former Intern. Rapid Prototyper. Sometimes, I post Instructables. My Favorite number: 42 By profession - I am an energy engineer. I count electrons p...
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