Pencil Bike

What could be more practical than a bicycle that doubles as a pencil?!  It is surprisingly easy to make this fun and functional 'riding implement' out of an old kid's bike and a 4" x 4" wooden beam. 

Step 1 Start Design on the CAD system

See Woodenbikes' genius "CAD" instructions to create a cardboard cutout of your body, so you can figure out proper positioning of wheels/seat/handlebars/etc.  As he says...

"Using a sophisticated 2D CAD system (Cardboard Aided Design) life size cutout of your foot/leg thigh/back and arm, pivoting on brads at the joints, you can design the bike on the ground to explore sizing and clearance issues.  My CAD system sometimes has a Gooey interface if I spill something on it while designing :-)
More seriously, like other CAD systems it has a GUI (Graspable User interface).

Make a cardboard cutout of your lower leg (with foot and pedal), thigh, torso, and straight arm (to a distance 2" back from your wrist). Use it to look for good riding position and clearances for knees to bars, heels to wheels etc. Use the CAD system to layout the riding position, cranks, wheels etc with attention for locating your hands, shoulder, seat-back angle, butt, knees and feet.

For detailed instruction on 12 Steps to designing a sweet handling recumbent, visit Bikesmith Design at  http://bikesmithdesign.com/Design/12Steps.html 
 

Comments

[frankcox]

That piece of wood has to wiegh a ton!

[Green Silver]

Just don't run into anyone...
Back to the drawing board! :o) Literally!!!

[black hole]

My thoughts exactly. =D

[dragonsniper]

lol

[roscoerules]

What is the weight capacity of your invention? Generally speaking, kids' bikes and BMX bikes weren't designed for 215-pounders like me. What do you think?

Otherwise, great job! Thanks for posting!

-- Earl

[molittr]

yay drawknife!

[molittr]

I heard on NPR about a guy who made a Bananamobile and they referenced Richard Scarry!

[Manny B]

:) !

[X3R0X77]

does it really erase

[chicopluma]

that looks dangerous, you know, to the people in front of you

[Mimikry]

now THAT is awesome :o)
you'll never search after your pencil again.
I would like to see the sharpener for it :)

great work!

[dragonsniper]

lmfao just imagine that sharpener it would probably be just a jig saw or something

[dragonsniper]

it writes yes but the question is does it erase

[poofrabbit]

I am so excited you won! I have loved your project since you posted it!

[husamwadi]

congrats dude!

[estructor]

Congratulations on winning first prize!

[cjbikenut]

This is a great project/instructable. Nice balance btwn whimsy and practical, ambitious/manageable. I love the CAD system. You have my vote!

[playa123]

that is EPIC!!!!

[ANDY!]

Thats so epically awesome. Totally want to make something like that!

[josephlwu]

Imma go and impale someone with a bicycle. JK JK. it's very creative and will attract a lot of attention :)

[farzadbayan]

Awesome! Your Instructable remember me "Busytown" cartoon & game!
Thank you!

[Ninzerbean]

This is the BEST! But the hyperlink for the "CAD" instructions doesn't go anywhere.

[tofu4tortoise]

i love the busytown reference. when i was a kid busytown was my life. nostalgia is killing me now. but great 'ible!

[Kasm279]

I think I still have that book around somewhere ;)

[tofu4tortoise]

i still have the book and i remember that page exactly it was my favorite. and i have the computer and board game too, somewhere in my basement. i must find them!

[splazem]

Wow.

[triciab1212]

i love it! I want one! For a second, i was like "crap! we don't have auto-cad! We won't be able to make it!"....then i read your definition of "cad"! LOL! Awesome idea. now i'll have to convince my hubby to make 2 (maybe not the cute "pencil" part, tho).

[Matin]

hi ellen and tom

what great bike!
I just love it

[silveruno]

Looks dangerous, hope you dont run in to anyone.

[BtheBike]

ha , aerodynamics has the tip up front =) . I'd opt for the eraser up front too though.

Great IBLE . Bikes are So underrated IMHO, in any form .

[SHIFT!]

OH MY GOD, this is amazing! Are you a teacher? This would be so cool to come to school riding on this.

[swilus]

Nice bike! Take it off any sweet jumps lately? lol

[lukev2]

its cool and all, but whats the point? for attention? ok im just jealous.............

[SCHLINKY]

Haha "whats the point?" get it?....cause it's a pencil? hahah

[The nerdling]

llollllllolololololololololololololololololololololololololoololololooloolololololololololololo0

[Kaptain Kool]

Awesome, now you'll never forget to bring a writing utensil when you ride your bike around!

[poofrabbit]

This is just plain cool!!!!! Please shoot me a instructamail when the contest starts I will totally vote for you! Well done!

[ilpug]

no idea what this is good for, but AWESOME!

[Ghazette]

Génial !

[piperjon]

Totally, completely awesome! And what a well done, understandable instructable as well. - Pj