Home Made Stretch Bike

I guess I love long bikes but this one is special. I've always wanted my cake and to eat it too. Comfort, performance and good looks. I think I pulled it off.

Back in June my buddy Vince showed me his custom made 26 inch lowrider he extended with the back of a mixte frame. It gave me an idea, going longer than Vince and making a kinda semi-recumbent cruiser. As it happened I had the cruiser frame and the mixte frame just lying around the house. Lucky me.

I hacked the frames and left some extra metal since I wasn't too sure on how I was going to pull this off. I don't have a welder or any idea on how to use one.

I bolted the pedal axle from the mixte frame to the cruiser frame at the chainstays. I then married and bolted the seat stays from both frames together using graded bolts. I have no flex in the frame but as soon as I find a good welder, I'm having all this welded proper.

I put on a set of 26X1.95 in the back with barely 2mm of clearance on both sides of the frame. In front I put 26X1.50 slicks. The shifter you see is a temporary set up but the foot rear  brake will remain.

So far the home made stretch bike rides like a dream. A 20 mile shake down cruise proved to be without any problems. The only thing I would have made differently would have been to use a jig. Doing it by eyeball is good but not perfect. It's a bit crooked but it doesn't show while riding.

Next on the list, paint job!

Don't forget to check out the how-to articles post

and download my free bike maintenance book if you haven't already.

Until next time, ride safe and free.

Gerry :)