This is my second cargo bike build. I wanted this bike to have the same overall length of a regular bike. Space is a premium at my place so the goal was to keep the bike length on the smaller side. The chainstays are super short at 360mm, 20” wheels front and back.
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This is totally awesome. Nice work!
Can you share a drawing?
I made a paper drawing of the dual down tubes, everything else I used my rattlecad drawings of a frame that I enjoy riding. Kind of winged it a little.
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I love it! What are the specs on the double down tube? Did you have a chance to ride it already and see if they are stiff enough? I am in the planning stage of a similar frame and I am still very unsure how to think about the single tube between the two headtubes. My current plan is a 45 cm 46x2mm tube and wonder how much of an overkill it is.
The double tubes are 1” .035” 4130 from Wick’s Aircraft Supply. I have been riding the bike for a week now and it’s plenty strong and stiff. The front end does not flex at all and the BB is plenty stiff.
The 360mm chainstays make the front end light and easy to come off the ground. Overall I’m very happy with the way it rides and feels.
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any pictures of it built up? it’s so rad!
I took it apart to paint it and still waiting for some parts for the final build. This is a pic of the bike as I was building it up to test ride.
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Gave it the usual backyard make over. This is my new daily grocery getter. Having cargo on the frame and off the front fork makes a huge difference on how the bike rides.
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Looks great. Nice cockpit!
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How so? What are the changes you notice and is that a good or bad thing? What head tube angle, fork rake, trail numbers did you settle on. And did it achieve the goals you wanted?
sorry for all the questions, just want to make my own similar frame.
edit: the bike looks awesome as well
this is such a rad bike. what do you call that paint job? it looks amazing
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Thanks! I modeled the handlebars from Groovy Cylework’s luv handles.
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I was referring to cargo forks like the Crust Clydesdale. I made my own version of the Crust Clydesdale and I’ve been riding it for a couple seasons. These are my personal observations of the fork that I constructed not the Clydesdale fork.
The major disadvantages of having the weight on the front fork like the cargo fork I made are 1) when carrying anything heavy, the steering becomes heavy. The bike handles like a dump truck. 2) When stationary, the fork tends to flop over to one side. This has caused the bike to fall over loaded up with groceries.
When the weight of the cargo is independent of the fork, it steers the same loaded or unloaded. The fork flop is also resolved.
The double barrel cargo bike headtube angle of the front fork is 71 degrees and rake is 45mm. The bike rides and handles very well. The front end is solid.
The chainstays are short at 360mm. I did this to keep the overall length down. The problem with chainstays this short is the that your feet will hit the rear axle if your heels are angled inward. Not the end of the world but something to keep in mind for the next one.
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Thanks! The paint job was done in my backyard with 2 part epoxy primer base and some colors really thinned out. I was going for the unpainted experimental aircraft look.
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i’m unfamiliar with unpainted experimental aircraft, but it looks awesome on your bike!
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