Tall Bike, Funny Bike, Double Decker Bike, call it what you want. The inspiration came one raining weekend. I was at home, not able to ride due to poor weather, surfing on the web when I saw this video.
I was amazed, so I started searching the web for more tall bikes. Every video, pictures, and etc made me laugh and I thought how fun it would be to have one. Luckily, Nick, from CANIDAE Racing was willing to help me realize my tall bike dreams.
Nick and I talked over my ideas and my very specific request that the design be clean. On the web there are a lot of "Franken" Tall Bikes. I get that that and can appreciate them. I mean aren't all tall bikes "Franken" bikes anyways. That's part of the fun, taking two beater bikes, welding them together and viola, a tall bike is born.
Not my tall bike. I wanted MY tall bike to be clean, well thought out and pretty!
Needless to say, I'm happy with the results.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOwdNQIA9IjJWv3d2N6t1ob4wxEBYiQvdBV7cGdQYXOd_HV-W9GqAP6NR7ySOFkYanOaD2LBlqUSQ_w4Xm0jhgflRbGT3WGxh6frHF9-dFXRQYRU979t0DrUhNay_LsJWrHEQTRYsZOQQ/s400/2011-07-02+Bicycle+Friends+Tall+Bike+a.jpg)
It was Nick and Scott's idea to cut out holes in the head tube. We powder coated the Steerer tube black and it contrast nicely against the green head tube.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX8jZgWg5kIq8Cf-Y66rxJet8QuTDo7q1oVltRZSm-4RVJyN1CGDdFvBcdjzdI30E9KOPheamrCuMvNJGUW3qh_KiKS_KliLcgfrolKAK-w02NsdeiMVeFaW8lntKAsEOephvDtnsHtOM/s400/2011-07-02+Bicycle+Friends+Tall+Bike+g.jpg)
Franken Bikes, the donor bikes were an old GT Outpost and a cheap Performance Bike Frame.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcAtnjpYNsqePeCXnSiqcQOQlS8nXudtoB2x-KSmg0Exrv4DpHqKjR4Bjx5KYbYqc0MgxoWeuQW253pHXR8v6vJaBlLSojyQWPhEmHFMZtYLiTYDxFOGon57FGDPc-fBbx1HPd2lmQp4g/s400/2011-07-02+Bicycle+Friends+Tall+Bike+f.jpg)
Here is another shot of the head tube.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAsa9J4eE9k1EupRfcCmMX7YYvKzJJ_OuAWx2xUzPjNHP4afhBIZ8Rs1BYS-JjBmIvjz_tGaqLHh_LjKbpIb24TqHU157QKWWHZk8nR8LPKMu6DMFSn-_pOsG7IJEWgEdAz4FsJSGrNc/s400/2011-07-02+Bicycle+Friends+Tall+Bike+e.jpg)
Nick worked hard at cleaning up the chain linkage. To get everything aligned we had to use two 68mm X 113 mm square taper bottom brackets. Chain alignment is PERFECT!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEila_B1TSADVThGHL0SI9j3DQy7KeB6Igdqf948u33VD7PaUj1sXJWhxrfKHx9Y8BmTVMN5eczJhNDp7SsKG1CfHzx09mD-XTPQ4lA2tBu8S-RtgkJrGuXiEYiEYx0RjqUJ1_p2CDYcOk8/s400/2011-07-02+Bicycle+Friends+Tall+Bike+d.jpg)
Cut and clean! Un-necessary material on the crank arms were cut away.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeOLVB-EK7NQn2u4UXff4iVFNXFUyXHrCjHvICUyfZSzmBG6NwjK_qpgGKKN7g_kwcr7BsuPCk1K85IyYOQGK7vsV2wcCQ85M5nIsqZWQJ7ZMyv3wcyrP5olMKe34b0w_CD_JSBBkwMEM/s400/2011-07-02+Bicycle+Friends+Tall+Bike+c.jpg)
Another angle. We used an aluminum pulley wheel to guide the chain up to the top chain ring.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSZOpUKZ8g4e7Wo5GbfQ7Z2lHR9Z80_tlm_RN5HuL4IVDbrf7vTDHmijzq438BGO5R99DCHy2_02ssCFV2KYp8moU25htvkPyAJXKFdNij38o-_Iht-YW2bY-JIkyrpd_tRnBKXKvx9ps/s400/2011-07-02+Bicycle+Friends+Tall+Bike+b.jpg)
Nick cut and machined down the bottom crank arms to a nub! Very clean!
So what do I want to make next, Gravity Bike, 29er, ultra Utilitarian City Bike ...
1 comment:
Sweet! Congrats on finishing it. It looks great. Now we need a vid of you riding it!
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