Building a Recumbent Mountain Bike

Building a Recumbent Mountain Bike. Shown here at the Old Post Trails in Russellville, Arkansas.

Check out my Blog at:
http://thisismyshadygrove.blogspot.com

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Recumbent
• Mountain
• Bike

[TK42138]

I've been told that once you've ridden a recumbent bike you don't want to go back to a normal bike.

[menamiketrx]

@TK42138 Actually I would change back to traditional Mountain Bike if I were able. I ride this off-road on some pretty challenging trails, and it is very limited in being able to handle technical stuff. But as I cannot ride the traditional postion due to neck injuries, this does serve me well. I am able to get out and ride the trails, just at a different pace.

[MrHobiecat]

Nice job on the bike. Its always easier to look back on someone else's work and one-up them, but I have to ask, why didnt you leave the back wheel assembly alone and simply add the crank to the front, and attach the seat? Your back wheel assembly doesnt look any better than the original configuration, and you lost the rear shock. I have a SWB recumbent I ride on crushed limestone paths, and the vibration of the back wheel into your spine is a problem. This is not a mountain bike, by any means.

[menamiketrx]

@MrHobiecat My original efforts retained the original configuration on the Rear Suspension. Problem was that with the new chain angle, I got extreme pogo, and when pedaling hard in a sharp ascending turn, I would suck the wheel all the way up against the seat rail. Was stealing a lot of power and cause many falls as the bike would come to a sudden stop. The fix would be an idler pulley at the original chain line. I may consider that as a winter project.

[menamiketrx]

@menamiketrx Indeed the bike is very limited in what i can do. Does not climb well, descends pretty well, it is stable at high speed, cannot pop front wheel off the ground to clear objects and it is pretty heavy. So, I learn what the bike can and can't do. Main thing is I am able to get back out on the trails. I ride all the trails in Arkansas that I used to, just slower with more dismounts. I even enter a few of the races if the trail suits the bike. People crack up when they see me.

[menamiketrx]

@MrHobiecat Hey! Where do you sail. I have 2 very old 16 foot Hobies that I sail on the local lakes of Arkansas and Oklahoma.

[BlueSeaWendy]

Nice work. I'm stuck mountain biking with my long normal recumbant bike. It's a no go for me riding up up steep climbs. I have back problems and can't ride mountain bikes. So I jog/push my bike up where I can't ride and wear a good bra. LOL!

[rrlj97]

i like what you did to the bike it looks nice

[TaufanDermawan]

This bike more comfortable for cross country. :D

[MrHobiecat]

@MrHobiecat In fact a friend of mine has a Ranns Vrex, and we parked side by side once, and all the key dimensions on our bikes are identical. Purely by luck on my part.

[MrHobiecat]

@menamiketrx Nice! The last 'bent I made from a 700C hybrid with a very low seat post (seat post 2" lower than the top of the back wheel) and added the crank to the front of the steering head. lucked out with the chain feed on the power side, only needed idler gears on the return side (2) made from chopped up rear wheel derailers. It looks very much like a Ranns Vrex, 700C x 35 back, and 20" x 1.0 front. I sail mostly in lake Ontario, sometimes on the finger lakes if ontario is kicked up.