I've received a couple of emails from others interested in building a wooden frame bike. With as many good sites as are available on the net in this area I'm a bit surprised to be noticed but for whatever it's worth here are some hopefully useful thoughts on what I've learned so far.
- Look at what others have done/experienced. Really look. Really look carefully. Then look some more.
- Sites I found useful include
- The Design and Construction of a Wood Framed Recumbent Bicycle,Built by Eddie Grant
- Woody
- Mistress Links
- Get your seat/leg length right early on. Eddie Grant's approach makes a LOT of sense.
- You'll need to size the bike to the parts you have and your height/weight. One size does NOT fit all. I'm fairly big (6', 200 lbs) and require something appropriate to my size.
- I found it very useful to lay the original diamond bike on a large sheet of plywood and trace it's entire layout as a reference. This allowed me to measure various things after the original bike was broken down.
- You will need to work some metal for dropouts and possibly steering. Hand tools are generally adequate but will take time. I also found a Dremel tool very useful to grind/shape.
- A table saw and drill press are very useful but not essential. I have neither one and have managed though I've wished for both.
- Chain routing has a major effect on layout.
- Likewise brakes, steering, deraillures, etc.
- Getting the headset mounted is more difficult than I'd expected. The headset takes considerable pounding when riding and will break free if not properly mounted to the wooden components.
