DIY Recumbent Bicycle

recumbant bicycle

Bill Dudley built this recumbent out of a 20″ bmx bike and a 27″ bike that he found on the side of the road. The only specialized part used was an idler from a commercial recumbent. Bill says the most difficult part was constructing a comfortable seat. It apparently works pretty well; He’s completed several metric centuries (100km/63 miles) on it. I think the first recumbent I ever saw as a child was the BEHEMOTH, which is in class of its own.

[thanks Bill]

14 thoughts on “DIY Recumbent Bicycle

  1. I saw a DIY recumbent bike once in Mother Earth News of all places once. I think it had its handlebars positioned way differently, but a quick search on google says that this configuration is far from unusual.

    Like the wallpaper Orange. :D

  2. The “high” handlebars were chosen because building
    underseat bars would have been more mechanically complex. Once this decision was made, the bars
    have to be this high to clear your knees when pedalling. They are at shoulder height when seated on the bike, and not uncomfortable at all, especially since you don’t LEAN ON your arms, unlike when riding a diamond frame bicycle.

  3. People have been doing that particular configuration for ages… early to mid 80’s at least. It always blows me away that stuff like this get’s posted as if it’s new.

    There should be some other projects on the internet that are even easier to construct. In fact, the smart ones don’t even bother cutting up the BMX frame and just use bigger front rings to drive the small rear wheel.

  4. thats SWEET (well not really, but a cool idea none then less) i tried making one of those a few years back but it fell apart as soon as i sat on it…. (sigh) AND IM NOT FAT!!

  5. Fair enough.

    I realize now that most people probably have never seen a recumbent bike, let alone have any idea how to build one. I’ve just seen so many of them over the year, and, having built a few myself, it’s easy to forget that it is still new technology to everyone else.

    :)ensen.

  6. Cruz bike was making kits until a year or two ago when they began manufacturing their own bikes. Most of the homemade jobs have trouble with high center of gravity, and poor seat design. There is something to be said however for making somethign yourself that actually works.

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