Home > Recumbent Construction

After riding a LWB (Long Wheel Base) recumbent, I knew that was the bike for me. Comfortable and easy to ride. But the cost of my friend's bike was about $700.00. So I turned to the internet and found plans at the recycled recumbent website.

With these in hand, I started to assemble parts. Our local "dump," called a solid waste recycling center, since nothing in buried but everything sorted and hauled off, has a bicycle pile. There are maybe 200 bikes in a large pile that people have discarded. Several bikes a week come in. So many people go out and sort through and find what they need. Thus, I have parts from five different bikes in my "bent."

The back wheel, handlebars, and back half of the main frame are from my original 10 speed from 1981. Everything else is from other bikes.

I didn't know how to weld so I recruited a friend, Harold, to build a bike along with me and show me how to do the tricky parts.

First I chopped up frames and gathered parts for the bike.

Next we took it to a shop and I learned the basics of spot welding with a mig welder. We welded the frame together. Ugly welds are mine, pretty welds are Harold's.

Next we spent about 2 hours getting the front and back wheels straight with the frame and each other using string and sight lines. According to the website, this is the critical step in construction.

With that done, I brought it home and hung it in my shop in the basement. I have since made two bicycle repair stands. I started adding the parts from various bikes, like shifters, derailers, brakes and cables.

I bought a new front tire and tube for $25.00. I also bought some foam and black vinyl for a seat, $20.00, and used the backrest from a discarded motorcycle seat for a "working" seat for the bike. I also spent $20.00 on a couple long cables (78" and 110") for the back brake and back derailer.

It took about 2 1/2 chains from other bikes to make the one long chain. It was finally assembled the day before Thanksgiving, on a cold (25 degree) afternoon. I rode it for the first time that day.

After a couple weeks of test riding and adjusting, it will be time to paint the bike.

The first seat was OK but not comfortable for very long. So I ordered material, ($11.00) and made a mesh seat as per the website instructions.

Now it's ready for paint.