Cruzbike mk2

Start point was a folding bike which Stu gave to me. (Thanks Stu) In this photo, the forks and wheels have been changed, and an old steerer stem is in place ready to be modified.

The bike is almost "a natural" for the conversion process, as the water bottle bosses on the main seat can be used to mount the seat base without the use of messy hose pipe clamps.

This is the modified steerer stem in place, it converts a 1" diameter steerer to 1 1/8" or thereabouts.  A 1 1/8" tube was brazed on top of the 1" steerershown in the top photo.

Off - Piste modification.  I moved the seat as far back as it would go and drilled a few extra (lower) holes in the seat back to make this work.  As well I cut back the seat base, so it wouldn't interfere with the bike's hinge.

So this is mk2 ready to be tested.  When the seat is moved back, and the pedals are readjusted for correct leg length, the pedals move up.  This is good, I am very used to bikes with a high bottom bracket which are aerodynamic and can go a bit faster.

Hi

Over the last few days I have been making a mk2 Cruzbike from the kit I received a few months ago.  After flexing my muscles with mk1 a few weeks ago and receiving a suitable donor bike, it was time to do a faster version.  As well, I had already stolen some parts from the mk1! 

Getting the front wheel setting right was interesting, without careful adjustment, the front wheel can bang into the top of the fork, the chain can bang into a fork boss, the brake pads get out of range for contact with the rim. And every setting change affects fork offset and handling!

So this bike has been ridden a few times but not yet mastered, and obviously there will be more tweaking.  I am looking for Zen-like handling, with fast riding and pedalling without the irritating diversion of putting hands on handlebars.  Yes, I know, dream on......

Regards

Steve Nurse