Timbergate

General Pub
1

Thinking of building my next bike out of timber and a gate hinge.

Think the only bike parts I should need are:

Wheelset
Bottom bracket, cranks and pedals
Chain
Saddle with clamp

I’m thinking on using 7 pieces of timber: (from Bunnings - not fancy timber)

1 for downtube
1 for seatpost
2 for rear dropout to headtube
2 for fork
1 for handlebar

Do I have a chance or am I kidding myself?. If possible what weight could I get it down to?. Weighing 107kg, could I actually ride it?

Could I get AS approval (I could answer this one - no)

2

Awesome idea. I’d be keen to see this. Ive often thought about it. Easiest option i can see is to start with a shit frame and cut it up for parts.

3

if this guy can do it…

4

fuck timber, make it from bamboo

5

Google brings up a few things. I’ve searched them before, but can’t be bothered to do it again now. You end up looking at:

I see two differences. First you’ve got novelty value bikes. Those freak who decide to build everything out of wood etc. And people who understand how awesome wood is as a composite material and know how to apply this strength to a bike frame.

If you want a light (for wood anyway) rideable frame you WILL need carbon or fiberglass and epoxy resins for strength. You could even go au-naturale and use woven hemp ‘fiberglass’ and soy based resins but this stuff looks shit IMHO. Wood is an awesome core material for composite sandwich structures. In light weights however it is shit on its own.

I made some balsa wood handlebars that people rubbished on here. Admittedly I used an alloy tube as a core, but had I wanted to I know I could have built a wood and fiberglass (or carbon) laminate structure that would be stronger and lighter that the alloy tube. Couldn’t find the old thread so here’s a pic.

6

Nah, you just have to build it right. All aircraft used to be made out of wood without a shred of carbon or fibreglass.

Supermanlegs, why would you need AS approval?

7

True, but most of them were made from aircraft grade ply. That’s a composite of layers of wood and glue. I take your point though and I agree.

Check out how EPS and balsa wood composite surfboards are being made by home builders these days. Funky stuff! Vacuum laminated balsa wood skins, over a hand shaped EPS core. CompSand

8

What are you planning on using the gate hinge for? Will it be a folding commuter bike?

9

what’s the gate hinge for?

10

to steer it!

11

How’d you go with this Paul?