Cargo Bike Project.

I'll take the box off later and take some photo's of the bare chassis. Pretty sure it's just a long length of 2" box section, with 2 x "T-pieces" of 1" box to form the loading platform. Would definitely be keen to know whether some gussets to these would help reduce twist etc.

Definitely don't want a top rail, like the orange bike - as I want to cart my kids about in this.

The Bullitt steering arm set up is what I have in mind, visually speaking.

Upon inspection, I can't hide that I'm having second thoughts. But here we are.



This is the 'bolted' join which needs welding solid (in my opinion)



Most of the welds look ok, I'm no welder but they look to have penetrated?




Alas, the joining at the bottom bracket is definitely "iffy"



The steering is awful and I want to burn it with fire immediately. I mean that in terms of functionality AND visually.



This cup is loose, held together only by the force of the stem bolt. Will have to cut a headtube off something and weld that into the box frame, so the headset can press in 'traditionally'.



I mean, its an abomination. Sadly its now MY abomination, so I'm probably going to have to crack on.

I should note at this key stage that I dont own a welder, and have very limited welding experience. Luckily my brother is a very experienced welder, so we should be able to make it safe at least.

Love to hear your thoughts and help much appreciated.

Joe

Honestly, having seen that I'd probably cut my losses and search for something better. The words lipstick and pig come to mind

slackboy said:

Honestly, having seen that I'd probably cut my losses and search for something better. The words lipstick and pig come to mind

Click to expand...

I don't see...
Any Lipstick at all...
Captain

To a certain extent, you don't really have any parts of a usable cargo bike here.
You could add some gussets and up the braking, see where you get to.
Plate is cheap, and if your bro has the kit and time, he can teach you to run a weld and you can get to work.
If you want something good, you'll probably start again - but you could make a runner here and see if it suits your lifestyle, so to speak.

I like to find positives in things and try not to be negative. Sooo, erm, yer.


Those welds are shocking. Half the bead isn't even on the join. They are heavily ground and run to cold. There isn't much penetration there. Why you'd cut the main spare to add out riggers is beyond me. And the welds aren't full, we're they saving pennies on the welding wire?
Also looks to be flux core and the slag hasn't been chipped off the weld on the steerer column, edit, looking closer it's been ground and a capping pass put on it, so it might not be flux cored (not enough splatter). Note, I was a welder (sort of)
That bolted join is a joke.

Also, it's already bent, nevermind about to crack in half at the BB.

Could this be made into a nice cargo bike? Yes. Cut the back end off. Cut the headtube off. Scrap the rest.
Buy 10ft of 3" box section.

Learn to weld on the scrap from this. Then make a new bike.

I really hope you paid pennies for it, because that's what it's worth in afraid.

Please don't ride it, it's a death trap.

That’s AWFUL!!!!

I've never been a professional, only (laboriously) self-taught, but I've welded on the job and for myself for over 40 years,
and I can testify, that the person who put that thing together did not understand some very basic concepts, of which welding is only one !
Novocaine is right on every account - You should be afraid, very afraid.........

Thanks all for the replies.

Yes, it's definitely bad, but I am "in it" now, so will probably go a at least a little bit further before chalking it down to experience. I can live with losing a few quid if I can have a bit of fun with it.

I don't think that the main beam has been cut where the out-riggers are. The out-riggers are sectioned over the main beam (but why they just essentially 'tacked' the out-riggers on is just weird). However, I suppose it can be made solid with some effort. I jumped up and down on the frame last night and it flexes loads at that silly bolted "joint" detail. The flex has possibly saved some of the other welds from starting to fail. But I can't imagine how this thing rode. Noodle.

I did take it up and down the driveway, but the steering...well...I'd have to take a video of it. Think Land Rover Defender turning circle and halve it. In fairness, it's very straight and flat where I collected the bike from, but frustratingly there are corners in my neck of the woods . I do have some thought's on the steering, which I'll elaborate on further if I make progress on the frame.

Plan is (when I can be bothered), strip it down, take the paint off and clean all the joints up. Then it'll have to go up to my brothers unit for the work to begin. I won't be welding this. I'll do the grinding up, make the gussets etc and possibly tack them on, but I'd want the welds to be strong, so it'll be left to someone who knows what they're doing, to give me some confidence that it has some strength!

Onwards...........

if you are going to keep it and not just replace the main spar then I'd go with gussets as shown below in red for starters. this will help with the bending and snapping in half. you really need something at the headtube, but it's to short to add anything.

these should be wrap around and boxed in not just flat plate.

the join, I'd fabricate or find a section that slips inside of the box section (you will have to grind out the internal seam). Weld it one side. I'd do a decent, thick flange instead of the bits of angle iron too.

I'd personally go buy a new chunk of 3" box and start again, but if you don't want to go down that route, fair enough. you do need to cut out the BB and the head tube welds and redo them properly. I'd want to do the "downtube" to main spar weld too (not to mention the steering column).

see why I think you need to nearly start again?