New To Forum - Want To Build A Marauder - Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Builder's Forum

"I just bought the plans for the M2. Also, I have ordered the Bicycle Builders Book. I've been reading the threads in the forum and have some questions."

Read more and join the discussion: New To Forum - Want To Build A Marauder

Welding with stick welders - Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Builder's Forum

"I'm looking to get a cheap stick welder so I can make this new hobby of mine. I know a couple of retired boilermakers and wanted their advice on brands etc but we didn't get that far because they were adamant that it would be virtually impossible to weld bicycle frames with such a welder without blowing holes. Now everyone on this forum is quite adamant that these welders would be fine, and I believe them, because they have the anecdotal evidence."

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Ottawa shop owners can profit from more cyclists downtown

"The Citizen editorial noted a necessary balance between the views of both business owners and cyclists when considering a pilot project for a cross-downtown cycling corridor."

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Warrior recumbent tadpole trike from Germany - Atomic Zombie builders gallery

"Hi Kat. Attached is a photo of my warrior for the gallery. Regards, Michael (Mick) Bauer from Germany."

Well done, Mick! Thanks for sending us a picture of your awesome tadpole trike.

The Warrior Racing Trike takes performance and looks to all new heights. With triple disc brakes, under seat steering, and a general racing attitude, the Warrior would easily pass for an expensive production import. Built using inexpensive bicycle components and steel tubing, the Warrior weighs in at only 43 pounds, and has perfect handling and braking characteristics. There is not one single machined part on the entire trike, and everything can be built using only a basic welder, hand drill, and angle grinder!

The Warrior Racing Trike uses commonly available 20mm hubs, so there are no hard to find or overly expensive components needed. The frame is completely made of square steel tubing,and everything else on the Warrior Trike can be found at bicycle shops or hacked from scrap bicycles. The building process is designed to allow anyone with a Do-It-Yourself desire to finish his or her own version of the Warrior without requiring previous bike building experience or specialized tools and skills.

If you have been eying up those expensive imported recumbent trikes, but think $4,500 is a bit too steep of a price tag, then get out your tools and build it yourself! For thousands of dollars less than the price of a basic tadpole trike, you can create your very own racing trike that will rival many of the factory built machines available.

OverKill style chopper bike from Ontario - Atomic Zombie builders gallery

Built by James R. Pollard of Dundas Ontario, Canada

Great chopper, James!

OverKill is appropriately named because everything about it is way over the top. With its ridiculously wide rear wheel, and ultra long forks, what else could it be called other than OverKill? Does a chopper really need a dragster tire on its rear end, or such a high frame? Not really, but does a roadster really need a Hemi? You know where I'm going with this. Actually, the main reason I built OverKill to such outlandish proportions was to retaliate against the mass marketing of big box store choppers.

Even though this sick chop has proportions that rival some of the petrol-burning street customs, it certainly won't bust your wallet or require you to spend the next year in a machine shop. The fact is, OverKill is built from nothing more than an old car rim, some scrap bicycle parts, and a few lengths of electrical conduit using only a welder and grinder. Yes, anyone can pull this one off using the tricks shown in the plan.. Every step of the build is detailed using high resolution photos, and you will be amazed at how simple it is to add bicycle spokes to the car wheel, and there is plenty of room for you to add your own evil modifications to the frame. How does it ride? Dude, look at this beast, it was made for cruising!

As you can see, OverKill not only rides well, but it dominates the road with its radical proportions and kicks dirt in the face of conformity. Choppers belong to us garage hackers, so let's take back what is rightfully ours and send a message to those who think mass production is the way to go. Get building!

The Huggan Warrior - homebuilt trike gets kudos

"Hi Rob. Enjoy the Recumbent blog. Nice to see a Canadian take it over. I live in Kitchener Waterloo Ontario so also a flag waver. I have a RANS Stratus XP long wheelbase, a Cycle Genius Sparrow medium wheelbase and a Bacchetta Giro 20 short wheelbase recumbent." Read more: The Huggan Warrior

Tandem for two - Atomic Zombie builders gallery

"Hi. Thought I would send you a better picture of me and my son on the tandem bike we made using your great book. We are going to make recumbent bike next. Hope you put it on your website. Thanks, Perry."

Those smiles say it all. Well done! Happy riding.

Viking recumbent tandem from Down Under - Atomic Zombie builders gallery

"Hi KoolKat. Here is my latest creation the Viking Tandem it performs real well and my wife Helen and I are very happy with it.  Best Regards from Down Under, Kurt Gahler"

Thanks Kurt and Helen for sending us this picture. Looks like you two are enjoying your new home built tandem. Nice job!

Hex Nipples - Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Builder's Forum

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700C on a Tomahawk? - Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Builder's Forum

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Locutus' second build, the Electric-assist Street Fox (AKA: The NoPEC-1) - Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Builder's Forum

"Successful first work commute with the Street Fox velomobile!

The trike zipped right along, kept me dry (it was raining lightly) and covered the 21 miles in one hour flat. This time successfully meets my original goal. Electrical output was pretty consistent over the entire trip. Power consumption was 12 amp hours from the 16 AH total capacity twin battery pack."

Read more: Locutus' second build, the Electric-assist Street Fox (AKA: The NoPEC-1) - Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Builder's Forum

Kyoto Cruiser recumbent trike project - Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Builder's Forum

"Nearly finished with the Kyoto recumbent cruiser trike I started this summer. Started and stopped several times throughout for various reasons (parts, frustration, heat, etc.).This was a little tougher than the other 2 trikes I have built because of the double stuff I guess.

Had every intention of taking lots of pictures but got caught up in work and the building and just plain forgot. I did start out taking a few pictures though so I will post them and hopefully wrap up the build and post the finished trike pictures in a day or two. Thanks to everyone here for the info and ideas."

Read more and join the discussion: Pert Near - Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Builder's Forum

 

Richard's StreetFox recumbent tadpole trike - Atomiczombie.com

"I thought I would send you an update on my Streetfox. I sewed up a new seat cover and electrified it. I have around 90 miles on it now and I'm building another one for my wife.

Thanks again for the plans. It sure is a lot of fun to recycle old bikes and put them back to work. ~  Richard"

StreetFox Recumbent Tadpole Trike DIY Plan - AtomicZombie

The StreetFox Recumbent Trike is a fast and comfortable version of the classic "tadpole" style trike (two wheels in the front), which includes rear suspension, three wheel braking, and 26 inch rear wheel for optimal gear range. The StreetFox looks and handles as good as any commercially produced trike, and can be completely made using commonly available and inexpensive bicycle components and some square tubing. Not one single machined part is needed. The StreetFox has an adjustable bottom bracket so it can fit riders of most heights, from 5 feet to well over 6 feet tall. Due to the rugged construction and use of sturdy 14 mm axle, 48 spoke front wheels, the StreetFox can easily accommodate riders over 250 pounds.

Because this project only requires a basic welder, an angle grinder and a hand drill, the StreetFox can be built by anyone with the desire to put a little effort into this rewarding hobby. Because of the simple mono tube main frame, the StreetFox is highly customizable, allowing the builder to alter the plan to suit his or her own needs, or simply to try new ideas. The most complex part of the trike is obviously the steering, but the StreetFox uses commonly available and "bullet proof" BMX wheels and hubs, so you don't need to source hard-to-find, expensive front wheel parts. All three wheels have standard bicycle brakes and cables as well, so you can find most of your parts by salvaging old bicycles or at most bicycle stores.

Every step of the build is detailed in high resolution photos, with clear instructions on how to calculate critical angles and lengths based on the parts you have on hand. The final product is a very sleek looking tadpole style trike that looks professionally built and rides like a dream. Enjoying the scenery on a comfortable recumbent trike is like sitting in your favorite chair, but you can always put your ankle to the pedals and get the wind in your hair because the StreetFox is as fast as it is comfortable.

Take a look at our Builder's Gallery to see other StreetFox examples, including many creative modifications to the plan. Our international builders community ranges from students to retired engineers, but they all have one thing in common - the desire to build their own stuff!

All of Atomic Zombie Extreme Machines plans are downloadable PDF format. Multiple discounts, free tutorials, videos, gallery, newsletters, blog and more.

Practicing welding for gas and flux core - Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Builder's Forum

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A tandem bike built for two - Atomic Zombie builders gallery

"Hi. Here is the tandem my son and I made using your most excellent book. We love riding it."

Finding a broken/abandoned bike - Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Builder's Forum

"What would you do if you found a bike on the side of the road that had obviously had a sudden and catastrophic failure?

Example: Today I found a department store Schwinn mountain bike that had been 'overshifted' - chain came off the low gear in the back, bound between the spokes and the freewheel, and twisted the derailleur all to hell. Besides being unrideable, it's in great shape."

Read more and join the discussion: Finding a broken/abandoned bike - Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Builder's Forum

We need to encourage a better safety culture

We need to encourage a better safety culture

Motorized scooter bike - Atomic Zombie builders gallery

"200 cc stand up scooter made from 20 inch bike and 16 inch bike plus. Fab techniques from Zombie plans." ~ Vasin Douglas

Cargo bike - Atomic Zombie builders gallery

"Hi. Attached is a picture of the "truck" I created for my shop. Love the creativity of the bikes on your site. Look forward to more. Thanks, David Roberts"

FunkE electric chop. - Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Builder's Forum

"Hi Krew. This is what I have been up to this weekend. After a much needed clearing of the bench I have started on the FunkE chop for my wife. I started yesterday and this is how it is so far. I am pleased with the way it is going. I did have a plan but I should have learned by now that once I get building my imagination takes over and it just happens. I like it that way. Hope you like it to. It will have a 250W motor with 36V electrics enclosed in the "Tank" in the head tubes with a storage area for waterproofs and a flask of tea along with all the other stuff women seem to want to cart around with them. All the best. Tim"


FunkE electric chop. - Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Builder's Forum

Christmas sleigh trailer - Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Builder's Forum

"Hi all. I know it's early to think about Christmas, but what the hey. I am building a new sleigh for my Christmas display, but this year is going to be my last (as I am leaving town and states), so I thought it might be great to build a trailer to tow the sleigh behind my electric trike. The trailer will be 1000mm long and 800m."

Read more and join the discussion:  Christmas sleigh trailer - Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Builder's Forum

Penny farthing size wheel - Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Builder's Forum

Penny farthing size wheel - Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Builder's Forum

Triple chopper bikes - Atomic Zombie builders gallery

Greetings. My wife said I should get around to submitting my 12' long chopper, 60 degrees of rake,  4 3/4" trail.  I sacrificed a 26" mountain bike for that "science project" just to see if a bike 144" long (from tip of wheel to tip of wheel) would be ride able.  It is not practical, but fun and controllable! 

CNC machined triple clamps and drop-outs, the rest is 1" tubing bent on my hydraulic tubing bender and TIG welded together.  Did the majority of the construction on my lunch breaks!  Fun project! 
The other two bikes are the smaller version of the longbike for my children, Benjamin and Victoria Wyma. They loved them :)

Thanks, hope to see my pics on the website :)
Sincerely,
Torrey Wyma

Warrior tadpole trike from France - Atomic Zombie builders gallery

"Hello all. After some difficulty I succeeded has to upload pictures of my Warrior there are still some loose ends and then road testing. ~ Nono01, Lyon in France

Stylin' Highroller short wheel base recumbent - Atomic Zombie builders gallery

"My completed Highroller for the gallery.  Brad and Kat - You guys ROCK.  Thanks for all that you do and these plans and this site.  ~  BradinSTL"

Thanks, Brad. Another great looking bike! Nice job.

Recumbent tadpole trike from New Zealand - Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Builder's Forum

"Hi all. New member here in Feilding, NZ . Here's a pic of tadpole trike that I made for my 5 year boy. Just needs seat covered, hand grips, then paint (waiting for him to pick color)
also making one for me will put up pics soon."

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Show us your workshop! - Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Builder's Forum

Join the discussion: Show us your workshop!

Help finding banana seats in UK - Atomic Zombie builders forum

"Hi AZ krew. I hope you are all well and busy. I am looking for one or two banana seats for a project of mine, and above all for a good friend."

Read more and join the discussion: Banana seats - Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Builder's Forum

Warrior tadpole trike by Tim - Atomic Zombie builders gallery

"Hi Brad. Here's a pic of my Warrior for the gallery. Thank you for the great design. Tim"

Nice job, Tim. Thanks for sharing with the bike building community!

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The Warrior Racing Trike takes performance and looks to all new heights. With triple disc brakes, under seat steering, and a general racing attitude, the Warrior would easily pass for an expensive production import. Built using inexpensive bicycle components and steel tubing, the Warrior weighs in at only 43 pounds, and has perfect handling and braking characteristics. There is not one single machined part on the entire trike, and everything can be built using only a basic welder, hand drill, and angle grinder!

The Warrior Racing Trike uses commonly available 20mm hubs, so there are no hard to find or overly expensive components needed. The frame is completely made of square steel tubing,and everything else on the Warrior Trike can be found at bicycle shops or hacked from scrap bicycles. The building process is designed to allow anyone with a Do-It-Yourself desire to finish his or her own version of the Warrior without requiring previous bike building experience or specialized tools and skills. 

If you have been eying up those expensive imported recumbent trikes, but think $4,500 is a bit too steep of a price tag, then get out your tools and build it yourself! For thousands of dollars less than the price of a basic tadpole trike, you can create your very own racing trike that will rival many of the factory built machines available.

Going chainless with the Stringbike

Hmmm...interesting.

"At first glance, a proposal to replace a bicycle's familiar chain and cog drive with one that uses string may sound like lunacy, but that's exactly what's been done to produce the Stringbike. The system features freewheel mechanisms on either side of the rear wheel connected by polyethylene rope to a precisely positioned, symmetrical swinging arm that drives the bicycle forward. When the unit on the right is driving the bike forward, the other is being returned to its starting position and vice-versa which is said to result in greater efficiency and makes for a more comfortable, easier ride."

Read more: Going chainless with the Stringbike

Warrior recumbent tadpole trike from France - Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Builder's Forum

"Hello all, after some difficulty i succeeded has to upload pictures of my warrior there are still
some loose ends and then road testing."

See Warrior trike photos from France .

Why cyclists anger motorists

"The biggest beef that drivers have with cyclists seems to be that too many are scofflaws who are hardly ever held accountable for what they do or don't do on the road.

I take their point"

Read more: Why cyclists anger motorists

Short wheel base recumbent from Hungary - AtomicZombie.com builders gallery

"Dear Atomic Zombie, I'm sending you info about my latest finished recumbent project.

Name of the bike: Alpha

My name: nick: motyoo (my full name is Peter Matetelki if needed)

From: Budapest, Hungary

I also have a blog about my home made recumbents here http://rekumbens.blog.hu ."

New StreetFox recumbent tadpole trike - Atomic Zombie builders gallery

"I've got my StreetFox completed from the plans I purchased from you on Ebay, so I thought I would send you a picture. Thanks for the plans."  ~ Richard Foster

Deep South HighRoller Recumbent Ride Reviews? - Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Builder's Forum

"Hi Folks. I've recently put together a HighRoller, thanks Brad for the plans & thanks to the community out there. I've not ridden recumbent before so I'm currently somewhere on that learning curve."

Read more and join the discussion: Deep South 'Roller, Ride Reviews?

New Zealand homemade bikes - AtomicZombie builders gallery

"Hi. Here are pics of my first homemade bikes, am working on two trikes at the moment (one for my 5 year son and one for me) will send pics when done. These two bikes were quick builds.

The first one chopper style on a 12inch wheel size. My 3-year-old loves this.

The next a drift trike I made for my 16-year-old nephew. It has 20 inch front wheel and slides real nice.

By the way, I am in New Zealand. I will send more pics as I build more. Cheers, Paul Mimmack"

Stretch cruiser frame tube bending advice please. - Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Builder's Forum

"Hi krew. My wife has fallen in love with stretch beach cruisers. Can anyone point me in the direction of, or tell me how is the best way to make those nice clean sweeping curves in the frame please. I have a conduit bender with 20mm and 1" forms and have experimented on some scrap, but can not make anything smooth and nice looking.

"What I have done so far looks mechanical. I am after that sweeping organic kind of curve if you know what I mean. My god I'm starting to sound like a hippie already. Next I'll be building bikes with rose tinted glasses instead of a welding mask, whilst listening to the Beach Boys! Many thanks for any help you can offer. All the very best. Tim "

Read more and join the discussion: Stretch cruiser frame tube bending advice please. - Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Builder's Forum

John's Tourmaster long wheel base recumbent bike - AtomicZombie.com builders gallery

John Austin shows off his newly completed homebuilt TourMaster long wheel base recumbent bike. Nice job, John!

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The TourMaster is an extremely comfortable long wheelbase recumbent cycle made for commuting, long tours, or just getting out enjoying nature. Because the rider sits in a reclined adjustable high back seat, you will enjoy both the ride and the scenery without straining your neck or bottom. The TourMaster is a unique long wheelbase recumbent design, as it includes a linked steering system to place the handlebars in a very relaxed and natural position. The TourMaster is a rock solid performer and offers a super smooth ride due to the dual 26 inch wheels.

The TourMaster is a very easy bike to build, requiring only two scrap bicycle frames and the usual cycle components, so anyone with a welder, grinder and a bit of patience can build their own high quality recumbent cycle in a few days. There are no machined parts used, no hard-to-find bicycle components. You can use practically any type and style of cycle parts you like. The adjustable seat allows riders of any size to fit the cycle, and you could even make a smaller version for the younger cyclists using kid's bike frames.

Cruising along on a laid back and comfortable recumbent cycle feels so good that you will forget that you are getting fit at the same time. Even the unseasoned cyclist will have no problem riding the TourMaster for hours since it was designed around your body, not forcing you into an unnatural riding position. Recumbent cycles are the way to go. Once you feel how comfortable cycling can be, you will be "bent" for life!

Take a look at our Builder's Gallery to see other TourMaster examples, including many creative modifications to the plan. Our international builders community ranges from students to retired engineers, but they all have one thing in common - the desire to build their own stuff!

DeltaWolf recumbent trike build by Bob - AtomicZombie builders gallery

"Hi. I had a lot of fun building my Deltawolf.  The first time I took it out two people asked where I had bought it which made me feel really good.  I am going to start soon to build a Warrior tadpole for my wife.  ~ Bob "

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Human powered trikes come in two varieties - two wheels at the back (delta), and two wheels up front (tadpole). The general opinion is that tadpole trikes are made for speed and comfort while delta trikes are great for load carrying, pulling trailers, and sending granny off to the shopping mall. But, not anymore! The radical DeltaWolf breaks all the rules that have held delta trikes back for so many years. This trike is ultra low, very laid back, designed for comfort and speed, and has full-sized 26 inch rear wheels thanks to unique, yet easy-to-make rear hub axles.

The DeltaWolf is also designed to be easy to build using only a welder and an angle grinder, and requiring only a single part to be machined (plans also show alternative to this machined part). The rest of the trike is made using a few feet of square tubing and standard bicycle parts that can be purchased new or salvaged from scrap bicycles. Even the unique rear wheel hubs are made using nothing more than a hand drill, and a few washer shaped steel discs.

There are no hard-to-find parts used in this project, and the only part that needs to be machined is a small threaded part that will allow a standard freehub to connect to one of the rear axles. The total cost of building the DeltaWolf including the machined part is about $200, and could actually be much less depending on the size of your junk pile. The frame is made from mild steel square tubing, and can be put together in a few evenings, not bad for a trike that looks as good as it rides. Check out the video to see how well the DeltaWolf behaves as it handles tight corners and straight-aways.