Started out with both my bike and back-up bike old and worn down, seemed like a good time to combine them into one bike and get a new one to better handle current duties. Began looking at stock options, but then saw someone riding local steel, which I’d forgotten about. Came up with a crazy longtail idea and went to talk to Rodriguez Cycles, at the north end of Seattle’s University District.
Scott Rock was happy to try to make my crazy longtail idea into something functional, but there were some mighty pretty all road builds (among others) in the showroom, and the idea of a bike that was more fun capable as well as functional was too good to pass on. Scott designed a custom Phinney Ridge and helped me figure out initial components. I drew up the paint scheme, and a few months later picked up a beautiful frame and fork, wheels, and a big box o’ parts just before supplies got scarce.
Inspiration from NASA, mostly the Apollo program but also the space shuttle and Perseverance rover.
Wanted to see what I could do to have some creative fun and geek out my ride, build in some running lights at least for all the dark miles. Here’s a lightsaber sound board wrapped in electrical tape and a rat’s nest of wires, that all got shoved into the stem. There was enough room in the steerer tube for two batteries, one for Di2 and the other for the bikesaber. Tried running both systems from one larger battery at one point, but the Di2 did not like sharing power with anything else.
Growing up I put together plastic models, applying decals to spaceships and fighter jets. Designed some sticker sets to replicate that fun.
Many’s the photo I’ve missed for lack of a tripod, so decided to make the bike into a photo bipod. The headset top mount can’t tilt, but it can pan and is compact and always ready for me to stop and lock my camera on. The cap flares out to cover where the battery wires come up from the steerer and feed into the stem. Standing astride the bike I can get sharp photos with exposures up to a couple seconds, maybe more with practice.
After deciding that yes, I was going to be ridiculous enough to try adding sound effects, I had to come up with a speaker housing and a way to mount it on the bike, as the handlebar had no clamp real estate. Created my own Unihorn mount out of spare tubing from building the front rack. Simple and works great so far.
A 2W 28mm speaker trying to emulate a Saturn V rocket - the sound is amusing in a room but lost outdoors. Maybe enough to scare big-eared bunnies away on quiet mornings.
Making my own sound font (Saturn V) was something new. The other two are by Rob Petkau (a.k.a. Madcow) of Genesis Custom Sabers - you can pick them up at Saberfont.com.
Charging port for the bikesaber.
First try at soldering stainless steel and making a rack. This is in the shape of the Apollo Command and Service Modules. A tripod head can be screwed onto the stud in the middle when the headset cap won’t cut it.
The exhaust duct on the saddle is great. Half can of refried beans and it channels enough force to launch me up any hill.
The fearsome power of three 5mm RGB LEDs. Actually they’re nice and mellow, easy on the eyes.
Initially I didn’t want to run wires the length of the bike, but the rear rack light mount just screamed to be used, and rocket engine tail lights. Had to. Machined them out of Delrin. The rear lights plus Di2 required seven wires, so took some Cat 5 cable, stripped off the casing, removed one of the eight wires, used heat shrink tubing to compact everything back together, and applied gold paint, gold leaf and a clear coat. Bling!
Don’t have it dialed in, and it might take some custom software, but the potential to have custom lights + sound do whatever you want in response to turns, bumps, braking and a horn button has all sorts of fun potential. Some people get really into lightsabers loud colorful glowsticks, which, let’s face it any fellow geeks, have limited uses. Why not apply the same creative cool to your ride and bike lights? Is this just a me thing? This is probably just a me thing.
(Is it like having my own personal go-anywhere Disney ride, though? Yes, it is.)
(I've got a rocketship I can ride to work every day. Billionaire fools got nothing on me.)
Pretty happy how the fender paint job turned out. Another thing I hadn’t tried before.
The design was for a 2x subcompact setup, hence the braze on presently used for a running light bracket. While waiting for delivery I found I didn’t need the smaller ring for regular rides and loads. The option to switch to 2x is nice, though.
Hydraulic? No DOT, Sherlock.
First time dealing with tubeless tires and idiot I am, gouged a rim decal (left o’ the bunny) trying to get them on before learning the trick. So embarrassing. Decided to kintsuge the hell out of it.
The tally is a lie so far. Hopefully the bunnies believe it, though, and stop flinging their fuzzy butts in front of me, then doubling back to do it again with only millimeters to spare. Dumb bunnies.
Fun to make, even more fun to ride. Looking forward to everyday journeys and quiet adventures under the stars for years to come.
Now all I have to do is build a Launch Umbilical Tower for it...