My perfect bike fantasy design.

[RufusChucklebutty]

An all purpose commuting, bike packing and cargo bike, main features are..

1. Aluminium step through monocoque frame. ( inspired by Lotus MTB )
2. Rear rack is integral part of frame and needs no support struts.
3. Pinion type gearbox and belt drive.
4. Hubs are extra big, 15 mm hollow axles with something like 15-32-13 drop in sealed bearing units that will never be under strain whatever the load.
5. Swing arm ( both sides ) acts on shock unit internal in frame. Can be locked out for carrying heavy loads.
6. No seat post, just an adjustable link for 100 mm in up down front back directions.
7. Saddle sits on anti vibration mounting.

.

 

[TheDoctor]

That does look like something Mike Burrows would build. I like the front monoblade, but if I was building it I might go for hub gears rather than Pinion. You might want a little more depth in the racks for big loads, but I'd happily tour on that.

 

[RufusChucklebutty]

The improved swing arm shape .

I'm thinking of a welded cellular construction of thin a aluminium outer skin with internal stiffening pieces.

 

[marzjennings]

Good looking design, reminds me of the old MountainCycle San Shockware...

 

[Oldhippy]

Not my cup of tea but clever.

 

[MichaelW2]

The cantilever rack will be highly stressed. Also needs side bars for pannier safety. What about mudguards/fenders.

 

[RufusChucklebutty]

The rack is based on the idea of a " spar" like an aircraft wing spar and in theory strong enough to take a load in excess of what you could load into panniers.

Panniers could have their own integral frames to keep them out of the wheels.

 

[RufusChucklebutty]

[

Good looking design, reminds me of the old MountainCycle San Shockware...


View attachment 602445

That frame looks like two pressed sheet metal halves welded together ?

 

[marzjennings]

[

That frame looks like two pressed sheet metal halves welded together ?

Yep, that's exactly how they were made with a big ol' weld running up the top tube.

 

[RufusChucklebutty]

Interesting choice of construction since stamping requires big investment in dies which has to be got back by big volume of sales.

 

[keithmac]

My friend had one of these, he used to do downhill MTB competitions.

This is going back 25 years?, I'm sure the frame alone was £2000!. All aluminium iirc.