# Thinking about swing bikes



## febikes (Jan 28, 2011)

Does anyone have photos of "really" good swing bikes? I am gathering information and planning for a build. The basics look fairly simple but having never ridden one I would love to hear from others from a build/ride angle.


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## Blaster1200 (Feb 20, 2004)

All the ones I've ridden were a bit squirrelly. They didn't seem to track well.


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## CurbDestroyer (Mar 6, 2008)

febikes said:


> Does anyone have photos of "really" good swing bikes? I am gathering information and planning for a build. The basics look fairly simple but having never ridden one I would love to hear from others from a build/ride angle.


 I'm working on building a swing bike frame this week.This is the rear end. I hope to have it complete this weekend


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## unterhausen (Sep 28, 2008)

I've been over-thinking swing bikes for a while now. My understanding is that they work a little better if the rear "head tube" angle is slacker than the front head tube angle.


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## febikes (Jan 28, 2011)

A friend of mine sent me a photo of his dead swing bike.









From the looks of things the seat tube was not up to the task of handling the entire load. because in this conversion based design the down tube was been removed. With the top tube replaced with a swing section the forces on the seat tube were beyond what it could handle on it's own.

Any swing bike I build needs to be strong and off road capable. I am planning to do the build "from scratch" so I won't be using dead bikes. I will likely use straight gauge 4130 and may take a double seat tube approach.

-Mark


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## CurbDestroyer (Mar 6, 2008)

Swing'n


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

I've heard of people swinging, but this is ridiculous!


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## wizzer16 (Sep 9, 2010)

... and no need for post welding alignment.....


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## febikes (Jan 28, 2011)

febikes said:


> A friend of mine sent me a photo of his dead swing bike.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Do you guys think a straight gauge 4130 tube with OD of 1-1/4" and a .083 wall work with a 27.2 seatpost? The ID for the tube in question is 1.084 inches or 27.53 millimeters. Do you think such a tube can be reamed to fit a 27.2 seat post after welding is complete.

My goal is that this be strong enough for occasional light off road use as a swinging MTB.


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## febikes (Jan 28, 2011)

I got the swing bike done; it is a blast to ride.


The bike rides nice, I actually did about 50 miles on it including a good bit of the easy single track in lake Crabtree park (near Raleigh, NC). Having front and rear wheel steering is interesting to say the least. It's a true mountain swing bike with the ability to run a suspension fork although I road it rigid.

The frame is now back from powder, it is for a friend so it goes in the mail next week. The bike was so much fun that I will miss it. I might actually need to build another this year.


The mid bar clamp was the most interesting part of the build.


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