Can you help rebuild a cargo bike for a community project?

[thomwithoutanh]

Hi, hope I've got the right forum area for this one...

I want to build a cargo bike that incorporates a simple mobile kitchen (probably a couple of gas stoves and possibly a fold-out table area). Why? I help organise the Brixton People's Kitchen, which picks up perfectly decent food that shops and markets would otherwise have to throw away, and cooks it and serves it for free for everyone. We've been going for a year, but now we want to build a mobile kitchen so we can travel farther around South London and hold weekly kitchens in estates, community centres, homeless centres and suchlike this summer.

I've made a sort-of start, and have got hold of some parts from a Christiania bike (some sketchy photos here https://www.dropbox.com/sh/r11e7gyp1zjsyck/jqJoSrwV1z?m) for £20. A few others have kindly agreed to lend a hand: Union Cycle Works in Deptford have offered spare parts and tools, the Remakery are giving us workshop space and scrap materials, and a couple of German guys http://vimeo.com/45143216 have offered to come to London for a week and help us build the kitchen part. We've got some money to spend on this for parts and so on, but we'd like to use donated/recycled parts as much as possible.

Anyone interested in helping, have some parts that might be useful, and/or have any advice?

Assuming the Christiania frame is ok, the main jobs look to be fixing the steering mechanism and brakes, and sorting out the wheels (we're missing one, and another needs a new hub). Alternatively, I'd be interested if anyone has any better ideas.

Thanks for any help you might be able to give...

 

[swannymere]

Re: Rebuilding a cargo bike and turning into a mobile kitche

Sounds like a great project, can't really help out but good luck with it.

 

[Charlieboy28]

Re: Rebuilding a cargo bike and turning into a mobile kitche

that's an absolutely brilliant thing you're doing there .

if you could provide a list of parts you require i would be more than happy to see what i have and donate FOC.

 

[thomwithoutanh]

Re: Rebuilding a cargo bike and turning into a mobile kitche

Thanks! Hopefully it will be brilliant, but there's a lot to do. I want to get it finished by the end of April ideally, so any help or advice will be much appreciated - and repaid several times over in food.

I'll have better photos by mid-next week, which should help with figuring out what's needed. At the moment, the main parts I need are:

One or two wheels (24")
24" tyres
1 hub for a front wheel
2 disc brakes for the front 2 wheels
Any type of brake for the back two. (Christianias normally use a coaster brake, but I don't really think that's crucial.)

I'm going to need some help sorting out the steering mechanism - still not sure exactly what parts/tools I'll need for that. In an ideal world, hub gears would be great too.

 

[xerxes]

Re: Rebuilding a cargo bike and turning into a mobile kitche

One or two wheels (24")

3 surely? 1 either side of the "box" and 1 at the rear. Also, are you sure they're 24" and not 26"? In addition, the rear wheel would be fairly standard, although you'll need to check the O.L.D./axle spacing: http://sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html. The front wheels will need to have stub axles, like wheelchair or tricycle wheels.

Front brakes might be a problem as I can't see any means of attaching either disc brakes, or rim brakes. Similarly, I can't see any disc brake, or v-brake mounts on the rear, so likely only a sidepull brake will work.

Do you have any information about the frame or pictures of one complete and in use, that may give some clues as to how it should all go together.

With regard to the steering mechanism, I imagine it just pivots around that plate which is fixed to the bottom of the "box". The black tie rod looks as though it might be some sort of steering damper so that the whole thing isn't too loose.

 

[thomwithoutanh]

Re: Rebuilding a cargo bike and turning into a mobile kitche

xerxes, thanks very much - these are all really good points.

Maybe it's best if I hold back for a few days until I've spoken to some people who've seen the bike and can tell me definitely what I need. London Green Cycles have agreed to come and have a look at it, so fingers crossed.

(Here's some info on what a working model looks like http://christianiabikesuk.com/the-models/for-business/. And here's the list of what I know I have already:

Frame
Handlebars
Pedals
Cranks
Chainring
Chain
Box
Rear wheel
1 side wheel (with hub that needs replacing)
Mudguards

Everything I've seen suggests they are 24" wheels, but I could be wrong.

 

[xerxes]

Re: Rebuilding a cargo bike and turning into a mobile kitche

Looking at the picture, it looks as though you might be right about the 24" wheels:

Looks like you have a few bits missing, which are likely to be unique to this bike/trike, like the disc brake tabs and those tie rod pieces from the bottom of the steering column. It's probably worth contacting Christiania Bikes about the missing parts and they may also be able to point you in the right direction for the correct wheels, stub axles etc.

 

[swannymere]

Re: Rebuilding a cargo bike and turning into a mobile kitche

They do use 24" wheels, i've looked on a number of sites.

 

[thomwithoutanh]

Re: Rebuilding a cargo bike and turning into a mobile kitche

Thanks everyone. I contacted London Green Cycles, who are setting up a new shop doing Christianias in London, and they've agreed to come have a look on Wednesday. The guy even mentioned that they might be able to give some labour FOC!

I'll update you on progress in the next week or so. Wish me luck...

 

[thomwithoutanh]

Re: Rebuilding a cargo bike and turning into a mobile kitche

So, an update -

I've been offered a vintage 'ice cream' bike to use in the project. I've been to look at it and it seems basically in fairly good order - but it uses rod brakes and (as you can see) the fitting is broken. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/r11e7gyp1zjsyck/jqJoSrwV1z?m Would this be possible/straightforward to fix? And, in general, would you say this is worth looking at as an option?

Re the Christiania bike, London Green Cycles are having a look to see which spare parts are needed, as you suggested. Fingers crossed.