Freakbike Camp seeks Village of Awesome

haptotrope · Post by **haptotrope** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 4:42 pm

Hokay,

So I'm trying to get a freakbike/chopper gang camp together in a sort of village. (or another suitable infrastructure in which to contribute to and to call home)

All chopped all the time. I'm a member of SCUL ( http://www.scul.org ) a Boston based bicycle chopper gang and ideally, I'd love to have a "Stop-n-Chop" where worthy bikes would get chopped right there on yonder playa during certain times (and fashion interesting bikes out of bikes of metal and other bikes that are donated.) on Saturday Night post-burn, we'd have a ride out into the Playa with a travelling FM station, broadcasting to the other bikes in the fleet... see where it goes from there.

We'd have a 10ish person posse of newish burners (some have been many times, some once or twice, others had been back in tha day of "drive by shooting camp" and some are dedicated virgins) We could include a bunch of other bike gangs, (Rat Patrol, Black Label, etc, etc as time, space and energy and village permit)

If you have any recommendations of suitable theme camps for us, please do let us know.

Thanks!
Hapto

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 6:43 pm

Hey there Haptotrope, nice to meet you. If all goes well I will have a tracked bicycle (like a WWII tank). If you have your bike camp and do a parade, let me know! I camped with Blunderland last year (probably this year as well) and sometimes hangout at Apokiliptika (one just can't get interrogated enough!)

haptotrope · Post by **haptotrope** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 9:54 am

Hey Jafe!

I really wanna see a photo of this bike with the tank tracks!

Nice to meet you too! I think it'll be a fun thing to do... lots of awesome bikes around, and lots of bike gangs attend, that it would be cool to have a place for them. Our gang has a star-wars-space-pirate-punk-theme, which is terrible amounts of fun... SCUL has been riding every Saturday from April to Halloween for almost 10 years. We have a movie ( http://www.scul.org/movie/ )-- its a pretty amazing thing to be a part of, and I'm very excited to try and bring it to the Playa.

Gravity Mike · Post by **Gravity Mike** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 2:09 pm

No shit, tracks!! I was thinking the same thing, but (for me, anyway) it would take more than one year to get it right - too much trial and error - and my welding skills are still marginal.

I'd love to see it!!

Gravity

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 2:26 pm

I'll post photo's when I get started next month...it would be cool to have more than one down there!

haptotrope · Post by **haptotrope** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 6:48 am

Jafe--- its a month later... got some photo of that tank, er... bicycle?

Still looking for a good camp/village to join-up with... 5-12 members, responsible, housetrained, hardworking, and alot of fun, in to bikes, and probably would bring/make choppers (the bicycle kind) for people out on yonder playa. (And of course, help with camp duties, set-up, teardown, and all the stuff in between)

Desert Duck · Post by **Desert Duck** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 9:25 pm

Have you tried to get ahold of any of the bike repair camps? When you get something together, let me know. I'd love to come and hang out and ride with you guys.

levendis · Post by **levendis** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 9:33 am

Hey cool! SCUL! I've been reading your klub's site for years. I use SCUL lingo all the time. Inspired!

My own chopper was created in 2003 and can be seen here: http://www.elevendistant.com/ickypaw.html

Make sure to visit APOKILIPTIKA to see my new and improved chopper:

In preparation for the 2004 burn (which I didn't attend unfortunately) I created the following document you may find thought-provoking:

"Burning Man 2004 Theme Camp Idea:

"CHOPPER MAN" or "BLACK ROCK CHOPPERS" or "BRC CHOPPERS"

On site chopping of bicycles! Bring your plain mountain bike, road bike or BMX to our shop and we will use parts from junk bicycles to create a rolling work of art. Whether you want an extended fork, a tall-bike or just need to repair your custom work we will do it. We will cut, saw, torch, weld, crank and assemble a new riding experience for you on the playa. The individual creations will be witnessed as they are constructed from start to finish by intrigued participants. Say goodbye to your ordinary ride and cruise away from our shop in style.

Required:

20 - 30 dedicated bicycle people and Burning Man veteren participants
5000 - 10000 watt generator
50' x 50' site in high bicycle traffic
Large dome or similar structure to serve as the chop-shop, with careful attention to LEAVE NO TRACE
200-300 junked steel bicycle frames
extra bicycle components such as wheels, tubes, tires, chain, nuts, bolts, etc. brakes? who needs 'em
round and square steel tubing in various sizes
steel plate
brazing torch and rod
arc & TIG welder, oxy-propylene torch
grinder, sander, bandsaw, holesaw, tube-miter/notcher
full compliment of bicycle tools
paint and prep material
extra decorative items such as velvet, fur, horns, lights, etc.
photography equipment

We will:

allow those with appropriate skills to use our equipment and resources to create their own unique bicycle.
instruct those without knowledge on the basics of bicycle repair, maintenence, metalwork and welding.
have a fleet of our own bicycles to roam the streets and gather participants for visits to our camp.
host large modified bicycle parades through the city.
have a bicycle handling course setup where participants will learn to operate their new steed as well as compete with other Burners in various staged competitive events.
cooperate with all other bicycle oriented camps to organize a group effort to enlighten the population about the inherent advantages of the vehicle of the future.
have a court of gurus who will collect pertinant information about the donor and owner as to the gender and name of the recently modified bicycle."

haptotrope · Post by **haptotrope** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 8:47 am

Hey thanks for the neato document! (and the props -- nothing like a bunch of artsy geeks on wierdo-bikes.. ;-) -- Also nice bike... I'll try and swing by on yonder Playa if you are going to be there this year)

Right now we only have a couple of people who can make it, and many are newbies, hence the desire for some umbrella camp to contribute to.

I totally want to do a 'Stop and Chop' which would be a massive pile of standardish mtnbike/cruiser forks and a few others and such, and do most welding in advance (to optimize gifting and keeping moop to a minimum). Of course do some chopping out there... (like a tallbike and such out of scraps we find/people give us)

Anyway, we're getting together to talk about what we're up for... but we're looking at a slightly smaller scale... because we'll overinflate our plans all by ourselves. ;-) but keeping it in check will keep us from falling flat.

Be sure to drop a line if you hear of any camps/villages who would like a SCUL component.

Thanks!

haptotrope · Post by **haptotrope** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 8:50 am

DesertDuck, That's a good thought... I'll get on that! Watch this thread, for some developments. ;-)

ericg_wisc · Post by **ericg_wisc** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 7:46 pm

Hey, think about joining Snowflake Village, right on the esplanade. www.clevian.com/snowflake2006. This will be our 7th year and we are mostly Midwest all the way east to Phiadelphia and Baltimore/Washington area. So Boston would fit right in.

Question: How do you pass the Leave No Trace requirement if you are cutting & welding metal? Do you use tarps to catch the sparks, or drag the sand with magnets, or what?

Desert Duck · Post by **Desert Duck** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 11:28 pm

We do it by having a container. The back of a rental truck would also work.

haptotrope · Post by **haptotrope** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 6:55 pm

We'll be camping this year as a part of Automatic Subconsious... It'll give us a good portion of locals to conspire with, and a small, homey feel, for our post-apocalyptic chopper building gang.

Thanks to those in this thread who offered suggestions, and ideas and guidance. Be sure to stop on by!

EspressoDude · Post by **EspressoDude** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 7:21 pm

Swing by EspressoCamp with your fleet of choppers, and we will fuel you up..

Pic of one of the Battlewagons @ EspressoCamp

RedRaeven · Post by **RedRaeven** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 2:22 pm

Can I join? I'm just getting into the creatively mechanical aspects of bikes and would LOVE to learn to chop 'n' weld 'n' all those neat-o keen thingies. I do know how to solder...I can even bring a bunch-o-bikes.

I'll be coming from the Puget Sound area, plan on being out there by Wed. the 30th, can bring stuff people need if they ask,

Freakbike Camp seeks Village of Awesome

Freakbike Camp seeks Village of Awesome

tallbikes and choppers and rickshaws oh my!!

chop, chop!

Snowflake Village

SCUL found a home.

I love it!