Bike Construction question

[Runlinds]

Hello fellow Burners.... anyone getting overly excited as every day passes?! So ready to be back on the playa ^_^

I have a major logistical question about what I'm trying to do with my bike this year. I would love to attach a pole of some kind to the back of the bike, so I can hang an umbrella over the seat and figure out how to attach some kind of LEDs around the umbrella. What's the best way to do this, and ensure if there is a dust storm the umbrella won't get demolished??

I'm a girl with little handyman skills but have a friend with a dad that's a welder, so this is somehow plausible if I can get it together. Suggestions appreciated!

[FIGJAM]

A picture of the back of the bike would be helpfull, but part of the frame should be vertical enough to use 2 hose clamps to attatch the base half of the parisal to the frame..

Then slip the parisal into the base and latch it at the hight you want.

Carry a little velcro strap to go around the umberella when closed so that a wind gust can't force it open.

No welding needed and you can do this in about 10 minutes.

These are $10 at Big Lots.

[FIGJAM]

Just noticed how close you live!

Let me know if you need help.

[some seeing eye]

You can get a bike rack for panniers. They are often aluminum. Bike stores have them and can install them. Then you want a temporary or permanent attachment for a tube that is capped at the bottom and is vertical. Welding could come into play here. Into this slip a piece of aluminum tubing from a specialty metals store. Say 3/4"od with say at least .05" walls. Get a golf umbrella, the toughest you can find. Take off the fabric and cut off the handgrip. Slide that into your tube. Attach the batteries to the bike rack-put in side the pannier. Some bike stores specialize in used parts, so if you are not planning to use panniers the rest of the year on that bike, you might be able to find a used or scrap bike rack. You could also rig a point to secure the umbrella and its support off 2 points: the seat post and the chainstay.

You might find a regional gathering formal or informal of people in your town who work on these type projects together or tools and advice at your local http://hackerspaces.org/wiki/List_of_Hacker_Spaces.

[unjonharley]

This could be an interesting thread.. I've had boomber chutes on different bikes.. They all had duct tape involved.. Have not had one I would brag about yet.

Setting them a tube is the best idea.. When the wind picks up you fold down or you get tipped over.. Happened on an old trike.. Take the boomber chute out of the tube and lay it across your lap..

[FIGJAM]

Like I said, 10 minutes!



For some reason the other two pictures did'nt load, but that's the base half of the umberella clamped to the bike frame.

Then the umberella half slides in to whatever higth you want, and lock the clip.

[BBadger]

Remove the seat and put the umbrella pole into the tube where the seat would go.

[Runlinds]

Remove the seat and put the umbrella pole into the tube where the seat would go.

LOL Ok well I need to sit somewhere to pedal......

[Captain Goddammit]

Now Tiahaar or Elliot or myself - we're capable fabricators but we'd probably start with an umbrella and build a bike around it.
Leave it to FIGJAM to have the nice simple effective easy practical solution!!

[FIGJAM]

Leave it to FIGJAM to have the nice simple effective easy practical solution!!

Inspired by lazyness on a daily basis!

[mudpuppy000]

Or you could just wear a big hat... That's probably going to be more effective than an umbrella for shade.

I've seen people use those white fiberglass poles you get for flags. They come with attachments already to connect to your bike frame. They bent the poles forward and attached them somehow to the front of the bike. I think maybe they had some sort of thin rope attaching it to the handlebars but not sure. With the two parallel poles they strung some sort of thin cloth inbetween them.

Not super effective unless you're only riding away from the sun, but it looked cool. Probably sucked really bad riding into the wind with that.

[Elorrum]

adjustable handlebar umbrella holder


amazing variety for this application. lots of adjustable (read wind destroyable...)

[BBadger]

I just keep imagining someone riding with one of those things and having the entire bike get tipped over from a gust. It doesn't even need to be in the under-area of the umbrella; just the wind hitting the side. Maybe it'd be better to put some hoops up and some loose shade cloth over the bike instead of an umbrella or parasol.

[knowmad]

Nocturnalisim is calling you home.
Come to the darkside, we have lasers.

[FIGJAM]

Umberellas will only work for shade when the winds are relatively calm.

If it's blowing 10 mph you would have to close it anyway.

[171/348]

SPF50 ~ $3.99

Now Tiahaar or Elliot or myself - we're capable fabricators but we'd probably start with an umbrella and build a bike around it.

That

[tatonka]

what if ya took the material off of the umbrella and replaced it with camo netting, the air could get thru and still offer ya shade.

[FIGJAM]

The $10 umberella is great for the price, but the ribs won't stand much wind without inverting.

[daft]

A day and night bike I see. Maybe ditch the umbrella idea and wear hat, scarves, goggles during the day and clamp on a pole with LEDs or EL wire for night. Seems like by 11:00am it a bit windy.

[dragonpilot]

I vote for the big hat with a chin strap idea...I use a California Lifeguards hat (http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=cal ... ORM=IQFRBA)...works great.

Thing with an umbrella is that you always have to be adjusting the position of the umbrella as the bike moves around...keep it simple!

[Runlinds]

what if ya took the material off of the umbrella and replaced it with camo netting, the air could get thru and still offer ya shade.

This was actually my original idea. Then, wanted to attach small poi balls to the end of each umbrella spoke so it would look cool at night. I realize the winds are an issue with it either way. Considering a canopy made of metal now instead.

[some seeing eye]

The sunbrella will not be functional at night, so needs no fabric. The LEDs can be attached to the frame which would have minimal wind load. The bike will be easier to find parked with an illuminated umbrella shape. In the event of rain, all bikes stop, so a bike umbrella is not as functional as it seems in rain. You could have a day umbrella with streamers, jellyfish-style.

[Tiahaar]

Now Tiahaar or Elliot or myself - we're capable fabricators but we'd probably start with an umbrella and build a bike around it.
Leave it to FIGJAM to have the nice simple effective easy practical solution!!

Heh, true, and it'd be a trike or sidecar-bike for me. I have struggled to keep control of a small handheld parasol while riding, the wind wins grrrr. But for quick and dirty its hard to beat hose clamps, zipties, and gaffers tape ala figjam's method.

Around here lots of the fieldworkers have bodged on a piece of pvc pipe to their bikes, with a bolt or glued plug on the bottom (likely with drainhole) that they stick a shovel or hoe into, but you could use somesuch thing as an easy in easy out bumbershoot spot too

[Elliot]

...a small handheld parasol...

And a small parasol is just the right accessory for your dainty physique.

Do try to find me this year -- we have cream soda.

[MacGlenver]

Just make sure if you use the "umbrella in a PVC holster" type idea, make sure the umbrella is actually attached with a set screw or something, else it'll fly right out of there. I would second either the suggestion to use a big ass hat, or mount some kinda hoop with shade cloth attached, rather than an umbrella. Will be more durable, I expect. Also, if you're gonna leave it on your bike at night, consider how it will work if it gets blown over while parked. Is it gonna get smashed?

[Foxfur]

I roll in my parachute pants, Members Only jacket, louvered DEVO shades and an umbrella hat.

[Runlinds]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I'm not all that handy of a girl, and my event planning has taken over as a priority in my burn this year so that LED umbrella will have to wait until next year. Shucks.

[Elliot]

Just noticed how close you live!

Let me know if you need help.

[The Hustler]

adjustable handlebar umbrella holder


amazing variety for this application. lots of adjustable (read wind destroyable...)

What's going to happen when you get a breeze? And, with all of that weight (amplified by the long lever of the umbrella pole) all of the little ruts and dust piles will probably be amplified as well.