Back to the 80's: The Mongoose Moosegoose

Mongoose Moosegoose - the bike for moose-sized kids. Longer seat tube, taller headtube. It's the sensible BMX design for cruising around the neighborhood. Alas, didn't get popular with the kids at the time.

Champion Square-back Cruiser

Photo from BMX Museum, bmxmuseum.com

Another dual downtube bike, a rare Champion Square Back Cruiser. This gold and red number is a flashback from the disco era of 1978. The style is coming back though. Fireman's bikes sells a very similar frame, without the dual downtube madness.

Twin downtube bikes exist!

Twin top tube bikes aren't very common anymore, but they certainly exist. A good example are a generation of BMX bikes in the 80's. The twin top tubes gave the bikes added stiffness and allowed the rider to stand on top of the two tubes for tricks.


The other bike that had twin top tubes were Mixtes. The Mixte design began as a bike that could be used both by men and women. The low top tube allowed the ladies to wear skirts and still pedal the bike, but the bike was still stiff and handled well.


Now on to the downtube twins. They are rare, but examples exist. The most popular examples Were designed by Ernesto Colnago, the Bitubo, Titanio, and the Bi-Titan. These were designed to make the frame stiffer.


There were other bikes with twin top tubes, as can be seen in the photo below:



So it can be done. All I need now is a framebuilder crazy enough to try. :)

If the bike doesn't fold...

How do you bring it with you in a bus or train?

I was thinking of using a light bag, to cover both wheels, and the chain. I also take off the seatpost, handlebar and both pedals. This would result in a long, thin package. Here's the idea, illustrated:


I traced over the Dahon Hammerhead so that I have an idea of how the dimensions work.


This is the drawing without the background photo, for simplicity.
Configuration 1 is the "twin top tube option. The front wheel is tucked in between two top tubes, making the folded bike profile slimmer than if the wheel was strapped alongside the frame. The rear wheel is also tucked in between the rear stays. The stay bridge would have to be removable so that the wheel could be tucked in. This makes the front fork stick out, but the bike will be at tis thinnest.

Configuration 2: Twin bottom tubes: if this is possible, this provides a smaller profile because the fork won't be sticking out as much. The question is - will this provide enough structural integrity to the downtube? I know that there are a lot of bike designs with twin top tubes, but I'm not so sure about twin bottom tubes. Must practice my google-fu.

Keeping it Simple...

I saw this commuter earlier. I think he was on a boy's mountain bike - 20" wheels. He was short enough that the bike was still ok to ride. I don't think I'd fit on that frame. I'd need a seatpost that'll be way too long and the top tube will be too short for me. But it's a good example of what I want to get. If I get a custom frame, I'll like to make the following adjustments:

1) Slightly longer chainstays
2) Taller head tube and seat tube - hence the top tube rises proportionately. This makes the front triangle larger.
3) Custom frame bag for the front triangle. This guy has some cardboard box tied with string, which also works.
4) Twin-top tubes, so that I can stash the front wheel in the front triangle for mixed mode travel.
5) Semi-horizontal chainstays so I can run with gears or SS.
6) Lightweight bike bag for mixed mode commutes.
7) Seatpost rack that doubles as rear fenders.

Basically a BMX for adults.

Bamboo Bike Disaster?

Calfree Design's Bamboo Mountain bike
Photo from calfreedesign.com

Craig Calfree sells a Bamboo mountain bike frame for $ 2,700. That's a frame, not a complete bike. For that price, You get a 10 year warranty. Bamboo bikes have been getting a bit of attention - with their proponents extolling the strength, lightness and ride quality of the bicycles.

There have been some DIY instructions floating around the net on how to build your bike frame using Bamboo - and some have taken the plunge and made their own. AllenG, a member of bikeforums.net is one such individual. He showcased his bike on this THREAD.


AllenG's utility bike is a nice design. Long chainstays, slack angles, nice racks. It's oozing with retro style with its brown Brooks leather seat and canvas panniers. Classic.

A few weeks after, AllenG posted this photo:
He wrote: " Wrecked today. If it were made of metal, all I would have done is pick up my bike and keep going. I'm livid, so I'm not sure that I'm thinking straight, however I am thinking bamboo is nothing more than a novelty. I could salvage the frame, but right now, I don't think it is worth the effort."

Maybe he should have used a different kind of bamboo, I'm not sure. But it took a lot of work to put this bicycle together, it's understandable that AllenG feels bad.

Bikes on the Train

Photo Credit: ruralnet.typepad.com

The MRT/LRT system in Metro Manila is really crowded, so I don't think this is possible. I brought a new bike frame into the MRT once, and it wasn't a problem, but a whole bike is sure to raise some issues. In other countries have better policies when it comes to mixed modal commuting, but then again their trains are not as crowded as ours. BMX bikes are obviously smaller than mountain bikes, so I think if they are properly bagged up they could be passed off as luggage. The only problem with BMX bikes is that they ride like BMX bikes, so any long commute they become uncomfortable.