My Bentech SWB

Hi 'Yall!

Joined the page a couple of days ago...so here is my 'bent! It is based on the BenTech SWB plans, all 4130 Chromoly tubing, Shimano Deore gears.

Front derailleur and brakes weren't installed when i took the photo, but were subsequently done.

Bike is currently in pieces heading for the paint booth!!

Cheers!!
JB

 

Nice job Jason. I wonder if there is really any need for a triple up front. Most folks only need 3, maybe 4 gears with their riding. Of course, that's out here in the supposed flat land of Arizona. Yeah right!!!!

Safe Rides,
Yoda

 

Hey Yoda, thanks for the nice compliment. I agree with you on the front gears....I got a super deal on the crankset last winter (my local bike shop sold me a bunch of components just above cost to make room for new stock), but its not very hilly in and around Toronto...in one year of riding I can probably count the number of times I was off the big ring on one hand. In fact, down the road I'd like to go to a bigger ring for a bit more speed.

The other thing I'm planning to do this winter is replace the BMX forks with a set with some rake. I'm sitting a lot closer to neutral trail than I thought I'd be; gets twitchy and unstable pretty fast if you take your hands off the bars even for a second.

Other than that, I'm having a blast with it!!

JB

 

I am partial to the 81 speed configuration - triple up front with a 3x9 dual-drive rear wheel.

They's no sech thang as too many gears

I'd rather have 'em and not need 'em than need 'em and not have 'em

Actually, I don't set all my bikes up this way. I did it with my Linear Mach III and our Troika tandem trike. I use a standard 3x9 drivetrain on the Ti-Rush and V-Rex.

I have used a triple chainring since I first started riding real bikes in '86 and would never consider otherwise unless I had a mid-drive setup. I want to keep my original knees intact.

 

Can I ask how you bent the chainstays? I've tried to bend 1" x 0.049" chromoly to make chainstays, and the tube wrinkles on the inside and flattens on the outside. Were you able to get a smooth bend? Thanks.

 

Bending Chainstays

Done my share of tube bending. Fill the tube with sand and cap it before bending. The sand will keep it from collapsing. Also, do not use a conduit bender. It will not be strong enough. Most chainstays are fork blades. If you can find an old fork that is large enough, you can cut the blades off and use them. They are already heat treated and bent. What more can you ask for?

 

Wish I'd known the 'fill it with sand' trick when I bent mine. I couldn't find anybody with small enough dies for a mandrel-bender, so I tried a conduit bender with miserable results....ruined the tubing I bought.

I gave up, and ordered pre-bent tubes from Bentech

JB