The Brass Lion - Steampunk Recumbent | The Steampunk Workshop

The Brass Lion - Steampunk Recumbent

Jake von Slatt — Fri, 06/13/2008 - 11:19

You'll recall I posted a picture of my recumbent bike last week and that one of things I wondered aloud was how one would go about steampunkifying a bike? Well Eric and Alan - a.k.a. Steuben's Wheelmen - sent me a whole passel of new photos that show exactly how one would go about this process!

. . .

This is a 'tadpole' configuration recumbent trike that Eric and Alan built from scratch! I was privvy to some of the early construction photos and I'm happy to say it was at my urging that Eric installed the brass coach lamps. His initial reaction was that they were 'over the top' but thankfully I managed to convince him that the steampunk aesthetic was at it's very best when pushed just beyond the limits of good taste!

The choice of lighting is as follow: acetylene headlamp up front, kerosene coach lamps amidships and what I believe is an incandescent tail lamp.

The steering gear is quite elegant in it's simplicity and on viewing the movie below you will see the geometry is bang on.

Elk hide wrapped handle bars and a brass bell - nice!

Ah! ready for a afternoon's picnic! I'll bet the tea set rattles a bit over the bumps. One should always pad ones saucers and cups with napkins!

The view from behind - I do love those wooden fenders!

The bike's mascot and namesake at the fore!

The inventor out for a test drive in period attire, though I do fear for his car coat in the chain!

Many more images of this fabulous conveyance's construction can be viewed at the builders' blog.

Interesting

Tim Gunther — Sun, 06/15/2008 - 18:00

Looks nice, however I think the white/modern looking tires throw off the look a bit.

Actually white tires are

Jake von Slatt — Sun, 06/15/2008 - 18:29

Actually white tires are period correct, carbon black to protect the rubber from UV degradation came later!

aesthetic view

Tim Gunther — Mon, 06/16/2008 - 21:56

I meant from an aesthetic view but that's an interesting tidbit of info nun the less.

nice rich dark colors and then the tires slap you in the face with a bright white ;)

Inspiring æsthetics!

Duke — Mon, 06/16/2008 - 12:17

I am about to start a welding course, and I will work with recumbent bikes to start with.
I have checked this page from time to time, I saw the motorcycle you made.

This one is more lazergrobian ;) than steampunk.
As to say it´s more of a pimped hpvd 'steampunkstyle' when the motorcycle was craftsmanship, probably not as functional. I do not say one is more important than the other, there is an ancient saying of wisdom over here that a beautiful girl without brains is like a pig with a ring of gold through the snout.

In my work of exam for the welding course I have been thinking about steampunk. The principle I wolud go for would be to use a 36'' frontwheel with gears (they have know, some swiss engineer has made unicycles with geers, and 36'' is the biggest wheel i can get my hands on)), as to have the pedals directly to the wheel. The idea is then to use the basic design of the high ride, using the smaller back wheel for steering. To make it functional aswell I am thinking about having two positions for the rider, one like in the old days, and one more recumbent style.

Interesting! You will

Jake von Slatt — Mon, 06/16/2008 - 13:56

Interesting! You will definitely want a copy of David Gordon Wilson's Bicycling Science to help you work out the proper wheel geometry.

Looks really cool.

TJ William — Sat, 06/14/2008 - 18:04

Love the fenders and the luggage.

I think the fox shock would have been a good place to incorporate a little steampunkish ingenuity. That is the only bit I don't like.

Classic!

Elepski — Fri, 06/13/2008 - 18:57

I feel inspired now!... I like the inlays on the wooded fenders..and the lamps are spot on!

Duster In The Works

Wheelman Steuben — Fri, 06/13/2008 - 13:05

When the weather cools sufficiently later in the year to make wearing my linen duster something I can do on a regular basis I may have to fashion some sort of running board to gather the ends of my coat and keep it out of the works. Such an addition would also be good for when the ladies in their finery go for a spin.