Rail Bike with folding outriggers - riding abandoned railroads on the central coast

This is my Railroad attachment for my bike that folds up onto the bike so it can be ridden on the road and then unfolded on the railroad tracks to be able to ride the rails. The tracks I am riding are abandoned tracks in central California. The ride I go on is about 10 miles south down the coast on the tracks and then 10 miles north and with about 5 miles on the road.

[thebigbandshow]

As a Keen Cyclist, Lover of Railways and an ex railway worker myself this is the coolest thing I have seen in ages. Love it

[jamesrestemayer]

Honestly I would keep things like this secret. Peace and quiet with no traffic…what a treasure

[Pipermillen]

Very clever, here in England they remove the rails of abandoned railways and leave them as cycle ways and footpaths, some of the Victorian viaducts you can cross are pretty spectacular
Thank you for the video

[hatman]

As a kid, I was an avid reader, and would pick up obscure library books to read.

One of them was a (very outdated) book on HPVs, or "human powered vehicles". It was really in depth, going from the history of the bicycle, to more modern developments for car replacements in highly aerodynamic recumbent bikes. It also went over just about every type of vehicle you could imagine being pedal powered, including boats, blimps, airplanes, etc, and what has been made in those areas.

Apparently, it was relatively common to make rail mods for bikes back in the early 20th century. Rail companies across the country would shut down on sundays, so the rails were completely safe to ride for sunday picnics. The photos in the book of people doing this were very similar to your design.

I think perhaps the practice died when it became rarer for companies to close on sundays, as the country became less religious. I hope it makes a comeback though. It should. The US's railways have been so mismanaged that trucking has taken over much of the freight industry (despite being an objectively worse way to transport cargo than rail). This has resulted in a lot of abandoned railways across the country.

The reason you find it easier to ride across town on rails is that the single biggest advantage of rails is a low coefficient of friction between your tire and the rails. This reduces rolling friction a ton, meaning youre putting a lot less work into pedalling.

[cduc]

This is simply absolute perfection. As a railway enthusiast who likes to disappear away from people on a bike this could not be a better vehicle for me.

[uhlijohn]

The wires you show are not grounding wires....they are called "bond wires". RR signals and crossing gates are actuated by low voltage electricity that flows through the rails. When the rail segment ends you need a bond wire to complete the circuit. In continuous welded rail that is not needed so often as the lengths of CWR are usually very long. When an engine or other rolling stock travels over the rails it "shunts" the electricity traveling through the steel wheels and steel axles from one rail to the other completing the shunt. This is what actuates crossing gates and signals.

[takuumangki]

I have wanted to make something like this for years. Looks like you have perfected it. I always assumed that I would need flanges on the rear wheel too. Great engineering!

[austingode]

As a mechanic I’m really impressed, as a lover of the outdoors, I’m inspired…… however for the life of me I can’t understand how you are so stable …. The outrigger is just sitting on the top of the rail, and the only thing guiding the bike is the front wheel/ guide !! It’s extraordinary, really….. because coming off on those rails and sleepers could be painful…. You have my entire respect ✊

[audiodead]

A really well executed conversion. Here in the UK, we have literally thousands of miles of disused rail lines so I'm thinking of doing something similar. But you have raised the bar in terms of quality of execution.

[GearHeadBoris]

I have miles of disused track around my area and been thinking of doing exactly this!
Now I know it works rather well.
Brilliant work old son👍

[Thomas-pqys]

I've been doing this since the 1980's.

Back East, the rail is pretty beat, worked like an old cold chisel. The rails get wide and ragged on the outside rail, and the inner rail gets super narrow, on sharp curves.

There's also ballast stone piled to the level of the rail on the outside, occassionaly some hardware. This, and the ragged rail, will launch you. I'm done with the double flanged guide. Too many injurous crashes due to these hazzards.

I used 4130 tubing, logged thousands of miles.

Beautiful build. Very tidy.

[Jacksirrom]

This is sublime. I don't know of anything cooler on a bike. To have that view all to yourself, quiet and alone... Jealous of your building skills. Subscribed.

[howellerOU]

Wow, your roll rate/distance after that push was impressive! Great engineering 👍

[williamscoggin]

Never would have conceived the rear wheel and trailing so well without it having some type of guide like the front wheel. And very eye-opening as far as how things can be simplified.
🤔 👀 👍🏻🇺🇲🇺🇲

[Jacob_graber]

Hot damn, this is so cool. Train tracks are graded super gently, I bet it feels great to ride on such a smooth rail too. Added bonus, you can look at the scenery without worrying about balancing or running into stuff!

[kentallard]

"I've actually found that it is easier to ride across town on the rails than it is the road" - if only there were rail vehicles regularly operating on them providing this very service

[onemanmayhem]

This is the best buildup i've seen, simple and light.

[gdaymateowyagoin]

Great design and execution. Decades ago a mate and I pondered this type of design over a few beers. It only stayed a pondering but yours is great to see working so elegantly and efficiently.

[paultruesdale]

Nicely designed and engineered, a fantastic use of old train tracks.
I hope you sell the blue prints
What a wonderful video, thank you for the upload.

[MaxPowersHedgehog]

Wow! That is super sweet, not only the invention, but the tracks you get to ride.