Bicycle frames come in many different shapes and sizes. The diamond frame, consisting of two triangles, is the most widely known model; other styles include cantilever frames with no top tube as well as those featuring additional lines forming an “x.”
Frames explicitly created for women feature top tubes connected to their seat tubes at midpoint instead of head height, making mounting and dismounting while wearing clothing easier. This design can also be found on unisex utility bicycles.
Frame
This small double-loop frame made from 1″ mild steel tubing is built with a bearing steering stem and 7/8 inch drag handlebars for improved handling. Additionally, there is an expansive rear loop to accommodate larger rear wheels and tires. Building this is fun and forgiving enough for novice welders/tube benders; taking time but not difficult is a great way to learn welding/tube bending skills. After welding is finished, it looks great when painted using standard rattle can paint (Hammerite smooth / Rustoleum), as this frame should only be used on tracks; it is not suitable for street use.
Brakes
Though most bicycle frames focus on forks and wheels, it is also crucial to consider brakes when designing mini-drag bike frames. After all, brakes are what ultimately stop your mini-drag bike, so they must be reliable.
Brakes come in various varieties, with disc and rim brakes being the two most prevalent choices. Disc brakes may provide greater power than their rim counterparts (provided the appropriate pads are used), as well as offering greater pedalling efficiency; however, discs may overheat quickly on dry or dusty roads.
Another alternative is a rod brake, which uses steel rods instead of cables to pull both sides of a braced caliper upwards to strike the inner diameter of the wheel rim. Though less potent than its caliper counterpart, rod brakes can still prove effective and are relatively cheap to construct.
One less commonly seen but still found on some BMX bikes is the center-pull brake. Similar to cantilever brakes, center-pulls have one pivot point located in the middle of each arm that makes tracking out-of-tune wheels more effective; however, their setup process can be complicated, and they have a tendency to clog more often.
Drum brakes, once considered obsolete but now still found on some Dutch bikes, remain alive and well by allowing the wheel to freewheel when pedaling is stopped and operating pads within its hub. They’re weatherproof and easy to use but heavy and susceptible to overheating.
Engine
There are various engines suitable for this frame, but the Honda GX200 stands out. This versatile little engine can be found everywhere, from compressors, generators, log splitters, go-karts, and wakeboard cable winches – from compressors, generators, and log splitters to go-karts and wake-board cable winches! Producing approximately 6.5 HP in stock form, it can easily produce twice that with some basic tuning hacks such as bigger valve heads, high compression pistons, billet crank + flywheel combination with larger carburetors – an excellent option for first-time builders looking for ease when rebuilding later on! This makes an ideal first engine choice that can also be quickly rebuilt.
Drill two 8mm holes to accommodate bottom yoke mounting bolts and four 6mm fixing bolts in the top yoke to hold handlebars securely in place.
