Building a Full Suspension Mountainbike Frame

Here is my newest and biggest project:

I am going to build a Full Suspension mountainbikeframe by myself.

Why? - Because building stuff is fun, and I will hopefully get my dream bike. It also saves a lot of money. There are also no comparable bikes on the market. 

What? - A Enduro Style MTB, but with a geometry which allows switching to a smaller fork and damper to do cross-country touring. As you may have seen in my other blog, I am into bicycle touring, especially in remote Asia. 

How? - With brass brazing and MAG welding. The main part of the frame is based on an old MTB Steel frame. I will cut the frame on the edges and modify the geometry. The rear swing will be made by me. 

Highlights:

• Travel 160 mm front and rear
• Switching Suspension - you can change to a light 100mm fork and a 160mm damper, and the bike will still be rideable.
• Steel
• 4,7 Kilo is the goal
• The frame will have a similar geometry as my touring bike
• Indestructible a swing bearing. - It is the bearing from a front hub. 
• Rear Rack for touring support.
• Frame shifters for touring

Making a bearing out of a front hub

For my mountainbike building projekt, I needed a reliable bearing for the rear suspension. After researching a lot, I came up to modify an old front hub. Front hubs can take a lot and are well sealed. 

I used my drilling machine and an angle grinder to lathe the hub int the correct shape:  

When I was approaching the correct diameter, I used a file tool for the last corrections. It took about 2 hours until the diameter was correct. After putting the hub into the freezer, I hammered it into the steel pipe. This pipe will later be brazed into the frame and hold the rear suspension.

I think it is a nice idea, how to make a reliable bearing without any advanced tools. There are several other applications I can think about, like making a wind turbine, or a connection for a self build bicycle trailer.