# bike for work



## Visteonguy (Aug 6, 2005)

I transfered to a new plant last febuary, and was told that they WILL NOT buy any new trikes for you to haul your tools around on. Even though there are probably 300 or more of em in there now. I did not cry about it, instead went home and built my own bike from a few old bikes. I designed it to carry a lot of weight as a typical tool box for my trade can easily weigh 200 - 300 lbs. I also tried to design it to be comfortable and also carry more then just a tool box, making it more efficent to get me and the nessessary equipment to the job to get it back online faster. I brought the bike into the plant 2 weeks ago for the first time, and got nothing but smiles, compliments and thumbs up, on the bike, from all ,,,,,,,,,,, except my area manager. He said it was illegal. He said it did not have a chain guard. So I took it back home last friday night and over the weekend, built this oak chain guard for it. brought it back in and soon as he seen it, now said it was not an approved bike, and had to go. I got the union involved and they told management, if ya want him to take his bike home,,,, buy him,,, an "Approved" bike so he can haul his tools. They said they did not have the money to do that, so I heard that it was just going to be forgotten. Today, I came into work and now heard that some one higher up,, has determined that there are to be NO home manufactured bikes in the plant. Ya go the extra mile to solve a problem on your own. Save the company a $1000 or so, Use none of their materials, or their time or their machines to produce some thing that you can use to do your job more efficently, and this is the thanks ya get for it. Any wonder why the car companys are falling on hard times ?

I was just getting ready to build a really nice oak tool chest for the back of this bike to match every thing else, At least I did not order any of the hardware for that tool chest yet.


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## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

Hi Terry,

I think I would rather have your bike to get around town than one of there automobiles and you can pass that along with a note to put it in their pipe and smoke it :laugh:

That is one awesome job you done! I would love to have one to tool around here except the way traffic is, I would be run over before the day was out.


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## curiousgeorge (Nov 6, 2006)

Hey Terry! I really like the chain guard your boss made you put on your illegal bike. :haha:


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Terry

I like it,,it takes me back the repair shop days,, people would being in the 3 wheel bikes and ask me to install a small motor to the front wheel to power drive it..

It was always a kick for me because they just about always had some old new papers in the metal basket, that I could read thought ..and to squeeze the little air horn on the handle bars all over the shop  LOL I recall one old guy that was about 85 to 110 years young and ask if I give it more power..LOL ,to make it to go quicker.. LOL, and I said you can't go more than 10 miles hour on the side walk, John.. great old guy and was alot of fun all the time.. LOL he was 5'0 and was about 80lbs wet.. LOL


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Visteonguy said:


> I transfered to a new plant last febuary, and was told that they WILL NOT buy any new trikes for you to haul your tools around on. Even though there are probably 300 or more of em in there now. I did not cry about it, instead went home and built my own bike from a few old bikes. I designed it to carry a lot of weight as a typical tool box for my trade can easily weigh 200 - 300 lbs. I also tried to design it to be comfortable and also carry more then just a tool box, making it more efficent to get me and the nessessary equipment to the job to get it back online faster. I brought the bike into the plant 2 weeks ago for the first time, and got nothing but smiles, compliments and thumbs up, on the bike, from all ,,,,,,,,,,, except my area manager. He said it was illegal. He said it did not have a chain guard. So I took it back home last friday night and over the weekend, built this oak chain guard for it. brought it back in and soon as he seen it, now said it was not an approved bike, and had to go. I got the union involved and they told management, if ya want him to take his bike home,,,, buy him,,, an "Approved" bike so he can haul his tools. They said they did not have the money to do that, so I heard that it was just going to be forgotten. Today, I came into work and now heard that some one higher up,, has determined that there are to be NO home manufactured bikes in the plant. Ya go the extra mile to solve a problem on your own. Save the company a $1000 or so, Use none of their materials, or their time or their machines to produce some thing that you can use to do your job more efficently, and this is the thanks ya get for it. Any wonder why the car companys are falling on hard times ?
> 
> I was just getting ready to build a really nice oak tool chest for the back of this bike to match every thing else, At least I did not order any of the hardware for that tool chest yet.


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## davidbarr (Apr 28, 2009)

Sweet bike. Don't sweat those guys man. Look at it this way. they'll be broke in a few months and you could start a new carreer building these things for the line mechanics of their competition.:sold:


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Sweet bike Terry, good build the wood looks great. How you going to keep it from the one guy, you know wants nice things but would someone else provide it??


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## Visteonguy (Aug 6, 2005)

thanks for the compliments, Guys,,, I lock it up in the crib at night and leave my tool boxes on it. When Days comes in, I have my buddy push it out in the hall in the morning against the wall,, there are a lot of people on days always walking by so its pretty safe, then I use it on afternoons. All the tradesman have their own bikes anyway. So in the coming days, We will see if they provide me with a bike or whats going to happen. With all the problems in the auto bussiness today, Ya would think they would have their plates full and not find the time to worry about a doggone simple bike. But you would think this bike is the next big threat to the american auto company, the way they are worried about it.


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## gregW (Mar 14, 2007)

Terry, it sounds like you need a new union steward 

real nice job on the bike!


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Terry, as you know, I've been privy to the building of this fine bike and I assume that you're too shy to show a close up of the wonderful routed signs on the sides of the tool tray so I'm putting you on the spot, show the signs Terry.

As a matter of interest to would be sign makers, have a peep at Terry's gallery.


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## Visteonguy (Aug 6, 2005)

Well, actually, Greg, The union steward was the one that tossed it back at em to either provide me a bike or shut up about it. I have not heard anything today on the matter but had to go up front to vote on some contract detail, and of course the union was there in force, and as I walked up the president and vice president of the local started chatting with me and asked me how things were going, I said,, well fine ,, till last friday night. They wanted to know what was wrong, so I told them the tale of the bike. They could not believe this was a big problem,, and wanted to see the bike. It was just out in the hall so we walked out there to see it. They laughted and loved it, said it was the neatest looking bike they ever seen in a plant. They still could not believe this was a big deal, with all the other problems going on today. They said, to keep them informed on what was going on. So far,, the score seems to be going about 99.9% for the bike,,, .1% hates it ( Just a few in managment,,,,,,,,, there are a lot in management that like it and think this is stupid)

And Harry, I did not take many pictures of that signature in the box,,
only one really,, dont know if it shows it in much detail, but it was fun to do and only took about an hour maybe. But that company logo would have been fun had it been done, on the pannel that would have covered the draws on the tool chest.

I routed away the backround to a depth of about 1/4 inch and then beveled the routed part to blend into the orgional thickness of the board. Really easy to do, but looks nice. ALmost every one thinks I glued my name onto the board, and have not guessed it is actually just one piece of wood.


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## Glenmore (Sep 10, 2004)

Terry nice stiff manly chair guard the ladies will be impressed. hahaha. Should call your bike woody hehehe


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## Barry99 (Feb 10, 2009)

Visteonguy said:


> I transfered to a new plant last febuary, and was told that they WILL NOT buy any new trikes for you to haul your tools around on. Even though there are probably 300 or more of em in there now. I did not cry about it, instead went home and built my own bike from a few old bikes. I designed it to carry a lot of weight as a typical tool box for my trade can easily weigh 200 - 300 lbs. I also tried to design it to be comfortable and also carry more then just a tool box, making it more efficent to get me and the nessessary equipment to the job to get it back online faster. I brought the bike into the plant 2 weeks ago for the first time, and got nothing but smiles, compliments and thumbs up, on the bike, from all ,,,,,,,,,,, except my area manager. He said it was illegal. He said it did not have a chain guard. So I took it back home last friday night and over the weekend, built this oak chain guard for it. brought it back in and soon as he seen it, now said it was not an approved bike, and had to go. I got the union involved and they told management, if ya want him to take his bike home,,,, buy him,,, an "Approved" bike so he can haul his tools. They said they did not have the money to do that, so I heard that it was just going to be forgotten. Today, I came into work and now heard that some one higher up,, has determined that there are to be NO home manufactured bikes in the plant. Ya go the extra mile to solve a problem on your own. Save the company a $1000 or so, Use none of their materials, or their time or their machines to produce some thing that you can use to do your job more efficently, and this is the thanks ya get for it. Any wonder why the car companys are falling on hard times ?
> 
> I was just getting ready to build a really nice oak tool chest for the back of this bike to match every thing else, At least I did not order any of the hardware for that tool chest yet.


Cool bike


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## gregW (Mar 14, 2007)

Terry, It’s good to hear that your steward is standing his ground…Good luck and don’t give up the fight! 

I hope we get a chance to see what the bike looks like with the oak toolbox on the back! 




Visteonguy said:


> Well, actually, Greg, The union steward was the one that tossed it back at em to either provide me a bike or shut up about it.


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