# Thunder Cycle



## Kelly (Nov 9, 2021)

I NEED a bike that is easy to disassemble, lightweight, and that fits nicely in my van, but everything is back logged and I hate waiting 

*Hyperbike*
The hyperbike looked easiest to disassemble so I could take with me in my van but it has a 6 month lead time! I have smaller minis so I think I wouldn’t have an issue balancing the bike.
Cost $1850 plus $217 shipping to TX

*Kbike*
The KBike was suppose to be in the states the end of Oct, now they are saying the end of Nov. It looks a little complicated to disassemble for travel, but that’s just me, I don’t want to have to use any tools.
Cost $1450 plus $400 for shipping

*Vanderveen Gen2*
I looked into the Vanderveen Gen2, but that sounds even way more complicated to disassemble. Tools I would need to disassemble: an Allen key, 2 wrenches, and a socket. I asked about the lead time but didn’t get an answer so i am imagining it’s gonna be a while.
Cost: $2500 plus $300-400 for shipping

*Thunder Cycle*
So introducing the Thunder Cycle!! 
Hubby is really handy…and very patient with me …and promises he can make me a bike!! It can’t be that difficult right?? We are gonna call it the Thunder Cycle, how cute is that!?! I will keep a running tally of the complete cost of my bike.

I just received my navy blue boat seat from the nice delivery guy today and It is beautiful!!
Boat seat cost: $41, free shipping








Today I also received the seat track.
Cost & shipping: $92





I ordered the wheels, but they won't be here until sometime next week….hopefully.

Hubby says the boat seat attaches perfectly to the seat track! Woohoo! Off to a good start


----------



## Dragon Hill (Nov 10, 2021)

Can't wait to see what your hubby comes up with!


----------



## MaryFlora (Nov 10, 2021)

Ditto! Exciting to see how it comes together! Ingenuity and creativity at work!


----------



## HersheyMint (Nov 10, 2021)

Awesome! I can't wait for this newest adventure


----------



## Willow Flats (Nov 10, 2021)

The chair slide is awesome! Not like our Aerocrowns huh? When I was trying to get mine balanced, every time I adjusted the seat it was pull the seat off, re-set and redo 4 washers and 4 wing nuts!


----------



## Kelly (Nov 10, 2021)

HAHA! Im ALWAYS up to something RIIIIIGHT??!! 


I know Willow!! Yes! My Aerocrown isn’t the easiest to adjust! But it does seem even more balanced on Stormy than Cappy. Stormy is 32 inches and Cappy 35.5 inches. I can’t remember, how tall is Rocko? ….But Stormy does struggle on the grass with the weight.… I mean, I know I need to loose a few pounds and all but seriously Stormy! Geeeez!! LOL  Give a girl a break!!


The axel for the wheels came today. That’s the silver piece in the pic below. Total cost was $22.14


Hubby went to the metal shop today in Fort Worth, woo hoo! 
The cost for all the steel/metal: $115






Hubby fabricating the frame:







So far my frame looks well balanced!! What do ya think?! 







Total cost so far:
Boat seat $41
Seat track $92
Axel $22.14
All the steel $115
——————————————-
Total $270.14


----------



## MaryFlora (Nov 11, 2021)

VERY well balanced indeed and a thing of beauty!


----------



## Marsha Cassada (Nov 11, 2021)

I've never seen such a clean workshop. Impressive.


----------



## Kelly (Nov 12, 2021)

Marsha Cassada said:


> I've never seen such a clean workshop. Impressive.



Haha! That’s what everyone says when they see his workshop


----------



## Abby P (Nov 12, 2021)

I am definitely following this with interest!

There is one problem with your cost tally though, you forgot a line that will make this cart out of reach for most folks:

One badass hubby $priceless


----------



## MBENES (Nov 13, 2021)

I have a handy hubby who used to be a steelworker, so I am following your story with interest. I bought an EZ entry cart, which will be nice when I want to give another small person a ride, but I love the style of your cart type. Good luck and keep us posted.


----------



## Kelly (Nov 16, 2021)

Hubby is already out there this morning working on the Thunder Cycle 





The wheel came, woohoo!!



Running total (from above) $270.14
+ wheels, including shipping $121.50
—————————————————
Total $391.64


----------



## Kelly (Nov 16, 2021)

Ok, so hubby didn’t use the axel and he said he is going to keep it for other projects instead of returning it. So I am crediting that back to the total of the Thunder Cycle. He also spent an additional $75 today at Lowe’s for bolts, pins, washers, hooks and such.

Running total: $391.64
Axel credit $22.14
Lowes $75
——————————-
Total $444.50



It’s coming together beautifully!! I sat on it with Stormy semi-hooked… hubby was ready to grab the shafts if I were to go flying backwards LOL and it seemed to balance PERFECTLY!! I am absolutely shocked at how well it balanced!! …after we had a quick adjustment to the seat, I slid it back a notch. Can’t wait till I get to drive him 



That seat strap has gotta go. He is gonna cut off some of the stirrups, they are a little long. Hubby also has to fix the tree, my traces don’t fit in those big ole knobs. He also is going to add loops along the shafts. Paint, then DONE!

OMG! SO EXCITED! Hubby is gonna paint it Kona Blue, he has leftover paint from a car he painted a while back.


----------



## Marsha Cassada (Nov 17, 2021)

I had a guy who taught high school shop take all the measurements of my sulky. He wanted his students to make one. I've always wondered if anything came of that; I think they would have told me if it were successful. They bought one of my driving horses and thought making a vehicle would be cheaper than buying one.


----------



## HersheyMint (Nov 17, 2021)

Awesome Kelly


----------



## diamond c (Nov 17, 2021)

Looks great!!!


----------



## Abby P (Nov 17, 2021)

Wow! That looks great!


----------



## Kelly (Nov 18, 2021)

Hubby still needs to paint the Thunder Cycle, but here is a pic of it in action!




Running total: $440.50
Lowes today for plugs on the end of the shafts $7
———————— 
Total: $447.50


Here is how much the carts weigh:
Hyperbike: about 30 pounds
Thunder Cycle: 38 pounds
Vanderveen gen 2: no more than 40 pounds
Kbike: 55 pounds

I totally get why people say this style bike is as close to riding a miniature horse as you can get. It is a really neat feeling! It’s weird but I felt like I had more control while driving. We could turn on a dime, ok, maybe a quarter  I feel like little Stormy could drive this bike all day long, for hours on end. I love it! Can’t wait to go to the park real soon 


Here is a pic of my bike broken down. Hubby made sure it would be really easy for me to assemble/disassemble.


----------



## Marsha Cassada (Nov 18, 2021)

Fantastic!


----------



## Cayuse (Nov 18, 2021)

Love it!


----------



## Willow Flats (Nov 18, 2021)

Kelly, that's awesome!!!!! Tell your husband how impressed we all are with what he has made, and treat him like a king! He is a keeper for sure.


----------



## Dragon Hill (Nov 19, 2021)

You and your ponies are going to have so much fun!  What a wonderful talented generous hubby you have.


----------



## HersheyMint (Nov 19, 2021)

Your smile says it all. Nice job hubby.


----------



## Kelly (Nov 19, 2021)

Critique my set up you guys… have any pointers for me?? See anything that I need to adjust??

Here is a silly video of the first time I drove Stormy in my new bike….


----------



## Cayuse (Nov 19, 2021)

You need a cup holder  for your beverage of choice.


----------



## Capriole (Nov 19, 2021)

WOW! That is impressive!! Your husband has skills, that really looks professional!

How did your husband like making it? Maybe enough to start his own business making them .
(Seriously....I'll place an order now )


----------



## Kelly (Nov 19, 2021)

Yes! I need a cup holder AND a whip holder. 

I told hubby he could probably make some of these bikes and sell them, but he has already moved on to making a car, a BMW 507, from scratch!!  he can’t sit still!!


----------



## betwys1 (Nov 19, 2021)

Dumb question. Your cart is provided with a swingletree or singletree. It looks like the rig would work quite well without it. Does it?


----------



## Kelly (Nov 19, 2021)

Yes, it does have a singletree, it is under the seat. I think you’ll be able to see it better in this photo…


----------



## HersheyMint (Nov 20, 2021)

I can see after watching your video, how it is as close as you will be to riding Stormy. You are tailgating!!


----------



## MindySchroder (Nov 20, 2021)

That's awesome Kelly! Whoot whoot for hubby!! I hope you and your ponies have many wonderful drives with it 

Your hubby did an AMAZING job!


----------



## ServiceMini (Nov 20, 2021)

I am LOVING this cart!! Makes me so excited for when Sodapop is old enough to start learning how to drive  Had to share the video with my partner; he loves it too!


----------



## MaryFlora (Nov 20, 2021)

Absolutely wonderful....like Disneyland wonderful!  As HersheyMint says, your smile says it all! I bet hubby was pretty tickled also...well done for sure!

I do have two small critiques.....that’s not my pony and I’m not in the driver’s seat!


----------



## betwys1 (Nov 21, 2021)

Kelly said:


> Yes, it does have a singletree, it is under the seat. I think you’ll be able to see it better in this photo…
> View attachment 45214


It finally dawned on me: if the traces are fixed to the cart, it will swing side to side as the horse pulls first with one shoulder then the other. The pivot of the swingle-tree in the middle keeps the cart pointed in the desired direction.


----------



## MindySchroder (Nov 21, 2021)

betwys1 said:


> It finally dawned on me: if the traces are fixed to the cart, it will swing side to side as the horse pulls first with one shoulder then the other. The pivot of the swingle-tree in the middle keeps the cart pointed in the desired direction.


a single tree is super important. Without one the pony will become very sore and bruised in the shoulders. No matter the vehicle or the weight of the vehicle.


----------



## MindySchroder (Nov 21, 2021)

Kelly said:


> Critique my set up you guys… have any pointers for me?? See anything that I need to adjust??
> 
> Here is a silly video of the first time I drove Stormy in my new bike….




I would love to see you trot with this! That is when the balance is really tested  personally I would want to have less weight in the shaft loops. Your pony is the ultimate decision maker for that. Zorro prefers a floating shaft and lets me know that by being more willing to go forward if the shafts are floating, versus being reluctant and less immediate when I ask for gait changes if I have weight in the shaft loops.

Looks great and you look so happy!!


----------



## betwys1 (Nov 21, 2021)

MindySchroder said:


> a single tree is super important. Without one the pony will become very sore and bruised in the shoulders. No matter the vehicle or the weight of the vehicle.



Here is an irish pony cart - as you can see, there appears to be no swingle-tree.


----------



## Silver City Heritage Farmstead (Nov 21, 2021)

betwys1 said:


> Here is an irish pony cart - as you can see, there appears to be no swingle-tree.
> View attachment 45247


Go Pony! Gooooooo!! That looks like a racing set-up. Is it?


----------



## Kelly (Nov 21, 2021)

MindySchroder said:


> I would love to see you trot with this! That is when the balance is really tested  personally I would want to have less weight in the shaft loops. Your pony is the ultimate decision maker for that. Zorro prefers a floating shaft and lets me know that by being more willing to go forward if the shafts are floating, versus being reluctant and less immediate when I ask for gait changes if I have weight in the shaft loops.
> 
> Looks great and you look so happy!!



Thanks for the feedback Mindy!! I’ll try scooting the seat back another notch and see if that helps.  I’ll try to get a video of us trotting.  



Hubby is painting my bike today. Here it is in DP50LF Epoxy Primer.





Base coat is 2010 Ford Kona Blue:






Clear coat:


----------



## Abby P (Nov 21, 2021)

So I think the thing with those racing-style carts is that the horse pulls them off the shafts. So the breast collar isn't really coming down across the shoulder points like in a normal harness - you can see the pony's shoulders are free, the breast collar just keeps the surcingle/saddle part from sliding back. There are no traces either! Just the shafts. I doubt this would be a good setup for longer drives.

Kelly, your cart looks awesome! I'm so impressed.


----------



## MindySchroder (Nov 21, 2021)

Abby P said:


> So I think the thing with those racing-style carts is that the horse pulls them off the shafts. So the breast collar isn't really coming down across the shoulder points like in a normal harness - you can see the pony's shoulders are free, the breast collar just keeps the surcingle/saddle part from sliding back. There are no traces either! Just the shafts. I doubt this would be a good setup for longer drives.
> 
> Kelly, your cart looks awesome! I'm so impressed.


Exactly! The racing cart is not using the pony's shoulders at all. And they are not meant for long pleasure drives where we go up and down and all around


----------



## Marsha Cassada (Nov 22, 2021)

Abby P said:


> So I think the thing with those racing-style carts is that the horse pulls them off the shafts. So the breast collar isn't really coming down across the shoulder points like in a normal harness - you can see the pony's shoulders are free, the breast collar just keeps the surcingle/saddle part from sliding back. There are no traces either! Just the shafts. I doubt this would be a good setup for longer drives.
> 
> Kelly, your cart looks awesome! I'm so impressed.


This is the setup of my sulky, which was designed for miniature horse racing. I love it for quick exercise outings. But I am now understanding, after looking at the deconstruction of the Thunder cycle, the significance of the singletree/traces vs shaft.


----------



## betwys1 (Nov 23, 2021)

here's a rig for a miniature horse


----------



## Kelly (Nov 24, 2021)

betwys1 said:


> here's a rig for a miniature horse



That’s a pretty pic Betwys... is that a pic of your family? It does look like it has traces connected to a single tree. Yep, there sure are so many different set ups for these little guys, all serving different purposes. Let’s see your setup.


----------



## betwys1 (Nov 24, 2021)

Kelly said:


> That’s a pretty pic Betwys... is that a pic of your family? It does look like it has traces connected to a single tree. Yep, there sure are so many different set ups for these little guys, all serving different purposes. Let’s see your setup.


Not my rig - I have an ancient sulky rig with wire spoke wheels, wooden shafts and no swingle-tree, and a horse often used for carriage driving - a Morgan - and a carriage harness in webbing from an Amish harness-maker: but this trio has never met each other in action.


----------



## Kelly (Dec 15, 2021)

Here is a short video on how I disassemble my Thunder Cycle to fit in my Pony Express cargo van.


----------

