BMX Bike

My group and I stripped a BMX bike and put it back together. We wanted to test our ability of taking apart an object and putting it back together. This was our project for our Maker class (Grade 10 & 11).

We used the following tools and equipment to do construct our bike:

• A bike of your choice
• Any other necessary bike parts (Handle bars, wheels & tires, chain, seat, grips, etc.)
• Various wrenches and cranks
• Paint stripper & Sand Paper
• Black spray paint
• WD-40
• Engine de-greaser
• Vice Grip *optional

For us, stripping the bike apart was the easiest part of repairing it. This step only took about 30 minutes to complete.

• First, undo the chain and remove it
• Then, remove the wheels from the frame
• After removing the wheels, take off the handle bars by unscrewing a series of bolts
• Once the handle bars are off, take out the fork
• Your bike should now be completely stripped, and all bolts and screws should be taken out of the frame. Refer to the picture of the stripped product.

For this step, we took the separate parts of the bike and painted them matte black. This step is completely optional, but we decided to give our bike some personality.

• First, we removed the paint with paint stripper
• Let it sit for a few hours (up to a day)
• After the painter stripper dries, use a scraper to remove any remaining paint flakes
• Now the metal frame should be fully exposed
• Use masking tape to cover any areas where you don't want paint to be
• Next, use primer to prepare the layer of paint
• We painted our bike matte black with spray
• After a couple layers of paint, let it dry and prevent the paint from getting wet
• This usually only takes a couple of hours
• Our final product of this step is shown in the picture above

After painting our bike, we began putting it back together. This step was the most challenging part of repairing it. Use patience and prepare to go through lots of trial and error.

1. We started by putting together the main frame:

• Before putting anything together, repair/replace any damaged parts/areas
• Also, apply grease to any part that moves/spins
• It would also be good to fill up the tires with air at this time
• With that out of the way, insert the fork into the main frame
• Next, bolt on the 'stem' to the main frame (the handle bar holder)
• After that, bolt on the handle bars to the stem
• Once that is done, insert the seat in the slot in the frame
• Then tighten it and make sure all the previous steps are done correctly

1. The next part is working around the frame:

• Put in the pedals and the sprocket (make sure it spins easily)
• With that done, bolt on the wheels (assuming your tires are filled with air)
• Your bike should start looking like an actual bike now
• After the tires and pedals are put onto the bike, feed the chain onto the sprocket and the wheel gear
• Tighten the chain and make sure it rotates smoothly

This step took multiple weeks for us to achieve, so be patient and take your time and you should end up with a pretty cool bike.