It's well written, but the bicycle designs are horrible. I was expecting more of an overview on classic bike building. It's more about taking junk bikes, and turning them into crazy designs that are inferior. This would be great for junior high, or high school kids.

Really fun book. Full of projects and enough information to get you started on them. My only warning: The book won't really teach you to weld, and you won't be able to do any of the projects if you can't weld.

Really fun book. Full of projects and enough information to get you started on them. My only warning: The book won't really teach you to weld, and you won't be able to do any of the projects if you can't weld.

It's a fun book but I had higher expectations hoping it would bring bicycling to the level of Jesse James and choppers. But it's nothing more than welding scrap (crap) together.

Fantastic book!! It has a permenent home on the coffie table. I'm already collecting enough old bikes to urk the misses! The book is realy worth the money and you'll read it all the way through in the first sitting, I did!I hope there's a second edition in the works too!!!

This has a lot of cool ideas but isn't as cool as it looks.

This has a lot of cool ideas but isn't as cool as it looks.

Just finished reading Atomic Zombie's Bicycle Builder's Bonanza, and loved it. I can't wait for warmer weather to start skoping out bikes to start working on. My boys are reading it and already have their "wish list" of favorites that they want to build.

Brad did a good job of including all info needed to build the bikes shown. Learning from his experience and mistakes is going to make all it the more enjoyable putting together that first custom bike.

Now I want to see a followup book that gives even more plans.

This book is a lot of fun and shows what can be done with a lot of imagination and a little daring. I really enjoyed the pictures and all the different ideas and projects. A really great book for people who like to try something a little different.
thank you,
Robert W Logsdon

This book got me back in the garage hacking and building instead of sitting in front of the tv. Yes, you can find all of the materials needed to build these and other kinds of bikes, even in the UK. One bike builder in the UK wrote, "Electrical conduit is thin wall steel tube. In the UK it is also available as ERW (electrical resistance welded) steel tube. It is usually about 16 SWG or about 1.6mm wall thickness."

The book is a great must-have resource to get started in taking bikes apart, welding, sanding, painting, and lots of great tips throughout. There are over a dozen projects - recumbents, choppers, tallbikes, trick bikes, sideways bikes, unicycles and more.

If you like to build your own stuff and be creative, this book is an essential part of your book collection.

This book got me back in the garage hacking and building instead of sitting in front of the tv. Yes, you can find all of the materials needed to build these and other kinds of bikes, even in the UK. One bike builder in the UK wrote, "Electrical conduit is thin wall steel tube. In the UK it is also available as ERW (electrical resistance welded) steel tube. It is usually about 16 SWG or about 1.6mm wall thickness."

The book is a great must-have resource to get started in taking bikes apart, welding, sanding, painting, and lots of great tips throughout. There are over a dozen projects - recumbents, choppers, tallbikes, trick bikes, sideways bikes, unicycles and more.

If you like to build your own stuff and be creative, this book is an essential part of your book collection.

As I said in the title,this boock is a good introduction to weird bike construction. Usefull hints and technical tips specially for beginers. I recomend it anyway.

If you at all mechanically inclined and love to build things, this is a great book! Even if you have never welded or worked on a bike before, this book gives you step by step instuctions on all aspects. It also includes detailed plans on some really cool bikes.
I HIGHLY recommended it!

This is a great book for some fun in the shop and on the road. The author provides some technical information but the book is mostly about building some pretty weird cycling machines from junk bicycles. If you are game for some fun with fabrication, have some mechanical ability, a place to work, some means of cutting, welding, or brazing, and a source for junk bikes, then you will most certainly find something in this book that strikes your fancy.
If you are looking for a "cookbook" or "how to build" book you might be disappointed. Although there are drawings, there are no detailed design drawings. The author provides step by step proceedures but leaves plenty of freedom for the fabricator to make changes as he or she sees fit. There are, however, plenty of pictures showing details of what the author has actualy built as well as the building process for each project. There is also plenty of sound advice based on his experiences in fabricating each of his vehicles. In addition, he gives angles and dimensions in his text where these are critical for success of the project.
The focus of this book is not "how to" but more like "this is what I did and how you can go about creating your own version". I've built my own version of the long wheelbase recumbent low racer from this book and found it fun to build and fun to ride. If you like adventures in fabrication, don't mind a little thinking, want to ride something a little different, and aren't afraid to show your eccentric side, then buy this book. If you think the best things in life can be bought at the store, save your money.

This is a really great book. Brad and Kathy really have written a very clear and easy to understand book. There is a good section on tools, safety and welding. With welding, you have to learn by doing. This book will now put my gas welder to good use. These bike projects are a great way to build welding skills. Just make sure the welds are good with good penetration on all sides before committing it to a road bike though. There are high speed bikes in this book that you don't want coming apart on a busy road. Because they use galvanized EMT conduit for some of the projects, I am glad to see there was a safety caution about the zinc oxide fumes if welding it. Zinc oxide is very dangerous, so follow all safety measures when welding or cutting anything galvanized. There is a great section on bike parts and taking a bike apart. I love books like these which give ideas on tinkering and building something great from someone's throwaways. There is really a goldmine of bike parts that are thrown away each week. I am now on the lookout for bikes. I have always wanted a recumbent, but the prices are ridiculous. Now I will be able to build one for a very low cost. There are tons of descriptive pictures to look at that clearly explain the text. If you are interested in tinkering, sharpening your welding skills, rescuing bikes from landfills, tearing apart bikes for parts, and building a unique (or your own design) bike from scrap parts, this book will not disappoint you. Well worth it and highly recommended. I can't wait for their other books to come out.

I was very excited to find that this book exists, ordered it right away and was happy to find that it was everything I hoped for. I've always wanted to build unusual bikes, but had no idea what the necessary skill set was and whether it was within my reach. This book convinced me that re-engineering bikes to be something different is completely possible, and gives me a great road map for moving forward. If I had a workshop instead of living in a condo, I'd be out right now shopping for a welder.

If you are thinking about buying an unusual bike, buy this book first and you may decide to build it instead. There a several types described and this will get your creative juices flowing. I particularly like the Spincycle!

Covers weird bikes unlikely to be built by the average home builder-some seem to be of the "circus" origin. Deals with fabrication using steel bike parts from scrap.
Nevertheless, will spark your imagination to create your own. Shows detailed building of a low racer recumbent among other "designs".
Pictures are small, black & white, however the text is somewhat detailed.

A very, very, practical approach to diving in and building your own wierd bikes (and I thought I was the only one!) Doesn't assume much of any prior bike knowledge or skill. Also not clouded by any predujice or opinion on one type of biking vs, another - just focused on basic building and fun. Lots of cool projects and ideas - I feel "scooped" on a few. Check out the Atomic Zombie site for the latest cool tallbike.

Does assume that you have some basic tool and metalworking skills, but still beginner-friendly.

Just like Neo said when Morpheus jumped to the other rooftop...

Woa.

That's about all I can say! This guy builds machines like Jesse James - but without the undless supply of tools and freebies!

You want to build a RAD bike? If so, read this book.

12FootDrop

I'll admit that I'm caught up in the current Chopper craze and at some point would like to build my own motorcycle. However, I think I'd best start with a bicycle. I had some ideas on how to build one but this book has some really good points and have me a lot of ideas on how to use and get scrap parts to build a bike of my own. I'm currently in the middle of my first custom build and this book really jump started the process.

Awesome! It's about time that this kind of bike building got in the mainstream. Alot of us have been doing it for years. Kudos to the authors for finally getting this book out for all of us to enjoy. I think it's the best one of its kind, and maybe the only one of its kind on the market. Lots of pictures and details for the new and experienced builder. And you can build all of these projects for very little cash. Too cool. There will be alot of choppers and Marauders on the streets now. Maybe I'll try a tall bike next. Then i won't be afraid of heights any more. If you like to be different, then buy this book. I mean it!

Ok, let's make this quick...

If you want to build a fast, cool, fun, or crazy bike then just get this book!!! I mean it, get this book!

RSams

I'm a bike shop owner (mostly BMX) over here in sunny (?!) England and this book has really inspired me to finally get off my lazy behind and build something. I wasn't short of inspiration about WHAT to build, there just always seems to be something else that needs doing. I have a nice collection of donor machinery and of course, there's no shortage of components and tools. I have no excuse really!

Anyway, this is an extemely well written and inspiring book. I can honestly say that it's the most engaging bike-related book I own (and I own a LOT of bike books!).

The only problem I have now is that I'm looking around at the display bikes in the shop and visualising where I should cut them to obtain the most useful bits! Better sit down for a while and remind myself of what pays the bills!

What a great book! I was expecting it to cover just the bike plans and instructions, but it went so much further. It has chapters on finding old bikes, what to look for, how to cut tubes, basic welding skills, and everything else you'll need to get started.

If you're planning on building *any* type of bike, unusual or not, this book is the place to start. Even with 400 pages and a ton of text, I couldn't put it down and read the whole thing in a day.

It's a little on the pricy side, and I was hoping for color photos - but I'm still going to give it 5 stars because it's so unique and the information is amazing.

It's like the anarchist's cook book, but for bicycles.
See Ya on the Playa.

This is the definitive text for chop-shop bike building. It details the basics, from what tools to select as well as how to build a work bench. It instructs in basic welding, assemby and disassembly, tool techniques and skils. Plans and projects are explained in detail that is straight foreward and easy to understand.
I've been attempting to build a bike for months, then one day I spotted a copy of this book. I can honestly say that this book has helped complete my project. Thanks, Atomic Zombie!

I think every neighbourhood needs a Brad Graham. Brad's style of creative tinkering is an accessible and rewarding hobbie, and maybe even a solution to our transportation woes.

This book is full of practical tips and ideas for getting started in this whimsical activity.

I finally got my copy of the book and it's great. I'm already looking forward to the next one. Since winter is here I'm going to build a Snow Bus. It looks like it will be great for our weather here. Congratulations on an excellent book and may you find peace and happiness over the holiday season.
- Bill

I finally got my copy of the book and it's great. I'm already looking forward to the next one. Since winter is here I'm going to build a Snow Bus. It looks like it will be great for our weather here.

Yesterday it was -20! The Snow Bus will sure be useful when the truck won't start. I know a guy in Quebec who made a few of these bikes for his family to get around their small community in the winter. Great idea!

I checked out www.atomiczombie.com. This guy builds alot of things including robots. His designs are amazing!!!!

Congratulations on an excellent book and may you find peace and happiness over the holiday season. Merry Christmas to all!

- Bill

Finally a book for the average person. I've already built my own Kool Kat. I'm still learning how to weld, but all of the pictures have really helped me come up with my own designs. This is the first book I've bought in a long time with tons of pics. I'll let you know how my spin cycle turns out. Yes, even chicks can build custom bikes, too! Keep up the great work Atomic Zombie. I look forward to more books in the future! When will the robot book be out? I want to get that one for my son. He thinks it's cool that his mom spends alot of time in our garage. We get to build things together and have fun thanks to your book. Hope you have a nice Christmas! Where the heck is Thunder Bay, Ontario???

I just got this book last month. Me and my friends are building choppers. We think your book is so cool. The web site is so awesome. Where do you get your ideas from? I want to get your robot book next year too. I hope you get in the Guinness book of World Records. That skycycle is too scary for me. Great bike designs. hope you do more books.

I have wanted a fast comfortable recumbent for years, but did not think I could build my own until I read this book. After 3 days, I had the basic frame and wheels mounted! I don't think I will ever build a 12 foot tall bike, but there are a lot of new ideas in this book that I have never seen anywhere else.

I give it - "Two wrenches up!"

Jake

Ok, this book has the phatest bikes and trikes I have ever seen! The chopper with the 4 foot long forks is dah best.

One day when I have the parts, I am going to make the lowracer project - the one that can pass cars in city traffic.

Check out this guy's website, especially the bikes section.
http://www.atomiczombie.com

Choppers rule!
Alex

Great Details
Lots of information for someone that is green

I've been waiting all year for this book to come out ever since Brad posted on his web site that he was working on it. This is the best how-to book I've read. I've already made my own chopper and now working on my own version of the Marauder. I can't believe how many pictures there are! It's a must for everyone who likes to build something different and so easy to follow. Looking forward to their next book on building All-Terrain Robots. Congrats to the authors for a job well done and keep up the great books!

The good things....

More than 15 awesome bike and trike projects jammed full of new ideas and inovative solutions. The marauder lowracer is the bomb!

The bad things....
I want more!!!!! I hope they do a second book!

Joe

I've been waiting all year for this book to come out. It's the best and only one of its kind out there and it's so easy to follow. This is a must for everyone who likes to build their own bikes. It's amazing how many projects are in it. Kudos to Brad and Kathy for making such a great book! The pictures are so clear. It's about time that someone made a book for all of us who are into making and riding human powered vehicles (HPV). Thanks on behalf of all of who belong to HPV clubs.
I'm collecting parts to make my own Marauder.I'll let you know how it goes. When's the next one coming out? Congrats on an excellent job! I'm already looking forward to the next one.