I could only find the Brike for sale by one person on Ebay for $300. Looks like a real bargain. I don't have the money or space for it right now though.

Might be willing to sell you mine... when you have the space that is. I'll try digging it out of storage and putting the new front rim and tires on it.

I grossly underestimated the amount I am riding the pirate bike. I had guessed around 45 km/week. But I reset the computer yesterday at 120 km after 7.5 days.

Mind you, this was a week with almost no rain, so I was able to use it every day. Just lots of short trips, average 1-way length of maybe 3 km, max of about 6 km.

There are still a couple of stiff links in the chain that skip if I go top gear (big front ring, small back). It's not a lubricant issue - the chain is well lubed, but every time I work the stiff links loose, they seem to tighten up again.

It looks like fun, but I think I'm going to be building a SWB recumbent. I just picked up a Raleigh frame for free today to work with as well as a nice aluminum frame 16" Trek that needs a few parts and TLC for my youngest. The whole idea of building a bike has opened my eyes to the vast number of free bikes out there just waiting for my cutoff wheel and welder.

Excellent! I'm looking forward to all the bike-building threads.

What style of SWB bent? Can you point me to a pic of the style you're interested in?

Ha - just noticed that you can actually see one of the kinked links in the pirate bike's chain in the photo I posted.

Ultimately I want to build this 559 style, but my first attempt is going to be strictly Frankensteined. I'm not sure what plans I'll try to use, but the first go-around will be for fun and honing my building skill.

Hey snax, I see you are from Eugene. I always hear that Eugene is one of the most bike friendly cities around.

Do you have a lot of bike lanes/paths/etc? Are there a high % of commuters or something?

I honestly don't know if we have more bike commuters than most or not, but there are bike lanes along every major roadway with a great system of bike specific paths as well. I actually have a choice of either for my commute, usually opting for the slightly shorter roadside lane for the mornings when traffic is light, and returning on the riverside path to avoid all of the ICE fumes.

Anyway, I found this really cool wood design today. It has me considering some interesting options like sandwiched EPS foam and plywood construction similar to SIPs for home building.

I'll wait to post a picture that better reflects the DeRosa I've brought back out of mothballs. The phone's camera and the office lighting isn't flattering.
The bicycle is a 56 cm road bike built of Columbus SLX tubing. It has a full Campagnolo Super Record components group, mostly from 1978, with the exceptions of Speedplay Frog pedals (2007), Campy Syncro downtube shifters (1983?), newer Campy Record chrono rims (1982?), ttt bar and stem, Dia-compe hidden cable brake levers, Regina America 6 speed freewheel (1988?), a Shimano chain (2007), and a Selle Italia Regal red lizard skin saddle (1992). The saddle replaced the original steel railed Brooks Swallow saddle that bore me thousands of miles a year back when I trained and raced.
The bike sat for a number of years for any of number of excuses, but no real good reason. It's back out, on the road with not much more than a dusting and re-glueing the tires onto the rims.
I only wish I came back as well.