It's finally here!! Yay! The Made in the USA KBike is done!
Let me just say, building a pony cart takes a village. There is A LOT that goes into doing this and doing it correctly. The safety of the driver and the pony is our #1 concern as we go about making these awesome bikes!
A few things about the KBike that makes it safe so we can all thoroughly enjoy our drives:
Using quality round steel pipe for the all the parts that take a beating. (Square pipe is NOT as strong as round pipe. I learned this the hard way years ago with a homemade cart that had square shafts and seat frame... A shaft snapped in half at the same time that the floor folded up. That was a pretty little wreck!)
Finding someone who could do beautiful, strong welds. (We decided to go with a fabricator because we want to be 100% sure the welds will hold up!)
Using hardened steel bolts and black oxide alloy steel bolts. (These are heavy duty and will NOT bend under stress and strain...)
Sourcing and purchasing the correct wheels!!!! (I can not stress this enough. I see people using the cheap wheels on Amazon on their driving carts. This is not a good idea. I have seen what happens when the inside of the wheel explodes. 1) It sounds like a gun shot going off and can spook the pony. 2) You will be dumped out of the vehicle! It's so dangerous to try to save money by purchasing the cheap wheels!!!!!) Our wheels are able to withstand up to 800 pounds of weight. This is KEY with cart wheels as they have to be able to hold up to hard turns, sliding around corners, bouncing over rocks and downed trees, all with a driver in the drivers seat. And while being at a slight angle from the ground, which gives the vehicle stability.
Sourcing and purchasing quality boat seats. You can certainly purchase a cheaper seat but your butt and lower back will pay the price. Understanding how the seat attaches to the bike, knowing how much it weighs are both keys to helping the vehicle balance.
**The Made in Canada bikes are made with all the same exact considerations!! Kent is making a quality, sturdy bike that holds up to whatever I throw at it. LOL!! He has been so helpful every step of the way as we put together our USA made bike. He is always available to chat and to coach me and my hubby as we navigate this. We absolutely could not have done with without his hand holding and awesome support!!! A HUGE THANK YOU TO KENT MAERZ!!
These things all add up. Quality costs money. Prices have been going up on every single thing that goes into building the bike. Both here and in Canada. Our price does reflect this.
----> All this batch of KBikes have been sold. Thank you so much to everyone that supported me on this endeavor! We will announce the price of the next batch of KBikes when we are ready to make them!! <----
The price for the footbasket with shaft extenders will be announced!
A few differences between the USA bike and the Canadian bike:
SHAFTS: The USA KBike has a shaft design that is similar to its Canadian counterpart, yet unique. The shaft angles are the same, however the actual bend is a signature of the fabricator and the tools they use. Quality, precision and pride go into every process in making a USA KBike!
Also we used a different set screw for the shafts and the stirrups. A black oxide alloy hex head set screw. They are easy to loosen and tighten using an allen wrench!!
FOOTBASKET: We will be making the footbaskets for the KBikes, just not at this time. The foot-basket is currently in development and will be available for purchase in the near future. For anyone ordering one of the USA KBikes, from this current batch of 12, you will have the option of purchasing a footbasket at a discounted price. Availability date and price for the footbasket is TBD. **UPDATE TO THIS: WE HAVE SPENT THE LAST FEW YEARS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO BUILD THESE IN AN AFFORDABLE WAY THAT IS EASY TO SHIP AND CAN'T COME WITH AN OPTION. WHEN THE FOOTBASKET IS THE SAME PRICE AS THE ACTUAL KBIKE THAT IS NOT REALISTIC. THE FOOTBASKETS WILL NOT BE MADE HERE IN THE USA HOWEVER THERE IS A GAL IN CANADA MAKING THEM AND SHE IS HAPPY TO SHIP TO THE US. BELIEVE ME YOU WILL BE ABLE TO BUY FROM HER FOR LESS THAN IF WE MADE THEM - EVEN WITH THE SHIPPING COST. YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT THIS HERE: FOOTBASKETS?
We are also offering a special for the first batch of 12 bikes - you have the option of choosing a COLOR at no addition cost!!! In the future any color, other than black, will be considered a custom upgrade.
For this batch of 12 KBikes, there is no extra charge for color, but we will require 100% down. If you want black, gloss or matte, we will only ask for 50% down at the time of your order.
We are so excited that we are ready to take orders!!!
Please email me at mindyponyprincess@gmail.com if you are ready to place your order!! I will share a color chart with you then, if you are interested in purchasing a bike in COLOR.
Here is a little video for your enjoyment!