The Bandito is a lightweight, responsive and speedy short wheelbase recumbent with over seat steering and a seat height designed for safe city riding. The adjustable bottom bracket allows riders most leg lengths to set up the bike to their inseam. Because the final design is based primarily on the parts you start with, many variations in design are possible to suit your budget, building style and riding requirements.

The Bandito's transmission is built for ease of adjustment and urban riding safety, so there is no crank arm or chain interference with either the front wheel or front forks. The height and angle of the seat have also been designed around city riding so that you can reach the ground while stopped, yet sit high up enough to look traffic "in the eyes". Of course, the recumbent riding position greatly reduces your frontal area and lets you maneuver corners easily while pedaling, so the Bandito is no slow poke in any regard. The recumbent riding position also lets you deliver as much force to the pedals as you can muster, unlike an upright bicycle, where force is limited to your body weight. The short wheelbase means that the steering is very responsive, very much like a standard bicycle, so you can ride in a close formation with friends, or navigate the same obstacles that you normally would encounter on any bicycle.

The Bandito can be easily built by anyone with a welder, a grinder, and a few scrap parts such as an old upright bicycle and a two-foot length of mild steel tubing. The completed recumbent is just as light as many production models, handles extremely well in traffic and at high speed, and will give you a lifetime of faithful service.

The cost of building the Bandito is up to the builder, and will be dependant on the quality of components such as brakes, wheels and transmission hardware used, but typically, the bike can be completed for under $100 if you already have a donor bicycle to use as parts for the frame. When completed and painted, the Bandito will look as good or even better than some production "bents", and when you proudly proclaim that you build it in a few weekends, you may find the entire bicycle club lining up at your garage door with spare parts and a fistful of cash!

There are over 80 high resolution photos and multiple pages of clear and concise text detailing every single step of the building process, which includes alternate parts sources, and room for unique modifications based on your building style or available materials. There are no hard to find parts used in this project and nothing has to be machined. The frame is made from a reconfigured upright bicycle frame and a smell length of mild steel square tubing. The Bandito can be put together in a few evenings - not bad for a recumbent bike that looks as good as it rides.   Check out the video below to see how well the Bandito looks and handles.

This is the perfect recumbent for those who want a great looking and fast ride that will handle just about any riding conditions from crowded city streets to wide open roads. The Bandito is light, responsive and great for those highs speed runs or long commutes in city traffic.