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I think you're on the right track with this bike and it's honestly most of the way there. Off road riding is really forgiving on gentler trails and you'll build confidence quickly. You'd be surprised how 'hard and fast' you can go on a bike like this. I'd recommend wearing gloves so if you do go down you won't get gravel embedded in your palms. I've learned that lesson multiple times. :21:
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Thanks. I'm sure once I get used to riding on dirt and gravel at a casual speed, the next thing I'll want to do is go faster. I'll definitely look into getting a pair of riding gloves. I had a fork snap in half on me while I was test-riding a bike a couple years ago, and my fingers got scraped on pavement pretty badly. I do not want to experience that again.

I'm not sure I'll use this frame for my build just yet, as I need to see if I can disassemble it first, and it's already had the seat stays rewelded to the frame at some point in the past.
BftD_Firestone_Pilot_Rat_6.jpg

I'd rather build a klunker out of something less likely to fall apart as I'm riding. Fortunately, I have a few other frames that might work if this one doesn't.
I would ditch the fenders, like yesterday. (Set aside for another project, of course😉). That springer looks pretty plush which might be just the ticket. The springer on my Roadmaster is really soft and plush but it rides surprisingly well and smooths out the bumps nicely. It rarely bottoms out on regular riding unless I hit a pothole or something. That seat is great, or you could do a Brooks or similar if you want something lighter. I'd be tempted to do some blackwall tires but that's just a preference thing. Same with the bars. I think it would look and ride great with some longhorns or old MX bars. The 10 speed cranks look the part and you could set it up with an old derailleur as a tensioner so you could use either chainring. Add a front derailleur or shift by hand. You could add rear gears pretty easily too, either internal or external gearing. Just add a hand brake and you're all set. I love klunkers. They are awesome bikes and can be super cheap (or not), creative and tons of fun!
All good ideas, but maybe a little too advanced (and pricey) for me at this time. I haven't messed with cassette wheels and derailleurs before, and I'd like to learn more about them when I don't have a tight deadline to worry about. It might be easiest for me to learn about those parts by rebuilding a cheap mountain or road bike with those parts already installed. As for the rest, I don't have all the parts you suggested I use, nor do I plan to buy any, but I should have plenty of good parts laying around to make a solid klunker or two for next to nothing.

In fact, I already have a couple ideas for what I could build, aside from the Firestone Pilot I already shared.
BftD_fatbar_fixes_and_mockups_9.jpg
BftD_mockup_mash_22.jpg

(Just pretend the blue girl's Schwinn doesn't have the fenders.)
 
Thanks. I'm sure once I get used to riding on dirt and gravel at a casual speed, the next thing I'll want to do is go faster. I'll definitely look into getting a pair of riding gloves. I had a fork snap in half on me while I was test-riding a bike a couple years ago, and my fingers got scraped on pavement pretty badly. I do not want to experience that again.

I'm not sure I'll use this frame for my build just yet, as I need to see if I can disassemble it first, and it's already had the seat stays rewelded to the frame at some point in the past.
View attachment 256993
I'd rather build a klunker out of something less likely to fall apart as I'm riding. Fortunately, I have a few other frames that might work if this one doesn't.

All good ideas, but maybe a little too advanced (and pricey) for me at this time. I haven't messed with cassette wheels and derailleurs before, and I'd like to learn more about them when I don't have a tight deadline to worry about. It might be easiest for me to learn about those parts by rebuilding a cheap mountain or road bike with those parts already installed. As for the rest, I don't have all the parts you suggested I use, nor do I plan to buy any, but I should have plenty of good parts laying around to make a solid klunker or two for next to nothing.

In fact, I already have a couple ideas for what I could build, aside from the Firestone Pilot I already shared.
View attachment 256991View attachment 256992
(Just pretend the blue girl's Schwinn doesn't have the fenders.)
All great options. It will be cool to see what you come up with using parts on hand. All good fun!
 
All great options. It will be cool to see what you come up with using parts on hand. All good fun!
Thanks! Honestly, building bikes out of what I have is A LOT more fun than building bikes that need me to go out and buy a ton of missing parts. Sometimes limitations fuel creativity better than having enough money to build whatever you want! Plus it helps use up parts that might have otherwise sat in storage forever gathering dust!
 
Thanks. I'm sure once I get used to riding on dirt and gravel at a casual speed, the next thing I'll want to do is go faster. I'll definitely look into getting a pair of riding gloves. I had a fork snap in half on me while I was test-riding a bike a couple years ago, and my fingers got scraped on pavement pretty badly. I do not want to experience that again.

I'm not sure I'll use this frame for my build just yet, as I need to see if I can disassemble it first, and it's already had the seat stays rewelded to the frame at some point in the past.
View attachment 256993
I'd rather build a klunker out of something less likely to fall apart as I'm riding. Fortunately, I have a few other frames that might work if this one doesn't.

All good ideas, but maybe a little too advanced (and pricey) for me at this time. I haven't messed with cassette wheels and derailleurs before, and I'd like to learn more about them when I don't have a tight deadline to worry about. It might be easiest for me to learn about those parts by rebuilding a cheap mountain or road bike with those parts already installed. As for the rest, I don't have all the parts you suggested I use, nor do I plan to buy any, but I should have plenty of good parts laying around to make a solid klunker or two for next to nothing.

In fact, I already have a couple ideas for what I could build, aside from the Firestone Pilot I already shared.
View attachment 256991View attachment 256992
(Just pretend the blue girl's Schwinn doesn't have the fenders.)
The Schwinn flatbar with the rat trap springer looks like the best bet for a klunker. The Shelby is a good bike but with the weld it's probably meant for pavement.
 
The Schwinn flatbar with the rat trap springer looks like the best bet for a klunker. The Shelby is a good bike but with the weld it's probably meant for pavement.
I agree. Plus I could build that fat bar similarly to my first attempt at a klunker.
BftD_52_hornet_reservoir_ride_2.jpg


The Firestone Pilot's really more of a parts donor more than anything. Not really attached to the frame anyway.

Funny enough, I have seen a few period photos of girls' Schwinns being used as klunkers. They're not as popular as the boys' frames obviously, but for what I'm trying to do, it could work just fine. And it'd make use of some parts I have no use for otherwise, some of which I just pulled out of storage!

Once I get back home, I'll share a documentary on Klunkers I found a while back. It had a photo of a girl's Schwinn built up for klunkin' that served as my inspiration for that blue bike of mine. Plus I just think you guys would like it.
 
If you want your bike to go off road, often simple is best, while making it look unique is down to a different set of choices. This is one of my Romet Jubilats, while the one you can see inside the barn has wider bars, a shortened headstock to fit different forks, and a six speed derailleur.

ABLVV86Zddap3-62SCEic0DRdfxcBTXLBXo2lMKJ39l76foBbq0GMRw-w0dqq_4_kcAxHelbXvFxphsxou0QiWT0qXR5xjbUFYoqmZ0ySP2HmtC9lvhic4ooC5csCCFq7cUsxSs0N_hUXGgaz9gPKrdJ2frg=w1271-h953-s-no-gm


This one has levers on the seat stay, frame and steering to easily fold and fit in the back of my car.
 
Beautiful bike, great parts, looks like a heck of a lot of fun. But I has issue, why is that brake cable so long? That looks like it's sticking out a foot in front of the head tube! Hopefully, it's just the camera angle, or that's going to get snagged!
 
Beautiful bike, great parts, looks like a heck of a lot of fun. But I has issue, why is that brake cable so long? That looks like it's sticking out a foot in front of the head tube! Hopefully, it's just the camera angle, or that's going to get snagged!
It was long. The camera angle exaggerates it a bit. I doubt it ever saw dirt. Probably a couple of shows and a group ride or two. It won its class.
 
I'm thinking of revisiting my frame I intended to use for my Skinny'matic build last year and marry it to a suspension fork I have got last autumn together with a donor frame...
IMG_20220604_140632008(1).jpg

IMG_20230919_232900613.jpg

I think I still got that set of drumbreak hubs with the rear being a three speed.
If those parts fit together well, it could become a nice Cobblestone and Gravel Rat
But not in this Build off. Maybe in the spring as an in-between build or during the summer BO...
 
I haven't officially decided yet, but I might enter the SWBO as well. I just picked up a huge bundle of tires and tubes for free recently, and among those tires are a good pair of 26" x 1 1/2" tires.

I've got a 10-speed Murray frame that I could throw together with parts from a couple other bikes, including this funky Free Spirit "Wild Side" bike with purple cable housings and a purple chainring/guard I just picked up last night.
BftD_ff_8-19-22_5.jpg
IMG_7456(1).jpg


Since I haven't messed with multispeed bikes before, I just want this to be a fairly simple bolt-on build without a lot of custom elements. The paint's where I really want to freak this bike out. I won't know whether or not I'll enter the SWBO for sure until I pull everything out of storage and give it the once-over on Tuesday.
 
I've got some ideas for the next build off already. I'm working on a skinny wheel build now, but for the Annual Build Off it may be a compact fatbike. I can't take my present fatbike, Orange Crusher anywhere, it's too wide for the bike rack, so I need a fatbike that is smaller. I tried a 4 inch tire on a 57mm rim and like what I saw better than the 3" tires.
426035905_912664773840843_4321679563590543876_n.jpg
 
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I've got some ideas for the next build off already. I'm working on a skinny wheel build now, but for the Annual Build Off it may be a compact fatbike. I can't take my present fatbike, Orange Crusher anywhere, it's too wide for the bike rack, so I need a fatbike that is smaller. I tried a 4 inch tire on a 57mm rim and like what I saw better than the 3" tires.
View attachment 258865
Very nice! Looking forward to that build!

I have two options for builds. But the decision depends on me finishing my welding JIG.

1: Stretching the Electra Ratrod a bit.
20230724_170253.jpg


2: Scrappy, budget Burrito build.
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