A Different Type of RatRod

[aStrauss]

I have been working on this rolling project incessantly for the past two-and-a-half years now, and I think it will fit in well around here. The bike is a mid 1980's Kabuki by Bridgestone. Bridgestone created Kabuki as a Japanese-named (although they were Japanese already) brand to generate more interest in their bicycles during the push for Japanese bicycles during the 1980's. They were best known for a couple of neat stainless steel frames that they made, but mine is not one of them. The frame that I have is a tig welded steel frame with aluminum caps over the tube intersections, made to look like lugs. A friend gave me the frame in October or November of 2009 because it was too small for him. The bike began its life as a ten speed, and I have converted it to fixed gear. The idea behind my build was a Hoodride themed, path racer style fixed gear that would be suitable for joyriding and commuting. The bike would have to be fast, functional, fat-tired, and of course, rusty. Here's what it has looked like over the years.

First iteration:
Drop bars, track grips, Weinnmann LP18's on Formula loose ball track hubs, 700X25C tires.





Then the 700X40C Kenda Komforts went on:






Then I trashed the drop bars in favor of a riser set, changed the seat, and swapped the LP18's for deeper Weinnmann DP18's.








Summer 2011 I changed out the saddle again, and grabbed a pair of Wald sweepers, flipped them, and wrapped them in Bontrager bar tape that matched my Specialized saddle. Also a rear rack was added and a crate was added to the rack. The rust is coming along nicely now.










After that, an ammo case replaced the wooden crate, but I sadly do not have any photos of the bike with that on.
The rack and ammo case came off, a Kia chainguard was added and the riser bars were put back on, and wheel discs added for bike polo.


I ended up swapping out the 700X40 Komforts for some 700X35 Vittoria Randonneurs because I was tired of catching flats with the cheap Kendas. And then I built a polo-specific bike, so the discs came off, sweepers went back on, and I tossed on a set of Wald Shorties which didn't fit. over my 700X40's.
These were taken yesterday.




Next addition will be a front-mounted transport basket, and I have a lighting idea all planned out.
Hope you guys like my Hoodride Kabuki, I know it's not what you normally play around with but I think it fits in well.



This is the source of inspiration, btw:
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sug ... 6gG-j6njCQ

[aStrauss]

wow, nobody loves me?

[red_beard13]

HA! I dont know about love but i like your bike! the latest bars make the stance. Also like how its rust/paint! Good idea
Is that a single gear coaster brake?

[aStrauss]

Thanks! Yeah, I really liked the blue and I am a total sucker for gold. I also really like old school paneled paint jobs so I masked the top and bottom of the seat tube logo to leave it blue and match the fork. The paint was removed by hand, using a drill and wire wheel, a file, and some sand paper. All together it took about 6 hours to get all the paint off. The bars actually make for quite a comfortable ride, too. And it is not coastered, just fixed gear and brakeless. I have it geared at 42X19 to keep it spinny and easy to skid.

One of my favorite things about this bike is that it is at the complete opposite end of the spectrum from my other fixed gear, which is a track frame with a super clean, old school meets new school look:

[red_beard13]

dam that ones cool as heck ttoo! lol nice bikes buddy

[aStrauss]

Thanks homie! Yeah I have fun with them hahah

[wheelbender6]

I like fixies on the road, but fixie mountain biking is insane.

[Stevil]

ANDREW,THAT REALLY IS A GOOD LOOKING FIXIE I SAW IN THE SHOP.
NICE CLEAN DESIGN. A FIXIE IS JUST THE REAR WHEEL IS "STUCK' RIGHT?
THAT IS ONE DESIGN I HAVEN'T PLAYED WITH YET........STEVIL

[lildietz]

I love that handlebar with the brown bar tape on it. Do you know what the product name or model number is? I want to put something like that on my spitfire.