The TENDERIZER - finished ? :(

[fartknocker]

Maybe I should really call this one "Perfect Timing". Just when I was thinking of looking for a little project bike to make for my girlfriend now that summer is upon us my friend gave this thing to me the other day. And right after that my brother told me about this year's build off.
Too bad this bike isn't a nice piece of vintage steel, but hey it was FREE! Perfect project starter.

[chimichanga]

Welcome! Why not post an intro in the introduction section and let us know a little about yourself.
viewforum.php?f=9

[fartknocker]

Once I had a few ideas in my head I did a little photo-editing to see what I could come up with to help me start this build:



With the basic idea down, I busted out the tools and started hackin' away.
My first attempt at making handlebars came out better than I expected. Here I used some scrap 1" 16ga. tubing and bent it using a tubing bender that I bought several years ago for making parts for an offroad car I used to have. You can also see the Brooks saddle that I picked up on ebay.

[fartknocker]

With the super cheap, well-used Brooks saddle in hand, I decided to weld it directly to the frame. This is the only way I could get it so low to the frame...I even had to chop off a good inch from the top of the seat tube.

[fartknocker]

Seat and handlebars in place, the ideas in my head are starting to take shape.



But where is the stem and the handlebar clamp? More posts to come and I will reveal the super ninja hiding spot for the stem...

[cman]

You get the award for the the lowest seat.

[Skipton]

cool seat great bike

[Blackwell]

NIIIIIIICE -- post those pedal photos and the stem photo, and get the thing painted!

[fartknocker]

Ok...so I've got my new homemade curvy handlestick, an old chromoly mtb stem and a piece from the stem that the bike came with.
You can see all of the bits and pieces here, and how I cut the mtb stem,


Then, using the threaded part of the original stem, I cut it so all I had was the threaded piece and then ground that down to a nub


The nub was inserted into the end of the handlebar and jiggled down to the center where I drilled a hole in the bar



Then I drilled out the threads of the mtb stem piece so I could insert the bolt backwards. Here all of the parts are together

[deorman]

Guess that bolt will need to be pretty exact lengthwise, very cool setup.

[fartknocker]

With the bolt snugged up slightly, the new stem setup was inserted in the head tube. Once I got everything lined up the way I wanted it, I cranked down the bolt and welded the bar to the stem.
No bolts, no clamps, no mess;)

[fartknocker]

Stay tuned for the
ROMAN CHARIOT PEDALS OF DEATH!

[fartknocker]

Guess that bolt will need to be pretty exact lengthwise, very cool setup.

Thanks Deorman. I did have to trim the bolt down a couple of times to make sure I had the exact correct length, 'cuz once welded I think it will be pretty near impossible to thread the bolt back into the 'nub' if I had to unscrew it all the way.

[quicksilver]

SICK!!!! No stem (no bean, I hope)! NO WAY! That is TOTALLY RADICAL! I have been fast forwarding thru my mind a few builds into the future and a board tracker played a strong transitional role and your chop up front turned everything on its head, Now, I see anything is posable... but will the human form fit? Wide bars may swing clear of the knees... or what?

[fartknocker]

SICK!!!! No stem (no bean, I hope)! NO WAY! That is TOTALLY RADICAL! I have been fast forwarding thru my mind a few builds into the future and a board tracker played a strong transitional role and your chop up front turned everything on its head, Now, I see anything is posable... but will the human form fit? Wide bars may swing clear of the knees... or what?

Thanks for the encouragement, Quiksilver!
Yes, the bars can hit my knees, but they're really not bad, it just takes a slight adjustment to stay clear.