TRADITIONAL Pensioner

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Nice job working your frame magic on this one! I REALLLLY like those fatties and rims on this bike. Tons of attitude.
 
Nice job working your frame magic on this one! I REALLLLY like those fatties and rims on this bike. Tons of attitude.
Magic? :21:

Pure luck is more like it. My scrap bin has parts of a dozen forks chopped up and various bits of metal tubing from ideas that didn't pan out. I have a 25 to 1 ratio of things that actually work out. It makes for a big celebration for the thing that works. 🥳
 
None of the shims worked, even the 27.2 made for this frame, so I had to grind out a bigger slot in the shim so it would go in. Now the old layback post is set.
14 May 4.jpg



I set up my angle grinder gadget to get some cuts done on the dropout extensions.
14 May 3.jpg



Then I mounted them to the frame to see how they panned out. I didn't slot them, I think there's enough adjustment to make it work as is.
14 May 6.jpg


I need to get some washers, nuts and bolts. These are just for mockup. I just noticed a strut on backwards.
14 May 5.jpg



I have some adjustment with these.
 
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More gadgets to add to the shop. A small press and a thing you attach to your drill to make it a press.
18 May 2024 gadgets.jpg


Maintenence on the shop fan. Good thing they warned me about sticking my finger in the blades!

18 May 24 a.jpg
 
The gold paint looked grainy so the drops will be bare metal. It can wait until tomorrow, it's Sunday and I'm staying AC all day.

"Based on its recent forecast, the state weather bureau reported that some parts of the country could record heat indices ranging from 42 degrees Celsius to 45°C."

That's 108-113 fahrenheit.
 
I finished the dropout extensions except for the right size nuts and bolts. I started out today by adjusting the bike's stays again to align up with the extensions. I bolted them to the wheel and measured from there. Now they are on the outside of the original drops as planned. I need a better bracket for the brake arm.
20 May 24 ready a.jpg


Then the chain went on but as I feared it was too long or too short and my limited adjustment on the rear wheel left the chain loose. So I added a tensioner. Normally on a coaster hub that isn't done, but I only needed a little slack taken up so I still have a decent coaster brake. The front drum brake works great except rolling backward. It unscrews the disc from the hub when applied rolling backwards.
I've got it adjusted as low as it can go. If the ride it good and the pedals don't scrape, that's the way it'll be. I can raise the rear a couple inches if need be.
I tightened everything and aired up the tires for a test ride tomorrow.

20 May 24 ready 2.jpg
 
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Nice work on the extensions. It really does give it a cool stance and I dig the caddy fin flair.
I think I need to align my extensions a little better with each other. I'm probably going to copy @CRASH 's jig for that step.
 
Heat index is 99 at 8am! So it was just a short test ride.

Everything worked! Just a few little things like brake bracket and adjustment on the disc brake would improve it. As is a slight adjustment of the rear wheel alignment. This low setting of the drops are good, I can flat foot it and the pedals have plenty of ground clearance.

21 May 24 test4 copy.jpg
 
Watching you move the dropouts up and down I was thinking that would be a good way to add some shocks or something to raise it up and down.
I thought about that too. I have a ton of springs and metal that could make suspension, but coaster brakes requires a very solid frame.
 
I did some adjustments and tried it with the drops down. I think it looks better that way. The chain had a skip but I redid the tensioner and it's gtg. The springer seemed a little unstable until I tightened the crown bolt and spring. Now it's solid and stable, and I can still flat foot it. Just some washers is all it needs. I also added a big bell thats foot actuated.

22 May 24 b.jpg
22 May 24 a.jpg
 
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That really looks like a cool and comfy ride!
Make sure you don't stick your foot in the spokes ringing your bell.

 
Fot the record, I have never caught a foot in the spokes.

However, as a kid, I had big bunions and liked to ride my 3 speed english racer all day long. I would ride all morning, and stop in at home like a pit stop, grab an ice tea and a sandwich, and be back out on the road again in three minutes. One time I jumped off and caught a bunion on the bottom lip of the chainguard. The bottom edge was flat and sharp from being straightened out a few times. Yelling and blood all over. I was holding a bandage to my foot while wolfing down a baloney sandwich and was taped up and out again in about ten minutes.


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Great looking saddle!
 
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