Off-Roadster (ORBO)

Shop deals on ebay
BOXKARS
shop deals on amazon
Bike Wall
Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum

Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
metalchewy

metalchewy

For the love of the Ride 🚲 🔥
Pro Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2014
Messages
3,416
Reaction score
9,251
Location
Las Vegas Area
FOR my ORBO entry I will be building up a double-lbar roadster frame into an off road bomber. I've been riding an old SpecializedTB since then but have wanted another bomber to run the wash or tale a trail.

I had a CWC roadster bomber breaker on me a couple years back, and have wanted a replacemt for awhile now.

Awaiting the frame to get started. Thinking Blue on Black with aluminum accents.

Been pulling together candidate parts from some of the stash out in the shed. Have some fork decisions to make.
20211101_072825.jpg


Narrowed it down to a couple of necks and a set of XR250L aluminum bars with a cross brace. Hoping these Tough Toms will fit the frame when it gets here.ay reskin this seat again.
20211101_073115.jpg


Hoping for a great trail runner and a nice looking ride.
 
GeePig said:
Nice looking ride? I knew there was something I forgot to plan for....
Click to expand...
I was unloading my old Schwinn typhoon in the parking garage at the Nugget a couple months ago and an older gentleman stopped his car as he rode by to ask if it was an old Schwinn, the 1" bars, the 1" sissy, the patina and how he had a shiny one he had put together in the 60s. As he left, he said. "That's a nice looking ride' . It felt like a great compliment it stuck a bit.

MattiThundrrr said:
Slingshot, with a cross bar, bold choices already!
Click to expand...
Picked a 101 slingshot up trying to get my old predator to not bash my knees. Had to learn the hard way that I still bash my knees whether it is a small SR neck or a SR slingshot. Still a kids bike that doesn't fit me anymorcaution. It with caution.

Captain Awesome said:
Mmmmm........Tough Tom
Click to expand...
When you find tires with your name on it, you usually run them...

Frank runs Fat Frank's. Larry runs Big Fat Larry's. Apparently Tom's run Tough Tom's.

They are meaty tires that should handle the rocks around here pretty well.
 
Been working thru some pros and cons for forks and necks.

The two necks.

1st an SR MTS-100. My last two offroad builds had the newer MTS-101, which is my favorite slingshot out there. This one is more square and top vs bottom mout on the bars. It doesn't match the knurls width fully on the bars. Does match the cross bar clamps.
20211102_130951.jpg
20211102_130938.jpg

2nd, a Nitto/Specialized slingshot. Never had my hands on one of these before a week ago. Love the curves and width. Matches the knurls on the bars well. It's about 4cm lshorter than the SR.
20211102_131710.jpg
20211102_131659.jpg
 
Captain Awesome said:
I like the Nitto
Click to expand...
As do I. I thought is was a cool find when I picked it up. Biggest con is still the height difference.

MattiThundrrr said:
Nitto Spesh matches the curves of the canti frame, SR looks tougher. I like the nitto
Click to expand...
I put it on the Typhoon to get the mounted look. I think it will also match the double bar frame's curves when it gets here. Rounded and smooth should match well.
 
I want to move quickly when the frame gets here. The last frame I had like the one that is on the way looks like a sister to my old 37 double bar that has been in a couple of builds on the site.. DBD Double Bar Denim. I ended up making the frame into a bomber after that build. And then after I broke it on the mountain Double Down was the stretch build to fix it.

I may paint and reuse the mesh tank I cut out for the dbd build. Will see how it looks when it arrives.

--------------------------------------

On to weeding.out the forks.

I was looking at the forks that fit the necks. All if the 1-1/8 are eliminated. I haven't ever shed a quill neck into one, but I am sure I could figure it out if I had to.

I wanted a suspension fork on the front to soften the bumps against my hands, but I've destroyed one's like these two cheep forks before so they are out. I Don't want to have to walk 5 miles down the mountain when they strand me.
20211102_132422.jpg

So, if I want to use one of the good 1-1/8 Forks I will have to shim and thread it to work. Assuming it would fit in the frame. Another option is to redo this old Girvin FastTrack fork, which one of the aluminum tubes needs to be re-seated. I rebuilt it for a proflex restore and then it came apart at the right tube. I don't think the tires will fit the horseshoe on it
20211102_132748.jpg

This leaves the three solid forks. I like the tapered green one and the black with white one is the widest. Will see how each looks on the frame when it gets here.
20211102_132404.jpg
 
MC, you have a knack for building sweet ORBO bikes, I'm sure this one will follow right in line!

That mash tank you used previously would be a cool addition.

RaT oN~!
 
Captain Awesome said:
Tapered green fork is sweet, but that Girvin..................:cool2:
Click to expand...
I agree, that Girvin Fastrax is pretty 😎
MattiThundrrr said:
^this guy...
View attachment 176841
Go with the Girvin, just so I get to look at it!
Click to expand...
Love that episode of southpark!!! Right on.

Wanting to use the Girvin. It is a 1-1/8 steer tube.
  • Will have to shim it. - could be a problem.
  • Will have to fix it- not a big problem.
  • Will have to thread it- not a problem.
  • Will have to Make sure it fits thru the head tube - fingers crossed 🤞.

Now for the pain of the decision.
20211104_1325132.jpg

Assuming it fits, I will need to cut off the brake bosses. The 57mm wheels won't fit. The bosses are exactly 2mm narrower than the wheel. Might also have to grind part of the horseshoe over the tire as well.

The Girvin fork is my choice. If it fits thru the head tube, this bike may well become that forks permanent home.
 
OddJob said:
MC, you have a knack for building sweet ORBO bikes, I'm sure this one will follow right in line!

That mash tank you used previously would be a cool addition.

RaT oN~!
Click to expand...
Thank You OJ. These ORBO bikes bring out the kid in me. I build them to ride and feel like a BMX, and big enough the knees aren't hitting the bars.

20211104_135538.jpg


It's decided then, a repaint on the mesh tank in the build colors, for a touch of coolness at the end.
 
metalchewy said:
That's cool. I bet you guys sound great. Hope to see you play live one day.
Click to expand...
Hey Tom, here's a link to some vids from our gigs at a local car show this past September. Give you a taste of what we do.

 

Latest posts

Back
Top