Well here it is my first attempt at a cruiser. I don’t know if it would fall under the typical rat rod category, but its a Frankenstein of different parts from both the mountain bike, cruiser, and motor bike world.
I’ve been simply wanting a beach cruiser for a very long time. Straight out of the box would have been fine. My ladyfriend’s work gave her a men’s cruiser for free and being the good lass she is she gave it to me.
Here’s the fetus of the project below.
As thrilled and as thankful I was, the bottom bracket and headset sounded like a medieval bone crushing torture device, so my bike building mind started to talk to me. With a history of building and racing mountain bikes, i figured i had myself a new customization project. Not being in denial anymore, i knew it would soon get out of hand ha.
So the strip down commenced.
Not originally planned but i decided to get the frame and rear fender powder coated.
Big thanks to the guys at Intuitive Powder Coating here in New Jersey for doing a great job.
Whilst the powder coat was going on, thats when i started to look for parts. I’ll admit pretty much all the parts were new, but i wanted a new bike out of this and i had been saving for a project as such.
When i got the frame back, she started to go back together.
Origin8 bottom bracket and crank:
Here’s some of the Mtb influence with blackspire pedals and spank spike stem.
I wanted to make some custom valve caps for the tubes. I’m an avid target shooter and reloader in my spare time so i took some old shells, polished them on my lathe, drilled out the correct diameter where the primers were, set the bullet heads and epoxied in the presta valve caps.
Eh voila, 5.56 valve caps
Wanting to go with a triple tree fork, i went on fleabay and ordered what i thought would be decent. Boy was i mistaken. The fork I received had the crown race welded on! I ended up ordering some steel tube that was exactly the same specs but alas the crown race from my FSA headset was a little loose. I fixed this simply by using some old tire tube and it worked a treat.
Next i wanted to check the stance with some mock up wheels.
Next big part, the headlight. Thanks to some brilliant articles from you good folks on re-wiring LED flashlights i was able to make something I’m really quite proud of. I went to the local motor bike shop, picked up an old triumph lamp, new Harley housing and some Harley grips also.
Credit: G-Ratter on this thread
First off disassemble:
It just so happened the LED head fit perfectly into the lamp, i simply had to remove some material with my Dremel rotary tool.
I got a cool toggle switch from Home Depot also.
I then had to drill a fresh hole into the headlight shell for the toggle switch. Started off with small bits then gradually got bigger.
After i had got to my biggest drill bit i used the trusty rotary tool to remove the rest of the material so the toggle switch would fit.
So after that the rest just started coming together. I mounted the rear light in my brooks saddle.
i also installed a front disc brake.
Hayes Prime hydraulic brake with alligator windcutter rotor.
My wheels are HBBC and were built by the amazing Mark D of Sutter Street Cycles. CA. (Big Ups Mark), What a guy. he helped a lot with getting me fitted nicely and built a stellar wheelset, something i plan to learn in the near future. The rims are 50mm wide with the well known WTB thickslicks. they are simply awesome.
so here is the final product. I still need to put on the fork arm plugs after i paint them, and i also have some stencil painting on the fender to go also. Ill update the thread when done, but shes all together...
Anyway thanks for reading. I’m glad i can share something back with you good people i have learned so much from. I’d love to hear any feedback, good or bad on what i could have done better or worse for that matter.
I just received my 1960 Schwinn frame, so expect something a bit more ratty and angry from me in the near future.
Happy Easter all!
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