AGENT ORANGE

[Bike Bum]

This is where during last years BONINE that I came into some trouble with this build. After taking it for a test ride, I realized I made the bike too low, even with 4 1/2 inch cranks, every time I pedaled, the pedals would hit the ground. Now, I could have said screw it and put the bike together and painted it then called it good for the build off. But I really want to ride this bike and not just have a pretty bike sitting in the corner of my living room, yes that's where I keep it, so I decided to drop out of the build off and wait until I can do the bike right.

A year later I came up with the perfect idea of how to fix my pedaling problem and make this a ridable and reliable bike. I needed to raise the bottom bracket, but in doing so that would mean that I needed to lengthen the bottom tube to fill the area where the BB once was. I was given a crappy chinese bike that had the perfect tube to use.

I hate everything about a 3 piece crank!! No matter what I did the stupid thing would not come off. So I cut it off.



This is the way to treat a chinese bike right proper!!



That bottom tube is all I wanted but I still couldn't get the rest of the crank and sprocket off. Sooooo, I cut that off too.

 

[Bike Bum]

Time to cut off that bottom tube and bottom bracket. *cringe*



Doing some test fitting. A little more trimming of the seat post tube and it should be all good.



Removed the paint to better see how it's looking. I still need to trim the rear so it follows with the curve of the chain stays.





That's all I got to last night. I'm going to fit the bottom bracket on tonight so you can see how the new bottom tube is going to flow right into the down tube.

 

[Bike Bum]

Great!! I have wondered what happened to this build! I was following it from the beginning, now it will be awesome to see it get finished.

Thanks! Yeah I'm excited too. I have new ideas since I first started on this last year and since I don't have a deadline I can make sure everything is perfect.

 

[Endlesschain]

WAY COOL BUILD,LOVE IT

 

[G-Matt]

The front sits much lower and it stretched the front wheel and fender out enough that my toes wont hit the fender anymore. Here's a mock up with the fender and both forks. You can really see the difference in height by comparing the sprocket against the peg board behind it.

Either way you go they both look bad to the bone. I thought a bagger style would be cool this is coming along great .



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Time to cut off that bottom tube and bottom bracket. *cringe*



Doing some test fitting. A little more trimming of the seat post tube and it should be all good.



Removed the paint to better see how it's looking. I still need to trim the rear so it follows with the curve of the chain stays.





That's all I got to last night. I'm going to fit the bottom bracket on tonight so you can see how the new bottom tube is going to flow right into the down tube.

Looking good! That new piece fits nicely!

Luke.

 

[Bike Bum]

WAY COOL BUILD,LOVE IT

Thanks. It's been on the back burner for the last year but now it's time to finish it right.

 

[Bike Bum]

I didn't do much last night. I did manage to shorten the down tube and move the bottom bracket up about 3 or 4 inches. Now I can use my longer cranks and they wont hit the ground when I pedal.

 

[Bike Bum]

Looking good! That new piece fits nicely!

Luke.

Thanks Luke. I just hope I don't disappoint everyone that's been waiting a year to see it finished. It's one thing to have an idea floating around in your head, it's another thing to make it come out the way you envisioned it.

 

[Fv2]

Very cool ride you've got going,looks great so far.

 

[scrapedmytoes]

YES!! Wondered what happened to this one, looking forward to the rest of the build

 

[Bike Bum]

I tac welded the BB and the rest of the down tube on.



Then I had to trim the seat post tube a little and reshape the front of the bottom tube so it will mate up with the down tube.





I still need to shorten the back of the bottom tube so it follows the lines of the chain stays. After I do that, I can weld it all up and work on mounting the rear fender on then paint it up. Well, there's more to it than that but it's getting closer!!

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Looking great! Love that shaped tube on there, adds a lot of interest to the frame...

Luke.

 

[Bike Bum]

I also need to reshape the bottom of the down tube. I'm thinking I'm just going to round it off.



Kind of like this.

 

[Bike Bum]

Looking great! Love that shaped tube on there, adds a lot of interest to the frame...

Luke.

I agree. The first thing I noticed when I first mocked up that bottom tube is how the front of it mimics the same shape that the top tube and cantilevers make. Kind of going from narrow to wide. If that makes sense?

 

[kingfish254]

Sexy curves!

 

[Bike Bum]

Sexy curves!

 

[Timon Gasowski]

I love the way this is looking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Big Ape]

Progress Son.............I say, I say....we need some progress on this build!!!
The frame, fenders, and tank are all looking great! I can not wait to see this thing come together!

Pay no attention to my impatience, take your time and do it up right!

 

[Bike Bum]

Progress Son.............I say, I say....we need some progress on this build!!!
The frame, fenders, and tank are all looking great! I can not wait to see this thing come together!

Pay no attention to my impatience, take your time and do it up right!

I'm one of those sorry saps that have to work for a living so I can only get to it at night and on the weekends. It's either been mid 90s everyday and/or raining and when it's that hot I have a short fuse so I just walk away from it till the weather and me cools off. Don't worry, I should have the bottom tube all welded in this weekend then I can get to the fun stuff.