~WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT SHE GETS...TO RIDE~ '49 Mercury crossover.
- Thread starter Missing Link
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:
Honestly, it's a bit of an enigma,I have not the foggiest clue what this chainguard came off of. I have two, but I'd love to know what they originally went on, I've heard Hawthorne, but I'm reticent. This one was spray painted when I got it, I stripped it down and drilled a gagillion holes in it, and what you see is what she gets...to ride. New title, right there, thanks Falstaff, you helped me name this build.
Last edited:
Glad I could help.Honestly, it's a bit of an enigma,I have not the foggiest clue what this chainguard came off of. I have two, but I'd love to know what they originally went on, I've heard Hawthorne, but I'm reticent. This one was spray painted when I got it, I stripped it down and drilled a gagillion holes in it, and what you see is what she gets...to ride. New title, right there, thanks Falstaff, you helped me name this build.
Shoot me a PM, I'm always up for some trading.
If you put an 8 speed Sturmey-Archer hub in space it would still be heavy. You don't feel it like you would a weighty frame.Okay so, I'm changing bikes now, my wife wants something a bit heavier than the Racer she's been riding home every day and likes the Mercury I built for the last Winter Build Off, she's got a few stipulations on it so I'll be working within those confines; drop stem, straight bars, rigid fork, chainguard, rear fender(her clothes cost more than mine so I have no problem there), and brick red tires. This will be a fun build.
Here's the starting point for those of you that missed the Winter Build Off, or were just distracted by all the bikes that were cooler;
Tonight I'm pulling parts off donors, trying to get this right, tomorrow, with any luck I'll have a mock-up and a name.
- by Gigmata
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2015
- Messages
- 2,619
- Reaction score
- 4,835
Those dam rattlers . I ran over a 5 footer last summer on my brand new trek ex 9 Mountain bike . I ended up crashing hard had a 2 day headache with a helmet , almost got bit and folded my front wheel beyond repair 325$ for a new wheel . That was only my second day on the bike ! OuchOkay, got a mock-up started, I'm going the same route as my daily riders, just with knobby tires, speaking of which, if anyone out there knows of a knobby 1.75-1.90 in cream, I would appreciate you letting me know.
So here's my daily rides;
'59 Schwinn Jaguar.
Sideways(thanks photobucket) '36 Hawthorne
Here's the mock-up;
Also this little guy (3ft. across) greeted me this morning and tried to bite me, so
lost his head via shovel;
I was trying to pull him down to put in the fish tank we keep on the front porch for "temporary animal visitors" but this guy was way too aggressive, so sorry Mr. Bitey, next time don't lose your head.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
So, it's been a while, a lot has happened, the bike is now a roller/ commuter(she's ridden it home from work the last 2 days!). I've been super busy with work, I got a kitten for Father's Day;
She's a cute cuddly handful.
And then a couple days ago I thought I had a bearing out in my crank assembly on my daily ride, turns out, that would have been a good thing;
CRACKED BOTTOM BRACKET!!!
My '36 Hawthorne, my daily rider, my baby, DEAD!!!
So, last ditch effort, even though I've only been welding for 7 months, I tried...
I ground the metal down, cut out the crack, and with the help of a bottom end Lincoln wire feed welder...and Pabst Blue Ribbon...
She rides like you wouldn't believe now... So back to my wife's bike.
We'll call this a "rolling mock-up", 'cause it's nowhere near finished yet;
Pulled a faux patinaed fork off a girl's Higgins, mounted the requested brick tires, and trued the wheels.
Notice there's 1/2 inch between the tire and the fork crown, that's a fit.
I polished a late 40's Higgins stem, and some 1" rise alloy bars, which I cut down 2" and fitted with Cult Vans grips in black.
Aside from that, a 60's Murray chainring, generic crank, waffle pedals, and the soon to be gone steel pan seat, she's trying to figure out what she wants to sit on, and as comfortable as that Messinger pan is, this is Texas, and the bike rack in front of the building she works at is in the sun all day. She gets off at 5:00, so that seat is a skillet by then.
I'm still working on the chaingainguard and rear fender, so stay tuned, this is far from over.
She's a cute cuddly handful.
And then a couple days ago I thought I had a bearing out in my crank assembly on my daily ride, turns out, that would have been a good thing;
CRACKED BOTTOM BRACKET!!!
My '36 Hawthorne, my daily rider, my baby, DEAD!!!
So, last ditch effort, even though I've only been welding for 7 months, I tried...
I ground the metal down, cut out the crack, and with the help of a bottom end Lincoln wire feed welder...and Pabst Blue Ribbon...
She rides like you wouldn't believe now... So back to my wife's bike.
We'll call this a "rolling mock-up", 'cause it's nowhere near finished yet;
Pulled a faux patinaed fork off a girl's Higgins, mounted the requested brick tires, and trued the wheels.
Notice there's 1/2 inch between the tire and the fork crown, that's a fit.
I polished a late 40's Higgins stem, and some 1" rise alloy bars, which I cut down 2" and fitted with Cult Vans grips in black.
Aside from that, a 60's Murray chainring, generic crank, waffle pedals, and the soon to be gone steel pan seat, she's trying to figure out what she wants to sit on, and as comfortable as that Messinger pan is, this is Texas, and the bike rack in front of the building she works at is in the sun all day. She gets off at 5:00, so that seat is a skillet by then.
I'm still working on the chaingainguard and rear fender, so stay tuned, this is far from over.
Good job on the bottom bracket.So, it's been a while, a lot has happened, the bike is now a roller/ commuter(she's ridden it home from work the last 2 days!). I've been super busy with work, I got a kitten for Father's Day;
She's a cute cuddly handful.
And then a couple days ago I thought I had a bearing out in my crank assembly on my daily ride, turns out, that would have been a good thing;
CRACKED BOTTOM BRACKET!!!
My '36 Hawthorne, my daily rider, my baby, DEAD!!!
So, last ditch effort, even though I've only been welding for 7 months, I tried...
I ground the metal down, cut out the crack, and with the help of a bottom end Lincoln wire feed welder...and Pabst Blue Ribbon...
She rides like you wouldn't believe now... So back to my wife's bike.
We'll call this a "rolling mock-up", 'cause it's nowhere near finished yet;
Pulled a faux patinaed fork off a girl's Higgins, mounted the requested brick tires, and trued the wheels.
Notice there's 1/2 inch between the tire and the fork crown, that's a fit.
I polished a late 40's Higgins stem, and some 1" rise alloy bars, which I cut down 2" and fitted with Cult Vans grips in black.
Aside from that, a 60's Murray chainring, generic crank, waffle pedals, and the soon to be gone steel pan seat, she's trying to figure out what she wants to sit on, and as comfortable as that Messinger pan is, this is Texas, and the bike rack in front of the building she works at is in the sun all day. She gets off at 5:00, so that seat is a skillet by then.
I'm still working on the chaingainguard and rear fender, so stay tuned, this is far from over.
Wifes bike lookin good, look forward to the finished product. I use to live in Mesa AZ. understand not wanting a metal seat pan.
Nice save on the bottom bracket!
Luke.
Luke.
Never heard of a BB cracking.
Nice work on that
The Merc is looking cool too
Nice work on that
The Merc is looking cool too
So all I've got left is finalizing a seat and finishing the work on the rear fender and chainguard, but as fate would have it, yesterday at work while carrying some boxes down a flight of stairs, I fell. busted up my back, cracked some ribs, basically, I'm confined to laying in bed binge watching Futurama and drinking beer...er...I mean "recovering". So, I guess the fender and chainguard will get done in the future when the sheer act of getting out of bed doesn't take me 3 minutes.
As with the winter build off, I have also been planning to build a trophy this time around, it's gonna freakin' happen, achy bones or no achy bones.
Rest assured this is a minor setback.
As with the winter build off, I have also been planning to build a trophy this time around, it's gonna freakin' happen, achy bones or no achy bones.
Rest assured this is a minor setback.
I hope your "Recovering" goes well!
Love me some Futurama, I binge watched the entire series in one week not long back...
Luke.
Love me some Futurama, I binge watched the entire series in one week not long back...
Luke.
Sounds like those stairs treated your body like a ratty bike.
Hope the healing goes well.
Hope the healing goes well.
