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Hello! New to the forums, and really anything bike building related (rode bikes, but never modified them)

I joined the forums to look at some builds and get some advice for a bike I'd love to have, and can't seem to find anywhere to buy, so I think my only option is to build my own. I aheba bit of a weird mix of things I want to get out of the bike, so I'm hoping to get painted in the right direction, and hopefully not have to make too many major modifications.

So basically I want to have a "muscle bike" I guess is what they are called. I think they look cool. The rear tire being bigger than the front, and the front has a springer front end. Also the banana seat. I'd love to have one with a shifter too, one of the ones that go on the frame and are like a car shifter. Doesn't really matter how many speeds. One of the other things I want to do with it however is make it an e bike. I figured it would be easiest to add a mid drive setup or maybe a front wheel hub since I'm already messing around with probably changing the size there to a smaller one anyways. I think the mid drive or a rear hub (if that's possible with the shifter) would be better since it keeps power on the rear tire instead of the front though, just for the style of bike.

So really that's what I'm looking for. I'm hoping I can be pointed in the right direction to get started, but also keep to a reasonable budget. I know the e bike part is going to be expensive, just because it's electronics and not just bike parts, but ai also need a good start on a bike and I'll probably end up having to convert a newer cruiser style bike into the muscle bike thing I want to have, so I need some directions there too, especially with wanting the different sized wheels.
 
Welcome to the party

Can't really help you out on the e bike part, but there is plenty of muscle around here
 
What I lack in bike building skill, I make up in online research.
gunnely.jpg

I lack MANY bike skills
 
Welcome to RRB!

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with :thumbsup:!

20" muscle bikes leave a lot to be desired, comfortwise, for adults depending on your size. There are lots of builds on this site that make 'adult-sized' Muscle Bikes out of cruisers with similar frames. A member with the handle CRASH has built several of these king, or monster, sized versions over the years. This thread should get you started, though it seems to have some broken images on it.

CRASH's builds thread

Jason
 
Welcome to RRB!

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with :thumbsup:!

20" muscle bikes leave a lot to be desired, comfortwise, for adults depending on your size. There are lots of builds on this site that make 'adult-sized' Muscle Bikes out of cruisers with similar frames. A member with the handle CRASH has built several of these king, or monster, sized versions over the years. This thread should get you started, though it seems to have some broken images on it.

CRASH's builds thread

Jason

I was thinking the 20 for the front and 26 for the rear. I've seen some of the 20 rears have an 18 front. Maybe I'll go with a 24 front? I'd imagine to keep the bike level I'd just need to extend the forks a bit. I do want to use a fat tire in the rear, so maybe for the e bike I can use the smaller 20 or 24 as the e bike part. Or a mid drive.

I was thinking about starting out with a new fat tire cruiser. I'd need to add the banana seat and sissy bar, add the shifter (and gears if it isn't geared, but this is all optional) then change the handlebars and front over to the smaller and narrower wheel. Right?
 
Welcome to RRB!

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with :thumbsup:!

20" muscle bikes leave a lot to be desired, comfortwise, for adults depending on your size. There are lots of builds on this site that make 'adult-sized' Muscle Bikes out of cruisers with similar frames. A member with the handle CRASH has built several of these king, or monster, sized versions over the years. This thread should get you started, though it seems to have some broken images on it.

CRASH's builds thread

Jason
Iv'e been getting into the Muscle bikes for the last several years and have a couple of the Jesse James West Coast choppers bikes and some of the Orange County chopper bikes that i've been playing around with and would like to do an adult version. We'll see what happens.. Good luck.. Razin..
 
here it is. It has a 6 speed on the rear wheel, and front and rear brakes. Not sure if those were original, or the bike is actually a Monterey, or at least a later model of them that they added them on. The lady said the guy she got it from was the original owner and had it since the 70s, so I'd imagine they were added on later. Googling pictures, they don't have them, and with the chain cover being black, my guess is added on.

First step is new tires. these are a 26x2.125 tire. I don't know much, but I'd assume as long as I got some that matched that, they would work. Could I put a skinnier tire on the front though?

With the E Bike Idea, and also wanting to go with a stick shifter, I'm not sure what I will end up doing, a front hub ebike setup seems better since it is separate from the rear gears and all, so I can deal with that all separate. I do know one of the kits I was looking at was a 7 speed rear though, which would be nice I think. I'm not sure though how a stick shifter would/could work with the setup though, I'd assume I'd also need a new derailleur and such, which I might as well get. The kit comes with new brake handles, so I will keep the stock brakes and also get the ape hangers for it too. honestly i think a mid-motor setup might be better, not sure I will be able to find a hub that will work with a derailleur and shifter

also need to get the banana seat and sissy bar. I'm not sure how to figure out what I need for that, at least in terms or more than the seat and bar.

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It's much later than the '70s. There should be a silver (or black) sticker at the bottom of the seat tube near the BB...

20190721_071304.jpg


...the last six digits is the 'born on' date :grin:. The serial number can also be used to determine year, but I'd have to find the code. My guess is mid to late '90s.
 

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