(MBBO #04 Class 2) Proto/GS

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.
Joined
Oct 8, 2007
Messages
74
Reaction score
20
Location
Ok
Starting a thread here mainly to motivate myself to work on this build. As I stated in the MBBO #4 announcement thread I had already picked up a banana seat and wanted to build something around it using the 26 x 3” tire I have had since 2008 and the home built springer I made years ago. Then MBBO #4 came along so figured why not.

I really wanted to use a “curved frame” to build with but have had absolutely no luck finding anything locally. I even went as far to go to the local K-Mart store to just buy a cheap .... Huffy $79 bike to get the basics but they didn’t have any in stock.

So I gave up and drug out an old aluminum women’s mountain bike that wasn’t much use in its existing state and am looking at what I could do with it. Once I stuck the springer on the front and mocked up the big rear tire (without air so it would stuff in there) I figured it could work for a rider “Muscle looking” bike. I wanted it to sit up higher in the front, lower in the back with the fat tire and an overall hot rod look. I immediately thought “gasser” with the front up with the apes and the fat rear and low banana seat but I see sabcat has already beat me to the gasser concept here (http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/mbbo-04-class-1-the-master-gasser.94286/) I’m cutting up this frame though so I guess this will have to a Class 2 entry. I know most here aren’t likely impressed by new aluminum straight pipe builds but that’s what I have to work with so that’s what it is. Not going to win any awards up against the outstanding stuff here but building the fun part to me.

The initial influence was actually from TopNotchLSX and his Muscle Cruiser build (http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/in...le-cruiser-build-from-the-new-guy-done.92453/) in the Build Off 10 comp. I really liked the final product and the look.

So overall I have some simple goals for this build:
  1. Use the 26 x 3” tire I bought back in 2008 and never could fit it anywhere
  2. Use the old homemade “springer” I built back years ago that’s been hanging on the wall
  3. Use the new banana seat I just purchased
  4. Learn to work and weld aluminum the best I can with my MIG welder (which may be the downfall of it all)
  5. Have an easy to ride bike to kick around the neighborhood on
So here is what I’m starting with, Basic O Zone MTB cheapie
IMG_6533_zpsxjl3qeod.jpg


The Pile Of Odd Parts (POOP) if you will
IMG_6584_zpsuglhewcg.jpg


And after hacking around a bit this week I’m like this so far, sorry for the messy over loaded garage.
IMG_6590_zpsdfgak7tl.jpg

I wanted to have the "drilled out" look or similar so I found some aluminum tubing and drilled holes out.
Going to (try) welding them in each hold to keep the strength but add a custom old school type of look.

As you can tell, I killed the back half as it needs widening and that will be the biggest challenge of the whole build I'm sure.

Rebuilding/building chain stays and seat stays in aluminum will be quite interesting.

Stay tuned and if you hear muffled cussing it's likely me trying to make this work.

Stephen
 
As Crash said! Welcome to MBBO#04!

Welding aluminium with a mig is only hard if your machine is not up to the task of feeding it properly, if you have a spool gun it just gets easier, other than that, just remember to keep it really clean, grab a stainless steel wire brush and scrub the join down immediately before welding, raw aluminium oxidises really quick in just regular air, and the oxidation will mess up your weld method and results... ;)

Other than that it is just practice, practice, practice...

Luke.
 
Starting a thread here mainly to motivate myself to work on this build. As I stated in the MBBO #4 announcement thread I had already picked up a banana seat and wanted to build something around it using the 26 x 3” tire I have had since 2008 and the home built springer I made years ago. Then MBBO #4 came along so figured why not.

I really wanted to use a “curved frame” to build with but have had absolutely no luck finding anything locally. I even went as far to go to the local K-Mart store to just buy a cheap .... Huffy $79 bike to get the basics but they didn’t have any in stock.

So I gave up and drug out an old aluminum women’s mountain bike that wasn’t much use in its existing state and am looking at what I could do with it. Once I stuck the springer on the front and mocked up the big rear tire (without air so it would stuff in there) I figured it could work for a rider “Muscle looking” bike. I wanted it to sit up higher in the front, lower in the back with the fat tire and an overall hot rod look. I immediately thought “gasser” with the front up with the apes and the fat rear and low banana seat but I see sabcat has already beat me to the gasser concept here (http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/mbbo-04-class-1-the-master-gasser.94286/) I’m cutting up this frame though so I guess this will have to a Class 2 entry. I know most here aren’t likely impressed by new aluminum straight pipe builds but that’s what I have to work with so that’s what it is. Not going to win any awards up against the outstanding stuff here but building the fun part to me.

The initial influence was actually from TopNotchLSX and his Muscle Cruiser build (http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/in...le-cruiser-build-from-the-new-guy-done.92453/) in the Build Off 10 comp. I really liked the final product and the look.

So overall I have some simple goals for this build:
  1. Use the 26 x 3” tire I bought back in 2008 and never could fit it anywhere
  2. Use the old homemade “springer” I built back years ago that’s been hanging on the wall
  3. Use the new banana seat I just purchased
  4. Learn to work and weld aluminum the best I can with my MIG welder (which may be the downfall of it all)
  5. Have an easy to ride bike to kick around the neighborhood on
So here is what I’m starting with, Basic O Zone MTB cheapie
IMG_6533_zpsxjl3qeod.jpg


The Pile Of Odd Parts (POOP) if you will
IMG_6584_zpsuglhewcg.jpg


And after hacking around a bit this week I’m like this so far, sorry for the messy over loaded garage.
IMG_6590_zpsdfgak7tl.jpg

I wanted to have the "drilled out" look or similar so I found some aluminum tubing and drilled holes out.
Going to (try) welding them in each hold to keep the strength but add a custom old school type of look.

As you can tell, I killed the back half as it needs widening and that will be the biggest challenge of the whole build I'm sure.

Rebuilding/building chain stays and seat stays in aluminum will be quite interesting.

Stay tuned and if you hear muffled cussing it's likely me trying to make this work.

Stephen
Pile of Odd Parts....love it! I hope you don't mind if I quote you on that...oh wait, I think I just did. Rat on!
 
As Crash said! Welcome to MBBO#04!

Welding aluminium with a mig is only hard if your machine is not up to the task of feeding it properly, if you have a spool gun it just gets easier, other than that, just remember to keep it really clean, grab a stainless steel wire brush and scrub the join down immediately before welding, raw aluminium oxidises really quick in just regular air, and the oxidation will mess up your weld method and results... ;)

Other than that it is just practice, practice, practice...

Luke.
Thanks, that is exactly as I understood it. Think I'll track down a Teflon liner if I can as I have welded a bit with the existing. This WILL be my practice project so I'm not planning on beauty for sure..
 
Update 09/07/2015

With the rear triangle being the biggest challenge for me I figured I better work out something here. Originally I thought I could just use a wider pipe to join the seat stays up but it's pretty wide so it appears the easiest way was to extend the stays from the top pipe. I had already picked up some 3/4" aluminum tube to mess with and it should work here. I have some 5/8" solid rod to plug the joint and help with strength.

IMG_6617_zpsujiiwre0.jpg


With my special "Blue Welding Tape" holding it together I think it should work. I also think the brakes will work still but I may have to use the bigger spacer on the inside based on testing.

Now when I lay down the seat stays I should be able to cut down the center pipe to fit the new position.

IMG_6615_zpsa3cwvuic.jpg


For the chain stays I had to bend them out enough to clear the tire and have rough cut them to bend them back in to fit the bottom bracket. Lots more work here to make it right. I plan on making a new kickstand mount / support bracket to make this area stronger.
IMG_6616_zpsrqxiwskc.jpg


Otherwise still waiting on the teflon liner for my old MIG to see if I can actually stick this stuff together good enough or not.

Progress none the less...
 
And down under do you say "al u mini um" or a loom inum like us "yanks"....
 

Latest posts

Back
Top