Mesa Buggie - WuGgie ...New seat post! pg 4

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G, this thing was so fast! And, for a minute there, I forgot that my only brake lever was on the left side! That first rocky slope I just kept picking up speed. And my cadence was so much better climbing than it was with that monster chain ring and single gear last year.

Coolest thing about the desert trails; even when it rains a half inch or a little bit for 3 days in a row like last January, you can jump right on it again the next day, or even that afternoon if it stops by mid-morning! Dry and rocky.

I bet there is some great single track out there . I've got a 80s Schwinn with the 5 speed set up & single ring on the front I want to build some time . Also have disc breaks in the parts pile just waiting to be used. We I bet your enjoying the weather this winter . While your buddy are to there assets & elbows in snow . [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]


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Got the seat post out of the frame...it was a good 5-6" into the seat tube. Gonna need a solid post, @slowriderz (Chad)...I'll pm you the dimensions....
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Well, I did some of my own chop shop to tge custom lay back post. Yes, a solid lead bar 7/8" thick can be cut through with a mini hacksaw...

One of my buddies who saw the ride vid said it ' looked like a big bmx bike'. Being an ex bmx racer himself, I took that as a positive.

So the post is a bit shorter than typical mtb height, by about 2". Riding this bike in the desert rocks, ruts, and ravines, reminds me of my first 7 years of mtb racing on a fully rigid bike; lots of standing and hammering, bent knees and elbows act as shocks, and hanging off the back on the downhills.

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I love how they ride like a BMX bike too! That was what pushes these styled bikes to my favorite to ride. Adult size, BMX feel.

The fat front really makes the bike look meaty. Had to double take cuz I kinda almost kept seeing blue...

Your combo Sprocket, crank and rock guard are great. I rode a few of my teeth acrossed rock yesterday .

How do you like the back disc only on it? Does it stop and lock as well as the coaster?
 
Cool bike. Do that run that big front tire a bit low to provide some front suspension?
Thanks. Yeah, I have about 10 psi in the front right now. For the real rocky stuff, I should probably be down around 7-8, but I also ride it daily on the flat bike path, so it's a compromise.

My 26 x 2.4 in the back gets good traction, but doesn't do a whole lot for bump absorption. So, I'm hovering over the seat quite a bit in the rocky stuff.
 
I love how they ride like a BMX bike too! That was what pushes these styled bikes to my favorite to ride. Adult size, BMX feel.

The fat front really makes the bike look meaty. Had to double take cuz I kinda almost kept seeing blue...

Your combo Sprocket, crank and rock guard are great. I rode a few of my teeth acrossed rock yesterday .

How do you like the back disc only on it? Does it stop and lock as well as the coaster?
The Rock Ring on the crank is vintage 1980's mtb add-on. With all the sharp, pointy rocks and drops around here, I didn't want to risk busting the ring / chain.
The rear disc brake only seems to have plenty of stopping power. And I love the 'freewheeling' that I'm used to on my other mtb. Plus I feel like the bike has more 'flow' with this set-up. The coaster, while really cool and standard pre-geared bike klunker; slows you up and changes your riding style because you have to stop pedaling and change your mode to brake.
Really happy with the upgrades!
 
Wow the Eagle has landed. Nice vid. Is that you doing the background strumming? Rock ring is cool and should guarantee no chain drops with no front derailleur.
 
Definitely my style of music, but not me on the soundtrack.
 
Great bike OJ! Even better with the upgrades...
Thanks Luke! I will definitely try another build like this with an old frame and modern upgrades; BB conversion, gears, disc brakes. It was fun to be on the same mountain with the carbon framed, full suspension guys and hanging in there. Nobody even mentioned the bike until a couple of us stopped once and one guy just looked at my bike, furrowed his brow, and said,
"Wow. What is that?"
:21:

Another opportunity to share the wonders of rat rod bike building and ratrodbikes.com!
 
Thanks Luke! I will definitely try another build like this with an old frame and modern upgrades; BB conversion, gears, disc brakes. It was fun to be on the same mountain with the carbon framed, full suspension guys and hanging in there. Nobody even mentioned the bike until a couple of us stopped once and one guy just looked at my bike, furrowed his brow, and said,
"Wow. What is that?"
:21:

Another opportunity to share the wonders of rat rod bike building and ratrodbikes.com!
The very first time I took my bomber out last year a guy leaving the lot was saying that the ride wasn't as exciting as he had hoped for his $3000 bike.

It was a simple trail I was taking it to test the configuration out. He saw the Bomber, his eyes lit up and said what is that. I asked if he wanted to try it for a spin. He came back grinning ear to ear wanting to know where I got it and "where he can get one".... ...RATTERS hear that a lot!!

These are definitely fun, solid rides. Your multigear setup makes it one of the sturdiest and coolest rides in your pack. Jmho...

[emoji106] [emoji106]
 
Thanks, Tom. I'm a little sorer today than I would be after a day on my Santa Cruz Tallboy, shoulders and knees doing the work of the suspension. But not so much that I wouldn't get back on it today and do it all over again!

I'm thinking that my configuration on an old '40s-50s frame (like most of our klunkers) would be a great seller for desert terrain, and rolling terrain like I have back home. Anything but full on climbing in the higher elevations where light weight and long descents are a reality.

And the plus-sized tire craze would be perfect for a larger tire in front, along with a 2.4-2.5 rear. Pure, simple, off road fun!
 
I'm usually not a fan of geared bikes, but I would ride the tires off this one. Patina kind of matches the scenery too., I think you may have been made for this land, O.J., it suits you, your choice in finish, and the bikes you build.
Now those are the kind of words that give satisfaction, confidence, and motivation. Appreciate the 'boost' ML!
 
Cool bike. Do that run that big front tire a bit low to provide some front suspension?
Yep, that's the idea. It's at around 10 lbs, so it rolls nice on the pavement too. Ideally, it should be around 7 psi to conform to the rocks and give enough squish on the drops. The beauty of the wide rim (65 mm) is that it dissipates the force of hitting a rock over a wide area, so low pressure doesn't pinch the tube.
 
Arizona continues to amaze...
Saw this in the parking lot of the grocery store this morning. Had to move on before the owner came back, but got a couple pics before it was hemmed in by adjoining cars.

This is steam punk to the max!

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