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This is one of the bikes in the buildoff that I would love to own and RIDE. In fact, it's inspiring the direction of my next project right now.
 
Thanks again guys!

longshort said:
build looks great , one mans trash is another mans treasure . saw your comment about the chain tensionser , i have found that old skateboard wheels are great as chain tensioners easy adjustment and roller bearings to cruise on.

yeah, I love the idea of using a skateboardwheel. But I just used stuff I had laying around. I don't think I could make something as small as this using a skateboardwheel... Remember, the rearwheel has a coasterbrake so I can't use the 'normal' chaintensioner-set up you'ld normally see on a freewheel-equiped singlespeed.

johnp.smith said:
Wonderful job, I think I would shorten the chain if it were mine. Got one of my votes
Thanks buddy! I feel honoured that you feel my bike is top 3 material out of all the awesome builds this year.
With this set-up this is the shortest the chain can get. I had planned to clean things up with a halflink chain and loosing the chain'tensioner' but didn't had the time to do so before the deadline.

gowjobs said:
This is one of the bikes in the buildoff that I would love to own and RIDE. In fact, it's inspiring the direction of my next project right now.
wow...
This means more to me than all the votes my bike will get. Thank you so much! :D
 
johnp.smith said:
bighit said:
Best transformation award.

I second that. Cant believe it didnt get more votes, this bike is beautiful.

And I will third that. I had to check back and make sure I still love this bike and well, yup. Still amazing. The skills and transformation at work here tells me that we need a few different classes in the build-off. Just my two cents but: I see a lot of people commenting on the fact that they loved a certain bike but because it was suppose to be a rat bike build off they voted for what was most rat (even though mine started out rat and went rat inspired hot rod pretty quick) I feel it leaves out so many other builds that obviously deserve another class. Maybe like, rat/hot rod - best transformation, - best restoration - most creative/artistic Anyway it's all fun but I think that might make it a little funner! Great build Herr!
 
Petrohead said:
And I will third that. I had to check back and make sure I still love this bike and well, yup. Still amazing. The skills and transformation at work here tells me that we need a few different classes in the build-off. Just my two cents but: I see a lot of people commenting on the fact that they loved a certain bike but because it was suppose to be a rat bike build off they voted for what was most rat (even though mine started out rat and went rat inspired hot rod pretty quick) I feel it leaves out so many other builds that obviously deserve another class. Maybe like, rat/hot rod - best transformation, - best restoration - most creative/artistic Anyway it's all fun but I think that might make it a little funner! Great build Herr!

This bike is great, but the only think that makes it a rat is it's dumpster past. I agree on their being separate classes (rat rod, hot rod, restore, refinish, revive, survive, city bike, klunker, muscle, etc...) but it would just get out of hand. Basically everyone is on a site called "Rat Rod Bikes" so we're kind of stuck with it, which is fine by me, I built a ratty bike. I'm thinking next year everyone vote like they normally do but everyone leave their own "awards" in the comments on the vote thread, like:

Yoothgeye's Special Awards:
Bike I'd most like to ride in the city: Singlespeed HotRod
Bike that should've been sold in bike stores officially licensed by Hanna-Barbera: Scooby Snack
Bike most likely to give me nightmares: Labotomy
Best complilation build: Speed Demon
Best Pinstriping: Kidney Stew (even though you didn't finish)
etc...

This could be alot of fun and if my name ended up on one of these lists it would sure mean alot more to me than a click of a mouse in the bubble beside my build's name.
 
all the different types of builds made it so hard to vote this year. I agree with yoothgeye, we are on a sight called ratrodbikes and the rattier the better, but I wouldnt mind seeing a contest separated into classes or builds based on a specific type of frame. Bikes like this arent ratty but a lot of work has gone into it and I think it deserves its own kind of award.
 
Appreciated, guys! :)

Those are some interesting points. I've just posted in de votingbooth-thread regarding this subject of more categories.

And for the 'Rat versus Hot' on this website:
I don't think that it matters. Look at the bikes that got the votes: rusty/primered ratrods AND shiny/gleaming hotrods! Just like last year, and the year before that. It's is as much a ratrod build-off as it is a hotrod build-off. This site, although it is called 'Ratrodbikes' is more about custom bikes in general. A custombikes-site that welcomes and stimulate ratrodbike-builds.

@ Johnp.smith
More points? Nah, I find it amazing that as much as FIFTEEN people voted my bike into their top 3. Out of ALL those fantastic builds... I truely feel honoured.

@ Petrohead
It just came to me that you are (probably) this years winner... Congrats!
Thanks man. That means a lot, comming from you... 8)
 
Beautiful build! Sweet SS Hotrod 8) 8) Love your chain tensioner and hope you're not worried about what other peeps think of it.

I converted my own sweet little hotrod-- a '95 DiamondBack mtn bike--into a single speeder, and used a derailleur arm & pulley for my tensioner :)
rattensioncloseup-vi.jpg

I used a U-bolt to bolt it on the chain-stay, and it fits like it was made for it! :D Only thing is, I lost the first pulley somewhere on the second ride, coz it unscrewed itself! :shock: :cry: I put superglue on the bolt threads and this pulley has survived many rides so far :)
Ubolttensioner-vi.jpg

As for shortening the chain........... that's not always an option, when you don't have horizontal dropouts.
rattedtensioner-vi.jpg


Didn't mean to hijack your thread, just wanted to share my tensioning device :wink: and encourage you to keep hot rodding the bikes. Really love what you did with this one. I'll be using some of your cool ideas 8)
 
CapnUNITarian said:
Beautiful build! Sweet SS Hotrod 8) 8) Love your chain tensioner and hope you're not worried about what other peeps think of it.

Never :mrgreen:

I always depend on my sense of beauty and styling. The thing works. In fact, it works great. The only thing I don't like about it is finetuning the thing. I really have to move it towards the sprocket to have a slightly more tensioning of the chain (not much) but the chainstay is thicker towards the sprocket. That means I have to mount it with extra rings added. And that is kinda hard...

I still want to try out that half link chain though. I agree in this case that less is more. So if I can do without that chain tensioner, I will...

Thanks for posting those pics. I always love seeing 'other sollutions' or different variations of mine. I'm guessing your bike doesn't have a coasterbrake? Mine has... Because of the opposite of direction of tension between SS and Coasterbrake (whenusing the brake) I mounted the chain through the tensioner, and not 'around' it, like you did. I wonder if your set up will work with a coasterbrake. It would push the derailerwheel towards the chainstay and I wonder if that derailer-arm(?) is strong enough to hold up...
Thanks for the input! Much appreciated.
 
Thanks for your reply. Your sense of beauty and styling sure show in what you've done with your SS Hotrod 8) I especially love the acorn nuts :) 8) 8)

Funny that you should ask whether I've a coasterbrake or not......
FutureDrat-vi.jpg

I'm going to rebuild my DiamondBack-- again :) and it will be renamed: DIAMOND-RAT :wink:
I'd love to put 28" wheels on it, but doubt I can do the simple mods to the rear triangle to get a 28r to fit. I have a 26" coasterbrake wheel I previously used on my first SS project, and I was thinking of going back to the coastebrake, so I'll probably put it on here, and we'll see what happens with my chain tensioner then. The way it fits now, the derailleur arm butts up against the chainstay, so maybe no problem. Like you say, if it'll go without a tensioner, all the better, but if not........

This D-Back is the first good bike I got. Sweet chromoly frame, and it started out as a brandy new mtn bike with all STX components, went thru maybe 3 drivetrains, 3 sets of rims, then I started commuting to work on it with city slicker tires. I've been 'one with the bike' on this bike and absolutely love doing nose wheelies on it, so even when I put the c-brake back on, I'll probably keep the front brake on.

I too, love seeing other peeps ideas and solutions, and when they work-- why 'fix' it, eh? :) That's the best part of hot rodding-- "Let's see if this works........." 8) 8)

Thanks for inspiring me with your Hotrod, I gotta go ride mine now :wink:
 
@ capnunitarian
I doubt if a 28" will work on your bike. Maybe with regular or skinny tires... It seems you haven't got the space for ballooners like I had... But still, 26" leaves you with enough cool tire choices 8)
Post the link to your build, if you already started it!

@ chipmcluck
The rearwheel is an aftermarket stainlessteel Dutch rim with a Japanese Shimano coasterbrake. Schwallbe is a very common company so you should find the Franks at any regular bike-shop. If not, they'll probably be happy to order some for ya.
Btw: The 28" Fat Franks somehow aren't as fat as the 26" versions... Same goes for the Big Apples...
 
The little things really add up... your handlebar treatment, the way you widened the rear fender... really kool.
 
herr_rudolf said:
@ capnunitarian
I doubt if a 28" will work on your bike. Maybe with regular or skinny tires... It seems you haven't got the space for ballooners like I had... But still, 26" leaves you with enough cool tire choices 8)
Post the link to your build, if you already started it!

@ chipmcluck
The rearwheel is an aftermarket stainlessteel Dutch rim with a Japanese Shimano coasterbrake. Schwallbe is a very common company so you should find the Franks at any regular bike-shop. If not, they'll probably be happy to order some for ya.
Btw: The 28" Fat Franks somehow aren't as fat as the 26" versions... Same goes for the Big Apples...


28's dont fit on most frames, I have a pair Ive been trying on every frame I have and so far Ive had no luck getting them to fit on anything
 
johnp.smith said:
herr_rudolf said:
@ capnunitarian
I doubt if a 28" will work on your bike. Maybe with regular or skinny tires... It seems you haven't got the space for ballooners like I had... But still, 26" leaves you with enough cool tire choices 8)
Post the link to your build, if you already started it!

@ chipmcluck
The rearwheel is an aftermarket stainlessteel Dutch rim with a Japanese Shimano coasterbrake. Schwallbe is a very common company so you should find the Franks at any regular bike-shop. If not, they'll probably be happy to order some for ya.
Btw: The 28" Fat Franks somehow aren't as fat as the 26" versions... Same goes for the Big Apples...


28's dont fit on most frames, I have a pair Ive been trying on every frame I have and so far Ive had no luck getting them to fit on anything
Thanks John. Yep, I've tried as well. Ever since I started riding a 29r (G-fisher & Kona mtn bikes) I almost have a hissy fit when/if I have to ride a little 26 incher :( But I get over it-- at least I'm still riding! :)

Jeff, when I get around to starting on the "DIAMOND-RAT" rebuild, I'll let you know. Went to your Myspace, to check out your artwork-- :shock: You sir, are quite the artist! Love your sense of negative space, and how you use stripes and other geometric shapes in your paintings-- Awesome!...... and inspiring-- I'll have to get back to my paintings too. My favorite work of yours is your "VolksWaffe" :)
 
Nice looks, love the colors combination and clean look!! I want that fat frank in my bike too, i have two quedtions the first one is, what is the Measures of the frame in the back, we're the fat frank are?, to know if that cool tiresfit my bike. And what is the rims measures, you use with the fat frank tire? Great ride! Thanks for your attention!!
 

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