Black and Tan B*S*A .... done !

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
Dec 2, 2018
Messages
206
Reaction score
619
Location
Somers, Connecticut
I had made the trip out to the swap meet to find the missing parts to the Bullwinkle build...


What I came home with was an extra crispy mid 60's (?) BSA 3 speed.
IMG_1870.JPG

IMG_1871.JPG


IMG_1872.JPG


I have just finished off a Hercules path racer build that is unfortunately too small to keep. The Hercules was started after the beginning of the build-off, so I hope there's no objection to me transferring parts over to the BSA frame that is correct for me. The details of this one are on the "Builds" forum.

IMG_1796 (2).JPG



I pulled a set of chromed shorty fenders off a recently finished Columbia Ardley 10 speed that might look the business on here as well as an appropriate vintage front rack I've had kicking about. All good?

Thanks for stopping by, Ken
 
Love this bike! I like to have a BSA in the stable someday.

Sounds like you’re going for a ‘fully dressed’ Pashley Guv’nor type setup, which is always good.
2196b150811c7c4e35478a8f029edbd9.jpg


Good luck, I’m tuned in for sure.
Cheers,
Dr. T


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
For me it goes back to seeing old Major Taylor posters...well before the Pashley Guv.

Major.jpg


My current darling is my converted Raleigh Sprite "dingle speed" path racer, but I'm just not all in on the root beer brown...She does get a ton of looks though.

IMG_1264 (2).JPG


I thought briefly about using this one as my donor bike, but there's been no movement selling the Hercules, and all the work on that one falls inside the time of the build-off, so it makes more sense for now.

I got the BSA down to the frame. I'm going with rubbing compound and then Carnauba wax. Tires have been ordered, and I expect the build should go quick from there. I'm proud to say that I overhaul a bike the same way whether I plan to keep it of flip it, so the Hercules parts won't need any further work for the swap. I think the brake cables should reach even on the bigger frame. The shifter cable is probably going to be a bit short. I might even ditch the shifter and fix it in a single gear...or even be able to fix it in any of the 3 gears at the hub. Either way, the fewer cables the better on these.
 
For me it goes back to seeing old Major Taylor posters...well before the Pashley Guv.

View attachment 97773

My current darling is my converted Raleigh Sprite "dingle speed" path racer, but I'm just not all in on the root beer brown...She does get a ton of looks though.

View attachment 97774

I thought briefly about using this one as my donor bike, but there's been no movement selling the Hercules, and all the work on that one falls inside the time of the build-off, so it makes more sense for now.

I got the BSA down to the frame. I'm going with rubbing compound and then Carnauba wax. Tires have been ordered, and I expect the build should go quick from there. I'm proud to say that I overhaul a bike the same way whether I plan to keep it of flip it, so the Hercules parts won't need any further work for the swap. I think the brake cables should reach even on the bigger frame. The shifter cable is probably going to be a bit short. I might even ditch the shifter and fix it in a single gear...or even be able to fix it in any of the 3 gears at the hub. Either way, the fewer cables the better on these.


Love that root beer! Looks like a fine cruiser
 
Love that root beer! Looks like a fine cruiser
Some days I love the color and other days not as much. Even on days when the color is working against it, she gets out more than anything else I've got in the garage. She rides like she's dressed in satin, and even among the custom bike crowd the double-single-speed set up gets a lot of attention for being clever in it's simplicity. It's a flip flop hub running freewheels on both sides and a vintage double crankset up front. The ratios were picked from a "magic gear" calculator to run the same effective chain stay length so the brakes work exactly the same in either gear. Oh...and she can FLY ( the tall gear is 53x16 pushing 700c)

But that's not the bike we're here to discuss except to say that this is exactly my kind of thing.
 
It's a flip flop hub running freewheels on both sides and a vintage double crankset up front. The ratios were picked from a "magic gear" calculator to run the same effective chain stay length so the brakes work exactly the same in either gear. Oh...and she can FLY ( the tall gear is 53x16 pushing 700c)

That's a really clever setup! How on earth did you calculate that?

Gesendet von meinem K00Y mit Tapatalk
 
There are a couple of those magic gear calculators online. Building fixed gear/ single speed bikes with vertical drop outs requires a tensioner unless you can get a near perfect match for your chain stay length...one ratio perfect for the bike. The Raleigh has horizontal drop outs so I had some flexibility with the actual chain stay length, just needed to get the two ratios with matching lengths so the wheel would bolt in the same place for the brakes to work.
 
So, with the parts stripped I was able to clean and wax the frame. I'm well pleased with the result.

IMG_1879.JPG


Not a lot of pic.s from the parts swap as it only took about 90 minutes.
IMG_1886.JPG


I'll be waiting a couple more days for tires. I've also decided to not mess about with the 3 speed but will bring in a new shifter before putting that together. I did not like the chrome fenders and didn't even try the front rack. Less is definitely more here. The saddle is an old Motobecane leather and rivet racer style. I've picked a half-link chain to drive it.

So, the final stance of the bike should be just like this.

IMG_1889.JPG
IMG_1892.JPG
IMG_1891.JPG


It should be a fitting stable mate to the Raleigh.

Thanks for looking, Ken
 
Hard to remember where I left off...I think I was at "less is more", right?

I picked up a 1980 Raleigh 3 speed with coaster brake to give up the wheel set. I'll set it up with the caliper brakes and some wheels and flip it right out. So...no brake cables, a good clean look. That's the right direction, but what about the thumb shifter? I had planned on just clamping down the cable in a fixed position and running it in a single gear. When I actually sat in front of the bike, my solution was obvious. Keep the three speeds available, but hidden. What you all think?
IMG_1923 (2).JPG
IMG_1927.JPG
IMG_1925 (2).JPG


I know it's not the highest form of practicality, but it leaves the speedy gear and the bail-out gear intact. Stepping off the bike to make a switch really isn't a big deal...I don't need to grab tools. Besides, if I think I really need a sophisticated set up for a particular ride, I still have a fancy-schmancy 'cross bike round here someplace ( a really nice Scott Speedster CX).

So, I'll try and take some interesting and dramatic photos, but this is my build-off 14 entry...the BSA Black and Tan.

Any feedback is appreciated. Thank you for your interest. Ken
 
Hard to remember where I left off...I think I was at "less is more", right?

I picked up a 1980 Raleigh 3 speed with coaster brake to give up the wheel set. I'll set it up with the caliper brakes and some wheels and flip it right out. So...no brake cables, a good clean look. That's the right direction, but what about the thumb shifter? I had planned on just clamping down the cable in a fixed position and running it in a single gear. When I actually sat in front of the bike, my solution was obvious. Keep the three speeds available, but hidden. What you all think?View attachment 98108 View attachment 98109 View attachment 98110

I know it's not the highest form of practicality, but it leaves the speedy gear and the bail-out gear intact. Stepping off the bike to make a switch really isn't a big deal...I don't need to grab tools. Besides, if I think I really need a sophisticated set up for a particular ride, I still have a fancy-schmancy 'cross bike round here someplace ( a really nice Scott Speedster CX).

So, I'll try and take some interesting and dramatic photos, but this is my build-off 14 entry...the BSA Black and Tan.

Any feedback is appreciated. Thank you for your interest. Ken
I like the suicide shifter idea.
 
Love the look!

So I'm assuming the shifter is there just for low gear climbing and the high end is going to be set at a comfortable cruising ratio.
It's about keeping the cadence right for me. Sure I can push the big gear at 30rpm to make my way slowly down Main Street but it will feel all wrong to me. Low gear is good for any time the speed comes down, not just when the terrain forces it on me.
 
Now wait a minute... what is the maker of your crankset?
 
Back
Top