24" Monark Build

[RocketeerRat]

This is my first bike in about 10 years and my first time modifying one so the learning curve on this will be pretty steep. I'm planning to take most of the winter to get this done so dont expect lightning fast progress, but you can expect an annoying amount of pictures! ...and probably some failure too :shock: I bought the bike last Monday and after some clean up its been a very nice rider all week. Today the first parts showed up, making it the official start of my build and to commemorate this nearly significant moment I decided to start a thread about it!

Before:

Step 1: Remove Basket

Step 2: Install Rack
Even though the rack is from a 24" Monark, it wont fit without modification. I'm not really diggin the style so I'll be reselling it.

Step 3: Install Tank
The Tank fits like a glove! Even though this bike didnt come with one originally, I instantly loved the look with it installed. Now I'm torn if I want to keep the firestone graphics with the new paint job or do something else, thoughts?

I am currently researching wheel building and truing so that will probably be the next installment in a week or two. My rear wheel was a pretty nasty warp so that needs fixing. Now the contest is on can I get the wheels rebuilt and installed before the snow flies? Only time will tell!

If you see anything that jumps out at you, creative thoughts, problems, etc... Feel free to point them out! I appreciate any and all feedback.

 

[ratina]

Re: Custom Monark Build

Great starting point! I love the graphics on the tank, thats a tough question to keep them or not.

Its hard to tell from the pictures, but your fork looks like its slightly bent backwards. Just thought I'd point that out.

 

[blsm]

Re: Custom Monark Build

The Tank fits like a glove! Even though this bike didnt come with one originally, I instantly loved the look with it installed. Now I'm torn if I want to keep the firestone graphics with the new paint job or do something else, thoughts?

Leave the tank for now. Then after you're done with everything else decide on whether or not to repaint it. The bright red & white will go with almost any color scheme, so doing this will hardly limit you.

 

[thatismytruck]

Re: Custom Monark Build

I love your bike. Can't wait to see what direction you take.

 

[RocketeerRat]

Re: Custom Monark Build

I like the graphics but since I'm going to repaint I figure its a good time to mix it up a bit. I'll probably keep the graphics, unless I can come up with something between now and the paint job. Which is going to be Red, white and black ..like the tank.

Heres a close up of the tank, the detail is actually pretty intricate...

I did notice the bend in the forks but it doesnt seem to be effecting anything. I'm considering a set of springer forks, those double spring monark ones are quite tempting but I'm not sure if it will be a good fit since mine is 24" and those are made for a 26" bike. The longer fork wouldnt be the end of the world but the steering tube is also longer and I'm not sure if cutting it down for my bike would throw off the geometry too much. I probably need to just pick up a set and see what happens.

 

[Crassly]

Re: Custom Monark Build

The rack looks right, the legs bolt to the frame using the same screw as the fender braces. You can check the pictures of the 26 inch Rocket on your post at theCabe.

Crassly aka Gordon

PS - I knew that tank would look good!

 

[RocketeerRat]

Re: Custom Monark Build

I'll tinker with the rack a bit today to see if I can make it work, I'll let you know how it works out.

I got up much earlier than normal today and went for a ride with my Mom. Nothing major, just a lap around the block and stopped by my old school. It was a lot of fun, and getting up early isnt all bad! Check out that sunrise!

My Mom rides a new Schwinn Jaguar which has a slightly vintage look and is very comfortable.

It was a relaxing, scenic ride. Its starting to look like fall around here... I'm starting to wish I could ride year round

 

[ExtraBlaze]

Re: Custom Monark Build

That tank looks awesome on there 8) !! I wouldn't touch it.Cool bike.Can't wait to see what you do! :mrgreen:

 

[RocketeerRat]

Re: Custom Monark Build

Here are some better pics of the rear rack. The front of the rack bolts onto the seat clamp no problem, the rear struts are the problem. If you try bolting to the fender brace mount on the dropout the rack brace has to cross over the fender brace which forces it outward and cant be bolted to the dropout.

Now when I move the rack brace parallel to the fender brace it does seem to line up fine with the bolts on the rear brace.

However since there are two small bolts the rack brace is too large to bolt to either one. The only solution I can think of is to replace the rear most bolt with a longer one which would create a stud that the rack brace can be bolted to.

I'm still not sure if I like this rack, at the least it needs some red paint. I like the clean look without it but the whole vintage look usually has one so I'm torn. I have some soul searching to do, I need to nail down exactly what I want to do with the bike. Getting it down to a few options would be good. Shiny? Rusty? Primer? ...so many options!

 

[RocketeerRat]

Re: Custom Monark Build

Its been a while but I'm back to tinkering with the Monark. Got a nice black seat for free from a buddy who got a new one for his schwinn. Its a bit rough around the edges but looks good on the bike. After soaking in pb all winter I finally got the seat post loose, so I cleaned it up, shot some silver paint on, then scuffed it up to match the patina.

The other issue I've started dealing with is the bent fork.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14523

Since my local bike shops dont want to straighten it for me I decided to remove it and try for myself. Unfortunately its no going so well, I spent a couple of hours trying to remove the neck. It simply wont budge. I've got it soaking in penetrating oil right now but if that fails to work I dont know what else to try. I have a bad feeling the steer tube on the fork is bent which wedged the neck solid. I did pull the bolt out and something tells me its not supposed to look like this...

not sure if the previous owner also attempted a removal and did the damage but I'm thinking its not a good sign. I have a bad feeling I'm going to need to get out the hack saw to get the fork off. Any ideas?

I got bored and did some math, The fork is bent back 6.5 degrees. Pretty much entirely useless information but sometimes you just need to do some math, or maybe I'm just weird like that...

 

[Crassly]

Re: Custom Monark Build

I must have missed the post from last Sept. I think part of the problem with fitting the rack might be that it appears the ends of the fenders stays have broken off and someone has done a patch job to make them work.

 

[schwinnmesa]

Re: Custom Monark Build

It's looking good so far! :mrgreen:

 

[Dman]

Re: Custom Monark Build

Great bike! Nice looking town too.

 

[RocketeerRat]

Re: Custom Monark Build

So I've been searching for a solution to the fork problem and since I cant seen to figure out what has it stuck, I'll be hacking it apart next week. I'm going to cut on the bottom side of the steer tube with the hope that I can maybe save the neck. The forks are toast so I'm not too broken up about cutting that. I've been looking for a suitable replacement and I really love the look of springers so thats what I've been looking at, unfortunately no one makes a springer for 24" bikes ...not that I've found anyways. The only solution is to either deal with the longer 26" fork or customize something. I'm leaning twards a modified schwinn but honestly, they are really common so therefore less appealing. yeah i know, I'm weird. :shock:

Wandering the net for springer ideas in the middle of the night I suddenly had a thought and scribbled it down. I hope you dont mind my very rough sketches but I hope it gets the idea across. The idea is to have two springs, and rotate them more vertical, shorten the truss rods, and hack down the main tubes. It makes it a bit more like the monark springer but without the rocker at the bottom. I'm debating if I need a tie rod (dash line). anyways, I'm starting to ramble.. let me know if you have any thoughts about it. Thanks

 

[jesusfreak86]

Re: Custom Monark Build

that a neat bike but im not digging the helmet on it in the photo of your moms bike i dont wear helmet when im riding a bike buts it is good to always wear a helmet its been a while since i worn a helmet but i plan on start wearing it again sometime i got to get the spikes fixed these types helmets are really cool just my 2 cents mine doe not have the one single spike it has the mohawk strip and it does not have the cross in the back it has all spikes with a large one in the center and its chrome with stickers

 

[thatismytruck]

Re: Custom Monark Build

Rocketeerrat: I like your springer. I think you will need the tie rod, otherwise the springer will tend to wobble instead if spring. if you follow what I mean.

 

[stretch]

Re: Custom Monark Build

looks like a good springer. looks almost like an Indian motorcycle "Girder" springer:

i think its a great idea, and you could buy a conventional springer steer tube instead of cutting up those forks and risk them being unstable. somethin like these: http://www.streetlowrider.com/store/pro ... ts_id/1025
i think the angle of the springs are fine, because the way they are designed, the forks will flex in that direction. and truss rods are a must. matter of fact, you could buy a whole 26" springer(maybe a rusty one or painted one), and cut it up to make this one.

 

[RocketeerRat]

Re: Custom Monark Build

The wobble is exactly my fear so thats why I was pondering the tie rod. If I got this route I'll definitely put one in.

Now that I've been researching springers for a while its really quite surprising how many different kinds there are. I really am quite impressed! I'm definitely going to build the springer from new parts (or good condition old parts), I'm only hacking up my current fork to remove it from the frame.

I never really understood the angle of the schwinn springs, they dont seem to line up with how the bike wants to flex when you hit a bump, it almost seems backwards, but I've never had one to closely study so I'm not sure. I'll be stealing a few schwinn pieces for my springer so I'm just going to buy a 26" and start modifying. I'll start ordering parts this week and see how fast they can get here, lol.

I Really like those Indian girder springers, I found this patent drawing online of a very similar springer so I might go that route. The hard part here would be the top mount, I've never seen anything like it in the bike world so it would have to be custom. I'm also not sure what the fork part looks like so it would be hard to replicate, but thats half the fun right? Improvise!

 

[stretch]

Re: Custom Monark Build

i think if you figured a way to build a springer like those to fit a bike that would be awesome! if you were to build these forks, you could use a lot of conventional parts.
http://image.streetchopperweb.com/f/880 ... girder.jpg
heres what the whole thing looks like. and i found someone who makes these for real, but for motorcycles. i think maybe the pictures will get the gears turning.
http://www.spartanframeworks.com/Forks/Girders.shtml
these style girder springers are the simplest looknig ones, more stright-forward than the patent drawings. so if your going to build one of em, you should model them after those. 8)

 

[Fireproof]

Re: Custom Monark Build

Hello RocketeerRat,
I think your springer fork is very feasible, especially if you have metal fab tools/experience. Keep in mind that on a girder design, the "trail" is determined by the length of the upper links, so the lower legs should be straight & parallel to the steer tube. By the way, if you should decide to paint your tank, tape some tracing paper over on your tank logo and trace out the design to aid in repainting it. I’ve been thinking about doing a “how to” on hand-cut masking . . . you’d need that tracing to do it. All the best on your project. Please take some pictures of what you come up with, and keep us posted.

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