A free old Schwinn came along.

[Joe Monstermaker]

I'll post a picture after work - but a friend who works on bikes at Burning Man came across a 1967 (as ID'ed by the serial number) Schwinn 26" cantilever and gave it to me. It's a mess, but I just wanted the frame anyway.
I think it's been bastardized, it's a single speed with painted S-7 rims, a banana seat, high rise (but not ape hanger) bars, no fenders and a chain guard off some other bike.

What would you do with it?

 

[Schwinnspastic]

What would I do with it....a sawsall comes to mind, the sky's the limit so have a little fun with it !
Mark

 

[Wildcat]

I would paint it dark blue with white trim and pin striping, add some nice chrome handlebars, wheels, and chain guard. Also a dark blue leather seat matching the handle grips of the same color.
Then make a bumper mount for it on that Chevy and take it with you to the show!

 

[Joe Monstermaker]

I'm definitely down with the sawzall and welder even though the classic blue and white treatment sounds good.
I'm especially on the lookout for good ideas on mildly stretching and radically lowering it, in a way that doesn't look cobbled up and out of proportion.
Extra info: I rarely actually ride, and when I do I only have to keep up with my wife on her trike - and she often goes so slow I can hardly balance. So, practicality and ground clearance don't need to be the first priorities!

 

[horsefarmer]

Joe, May I recommend this?
http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/simple-chop-to-a-cantilever-frame.594/
AKA the "LocoJoe Chop"
Very happy with how my Huffy Cranbrook came out.

http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/huffy-cranbrook-locojoe-chop.99354/

 

[Joe Monstermaker]

Well that's pretty cool

 

[horsefarmer]

Well that's pretty cool

Thanks! And I'm thinking if I do another I will go with the Sawzall method to cut the canti welds. I used a 4 1/2" disc grinder and it was a mess!

 

[Wildcat]

I've used a dremel type tool quite a bit cutting metal. it works good and is precise, but uses a lot of the cutting discs.

 

[Joe Monstermaker]

Well no photo yet, been working too much. But heck everyone knows what one of these things looks like.

I can tell you that however it exactly ends up WILL incorporate fat tires and a ridiculous overkill rat rod style shifter!

 

[pholTmonx]

Well no photo yet, been working too much. But heck everyone knows what one of these things looks like.

I can tell you that however it exactly ends up WILL incorporate fat tires and a ridiculous overkill rat rod style shifter!

Both of those are well covered in the how to section..
Converting shifters and opening up stays... crash has an effective safe way using spring compressors and there are a few others..

Sounds like your in for some fun. If your going to cut a rake in the neck take a look at some if the fixture set ups around here thwy are cheap and easy to put something together easy..

 

[Fv2]

Locojoe chop, ridiculously bent springer, a crazy twist on rams horn bars.....

 

[pholTmonx]

And a hand powered coaster...
One for everyone.

 

[Joe Monstermaker]

Whaddya mean by "hand powered coaster"?

 

[pholTmonx]

Whaddya mean by "hand powered coaster"?

Lol... its a concept falstaff ask about in an other thread, i was just razzing him. But yes its a neat site here, he came with a left field idea, and a few of us have worked to come up with a way to make something simular work... was a fun thread.
He shot out an idea to make the rear coaster work with a hand lever. It took a few days to get it figured... but we think that we have.

 

[Joe Monstermaker]

Actually that would be pretty cool... I've already been thinking about doing a modified-to-spin-properly, lever-operated front coaster brake.
I don't like caliper brakes on rat bikes, and I don't think discs look right either.
I run just a rear drum brake on my Dyno stretch and I'd never take it down a real hill!
Looks great, barely stops.
The Dyno is modified some but it's too nice to cut up.
This bike is my chance to build a real rat rod.
The idea-box is wide open, the guidelines are that it be a rat rod and not a "chopper", it's longer than stock, has almost zero ground clearance, and is rideable to the bar nearby but practicality beyond that doesn't matter.

 

[Fv2]

Here's the link to the discussion about hand brake rear coaster... got some good brainstorming goin on.

http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/hand-lever-coaster-brake.100343/

 

[Wildcat]

How about a "foot" brake? A crude friction type brake? Get one of those gas pedals that looks like a big foot and weld a lever to it with a hinge and return spring so you just pull to stop?

 

[Joe Monstermaker]

I've had one of those lying around since the '80s, have never found a good use for it!!
Thanks for that brain-fuel!!