Anything goes "Muscle-Bike-Build-Off 01"

[LukeTheJoker]

Re: Anything goes "Muscle-Bike-Build-Off" Build thread.

Wow! My wallet is complaining just reading this... :shock:

Still, it is worth it if at the end you have a bender that is reliable and strong... :wink:
I hope you are not regretting entering the build-off seeing as things have been going sideways for you on it?

Luke.

 

[RichL]

Re: Anything goes "Muscle-Bike-Build-Off" Build thread.

I don't regret it a bit, these were all things that were going to happen one time or another. I still am having a great time! Ultimately this is all part of the learning experience, the buildoff forces me to keep going and to finish what I said I would do... else, I might put the project on the shelf for another time.

This bike and I are going to finish this buildoff, even if I have to drag it to the finish line hehehe.

I'm heading out to the garage, even despite the drizzle that is going on right now

Rich

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Re: Anything goes "Muscle-Bike-Build-Off" Build thread.

Good on ya Rich! Looking forward to your next post!

Luke.

 

[RichL]

Re: Anything goes "Muscle-Bike-Build-Off" Build thread.

How's everyone else doing?

Better progress today, all the 1 1/4" tubing is where the drawings call for it. I decided not to mess around with the 1 1/2", the parts will probably be here by the end of the week. I started to tweek the main tube, but I am not satisfied with the small pinches the bender leaves in the piece. I would rather have it looking good than not...
I'll work on the front forks over the next couple of days, than do some "me" time on the chopper build I have, lots of little things need to be finished up on that... I don't know if you'll hear from me till than

I'll be looking at you guys till my next earth shaking post!!!

Rich

 

[Lowlife Lucas]

Re: Anything goes "Muscle-Bike-Build-Off" Build thread.

Nice progress, sir!

 

[RichL]

Re: Anything goes "Muscle-Bike-Build-Off" Build thread.

Thanks Lucas, you are too kind!

How about that bike of yours? Those forks put a mean stance on that baby... more painting soon?

Rich

 

[Lowlife Lucas]

Re: Anything goes "Muscle-Bike-Build-Off" Build thread.

Thanks Lucas, you are too kind!

How about that bike of yours? Those forks put a mean stance on that baby... more painting soon?

Rich

Thank ya, thank ya. I've gotta make a run to get more paint, but hopefully soon. I'm dealing with crazy weather right now, so not sure when :?

 

[everett's]

Re: Anything goes "Muscle-Bike-Build-Off" Build thread.

Everyones builds are looking real good. I really have my work cut out for me. Well I'm out of town till monday so no building for me this weekend. Everyone have fun and be safe this weekend. Tim

 

[Glen]

Re: Anything goes "Muscle-Bike-Build-Off" Build thread.

Great stuff guys!

To be honest, I didn't know what a "muscle bike" was until it was described here as a bike with ape hangers, banana seat, and a smaller front wheel. That's what I had as a kid... a 24 inch wheel bike with a metalflake banana seat and tall sissy bar, tall ape hangers and a 20 inch wheel on the front. Ahhh... memories.

Would love to join in the fun but I am finding it hard to get parts up here in Kerikeri after getting rid of my stash when leaving Christchurch... silly me :roll: . Currently bidding on a bratz banana seat and searching Trade Me for other bits, but shipping is the killer.

Oh well... keep up the great work guys so the rest of us can live vicariously

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Re: Anything goes "Muscle-Bike-Build-Off" Build thread.

There is always plenty of time left Glen if the bits do turn up...

I guess we have all taken a day or two off on this build off, I plan to be back on mine soon, just spent the last couple of days completely changing my other build, it is no longer a Cadillac stretch, it is "FATBOB" the fat little bobber...

Still working out how to do the rear spokes on my muscle bike, might end up doing them like the old "mag" wheel style muscle bikes, or even just do 4 or 5 normal spokes, part of me wants to do it 10 spoke styled after the old lightweight gasser front wheels but aligning it all up and keeping it true would be a headache I can do without... :roll:

Curious as to what Jake has been up to, he seems to be staying very quiet! :mrgreen:

Luke.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Re: Anything goes "Muscle-Bike-Build-Off" Build thread.

This is the kind of wheel I was talking about, they were used on the front of Gassers but usually as a spindle mount, this is the newer road style version...

Gasser front wheels by LukeTheJoker, on Flickr
It would look good if I can do it and keep the wheel straight...

Luke.

Edit: Been thinking more about this and I'm thinking it might not look as good as it does in my head, it might clash with the normal spokes on the front wheel. Probably end up doing 5 plain spokes...

 

[Glen]

Re: Anything goes "Muscle-Bike-Build-Off" Build thread.

This is the kind of wheel I was talking about, they were used on the front of Gassers but usually as a spindle mount, this is the newer road style version...

Gasser front wheels by LukeTheJoker, on Flickr
It would look good if I can do it and keep the wheel straight...

Luke.

Edit: Been thinking more about this and I'm thinking it might not look as good as it does in my head, it might clash with the normal spokes on the front wheel. Probably end up doing 5 plain spokes...

Hey Luke... what about making the ten spoke drag style wheel like in your photo for the front, and doing a 5 spoke hustler style one for the back...

Lots of work, but you've got the skills :wink:

 

[Lowlife Lucas]

Re: Anything goes "Muscle-Bike-Build-Off" Build thread.

I'm curious how Jake is coming along on his as well, Luke. I agree, he has been keeping quiet.
As for me, I've not touched mine in a while, I guess because I've got so much done already lol.
Like the idea for the wheel, Luke :wink:

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Re: Anything goes "Muscle-Bike-Build-Off" Build thread.

Well, solved my wheel spoke problem, I decided to just not have them... :mrgreen:

Actually there will be spokes, just you wont see them, been reading up on the "How To's" about trash bin lid aero discs, then I remembered that one of the bikes I dragged home from the dump shop the other day was a little girls 20 inch bmx style with "spinners" on the front wheel... Didn't take long to rip them of and try it out...

DSC00222 by LukeTheJoker, on Flickr

DSC00223 by LukeTheJoker, on Flickr
Whether or not I use these particular discs or go hunting for bin lids, circles of aluminium or something else I dont know, but the aero disc idea will happen!

So then I had to think about connecting the rim to the hub, started cutting up some square tube left over from the "FatBob" bike (Nearly wrote Cadillac then! :roll: ) I actually cut 5 spokes to fit in, but could not think of a reliable way to get the spacing right, so went down to 4 so I could just use my welders helper magnet squares to align everything...

DSC00221 by LukeTheJoker, on Flickr

Came out pretty well I think, so started to think about how to connect the spokes to the rim straight, came up with a sort of stand that seemed like it should work.

DSC00224 by LukeTheJoker, on Flickr

The end result is this:

DSC00225 by LukeTheJoker, on Flickr

DSC00226 by LukeTheJoker, on Flickr

Remember I said the stand/jig seemed like it should work? Well it did work well in centering the hub in the rim up and down and side to side, but I figured I had better spin it up to make sure it runs true, and well to cut the story short, it didn't! :shock: I had the rim wobbling about 1/4 of an inch, thought about leaving it, but decided I wanted it done right in case I ever sell the bike, so cut spokes, clamp to workbench, tack back together...

DSC00227 by LukeTheJoker, on Flickr

Ended up moving 3 of the 4 spokes to get the wheel to run true, started finish welding the spoke ends and wouldn't you know it that is the exact moment my welder runs out of gas... :roll: Frustrating! I will have to wait till monday now to get this buttoned up, but I am happy with how it is coming together.

By the way, got the scales out to weigh the rear tire and rim, I was a bit worried about weight because the rear tire/wheel on "FatBob" weighs in at 35kg (75 lbs) The rear rim/hub came in at 5.7kg and the tire at 7.4kg, giving me a total of 13.1kg (29 lbs) Pretty happy with that, should be able to bring the whole bike in at less than the weight of the rear wheel and tire on "FatBob"! :mrgreen:

Luke.

 

[Lowlife Lucas]

Re: Anything goes "Muscle-Bike-Build-Off" Build thread.

Nice work, like that wheel! 8)

 

[junknutz1975]

Re: Anything goes "Muscle-Bike-Build-Off" Build thread.

that wheel looks awesome!
i might wanna steal that idea someday :wink:
keep up the good work ! :mrgreen:

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Re: Anything goes "Muscle-Bike-Build-Off" Build thread.

Nice work, like that wheel! 8)

Thanks Lucas!

that wheel looks awesome!
i might wanna steal that idea someday :wink:
keep up the good work ! :mrgreen:

Steal away! I would love to see more of this sort of thing done!

Luke.

 

[RichL]

Re: Anything goes "Muscle-Bike-Build-Off" Build thread.

Very nice, clean professional looking work as always Luke! I wish we were able to buy steel rims in a wide variety of sizes with tires, it's a really fun way to do a custom ride. Looking forward to seeing them on your frame, your build is going to be cool 8)

Rich

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Re: Anything goes "Muscle-Bike-Build-Off" Build thread.

Very nice, clean professional looking work as always Luke! I wish we were able to buy steel rims in a wide variety of sizes with tires, it's a really fun way to do a custom ride. Looking forward to seeing them on your frame, your build is going to be cool 8)

Rich

As is yours Rich! Looking forward to seeing your frame come together, it looks like it will have an awesome style to it!
I do wish they made bike rims and tires in these sizes, they would weigh far less, but then again it would have some drawbacks too! They would probably cost too much for me to afford and too many other people would have them, the appeal would be lost to some extent if every dog and his kid had a set...

Probably best to keep making our own! Looking forward to seeing your rim treaded up and finished on your "Chopper Style" build! :mrgreen:

Luke.

 

[Lowlife Lucas]

Re: Anything goes "Muscle-Bike-Build-Off" Build thread.

Got my chain on, and mocked up the bars