How do you find the bead size on tires and wheels? I would imagine tires have it marked on the sidewall somewhere, but most older wheels don't say what the bead size is, or they're too rusty to tell anyway.
Bike from the Dead's Mockup Mash
- Thread starter Bike from the Dead
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Took advantage of the cooler weather between yesterday and today to continue the Mockup Mash on two step-thrus!
I didn't make a ton of progress until late last night, as most of the parts I threw on my prewar Monark that day just weren't working. It wasn't until I threw some recently-acquired parts on that I saw the potential to turn this bike into something wild. I threw on this iron cross chainring, some funky chopper bars, and one of my nicer saddles to go along with my lowrider springer fork, and I got to say, I'm digging this! It's weird, but I've wanted to build something weird for a while now, and this bike just might be it!
I did play around with some other handlebars just to see if I had something better than those other bars, but nothing really meshed as well with that seat as the ones I had mocked up last night.
I still wanted to try one more thing. The ape hangers were a bit too close to my other seat, so I mocked up a banana seat to see how that'd look. I like it! Gives it more of a traditional lowrider bike vibe! That said, I don't have a lot of good banana seats in stock, and I don't want to go out and buy a new one at this time. I definitely think this look is worth coming back to, and it'd be easy enough to swap the seat and handlebars to give it a whole nother attitude.
I didn't make a ton of progress until late last night, as most of the parts I threw on my prewar Monark that day just weren't working. It wasn't until I threw some recently-acquired parts on that I saw the potential to turn this bike into something wild. I threw on this iron cross chainring, some funky chopper bars, and one of my nicer saddles to go along with my lowrider springer fork, and I got to say, I'm digging this! It's weird, but I've wanted to build something weird for a while now, and this bike just might be it!
I did play around with some other handlebars just to see if I had something better than those other bars, but nothing really meshed as well with that seat as the ones I had mocked up last night.
I still wanted to try one more thing. The ape hangers were a bit too close to my other seat, so I mocked up a banana seat to see how that'd look. I like it! Gives it more of a traditional lowrider bike vibe! That said, I don't have a lot of good banana seats in stock, and I don't want to go out and buy a new one at this time. I definitely think this look is worth coming back to, and it'd be easy enough to swap the seat and handlebars to give it a whole nother attitude.
I also spent a little time today mocking up my recently-obtained curved seat tube Elgin. I don't know if I'll go this way or not, but it was fun to play around with either way!
I like the lines of this mock up, with those handle bars. Personal favorite.
Thanks! Yeah, I like how that mockup has a bit of a chopper vibe going on!
With a lower and thinner profile saddle it'll rock a Bobber vibe. Think fat white walls.
I might actually have a lower profile seat I can use. I just have to check my inventory. And I'm definitely considering whitewalls! I just wish I could find some in a 26" x 2.5" size...With a lower and thinner profile saddle it'll rock a Bobber vibe. Think fat white walls.
Still, I do have a pair of Jerald slick whitewalls I've been itching to use, and this bike just might be the perfect to use them on! I'm actually thinking of having the slick in the back and a 1.75" whitewall up front.
DEVO:
Now mock it Into shape Shape it up Get straight Go forward
Move ahead Try to detect it It's not too late To mock it
Mock it good
Now mock it Into shape Shape it up Get straight Go forward
Move ahead Try to detect it It's not too late To mock it
Mock it good
I was going to enter the prewar Monark into the Step-Thru Build Off, and I still might, but for now I'm holding off on building it until I can get some help to fix a couple things on the frame, and to find the right chain guard. I ended up going back to a board track-inspired build, which was honestly my first plan with this bike anyway. As cool as the lowrider mockups were, I just found myself asking if I'd rather save those parts for something else. Plus the riding position wouldn't have been as comfortable as I'd like.
I had briefly thought about replacing the truss rods with some custom ones that more closely matched the kind I'd see on an old Indian or Harley, but I chose to stick with the originals, if for no other reason than I had them and they fit.
I had briefly thought about replacing the truss rods with some custom ones that more closely matched the kind I'd see on an old Indian or Harley, but I chose to stick with the originals, if for no other reason than I had them and they fit.
While I may not enter my prewar step-thru Monark into the 2024 Step-Thru Build Off, I might enter this 24" Murray-built Western Flyer into the 2024 Muscle Bike Build Off as a pig bike.
Yesterday, I decide to mock up a few parts to see what I liked best. Unfortunately, the original fork is bent out of shape.
Fortunately, I happened to have one good fork to replace it!
I already had the banana seat and sissy bar on there from a prior mockup, but I threw on a different set of handlebars that had a bit more wear and tear to go along with the rest of the bike.
I couldn't set up the front (now rear) fender the way I wanted due to some clearance issues with the fender braces, but this looks good to me.
That said, I still had one more fork I wanted to try out. I tried out this flipped Schwinn springer fork, and I got to say, I love it! In fact, I think I love it even more now that I'm looking at the photos than I did yesterday when it was on the work stand. The only problem I have with this is that I want this bike to look like a barn find/survivor, and I want all the colors to go together convincingly. If I strip the blue paint off the fork, wire brush it and clear it, it'll look alright, but it won't look like it'd been on the bike since the '60s/'70s. And while I've dabbled with fauxtina before, that's only been limited to painting "rust" on new bottom bracket hardware, staining fabric, and "dirtying up" fresh whitewall tires. I've never tried to color match paint and patina like this before.
But then again... maybe I don't have to match the red paint... Maybe I just need to make it look like some kid spray-painted it silver/gray to look like chrome... and then use the same fauxtina technique I used on that bottom bracket hardware to make it look old and rusty...
Hmm...
Well, if I don't go this route with this Western Flyer, I know I'd love to stick this fork on a 26" Murray!
I threw the other 24" fork back on, and shot some good photos out in the driveway. Regardless of which fork I end up using, I'm certain this old 24" Western Flyer will make a solid pig bike!
The red paint on the 24" fork actually matches the red paint on the frame much better in the sunlight. I'm very pleased with that.
Not so fun fact: this banana seat did not have a chunk of the vinyl and padding missing from the front when I got it. I had it mocked up on another 24" bike of mine to show a friend at a show, and it stayed secure on bike I mounted to my hitch-mounted bike rack right up until I went over the overpass just ahead of my turn into the neighborhood. This one small overpass has some nasty bumps where the asphalt ends and the concrete begins, and I didn't slow down enough to prevent my bike rack from bouncing a little and essentially catapulting the banana seat onto the pavement as I was driving. I still cringe thinking about that...
Still, on this bike, it doesn't look so bad. Worst case scenario, I can cover up the damage with a sticker or some tape, whatever looks more "period correct."
I'm not going to enter this bike into the MBBO until I know for sure I can build it before the deadline. Aside from the usual issues with headset bearings, cups and races, I'd have to buy two new 24" tires for this bike, one balloon and one middleweight, and preferably with a similar, old school tread pattern. I really don't have the money to spend on tires right now, so this project just might have to wait until later before I can build it.
Also, while the front wheel just needs to be trued to roll nice and straight, the rear wheel feels like someone just barely threw it back together and forgot to tighten any of the spokes. Also, the coaster brake hub is loose, and I'm worried it might be damaged beyond repair.
I've got a pair of rusty 24" chrome wheels I can use if need be, but I'd like to use the original wheels if at all possible.
Yesterday, I decide to mock up a few parts to see what I liked best. Unfortunately, the original fork is bent out of shape.
Fortunately, I happened to have one good fork to replace it!
I already had the banana seat and sissy bar on there from a prior mockup, but I threw on a different set of handlebars that had a bit more wear and tear to go along with the rest of the bike.
I couldn't set up the front (now rear) fender the way I wanted due to some clearance issues with the fender braces, but this looks good to me.
That said, I still had one more fork I wanted to try out. I tried out this flipped Schwinn springer fork, and I got to say, I love it! In fact, I think I love it even more now that I'm looking at the photos than I did yesterday when it was on the work stand. The only problem I have with this is that I want this bike to look like a barn find/survivor, and I want all the colors to go together convincingly. If I strip the blue paint off the fork, wire brush it and clear it, it'll look alright, but it won't look like it'd been on the bike since the '60s/'70s. And while I've dabbled with fauxtina before, that's only been limited to painting "rust" on new bottom bracket hardware, staining fabric, and "dirtying up" fresh whitewall tires. I've never tried to color match paint and patina like this before.
But then again... maybe I don't have to match the red paint... Maybe I just need to make it look like some kid spray-painted it silver/gray to look like chrome... and then use the same fauxtina technique I used on that bottom bracket hardware to make it look old and rusty...
Hmm...
Well, if I don't go this route with this Western Flyer, I know I'd love to stick this fork on a 26" Murray!
I threw the other 24" fork back on, and shot some good photos out in the driveway. Regardless of which fork I end up using, I'm certain this old 24" Western Flyer will make a solid pig bike!
The red paint on the 24" fork actually matches the red paint on the frame much better in the sunlight. I'm very pleased with that.
Not so fun fact: this banana seat did not have a chunk of the vinyl and padding missing from the front when I got it. I had it mocked up on another 24" bike of mine to show a friend at a show, and it stayed secure on bike I mounted to my hitch-mounted bike rack right up until I went over the overpass just ahead of my turn into the neighborhood. This one small overpass has some nasty bumps where the asphalt ends and the concrete begins, and I didn't slow down enough to prevent my bike rack from bouncing a little and essentially catapulting the banana seat onto the pavement as I was driving. I still cringe thinking about that...
Still, on this bike, it doesn't look so bad. Worst case scenario, I can cover up the damage with a sticker or some tape, whatever looks more "period correct."
I'm not going to enter this bike into the MBBO until I know for sure I can build it before the deadline. Aside from the usual issues with headset bearings, cups and races, I'd have to buy two new 24" tires for this bike, one balloon and one middleweight, and preferably with a similar, old school tread pattern. I really don't have the money to spend on tires right now, so this project just might have to wait until later before I can build it.
Also, while the front wheel just needs to be trued to roll nice and straight, the rear wheel feels like someone just barely threw it back together and forgot to tighten any of the spokes. Also, the coaster brake hub is loose, and I'm worried it might be damaged beyond repair.
I've got a pair of rusty 24" chrome wheels I can use if need be, but I'd like to use the original wheels if at all possible.
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