Bikes For My Visitors

[aka_locojoe]

Our Daughter and Grandkids are coming to visit from Alaska in a couple of weeks!! That means I need to come up with bikes the kids can ride while they're here. They've been gone well over a year now and I'm sure have outgrown the little 16 inch bikes they had here. Just as it was when they moved, the oldest Grandson is still the only one who rides without training wheels. I'd like nothing more than for one or both of the others to learn to ride while they're here but I'm not getting my hopes up.
Anyway I'm gonna build two 20 inch bikes. I really don't want to put too much time or money in to these considering the short time they will see use. The first is this Schwinn Mag Scrambler that I had built up as a muscle bike a couple years ago for the RatRodBikes.com Kids Bike Build-Off. I'm going to turn it back into a bmx bike.

I'll probably be using shorter crank arms and this smaller sprocket.

The other this Western Flyer Buzz Bike. The seat on the Scrambler muscle bike was off this Buzz Bike and will be going back on it.

 

[aka_locojoe]

Frame, handlebars and fork painted. Went to the LBS this morning and got a seat, pedals & tires.

 

[aka_locojoe]

May add a few details but this is pretty much it for the Scrambler.

 

[Markm]

Nice!!!!!! :wink:

 

[Rat Rod]

Wow!...someone is going to have fun riding that one!

 

[aka_locojoe]

Thanks guys. I forgot to mention. When I disassembled the Scrambler muscle bike I built and took out the crank... there was no grease in the bottom bracket! just like a walmart assembled bike. I didn't ride it that much just on a couple of pub pedals so no damage was done.
Now on to the Buzz Bike...

I needed the seat to go lower than it would currently go. This had to do with the angle of the sissy bar. So that meant moving the seat bracket forward.

The rear tire is a tight fit, real close to the rear fender brace. I've got plenty of room here to extend the drop out slot to cure that problem though.

Here it is kinda mocked up. The frame was busted and rewelded sometime at the chainstays. When they did this it altered the geometry. As you can see the top tubes take a dip at the seat tube.

 

[aka_locojoe]

Extended the drop out slots. Here you can see where it was welded.

Not to keen on the look of the banana seat so low and worried about it still not working out for the Grandkids. So I tried this seat.

Test ride video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjLM9GHqmZs

 

[Markm]

cool!!

 

[aka_locojoe]

All I got done today was the frame in primer. Not sure of the color I'll go with. I didn't really like the apes, wanted something narrower so I tried squeezing these together with no luck. Messed em up so now I'm looking for different apes.

 

[Half Link]

I really like what you did with the Scrambler!! Lov’n that set of wheels. 8)

Bummer to here about the apes on the Buzz bike but the way you do things I bet your going
to have some very happy Grand kids riding some of the sweetest bikes in town!! Heck, they
might not want to go back to Alaska!

If they do go back.........can you build me a bike and I will come and visit! :shock: :lol:

 

[aka_locojoe]

Thanks halflink.

Tonight I primered the forks and painted the seat using rattle can paint for vinyl.

 

[sensor]

those look great so far :mrgreen:

 

[aka_locojoe]

In true rat rod style it'll be ridden in primer till I can afford a paint job. Actually just couldn't decide on a color. I wanted something that would go with the blue sparkle banana seat should I choose to put it back on. When reassembling the bike though I realized just how tweaked the rear end was so probably just as well I didn't paint and put more effort into it. Pulled the apes of another of my bikes and put a little smaller sprocket on it. Schwinn speedo and head badge. Kids we'll be arriving tomorrow!

A previous owner had engraved his name in both the chaingurard and sprocket.

 

[udallcustombikes]

There are two Mike Bradfords in Wichita. Call 'em up and ask why he abused his bike.

 

[aka_locojoe]

There are two Mike Bradfords in Wichita. Call 'em up and ask why he abused his bike.

HA!

 

[Pappy]

Randy...I'm sure you inspected those welds and OK'd them else you wouldn't let your grandchildren play with and ride the bike.It wouldn't take a whole lot to correct that problem.Shoot,Lily,my 3yr. old granddaughter could do a better job.I plan on being down your way for the COASTERS' BIKEFEST later this summer.I think I can straighten & re-weld that frame for you ,if you want.The only problem is that I'm a bett'in man,you see, and I'm a bett'in there's gonna be 2 grandkids wanting to take 2 "GRAND" bikes home with them so there will be nothing to repair!LOL :shock: ...Pappy 8) a SPOKESMAN (V.B.C.)

 

[aka_locojoe]

Thanks Pappy.

The family arrived safely. The kids really seemed to like the bikes but best of all the youngest Grandson learned to ride a bike this evening! I was sure hoping for this but wasn't expecting it to happen. Especially on their first evening here. Maybe we'll get the younger Granddaughter riding also.

Oldest Grandson on each of the bikes. The Scrambler his favorite.

The youngest Grandson riding for the first time.

Grandma

 

[Pappy]

BOY-HOWDY!...the SMILE on that boy's face says it all...doesn't it? Somehow I feel that's a BIG part of why we do what we do...Pappy 8)

 

[aka_locojoe]

Video riding tonight http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kI6t1aVO ... r_embedded

Now to get this one to ride.

 

[Hooch]

I always love your builds, photos and storys Randy great stuff!