ORBO Black Widow

[Wildcat]

Used for night missions during WW2.

I have yet another new folding frame to build. This one will be black as the P61 was back in WW2. This will also have a folding handlebar stem and I'm hoping it will fold up as small as a Dahon.

 

[Wildcat]

I dug out some parts. I may have everything already. I'm using a 27.5 fork to get more clearance and height, along with suspension for rough riding.

 

[twojs.bike]

Wildcat is a wild man! You are a machine!

 

[Wildcat]

Pressing in the headset caps. I have just enough leftover headset parts to make it work. This frame has a different type of bracket, it is like a traditional folder at the hinge.

 

[twojs.bike]

I get an error at: http://www.mkxix.com/

 

[Wildcat]

Yep it's not there. I think the Mars Kingdom is a company here that gets frames cheap from China.

I trimmed the fork to fit the stem and did a quick mock up.

The handlebars are way too high with the 27.5 fork, it looks like a giraffe. I'm rethinking it and will try a 20" fork.

 

[twojs.bike]

Make a giraffe bike. What the story with that long stem?

 

[Wildcat]

That's the usual size of a fold down stem on a folding bike.

 

[Wildcat]

I made a few changes. Still with a 27.5 fork, but I'm using the heavy wheels and handlebars from the other 20" folder.
This needs a few parts afterall, a seat stem, derailleur and bottom bracket. The old used bottom bracket wouldn't work, so it gets a sealed bearing new one. Maybe a front band brake if I can get one to fit.

 

[Wildcat]

The 400mm stem and new derailleur showed up. I was also able to fit a 90mm band brake on the front. I added the handlebar stem extension to get a look.

 

[Wildcat]

Some progress, new bb and derailleur. Also different wheels getting disc brakes set up.

 

[Wildcat]

Just the shift cable left to install, then some black paint to cover up all the logos.

 

[Wildcat]

Everything is ready to go, I'm just waiting for the new 20 x 2.50 tires to show up. Bigger chainwheel and the blackout of the logos is done, tomorrow the decals go on.

 

[Wildcat]

The new 2.5 tires fit, I was afraid they might be too wide in the rear. I need a kickstand and the gears hooked up and I'll test it out.

 

[Wildcat]

The Black Widow is finished. That makes all 4 bikes done. I have 3 weeks to ride them and take photos.

 

[Wildcat]

We found a new place called the San Narciso Coastal Road about 45 minutes north of home, so we are going to stay a couple days at a resort there and I'm going to get some bike riding in along with swimming in the West Phillipine Sea. The road is over a kilometer along the beach on the west coast of Zambales. I'm also looking forward to the great food and sunset at the beach.

I had to make a cardboard insert so the bikes wouldn't scratch anything. It'll fit two bikes and have room for some luggage. A full size folder fits with the front wheel removed. I'll test out two 20" folders this trip, then next week I'll load the two big mullet folders and get some miles in on them. That's the plan.
Maybe I can get a local contractor to make an insert made of plywood with hinges to fold it up.
On the Black Widow, I had to loosen the handlebars, but the others fit with no loosening of anything that needed a wrench.

The Corsair went in easily.

The Wildcat is 27.5 and 26", and is a tight fit but I can fit two of them if I pull the seat out.