Caridad (1st build) Please be gentle ;-)

[Joe Conde]

Hello there, this is my first post at RRB and I just wanted to share my first attempt at a bike build. I got the raw bike from a Japanese surplus bike shop here in Manila. I stripped, chopped (with the help of the neighborhood steel fabricators), sanded, polished (baking soda + copper brush works wonders!) and painted it myself. The handle bars were inspired by F&Y wooden handlebars...of course I couldn't afford them so I just picked up a pair of ironwood Kamagong Escrima fighting sticks ($4/stick). I had to bring the handle post and try to fit the sticks until I found the perfect fit, of course the salesperson at the weapons/military store thought I was a nut job . I wanted to go for a rustic look so I slapped on a vinyl tile that mimicked wood for the tank plate and used a vintage-looking leather saddle. Sorry I wasn't able to document the process with a camera, I was too excited to get this baby finished, it took me about a week and a half. Maybe in my next build. The total cost was about USD$250. I hope you guys like it. Thanks!

Here's the before photos:

Here's the after:

 

[CCR]

Looks slick !!! Love the bars, rest aint bad neither

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Looks good!

When you said "I just picked up a pair of ironwood Kamagong Escrima fighting sticks ($4/stick)", did you mean that you have two pieces mounted on the bike or that they come two to a set and that you used one for the bar?

If you have two pieces held together by the stem, I would be concerned about how safe it would be.

 

[XC204]

Looks great! Bars are cool. You are the "Thrilla from Manila"

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Joe Conde]

Looks good!

When you said "I just picked up a pair of ironwood Kamagong Escrima fighting sticks ($4/stick)", did you mean that you have two pieces mounted on the bike or that they come two to a set and that you used one for the bar?

If you have two pieces held together by the stem, I would be concerned about how safe it would be.

Hi, I just used one of the sticks and kept the other as a home protection tool

 

[Joe Conde]

Looks slick !!! Love the bars, rest aint bad neither

Thank you very much sir!

 

[noodlenoggin]

That...is very cool!

 

[Joe Conde]

Looks great! Bars are cool. You are the "Thrilla from Manila"

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

Thank you, much appreciated!

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Hi, I just used one of the sticks and kept the other as a home protection tool

Perfect!
Let us know a little bit about yourself in the intros section...
http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?forums/intros.9/

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Great work Joe! Looking forward to seeing what you come up with for the big build-off!

Luke.

 

[Araya51]

I must say that I like your ride a lot.. Simple and clean looking. Everything just flows rite.. But I must point out the one thing that stuck out was the rusty chain.. Other than that I love what you did with your cruiser.. I may use some of your I deas in one of my projects.. Nice job Joe.!!!

 

[Joe Conde]

Hi Luke, thanks for dropping by to say some kind words. I'm really excited about the build-off myself. Cheers!

 

[Joe Conde]

I must say that I like your ride a lot.. Simple and clean looking. Everything just flows rite.. But I must point out the one thing that stuck out was the rusty chain.. Other than that I love what you did with your cruiser.. I may use some of your I deas in one of my projects.. Nice job Joe.!!!

Yes, I have to admit I was quite in a hurry to put this thing together and at the last hour of the build I forgot to get a new chain so I used the one it came with. I will probably get a new one this weekend. And yes, you may use my ideas. It would be an honor. Thank you

 

[mikeeebikey]

Hi, I just used one of the sticks and kept the other as a home protection tool

Always good to have back up!
Nice looking bike!

 

[ctaccruiser]

Really a great build for a 1st. Regards.

 

[Joe Conde]

Hi guys! Here are my latest mods to my bike. Because I ride this baby all the time I have been beginning to feel some discomfort on my lower back due to riding it racer-style, courtesy to the position and form of the handlebars as well as the ever present potholes in the streets of Manila. So...I got myself some new bars and grips and it snowballed from there, well you know how it is I added some truss rods, a break lever, front brake and a huge chrome bell. I like how it turned out and its a more comfortable ride now, but some friends of mine on Facebook told me to flip the bars board track style for a meaner look. With this style of bars would it still be comfortable flipped as compared to the original wooden straight bar? Would I be sacrificing comfort for style (again)? I would appreciate your suggestions. Thanks

 

[jimmiroquai]

Hi! I'm from the Philippines too. You could be experiencing back pain also due to your seat being too low. If you want to keep it that low, try moving it back by using a laid back seat post or lucky 7 style post.

 

[Joe Conde]

Hi! I'm from the Philippines too. You could be experiencing back pain also due to your seat being too low. If you want to keep it that low, try moving it back by using a laid back seat post or lucky 7 style post.

Hi, thanks for the advice bro I haven't thought of that. Would moving the seat back still make me in a crouched/racer position if I flipped the bars? Btw I'm just a short dude, 5'4" that's why the seat is low. Also, do you have suggestions whether to flip or not to flip the bars? Thanks kabayan!

 

[flatblack50]

Love it! The colors are great

 

[jimmiroquai]

Ah in that case maybe the seat is fine where it is. I can't get comfortable with the racer crouch as well. The lowest i can do is handlebars level with the seat.