Awesome idea for the handlebars!
CyCLo KiLLeR - Last minute details, and a teaser!
- Thread starter Toeslider
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:
“Oh no baby, what is you doing?”
Why would someone do such a thing?
Why would someone do such a thing?
Before I get to the craziness, I’ll show you the poor mans way of making a straight cut, if you don’t have a machine shop and just have primitive tools.
First I made a guide out of PVC pipe. It works well if you can find a piece that is the right inside diameter for what you are doing. If you can’t, you can also just use wire ties as well, anything that you can clamp or fasten on and that will give you a “shoulder” to guide your saw.
Once it is in place, just start going around it with a hacksaw and make a groove in the metal where you want your cut to be.
If you’re making the whole cut with a hacksaw you can leave the guide on until you’re done. If you want to switch to some other sort of tool you can remove it once you’ve got a deep enough groove to guide your tool. Sometimes I just go at it with a portable band saw, but more often than not it gets off 90 degrees at some point and throws off what you’re trying to do. This way takes a little longer, but you get better results.
Once you get your hunk of metal removed, go back with a sanding block or file and clean everything up a bit and you should have a nice 90 degree cut.
First I made a guide out of PVC pipe. It works well if you can find a piece that is the right inside diameter for what you are doing. If you can’t, you can also just use wire ties as well, anything that you can clamp or fasten on and that will give you a “shoulder” to guide your saw.
Once it is in place, just start going around it with a hacksaw and make a groove in the metal where you want your cut to be.
If you’re making the whole cut with a hacksaw you can leave the guide on until you’re done. If you want to switch to some other sort of tool you can remove it once you’ve got a deep enough groove to guide your tool. Sometimes I just go at it with a portable band saw, but more often than not it gets off 90 degrees at some point and throws off what you’re trying to do. This way takes a little longer, but you get better results.
Once you get your hunk of metal removed, go back with a sanding block or file and clean everything up a bit and you should have a nice 90 degree cut.
Once you get everything straight you can do cool stuff, like this:
In general this all came out how I had hoped, however there are a few things that bother me. The angle of the stem is just not quite right (it has a 6 degree angle, and should be a little more. Not sure if a 7 degree would change enough, and 10 degree might be too much). Also, while I really like the look of the bars, they are less than ideal for this application from a rideability standpoint. It will turn, but not much. Going to mess with some other bars and see what I can come up with. There’s just too little space at the center on these.
Next up:
You get the idea. Bike will most likely have a different fork soon which will allow this to be mounted with a quick release. Just visualizing things right now.
You get the idea. Bike will most likely have a different fork soon which will allow this to be mounted with a quick release. Just visualizing things right now.
Crazy cool! 
I think you can make it work with some wide apes or deep moon bars. Those should allow for enough steering movement.
Can honestly say I’ve never seen anyone split a headtube and insert the stem in the middle
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2020
- Messages
- 772
- Reaction score
- 4,039
Hehehe…. Love it.
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2018
- Messages
- 839
- Reaction score
- 1,971
Unique solution!
Appears steering will bind without bearings. With it should work fine.
The sais and crosbow are killer!
I have adapted head sets in the past using nylon washers found at Ace Hardware in lieu of ball bearings. They can be shaped to fit any head set cup, stacked if need be, and lubed with grease just like a ball bearing. One or two nylon washers in your design @Toeslider would aid in the 'fluidness' of your steering for sure. They come in many I.D. sizes, and grind down easily ( go gentle, they grind up fast!) to fit your desired O.D.Unique solution!
Appears steering will bind without bearings. With it should work fine.
The sais and crosbow are killer!
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2018
- Messages
- 839
- Reaction score
- 1,971
Splitting the head tube greatly compromises structure. The top and down tubes will flex and twist under load. An ideal solution would be to place the top half of threadedless headsets with cups on both sides of the Ahead stem. The top locknut would serve as the preload. That would of course require enough room for cups, bearings and the races.
Another possibility aside from using nylon washers would be to add a brace to join the head tubes together from say the front leaving the rear open effectively making it one piece again. The stem could move freely by adjusting it between the spaces of the head tubes, no bearings or spacers necessary.
It's an assassin bike... moves have to be very precise.
Some updates as I finally get some parts in:
Got another stem to try. Probably the best fit I’m going to get with something that is commonly available. I went from a 6 degree to a 7 degree and it pulled it away from the top tube a little more. The next common stem readily available is a 10 degree, which I think is too much, but I may try to find one to try. Unfortunately this one is a little wider than the last one (top to bottom), so I may have to do some filing on the frame if I decide to keep it. I was able to pull the tubes apart enough to test it:
Next is the fork I am going to use. Looked around way too long for a deal on a triple tree fork with a long enough stem to use before I finally found this one for $65 shipped. Decent deal for what it is so I ordered two. Unfortunately both were slightly damaged in shipping due to a packaging issue, but not enough to bother with sending them back. The box they send them in is only about the same thickness as the fork front to rear, so the back of the bottom clamp rubs against the box until it makes a hole. Both of them did it. A little piece of foam would prevent it, but the scrapes are hard to see when mounted on the bike so no use throwing a fit. If they charged $30 shipping like everyone else I would have said something.
Trying out some different bars that will help with rideability. I like the first ones I was using, but they really limit turning with the unusual stem configuration. Just about anything else I have will have to be lengthened a bit, so now I have that to deal with.
Anyway, my projects are always in a constant state of flux until they’re done, so why should this one be any different?
Got another stem to try. Probably the best fit I’m going to get with something that is commonly available. I went from a 6 degree to a 7 degree and it pulled it away from the top tube a little more. The next common stem readily available is a 10 degree, which I think is too much, but I may try to find one to try. Unfortunately this one is a little wider than the last one (top to bottom), so I may have to do some filing on the frame if I decide to keep it. I was able to pull the tubes apart enough to test it:
Next is the fork I am going to use. Looked around way too long for a deal on a triple tree fork with a long enough stem to use before I finally found this one for $65 shipped. Decent deal for what it is so I ordered two. Unfortunately both were slightly damaged in shipping due to a packaging issue, but not enough to bother with sending them back. The box they send them in is only about the same thickness as the fork front to rear, so the back of the bottom clamp rubs against the box until it makes a hole. Both of them did it. A little piece of foam would prevent it, but the scrapes are hard to see when mounted on the bike so no use throwing a fit. If they charged $30 shipping like everyone else I would have said something.
Trying out some different bars that will help with rideability. I like the first ones I was using, but they really limit turning with the unusual stem configuration. Just about anything else I have will have to be lengthened a bit, so now I have that to deal with.
Anyway, my projects are always in a constant state of flux until they’re done, so why should this one be any different?
That's one wild setup. I'm liking the vibe thus far
"Blade" fork would look cool. Sharpen it a bit.
Awesome creativity here!
Btw: you profile pic reminds me of 1991 road rash game
Awesome creativity here!
Btw: you profile pic reminds me of 1991 road rash game
I like the dropouts on that fork
Only a psycho would pay $32 for this seat, right?
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2020
- Messages
- 195
- Reaction score
- 164
Man Oh Man, that's right! Interesting but perfect for a retro Great Granddaughter's bike. Be Well, SS.
