Everyday Beach Rat

[BeachRat]

I need to get fit. I have this fast road bike with a razor blade saddle and every morning I look at the traffic on one side of the house and the lazy gremlin moans 'nooooo', so I look at the hard sand beach on the other side and the custom gremlin screams 'YEAH!'.

So the road bike is getting sold. The local shop is trying to get me to trade for this full on signature model MTB frame. Lame.

Here's what I have in mind, and be brutal cause I came here to find friends who know about getting practicality and style.

In my head is a Schwinn frame on 2.1" slicks, think salt flat racer, comfy bars that don't leave me bent over - maybe BMX bars and a tall seat post, and I'm in two minds about a hard or springer front end, it's practicality vs style there but weight saving is currently winning. I'm also thinking either gates carbon drive [that'll probably limit me to a modern crankset and I'd have to cut and mod the chain side seat stay, but I may make that sacrifice] - or an oil bath chain cover.

This is really supposed to be a bike for me to do a 3 mile cycle every morning as part of a larger workout. I'm looking for the ability to keep a pace with momentum - a constant burn, so I don't need brakes, suspension... nothing. Just a bike that rolls nice with a 5ft 11", 170lb guy on it,

...and looks sick.

What I'm wondering is:

What do you think?
How heavy is a Typhoon frame?
Does anyone have one to sell?
Do you have a suggestion for a lightweight set of wheels that would look classic?

 

[user 135]

Sounds like an ambitious plan. Gates would be cool but forsee problems in modifying the frame. Alignment is critical and fabbing the new rear dropout so you can take the belt on and off would be difficult.

If you can get enough from the road bike, a Sun Spider AT would be a great bike for the beach. 4" wide tires and 2 speed kickback hub.

 

[BeachRat]

I don't think I'd get into making a new drop out, I'd fab a joint and just let it into the bottom of the seat stay so that I could unbolt it and stretch the stay open slightly to allow the belt through.

The Spider is one of a few sand/snow bikes I've seen, Surly have a good name it seems too, but they're all for the loose stuff. I have hard sand here and whereas I still need some float, I want to keep the rolling resistance down as much as possible.

In the meantime I found a new Schwinn Typhoon on Amazon and a fella who says he got a recent special order Typhoon from Schwinn. Both bikes are the same colours but the paint designs are slightly different. Both complete bikes are affordable, but I'm assuming they're not the real deal? The photo angle of the 'special order' one isn't great but the downtube looks like it might be fatter than an original Typhoon's. Anyone know about these cycles?

[sorry if the language offended anyone earlier, my bad, mouth duly washed out. And now that I continue searching I realise I'm boring you all with a basic idea that sounds as old as the hills]

 

[Bicycle808]

What do I think?

"In my head is a Schwinn frame"-OK
"... on 2.1" slicks, think salt flat racer" Sounds good
"...comfy bars that don't leave me bent over - maybe BMX bars"- Sounds very good
"... and a tall seat post"- OK, but be careful--- skinny posts on cruisers bend easily; spring for a chromoly post...
"... I'm in two minds about a hard or springer front end, it's practicality vs style there..."- rigid fork. Trust. Especially with BMX bars.
"...also thinking either gates carbon drive [that'll probably limit me to a modern crankset and I'd have to cut and mod the chain side seat stay, but I may make that sacrifice] - or an oil bath chain cover." - Here's where you lost me. Gates sucks. Really. So expensive, requirements for the frame are goofy, as is the smartphone app for tuning it, as is the failure rate, etc. A "solution" for a problem that doesn't exist, that created the existence of other problems.

A full chain case with oil bath seems like a good idea, but is also expensive, will make tire changes SUCH a hassle, plus you'll likely need to fab your own, as it's unlikely you'll find one to fit your frame. And, they tend to rub a lot, plus you'll then be pretty limited on gearing options.

Sand does kill chains, so I see where you're going, but you'll need to ride those beaches for years and go thru a LOT of KMC z410's before you make up for the expense of a Gates or a full chaincase. Add in whatever cost you place on hassles, and the argument is totally moot.

"... I don't need brakes"- at least keep the coaster brake.
"... suspension"-- agreed
"... nothing. Just a bike that rolls nice with a 5ft 11", 170lb guy on it..." I'd suggest at least having a saddle. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

"...and looks sick." It's take a lot of work and a little magic to make a contemporary "Schwinn" Typhoon look sick. Try something semi-vintage a super cheap from Ind-Chuckz, such as http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=68834&p=664792&hilit=worksman#p664792
With some cheap wheels, from the same dude: http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=66407
And maybe a post from Slowriderz: http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=59700
Spend another $100 or so at Niagaracycle.com, and you could build a killer bike way under what you'd spend for a new Typhoon and some mods...and waaaaaaaaaaaaay under what you'd spend for the same, with a hack-job Gates conversion.

I believe you've inspired me to build a ratty thing, built entirely from stuff I got on RRB... except for tires, maybe.

Good luck. Sorry for the novel; I got bored @ work.

 

[BeachRat]

Not at all, I can talk so it's all good.

Needed that. Real interesting about the Worksman bikes. I'd love one, looks like I might have found something on my doorstep though. The new typhoon I mentioned is complete for around the same as a vintage frame would run me after trans Atlantic postage. I'm gonna go see it and make a decision in the flesh. Thinking I might run the stock wheels into the sand first to see how long they last, before committing to something nicer.

 

[Bicycle808]

I didn't realise you weren't in the states...

I'd definitely run the stock wheels til they fail;by then, you'll probably have a new vision for the thing.

Good luck!