So this is the first bike that I have ever built. I found a Ross Adventurer frame in the trash a few months ago, and I decided that I wanted to make it into something cool. Initially, I had planned on simply stripping the bike of everything unnecessary (I love simplicity and am a minimalist at heart) and just focusing on making it look aesthetically clean. But at the same time, I was starting to notice bikes on campus more, and realizing that what I was going to build looked like basically every cookie-cutter hipster fixie bike around.
Long story short, I stumbled upon a picture of a 1920's Excelsior boardtrack bike, and I realized that that is what I wanted. Halfway through the build, I decided to give the bike a bit more of a rat influence.
So, I present my rat-ified boardtrack racer known as "Frame #001".
First cuts...
Bit more done. Just a mock-up.
Rest of the frame welded...
Bondo and bodywork...
Painted rims...
Finished!
As I said, most of the frame is from a Ross Adventurer. A few bits and pieces are from a Schwinn. It has a 3 speed Sturmey hub. The fender is Schwinn, as are the handlebars, the wheels, and the front sprocket. I mounted the shifter as close to a motorcycle style "suicide shifter" as I could get it. I feel like I shortened the seat tube a bit too much, so now my legs come up a bit far when I pedal. There are a few more mistakes, but overall im pretty happy with the way it turned out!
I still need to mount the front brake (the only brake), tighten up the fender, and find some nice white handgrips. And a nice bullet style headlight.
Long story short, I stumbled upon a picture of a 1920's Excelsior boardtrack bike, and I realized that that is what I wanted. Halfway through the build, I decided to give the bike a bit more of a rat influence.
So, I present my rat-ified boardtrack racer known as "Frame #001".
First cuts...
Bit more done. Just a mock-up.
Rest of the frame welded...
Bondo and bodywork...
Painted rims...
Finished!
As I said, most of the frame is from a Ross Adventurer. A few bits and pieces are from a Schwinn. It has a 3 speed Sturmey hub. The fender is Schwinn, as are the handlebars, the wheels, and the front sprocket. I mounted the shifter as close to a motorcycle style "suicide shifter" as I could get it. I feel like I shortened the seat tube a bit too much, so now my legs come up a bit far when I pedal. There are a few more mistakes, but overall im pretty happy with the way it turned out!
I still need to mount the front brake (the only brake), tighten up the fender, and find some nice white handgrips. And a nice bullet style headlight.