First time. Asking for critique and advice.

[Frank Fencepost]

This is the first time I've really done much of anything to a bike.

What I've done here is, well...

I added the apehangers, and I cut the seat post and re-welded it so that I could sit the saddle further back and lower.

I removed the fenders and chain guard- just dead weight to me because it's not gonna rain here for months- don't need fenders... and I almost always wear cargo shorts, especially while riding- so don't need a chainguard.

I added the luggage rack in the back.

I fabricated a baseball bat holder thingie out of a soup can (which is attached to the axle) and a steel ring (which is welded to the fork). The soup can looking thingie is indeed a soup can and it has a flashlight inside it I use as a headlight.

I had to hack off the most forward part of the luggage rack because there wasn't clearance for my new, lower saddle. So I cut an inch or two off it.

I find a baseball bat to be an excellent defense against cellphone zombies in their SUV's. It works much better than a horn. Give them a few smacks on the hood of their Hummer with that ball bat and they put down their phone and pay attention. I'm also sick of being chased by dogs so I think if that happens I'll just throw the bat and say "GO FETCH!"

Like I said, I know next to nothing about building bikes. I'm just messing around. I had fun with it and I can't wait to do more. I have an old Western Flyer in the works.

Thanks for looking and please give me advice on whatever.

 

[Lowdownminitrucker]

I thinks it looks kool,Brother (I'm a noob to though,LMBO! )

Words to the wise,I dunno about your state,but in mine if'n you carry a bat and end up using it,the charge jumps to premeditated if you don't also carry a glave and baseball :wink: 8) Can't wait to see what you do with that Flyer

 

[KOTA]

My guess, is you're left handed.

 

[Frank Fencepost]

No sir. I am a rightie, and so I intentionally mounted the ball bat on the left side of the bike so that I can use my dominant right hand to keep stable steering while using the bat to gently tap the hood of any car trying to bring about my untimely demise.

That's a very good idea about carrying a glove and ball as well... I might strap them to the luggage rack or something, if I find them at a yard sale. If I ever get stopped (the cops in this town are so incredibly bored they once stopped me for riding a pink scooter, because I don't look like a pink scooter guy I guess), I'll just tell them it's for looks. They can't really argue with "it's for looks". Nor can they say it's a concealed weapon since it is neither concealed, nor a weapon. It's a toy. Right? Right.

 

[danreid27]

I'd lose the Bat..it's a "Heat Score!" :|

 

[KOTA]

I'd be careful...You tap the wrong hood...They might use the "chrome horn" on ya. :lol:

 

[danreid27]

 

[KOTA]

I'd lose the Bat..it's a "Heat Score!" :|

You made me look it up. :lol: :lol:

 

[CCR]

... It's a toy. Right? Right.

Looks like one nice ready to ride beater bike ... but round here those are called beatin sticks and Awesome bat holder you came up with I understand and agree that a layed back seat is a better riding bike but theres just something about the zig zag seat posts that i just don't think looks right (just not my thing). Randy "aka_locojoe" had a bike that he detached the seat stays on and bent the dropouts upward and then reattached the seat stays to the rest of the frame, gives the bike a cleaner look in my opinion and changes the seat tube angle at the same time. It also brings the rear wheel closer to the seat tube and probably drops the cranks/pedals a little closer to the ground as well. Probably won't get the kind of set back you've achieved doing it your way though.

Love the apes, love the lack of fenders, light is pretty sweet too.

Is that trailer hitch mount on the left rear dropout ? If so wheres the trailer pics

Bottom line, as long as you like it, ride the tar out of it. I think its looks pretty good as is. Just obliging the request for a critique :wink:

 

[Frank Fencepost]

Yeah that's the little trailer hitch dealie. It works pretty good. I'll try to remember some pictures when it's light out tomorrow.

I wish I could get away with the AR-15. Maybe a BB gun? hahaha

 

[CycleTruck]

Like I said, I know next to nothing about building bikes. I'm just messing around. I had fun with it and I can't wait to do more. I have an old Western Flyer in the works.

Thanks for looking and please give me advice on whatever.

Having fun and personal expression is what it's all about. Nearly anything goes and if you like what you did, there's nothing more kool than that. After all, you built the bike for yourself. Great job!

~ Dave

 

[Frank Fencepost]

These are just my humble beginnings, in a few months I hope to be asking how I can erase this thread... I'm really obsessed with this, and when I get obsessed with something I tend to take it to extremes. So hopefully I'll be able to produce something soon that I'm really proud of. This site has inspired me, I never saw anything like the bikes here until I stumbled across the website and started checking stuff out. Again, I welcome any critique because I really have no idea what I'm doing just yet and I need all the help I can get.

 

[KOTA]

Just bustin ya about the bat, I know there were times I wish I had one. But I'll tell you, you're on the right track. In other words you had ideas of what you wanted to do, and you did them, very well too. That's more then half the battle....Having the ideas, vision, and being able to carry them out. I can't wait to see what you can do six months from now. :wink:

 

[Frank Fencepost]

I really need tools. Is there a list somewhere of the basic tools I need to have in order to completely strip a bicycle and reassemble it? I mean of course I have your basic stuff like screwdrivers, wrenches, sockets, allen wrenches, etc. But what else should I buy? What's the most important stuff to buy first?