If only the buildoff had a centralized meeting place...

[2dawgs]

Yeah, I guess.... but if you don't wanna ride it more 10ft, what'd ya build, really?

My build can go your 10 miles. You seem to miss the spirit of this whole thing. Thankfully, you don't interpret the build off rules..

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Yeah, I guess.... but if you don't wanna ride it more 10ft, what'd ya build, really?

Take this reasoning too far though and we would all be on 21 speed deraileur equipped carbon road bikes wearing lycra...

I feel I can weigh in on this because I build on both sides of the argument, last year with BigJim, was not an overly practical bike, but I rode it quite a bit, this year the Joker build is probably the most practical I have built, and I intend to ride it very often...

I guess you could compare it to a 70's muscle car that does not handle well, is excessively uneconomical, no air-conditioning, leaks a bit of oil and has some rust issues and a Toyota Prius... One would be better for comfortably travelling long distances, but I am pretty sure almost everyone on here would rather drive the other...

Luke.

 

[Bicycle808]

My build can go your 10 miles. You seem to miss the spirit of this whole thing. Thankfully, you don't interpret the build off rules..

Loosen your girdle, 2dawgs I'm not trying to reinterpret the rules; i'm just expressing my opinion. I feel like bikes are built for riding; if you're building an interesting/BA-looking rider, all the better.

Take this reasoning too far though and we would all be on 21 speed deraileur equipped carbon road bikes wearing lycra...

I feel I can weigh in on this because I build on both sides of the argument, last year with BigJim, was not an overly practical bike, but I rode it quite a bit, this year the Joker build is probably the most practical I have built, and I intend to ride it very often...

I guess you could compare it to a 70's muscle car that does not handle well, is excessively uneconomical, no air-conditioning, leaks a bit of oil and has some rust issues and a Toyota Prius... One would be better for comfortably travelling long distances, but I am pretty sure almost everyone on here would rather drive the other...

Luke.

I hear what you're saying, and no question, I'd take the built muscle car over the Prius-- if I was borrowing it for the weekend. If I had to own it, live with it, and make payments on it, I guess i'd take the Prius.

One of the best things about bikes is, you can find a balance. A well-planned bike can look good and ride well. I respect a build like that. I'm at the point now where, if I can tell from the ergos that a rider will have his hands stretched out and down, with his face in his crotch and his knees bouncing off his shoulders--- a build like that doesn't look good to me, regardless of stance or lines.

Thankfully, we have choices in this world, and the choices go beyond GTO vs Prius, or stock road bike vs barely-rideable "kustom". There are infinite options in between and around those polar opposites. I, for one, intend to take the bikes' ability to function as a bike into account while voting.

We all know the muscle car will spank a Prius at he drag strip; this is where the car analogy falls apart. The worst POC sold at the local WallyWorld will outpace a bike with unworkable ergos. Surely, we're familiar with the "all show, no go" cliché; I'd think that ppl trying to build custom bikes would try to avoid that pitfall.

 

[Bicycle808]

For your consideration, Randy shows off his BO10 entry:

 

[2dawgs]

Loosen your girdle, 2dawgs I'm not trying to reinterpret the rules; i'm just expressing my opinion. I feel like bikes are built for riding; if you're building an interesting/BA-looking rider, all the better.




I hear what you're saying, and no question, I'd take the built muscle car over the Prius-- if I was borrowing it for the weekend. If I had to own it, live with it, and make payments on it, I guess i'd take the Prius.

One of the best things about bikes is, you can find a balance. A well-planned bike can look good and ride well. I respect a build like that. I'm at the point now where, if I can tell from the ergos that a rider will have his hands stretched out and down, with his face in his crotch and his knees bouncing off his shoulders--- a build like that doesn't look good to me, regardless of stance or lines.

Thankfully, we have choices in this world, and the choices go beyond GTO vs Prius, or stock road bike vs barely-rideable "kustom". There are infinite options in between and around those polar opposites. I, for one, intend to take the bikes' ability to function as a bike into account while voting.

We all know the muscle car will spank a Prius at he drag strip; this is where the car analogy falls apart. The worst POC sold at the local WallyWorld will outpace a bike with unworkable ergos. Surely, we're familiar with the "all show, no go" cliché; I'd think that ppl trying to build custom bikes would try to avoid that pitfall.

Sir, I am offended (to the girdle remark that is) and challenge you to a 10 foot bike race; which of course I will win since my build is rideable & yours at present is not.

 

[Bicycle808]

Sir, I am offended (to the girdle remark that is) and challenge you to a 10 foot bike race; which of course I will win since my build is rideable & yours at present is not.

True dat but, to be fair, my bike is without wheels and, therefore, has the weight advantage.

 

[jasper87]

I'd take the built muscle car over the Prius-- if I was borrowing it for the weekend. If I had to own it, live with it, and make payments on it, I guess i'd take the Prius.

Anyone who actually owns a muscle car and really drives it would never consider buying a Prius!

 

[2dawgs]

True dat but, to be fair, my bike is without wheels and, therefore, has the weight advantage.

Touche!

 

[mikeeebikey]

[qke="jasper87, post: 835128, member: 7868"] Anyone who actually owns a muscle car and really drives it would never consider buying a Prius![/quote]
I know a 72 superbee owner that sports a smart car in the winter....

 

[jasper87]

I know a 72 superbee owner that sports a smart car in the winter....

Smart cars are different, they still got good ol internal combustion and they're rear engined rwd! Funny I also know a guy with a REALLY nice classic car collection and he drives his smart car a lot. Its like a street legal go cart

 

[Glen]

Well, as far as riding bikes is concerned, I ride this…

…more than I ride this…

Rattled is heavier and a bit of a beast to ride, but it is actually more comfortable for me and I could ride it further for longer (and have) than the Marin.

Glen.

 

[Bicycle808]

Smart cars are different, they still got good ol internal combustion and they're rear engined rwd! Funny I also know a guy with a REALLY nice classic car collection and he drives his smart car a lot. Its like a street legal go cart

I agree that SMARTS are radder'n than Priuses (Prii? Priusissimos? Priora? Priem? whateer), but lt's be honest: aPrius does have internal combustion. It just also has some electric stuff, too. NBD.

I'd be all about the SMART if it had a proper manual trans, and if we got the eminently more efficient/BA turbo diesel that th rest of the world gets. More MPGs, more torque, faster 0-60 despite the fewer hp.... Just a superior machine to the goofy Mitsu gasser triple that the US market got stuck with... I guess it's cool that we have a rear-engine, RWD econothing with a manumatic, but it just seems to compromised for me to get excited about. Being that it seats 2 and has almost zero storage space, I fail to see any practical advantages over a decent motorbike.

 

[patman73]

no pain no gain lol !

 

[Black Top Roller]

I like this thread,some good natured elbow ribbing!!,I do see both sides of the argument but in my opinion and for myself I always try to build my bikes for function,mileage and in comfort as well.I just got this back together after years mothballed and ran almost 60mi on her a couple weeks ago.My average speed on the rail trail with this particular gearing was between 14 and 17 mph and on occasion kicked it up to 20 and held on to it a 1/4 mile or so!I posted this in "builds and events" recently and very happy to have her back and flying!! I'm now getting together an Evans that is featured in "builds" and am trying to have her up and running in 2-3 weeks and hope that with the gearing selected she'll be a trail burner too.I love rockin these old timers!!

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Thought I'd chime in on the debate.
Since Drag King resides in the ergonomically challenged camp, I felt the need to explain.

Like most everyone else here (from what I can tell), I have several bikes (and that's an understatement). I have a 'go to' bike that is best suited for riding to work (when I do), I have off road bikes for trail riding, there are old cruisers for casual riding around the neighborhood and such, I've got kids bikes ready for when there are extra kids at the house, etc. etc. If I could only have one, admittedly, it would not be my build-off bike. The build off bike is best suited for low stress fun rides. Drag King is themed around drag racing, but of course that will never actually happen. If I where seriously trying to build a 'racing' bike, I would be removing parts instead of adding them!

To me, this forum is as much about artistic expression as it is about bikes. It's right there in the name: RatRodBikes.com., not PracticalBikes.com. Of course the beauty of it is, that it's open to interpretation, and whether a person chooses to build a practical bike or a knees in the face bike, you can share it here and there's nothing to stop you from building the bike that you want!

Two words: Women's shoes.

 

[Bicycle808]

I basically agree with what you're saying, Renaissance Man, and I can dig it.... and I really like what you're doing with that (formerly) step-thru Spaceliner frame.... but the lingering thought that inspired me to post this'ere thread is that, when you consider other things that ppl make "rat rods" out of, you'll notice that there's a tendency to make'm go faster, rather than slower...

I guess, due to slight weight savings and changes in gearing, I've made my BO Bike faster than stock, but it'll never be a fast bike, by any means....

 

[Bicycle808]

I like this thread,some good natured elbow ribbing!!,I do see both sides of the argument but in my opinion and for myself I always try to build my bikes for function,mileage and in comfort as well.I just got this back together after years mothballed and ran almost 60mi on her a couple weeks ago.My average speed on the rail trail with this particular gearing was between 14 and 17 mph and on occasion kicked it up to 20 and held on to it a 1/4 mile or so!I posted this in "builds and events" recently and very happy to have her back and flying!! I'm now getting together an Evans that is featured in "builds" and am trying to have her up and running in 2-3 weeks and hope that with the gearing selected she'll be a trail burner too.I love rockin these old timers!!

Nice Bikes, BTR.... digging the McDonaldLand-colored one qite a bit, and the Evans looks like it'll be awesome, too. I can see you like pushing them big gears, huh?

 

[Black Top Roller]

Nice Bikes, BTR.... digging the McDonaldLand-colored one qite a bit, and the Evans looks like it'll be awesome, too. I can see you like pushing them big gears, huh?

Well having been accused of being a clown my whole life would you really think there would be any other color choice?,can't say that it was Mc's that sold me on the color,I watch the History channel a bit and they have a yellow/red icon,mabey that stuck when I was snackin on fries and a cheeser!! as far as pushing the big meat"Big Mo"chainring,its easy with the Bendix 2 speed underdrive kickback and once you're outta low gear and into high its an easy fast comfortable peddal

 

[Black Top Roller]

I basically agree with what you're saying, Renaissance Man, and I can dig it.... and I really like what you're doing with that (formerly) step-thru Spaceliner frame.... but the lingering thought that inspired me to post this'ere thread is that, when you consider other things that ppl make "rat rods" out of, you'll notice that there's a tendency to make'm go faster, rather than slower...

I guess, due to slight weight savings and changes in gearing, I've made my BO Bike faster than stock, but it'll never be a fast bike, by any means....

I'v been a bad boy again--years ago I did this over and tried to keep her as stock looking as possible but getting from point A to B was taking to long--not anymore!I actually po'd a bullet head that was on the trail one day on this one.This one's a little scary as she tends to "walk"around a bit at high speed like an old 396 Chevelle on a tear!!

 

[karfer67]

Shiny side up July 27 is turning into the west coast meet spot for sure. I'm bringing obviously the new one, but also bringing the ratty truck.

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