Long BMXXX DONE!

[GuitarlCarl]

Mongoose mags and I'm pulling the spline drive also. It's too slow, I need a bigger front sprocket, especially since the mags freewheel jumped the rear cog up a few teeth... I've also got a crazy idea for the mesh rear skirts... Ever seen a truckers grill with a stuffed animal attached? Or a bass player named Flea? Combine the two...

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[GuitarlCarl]

Schwinn crank from 1970 should have some decent steel in it. Bike is much quicker, I really gotta get my brakes hooked up! Here's some pics of my overwhelmed garage. I'm running out of room.

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[SpikeFC]

Now that thing is like REALLY long What gear ratio you have right now? The front one looks like a 46T, am I right?

 

[GuitarlCarl]

Now that thing is like REALLY long What gear ratio you have right now? The front one looks like a 46T, am I right?

I think there's 16 teeth on the rear cog.
If the sprocket is a 46t then it's 2.88.
Here's a LINK to a ratio calculator

Carl.

 

[GuitarlCarl]

Little updates on the welding...
Got steel rod on the leading edge of the mesh skirts now. Scratch guard. Added silver glitter gel grips. Started collecting beany baby style stuffs. Craziness starts soon...

Carl.

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[MattiThundrrr]

Cruisin cool so far..

 

[handyandy1100]

Cruisin cool so far.. View attachment 108614

Oh no! you're dangerously close to jumping the shark now!

 

[GuitarlCarl]

I seriously doubt anyone will be skiing here.
It finally feels like a WINTER build off...

Why skiing?

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[GuitarlCarl]

In typical Rat fashion there is literally nothing from the original donor bikes on my build now. I didn't even use the Nishiki. I cut up a Sears, and used bits of tubing from a Kmart All Pro, an old Elgin, and a Schwinn. (there's a little bit of Rollfast in there too!) I was using the spline cranks, wheels and forks from the XGames. But I've ditched all that for a bigger drive ratio and longer fork. So while my intended "look" for the bike a "stretched out BMX" is still there... the idea to use tubing from a larger 10 speed frame is pretty much lost in translation. You just don't see the old diamond frame there anymore. Don't get me wrong. I like where the build is at right now (waiting on brake cables) and the crazy stylization I've yet to unveil should be pretty cool. But has all the effort really justified the results? Time will tell...

Carl.

 

[GuitarlCarl]

Awe... Ain't dat little Schwinn cute?

Carl.


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[GuitarlCarl]

Swapped rims today and started on the fun.
There's a 14 tooth cog on the stripped rims and I actually borrowed the black wheels from the Scrambler anyway. The stripped rims just go better on the stripped frame too, and it bumps the gear ratio up to 3.29 But I'm gonna need a bigger sprocket, like 52t to get my gear inches up around 75 with the 20" on back. Of course I could put another set of rear dropouts on it and move the brake bridge after the build off is over... and mount a 26" rear wheel using the 14t with the 46t. That gets my gear inches up to around 85 and that's good enough for me. Maybe I am fine with the ratio I have now...

Carl.
Sometimes ya just gotta think out loud...

 

[GuitarlCarl]

Maybe a third of the way through fluffing up the build...

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[MattiThundrrr]

I know enough not to question what happens over on your side of the universe. Is that the usual gearing you go with? On this side, 85 gear inches seems really high! Gravity and the whole space/time thing must be arranged differently over there.
Caveat: I don't know how to calculate gear ratios, I just have a chart or two.

 

[SpikeFC]

I know enough not to question what happens over on your side of the universe. Is that the usual gearing you go with? On this side, 85 gear inches seems really high! Gravity and the whole space/time thing must be arranged differently over there.
Caveat: I don't know how to calculate gear ratios, I just have a chart or two.

46 in front and 16 in the back is not that heavy of a gearing. Most of the Romet 20" wheel bikes had the same gearing and it works fine. Heavy to start, but when it rolls - IT ROLLS

 

[GuitarlCarl]

This is Harlequin T, my favorite touring bike and I've had fun chasing down spandex wearing racer wannabes. It's big and heavy but it will go and it rides like a recumbent. I've run a few different rear cogs and hubs on it. Originally I had an 18t coaster paired to the 65t sprocket. Bike calc says that's 94.8 gear inches with a 26" x 2.125 tire. It was a little stout. I've read some Olympic teams practice cadence with 90" bikes. With a 20t cog it went down to 85.3 and I really liked it but the 22t cog it eventually ended up with for the longest time, put it down to 77.4 gear inches. These were all on a single speed coaster. Now it has an old 3 speed with an 18t on it and I believe that puts my top gear back the 94.8 but you don't want to start off in that gear for sure. What this bike doesn't have is a quick launch. I also live in Illinois and while there are a few little inclines most of the time it's flat.

Carl.

 

[GuitarlCarl]

46 in front and 16 in the back is not that heavy of a gearing. Most of the Romet 20" wheel bikes had the same gearing and it works fine. Heavy to start, but when it rolls - IT ROLLS

Yep. This one was easy with the 16t cog, so I upped it to 14t mostly because I have one... that puts it at 65.75 with a 20 x 2 tire. 78.83 with a 24 x 2 and 85.57 with a 26 x 2 tire... I'm liking the sound of it with a taller tire. I just gotta find a freewheel hub to lace in, I think I might have a pink one....

Carl.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

View attachment 108899
This is Harlequin T, my favorite touring bike and I've had fun chasing down spandex wearing racer wannabes... What this bike doesn't have is a quick launch. I also live in Illinois and while there are a few little inclines most of the time it's flat.

Heavy to start, but when it rolls - IT ROLLS

No doubt you've got top end! I guess I focus on more of the accelerating side of the gear chart!

 

[GuitarlCarl]

Honestly I cruise with a group (Chicago Taildraggers) more than anything else but I still like chasing after them guys that think they're racers. Most of my rats have a top end and I've got an old Cannondale that will cook pretty good. I'm almost 60 and I don't work out but I still got my legs. I quit smoking over a decade ago and no drinkin' or druggin' for almost 25 years so I'm still here despite my destructive ways early on. I really need to ride more often and build up my wind...

Carl.

 

[furyus]

View attachment 108927

Honestly I cruise with a group (Chicago Taildraggers) more than anything else but I still like chasing after them guys that think they're racers. Most of my rats have a top end and I've got an old Cannondale that will cook pretty good. I'm almost 60 and I don't work out but I still got my legs. I quit smoking over a decade ago and no drinkin' or druggin' for almost 25 years so I'm still here despite my destructive ways early on. I really need to ride more often and build up my wind...

Carl.

It’s funny you mention the old vices you successfully walked away from, because when I look at your current build, I definitely think intervention.

Kidding/not kidding.

furyus

 

[GuitarlCarl]

It’s funny you mention the old vices you successfully walked away from, because when I look at your current build, I definitely think intervention.

Kidding/not kidding.

furyus

Brother you are awesome. I remember the black bike you built and the love story you wrote to your partner. Good stuff, black streamers made from inner tubes, I got that one stashed for the future. Made me think of creating an inflatable rubber tank... I'm saving that one too.
Now this build... well I think the stuffs got to go. Flea's pants are one thing but this doesn't do them justice so... pfft they'll be gone!

Carl.