Hey
Been lurking and posting a bit. This site has inspired me to build a balloon tire board tracker. I already have what my wife likes to call an "addiction" to bikes. Been building cars and motorcycles for some time now and stumbled into bikes once I got married in a failed effort to spend less cash and more time at home. Not into any one end of the culture as I have fixies, roadies, cruisers, antiques, etc. Some rats, some complete restorations, some originals. I'm in St.L, MO. 32. Artist. Board member at the local non-profit bike shop (stlbikeworks.com).
On to my bikes. (additions added as I acquire them)
I call this one the frankenclubman project. It kinda ended up as an unintentional tribute to Sheldon and all the vintage bike porn on RetroRaleighs.com. A true rat, built of various pieces from various years made by various manufacturers with a lot of custom tweaks. Most notably, the fenders are 1962 Raleigh 26" narrowed and stretched to fit 27" wheels. I'm currently making custom brackets to adapt standard Bluemel quick release fender hardware. Paint happened last night (updated pics to come), off white and red with black pin striping and some custom details. Head tube and rear dropouts have been done in gun bluing.
This one was the first '10 speed' road bike my dad bought for me. Got it new in 86. Still ride it almost daily as a fixed gear trainer and bar hopper.
1986 Schwinn World Sport
The wife's wheels. All original down to the paste wax residue around the fender rivets. Bought from original owner for $100.
1948 B.F.Goodrich
Sat outside for years with an antique store sign attached to it. Left the patina, flipped the bars, chopped a vintage saddle from the parts bin and rebuilt the AW hub as a two speed fixed. The pic makes the paint look much nicer than it actually is.
1963 Raleigh Sports
Neighborhood trash find. This one took a bit of work and ended up with quite a bit of customization. Tried to stay period correct while making it resemble the clubmans of the 50's and 60's
1977 Raleigh Grand Prix
The beer getter fix. My second rat. Stripped to bare metal sept for the head lugs and fork crown and maintained with a mixture of homebrew rust-eze. The rear crate was added for the Cranksgiving ride and will eventually get replaced with a home made wooden crate with removable sides. Still need to find a better saddle for this one. Black B17 perhaps. The matchy matchy red thing just kinda happened.
1989 Fuji Ace Nero edition
The roadie. Commuter/long hauler. Full Ultegra group.
2006 Trek Pilot 2.1
I also have in the incomplete projects bin; a 1948 New World Schwinn, a 92 Trek 7900 'frankencross' bad weather commuter and a 50's ladies 3spd Sears and Roebuck which I believe is made by Puch. ...oh and a retro kids trike that I plan to rat out hardcore for any kids we end up having.
Additional pics here - http://www.flickr.com/photos/ericdifate ... 834420891/
Been lurking and posting a bit. This site has inspired me to build a balloon tire board tracker. I already have what my wife likes to call an "addiction" to bikes. Been building cars and motorcycles for some time now and stumbled into bikes once I got married in a failed effort to spend less cash and more time at home. Not into any one end of the culture as I have fixies, roadies, cruisers, antiques, etc. Some rats, some complete restorations, some originals. I'm in St.L, MO. 32. Artist. Board member at the local non-profit bike shop (stlbikeworks.com).
On to my bikes. (additions added as I acquire them)
I call this one the frankenclubman project. It kinda ended up as an unintentional tribute to Sheldon and all the vintage bike porn on RetroRaleighs.com. A true rat, built of various pieces from various years made by various manufacturers with a lot of custom tweaks. Most notably, the fenders are 1962 Raleigh 26" narrowed and stretched to fit 27" wheels. I'm currently making custom brackets to adapt standard Bluemel quick release fender hardware. Paint happened last night (updated pics to come), off white and red with black pin striping and some custom details. Head tube and rear dropouts have been done in gun bluing.
This one was the first '10 speed' road bike my dad bought for me. Got it new in 86. Still ride it almost daily as a fixed gear trainer and bar hopper.
1986 Schwinn World Sport
The wife's wheels. All original down to the paste wax residue around the fender rivets. Bought from original owner for $100.
1948 B.F.Goodrich
Sat outside for years with an antique store sign attached to it. Left the patina, flipped the bars, chopped a vintage saddle from the parts bin and rebuilt the AW hub as a two speed fixed. The pic makes the paint look much nicer than it actually is.
1963 Raleigh Sports
Neighborhood trash find. This one took a bit of work and ended up with quite a bit of customization. Tried to stay period correct while making it resemble the clubmans of the 50's and 60's
1977 Raleigh Grand Prix
The beer getter fix. My second rat. Stripped to bare metal sept for the head lugs and fork crown and maintained with a mixture of homebrew rust-eze. The rear crate was added for the Cranksgiving ride and will eventually get replaced with a home made wooden crate with removable sides. Still need to find a better saddle for this one. Black B17 perhaps. The matchy matchy red thing just kinda happened.
1989 Fuji Ace Nero edition
The roadie. Commuter/long hauler. Full Ultegra group.
2006 Trek Pilot 2.1
I also have in the incomplete projects bin; a 1948 New World Schwinn, a 92 Trek 7900 'frankencross' bad weather commuter and a 50's ladies 3spd Sears and Roebuck which I believe is made by Puch. ...oh and a retro kids trike that I plan to rat out hardcore for any kids we end up having.
Additional pics here - http://www.flickr.com/photos/ericdifate ... 834420891/
