Hey all, my Name is Kolben and I'm from Wheeling, WV. I've never really built a bicycle before (I've rebuilt a few of my cars), and this is the start of my first custom. I started with 2 complete bikes, an old style (japanese) cruiser frame that was originally teal with a single speed and a backpedal brake. I painted it flat black and rode it as it was for a long time, but I was given an old Columbia Mountainaire 10 speed by a friend of my dads (It had sat outside for a long time and not much was good on it anymore) and decided to put the two together.
I used the front sprocket from the 10 speed and the single rear from the cruiser to make a 2 speed (I've been calling it a powerglide) with 2.64:1 first and 2.03:1 second (exactly what I wanted in a cruiser bike.) I also removed the brake shoes form the rear sprocket, so that it would free wheel, and converted it to a newer style squeeze brake. I used the shifter from the 10 speed with a homeade extension and shortened cable to make a suicide shifter, and flipped the handlebars for that awesome Cafe bike look as well.
Future plans are paint once the weather gets nicer, White walls, and a rear fender (I have it, just have to mount it)
Anyways, here are pictures.
IMG_2261 by ThatVWkid, on Flickr
IMG_2259 by ThatVWkid, on Flickr
IMG_2263 by ThatVWkid, on Flickr
I used the front sprocket from the 10 speed and the single rear from the cruiser to make a 2 speed (I've been calling it a powerglide) with 2.64:1 first and 2.03:1 second (exactly what I wanted in a cruiser bike.) I also removed the brake shoes form the rear sprocket, so that it would free wheel, and converted it to a newer style squeeze brake. I used the shifter from the 10 speed with a homeade extension and shortened cable to make a suicide shifter, and flipped the handlebars for that awesome Cafe bike look as well.
Future plans are paint once the weather gets nicer, White walls, and a rear fender (I have it, just have to mount it)
Anyways, here are pictures.
IMG_2261 by ThatVWkid, on Flickr
IMG_2259 by ThatVWkid, on Flickr
IMG_2263 by ThatVWkid, on Flickr
