Personal VenVetta

[JA331]

Nice work. That fork looks cool and the tires look great against the black frame. I find my canti frame typhoon feels quite stiff but the ride quality is hampered by the stiff cromoly tubular bmx fork. My 51 straight bar Panther rides like a cadillac in comparison even with the truss rods fitted to the early Jaguar fork on it. I think there’s alot more flex in the seat stays as they end at the seat tube compared to the Typhoons which continue to the front of the lower tube. Is your 54 Wasp a straight bar frame?

 

[JA331]

Looks and add rigidity to front fork

Correct. Truss rods were added to many balloon tire bikes because the forks on many of them flexed so much. We can only imagine the roads a lot of the prewar bikes were ridden on.

 

[metalchewy]

Great looking ride. That rat trap looks like it fits well. I've never ridden on a rat trap fork so I don't know their suspension. Traditional Springers usually don't do well in the mountains.

I think red accents would look great. It will help tie it all together, imo.

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

Nice work. That fork looks cool and the tires look great against the black frame. I find my canti frame typhoon feels quite stiff but the ride quality is hampered by the stiff cromoly tubular bmx fork. My 51 straight bar Panther rides like a cadillac in comparison even with the truss rods fitted to the early Jaguar fork on it. I think there’s alot more flex in the seat stays as they end at the seat tube compared to the Typhoons which continue to the front of the lower tube. Is your 54 Wasp a straight bar frame?

No, it’s a canti

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

Nice work. That fork looks cool and the tires look great against the black frame. I find my canti frame typhoon feels quite stiff but the ride quality is hampered by the stiff cromoly tubular bmx fork. My 51 straight bar Panther rides like a cadillac in comparison even with the truss rods fitted to the early Jaguar fork on it. I think there’s alot more flex in the seat stays as they end at the seat tube compared to the Typhoons which continue to the front of the lower tube. Is your 54 Wasp a straight bar frame?

JA331 thanks for the compliment, I appreciate it, I have never had a schwinn straight bar, to compare with.
all my straight bar bikes are other manufacturers.

 

[Wildcat]

On your springer, will the tire contact the crown before the tabs hit the fork legs? If so, instead of the rubber added to the fork, you could make up a rubber grommet that would be less conspicuous. You could take a small chunk of rubber, and cut a slot out and slide it onto the tab on the rocker where it would hit the fork. It could stay on by plain pressure or maybe be glued onto the tab. That might give enough height to keep the tire from contacting the crown.

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

Wildcat, That’s an awesome suggestion. I mentioned I used the inner tubes as something I could do really quick to test to see if that was problem, they are already off bike and the tire rub is gone ( tire must have wore down just enough from riding or contact. Took on some bumpy terrain seems fine.I will definitely use your idea if I add bumpers. I really like the suspension on your front fork, your builds are killer, that’s for taking interest in mine.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

This Build Off is brought to you by @Wildcat , suspension engineer. Man, you are killing it this season!

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

Got some some handlebar grips today, the gold anodized lock rings match my pedals well. Ordered a 36t chainring today , the only other changes I’m anticipating is possibly a laid back seat post and a Brooks b-67, black with chrome springers. Also decided to strip the original red paint off ends of Fork blades, (since there really is no red on rest of bike, think it will look better without it). Unlike what I said before ( that there would be a lot of changes) after the addition of the springer, I’m really liking the look as she sits and don’t feel the bike needs many changes.

 

[OddJob]

Grips look good with pedals et al. I like that you have something different going on as far as klunkers go, the rat trap is a cool touch. Bars, and that Brooks really top it off nicely. Bear trap pedals are def the way to go on klunkers. And I'm also a huge fan of the tan walled tires for knobbies! Evidence provided....

I'm digging your build style @Gravelgrinder59 !

Off RaT Build oN~!

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

Grips look good with pedals et al. I like that you have something different going on as far as klunkers go, the rat trap is a cool touch. Bars, and that Brooks really top it off nicely. Bear trap pedals are def the way to go on klunkers. And I'm also a huge fan of the tan walled tires for knobbies! Evidence provided....

View attachment 179125

I'm digging your build style @Gravelgrinder59 !

Off RaT Build oN~!

Thanks OddJob, followed your build thread on this bike, love the look. Always follow your builds and love your innovative ideas and tips. Thanks again for positive comments and approval, much appreciated.

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

Since this build is winding down so quickly for me, I’m contemplating getting a-little “ Loopy” here in the near future….

 

[GeePig]

Well, when one build ends, another one should start...

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

agree GeePig, I usually have multiple builds going at the same time though, so they all kinda flow together

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

Got most of the red paint off the rat traps fork tips today. For some reason not in mood to take rockers and truss rods off so just getting it best I can for now and think it’s looking a lot cleaner being just chrome, poured some paint thinner on some steel wool #0 , rubbed to loosen up paint then wiped off.

 

[Captain Awesome]

I wanted to show you guys something I worked on between VenVetta and starting Loopy, I already have several build threads, so don’t think need more, so I’ll make this brief. I’m really getting into the klunker mentality, took this build that stalled a year ago and converted to a bomber. Still gonna tweak alittle. 1953 or ‘56 schwinn world, named NWO, new WORLD order. Before and now. Had hard time finding 2.125 tire to fit in the back stays.View attachment 179695View attachment 179700View attachment 179701this bike is surprisingly light and I really like how it rides..

Absolutely love it. Would proudly ride

 

[metalchewy]

I wanted to show you guys something I worked on between VenVetta and starting Loopy, I already have several build threads, so don’t think need more, so I’ll make this brief. I’m really getting into the klunker mentality, took this build that stalled a year ago and converted to a bomber. Still gonna tweak alittle. 1953 or ‘56 schwinn world, named NWO, new WORLD order. Before and now. Had hard time finding 2.125 tire to fit in the back stays.View attachment 179695View attachment 179700View attachment 179701this bike is surprisingly light and I really like how it rides..

I've widened out the rear on a couple diamond frames to fit a fat nobby. You are right, surprisingly light alloy, and usually pretty strong. I took two different frames out by hitting a BFR head on ( Big Flippin Rock ) and bending both top bar and down tube. Hard to straighten that out. They become donors for stretch projects after that.

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

Metalchewy, Those are some serious hard hits your describing. You do some seriously nice work, your build looks terrific! Can wait to see you do your magic on that leather seat.Appreciate your feedback

 

[metalchewy]

I do ride hard and over the years have seen a lot of hard hits.

Breezer bikes started from the diamond frame when a lot of the other well known names started. https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_1419571

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

Did a few changes to VenVetta. First I had to grind down the tab protruding down towards tire on the inside of the fork bridge, on hard hits and extreme climbing was getting some tire rub. Was beginning to be worried I’d have to bag springer or tires. I really didn’t want to have to do either