Rat Bike Scrambler "Hercules Excavator"

[RatRodJesus]

Rat Bike Scrambler "Hercules Excavator". Since I never was entirely happy with the Jesus bike (s. post in Intros) and the Jesus broke and fell off - I reworked it:

A short build history:
The original bike is a round 1955 womens Hercules which I saved 3 years ago from being trashed with the rear rim missing and the fork bent, but I immedeately fell in love with the color and patina. By chance I found a suspension fork from a same year model french Moped (low cc motor bike) with a matching color. The fork went in with a little bit of grinding down the frame. The rear light is NOS from the same time and the rear rim was a black one from the era where I spray painted the flanks with a matching color. The steering bar is a Sakae from a late 80s mountain bike. The whole bike is finished off with linseed oil and Ovatrol... well that was the longest remodelling I ever did and now I am finally happy with it Let me know what you think!

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Really cool bike! I'm stealing pics for my inspiration folder.

 

[RatRodJesus]

Really cool bike! I'm stealing pics for my inspiration folder.

Now that is a serious compliment thank you

 

[JA331]

Very cool, clever build using a ladies frame.

 

[RatRodJesus]

Very cool, clever build using a ladies frame.

Thank you I find them generally beautiful, tho I am considering to at least screw a bar into the middle.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

I would hesitate to do anything permanent to the frame, maybe a bolt on bar with clamps. I really like the step through frame as is.

 

[Pondo]

That looks totally awesome! I like girl's frames too, I'm building a resto mod for my girlfriend. This one is looking tough and the patina is perfect. Great job on the save and the build!

 

[RatRodJesus]

I would hesitate to do anything permanent to the frame, maybe a bolt on bar with clamps. I really like the step through frame as is.

Yeah, bolt on was my thought too, just something to stiffen the frame because I have seen more than one ladies frame to wear and then bend below the seat post exactly above the upper tube connection.

 

[Duchess]

I've never seen a step through frame look so tough before, but in a cool way, not a trying-too-hard kind of way that's popular with engined vehicles nowadays. Color is great, too. I have a couple of old step through frames and they are pretty floppy (of course, I'm also a lot bigger than the tiny young women they were built for 60 years ago), so I can understand the want of a stiffener bar. My Interrobang is a step through Spaceliner with a TRM tank and that bolt-on fiberglass tank alone stiffened it considerably. I don't know if that's more of a testament to TRM's build quality or the lack of stiffness of that frame, but it rides a lot better with it. OTOH, Retro Rocket is built with a late '90s Giant step through frame and it doesn't feel any less stiff than a diamond frame.

 

[bunnyman666]

Bloody fantastic bike!!!!

 

[sdframe]

Daring! Guys like you are changing my opinion of step-throughs. Your bike is not girlie at all.