Rat Trike

[Antknee]

Hey all after perusing the forum and looking at many of your awesome builds I thought I would add my build to the list of bikes out there. I found this Montgomery Wards Dept store trike for free in a neighbors yard, she was not doing anything with it and after driving by it one day I stopped and inquired about the status of it. She told me to "Take it and do some good with it" since I live a few blocks away I had my friend drive my car home and I walked the bike to my garage.

Now I am not a total newb, I have built a few bikes before but not a trike. This trike is weird the frame is not a typical bike frame and looks to be made specifically for this trike axle. it's a step thru I am not sure what I am going to do about that, maybe weld in some top bars and gussets. I already tore it all apart and inventoried the parts and then got some straight 26" springer forks for it and some Nirve black ape hangers, I got a bunch of wald parts too form several other Dept store bikes that were laying around a friends yard ( he has a pile of bikes from Bmx to Mountain to Road bikes all rusted and stuck together at odd angles but it's mostly junk)

After digging around in his pile for a few hours I decided to take some longer cranks, the bb and headset from a Bmx bike that were already flat black as well as a triple tree shock fork from a mountain bike that I have plans on stretching into a chopper fork. Here is a picture of the mock up after installing the springer and ape hangers.

My plan is to build this with as little cash money as possible and still make a cool looking and great riding bike, I am converting it from 24" to 26" with 72 spoke wheels. any thoughts or suggestions are welcome.

Thanks to Rat Rod for the cool sight and god bless...

 

[redrkt]

only two things I know for certain....
1) cool find and a great starting point.
2) you will have to use the hubs on the Trike adapter and have them relaced for the 26" wheels.

Other than that, have fun and let's see where this wild ride takes us Mr Toad.

 

[Antknee]

A few more pics of the weird frame.

the head tube I cut down, I chopped a whole inch out of her to fit the springer forks. sorry I don't have before and after pics.

Any thoughts on what I should do to the frame to strengthen it?, it seems like a top bar would be good?

 

[redrkt]

A few more pics of the weird frame.

the head tube I cut down, I chopped a whole inch out of her to fit the springer forks. sorry I don't have before and after pics.

Any thoughts on what I should do to the frame to strengthen it?, it seems like a top bar would be good?

That is a funky set-up, almost like someone built it at home, and cut down a regular trike kit to do it.
Is the frame flexy? or does it seem pretty solid?

 

[Jawon]

Im not a trike expert but ive worked on my own and have encountered many others. Your frame and rear axle i believe is pretty common.

Top bar would be a cool idea but one of the reasons i love riding my trike is because of the ease of getting on and off. I ride it alongside my kids while making frequent stops to smell the roses! So for me id prefer not having a top bar or at least one that is not too high.

Ive also been passively on the lookout for a vintage crate or box to replace my cheap wire basket in the rear. Please inspire me!

 

[Antknee]

The frame is solid, and does not flex when my 250lbs is on it, I might weld in a sort of top bar with a gusset I'll show a mock up later.

 

[Antknee]

Here is a photoshop mockup of the Top Cross bar I want to add.. Not sure where I can get the tubing that varies to this size, I might have to look for a bike frame with a cross member that Is already like this and then Chop it all together, anyone have a frame with a varying tube size like this, laying around, that might work?? I also want to add a Gusset or tank to the frame.

I like the last one...kinda Schwinn chopperish

 

[JohThomas Sorrels]

What about giving it a little vintage flair with a twin bar...

And is the tubing round or an oval shape? If it's round just measure the o.d. and call some metal places, they'll usually have something close.

 

[iven]

the last pic mock up looked like an occ :lol:
i think the twin bar looks good man

 

[MulhollandBikes&co]

Never really been too huge of a fan for trikes but this one takes the cake

 

[Antknee]

What about giving it a little vintage flair with a twin bar...

And is the tubing round or an oval shape? If it's round just measure the o.d. and call some metal places, they'll usually have something close.

The tubing is round on this trike frame, wow that's cool too,Good job with photoshop!! I just drew a line you put the suns reflection and all.... I am thinking more of a chopper rod look, but the Vintage is defiantly cool...I have a friend who has access to a plasma cutter , he says I can do just about anything as far as custom design on the gussets, any body good at drawing flames? I could do a neat design on the tank area. What do you guys think?

Sorry if my photoshop skills are lacking...

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Seen a lot of trikes built and I never see anybody narrow the back. Seems like it would
really look cool if it had big back tires and they were closer together. Just dreaming though.
If your doing cheap all that costs money. :wink:

 

[Antknee]

Ive also been passively on the lookout for a vintage crate or box to replace my cheap wire basket in the rear. Please inspire me!

I am thinking this Idea has some merit! and Old crate might look cool, so I cant narrow the rear but I did see a trike you might like. at Atomic Zombie.

Thats a cool bike, looks hard to pedal though. if I had welding skills and some extra cash I would Build that trike. the front springer is wild!

 

[Stingrat]

Pretty cool, Ive just got a trike myself. Its and old one, Not sure what kind it is but it has a drum brake on the front. Look forward to seeing more of your build.

 

[Antknee]

Rat Trike, not really..

well it has been a hard few months, and a hospital stay by my wife and I, but I got my project back on track.

here is the almost done picture.

 

[Lowlife Lucas]

Re: Rat Trike, not really..

well it has been a hard few months, and a hospital stay by my wife and I, but I got my project back on track.

here is the almost done picture.

Sweet looking trike, I dig it 8)

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Agreed! That is a cool trike!

I hope you wife is doing better now...

Luke.

 

[Antknee]

Re: Rat Trike revisited

Well i got her all running and it's sure a blast to ride her. i need to hook up the 3 speed shifter some how not sure where to put it I di want it to be suicide style but i cont seem to get a good source on a shift lever.

 

[RatTrap602]

All I can say is Nice job. This You just made me want to make my second project a trike. Thanks

 

[XC204]

We used a similar frame on our trike build. Some idea material for you. viewtopic.php?f=21&t=38741

By xc204 at 2011-07

By xc204 at 2011-07-20