UNLIMITED Ratneck Rampage [pg8: testrides and details]

[BartRidesEternal]

You're welcome! I'm glad you found the information useful. Thank you for the videos, I better understand where you are having the issue. You may be able to resolve a bit of that by moving the fork struts up to the axle. It is possible you may need to fabricate a new pair from something stronger than tubing.

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View attachment 270214

That is certainly a great idea, I will consider that together with an extra strut for torsion stiffness. Thanks again!

Before I even saw the bed photo, the sound of your bike made me think you could change the build name to "The Floppin' Floozy"

Haha!

With a bike this low, you really don't really want much spring action anyway, so you could brake it in such a way that you more or less cancel out the springer in exchange for a more rigid fork.

Yes indeed agreed! I could get over certain bumps and potholes though, I was actually surprised!


I am also thinking right now about the chain guide or tensioner. I saw a lot of long bike photos that did not have a tensioner, but more of a guide with a derailleur wheel.
The teeth from the wheel 'sinking' in the chain keeps it from falling off 'at a certain tension' (y'all follow me?).

I don't have any concrete ideas yet, but just trying out materials and stuff.
I do want to protect the frame from sideways chainslap. Maybe with a plastic piece, since it dampens the sound a bit... or else I might have to change the name to 'rattlesnake'

Some thoughts and notes:

The principle visualized.

Looks cool. Attach a derailleur wheel at an opening. Maybe I could use two holes, so the chain has a little bit of play before rattling against the aluminum.

Aluminum guides. Also here, a derailleur wheel (or two) could be used.

Bronze plate, could cut it to size, bend it and use it as a skid / 'channeling guide' plate for the chain.

Profile. Add speedholes and large holes for the chain to go through...

Plastic guide. Its silent at least. I will not use the entire strip like this. More a part of it.

I have seen THIS! Looks cool, reminds me of a ferris wheel. Does guide it a little bit and it will fall of when the chain is too slack. But it doesn't guide the chain sideways.
I could... I could use this with the derailleur wheels above the top part of the chain and below the lower part of the chain. Gives it this planetary wheel feel... I'll ponder on that...

[EDIT] The above contraption is called a 'Ghostring' or a floating chainring. Mostly utilized on fixed gear bicycles.


The main goal is to "guide" the chain to keep it from slapping.

If I use derailleur wheels, I have got to position them in such a way that, when braking/accelerating the slack part of the chain can't fall of the derailleur wheel.

 

[BartRidesEternal]

That is certainly a great idea, I will consider that together with an extra strut for torsion stiffness. Thanks again!


Haha!


Yes indeed agreed! I could get over certain bumps and potholes though, I was actually surprised!


I am also thinking right now about the chain guide or tensioner. I saw a lot of long bike photos that did not have a tensioner, but more of a guide with a derailleur wheel.
The teeth from the wheel 'sinking' in the chain keeps it from falling off 'at a certain tension' (y'all follow me?).

I don't have any concrete ideas yet, but just trying out materials and stuff.
I do want to protect the frame from sideways chainslap. Maybe with a plastic piece, since it dampens the sound a bit... or else I might have to change the name to 'rattlesnake'

Some thoughts and notes:

View attachment 270291
The principle visualized.


View attachment 270282
Looks cool. Attach a derailleur wheel at an opening. Maybe I could use two holes, so the chain has a little bit of play before rattling against the aluminum.


View attachment 270283
Aluminum guides. Also here, a derailleur wheel (or two) could be used.

View attachment 270284
Bronze plate, could cut it to size, bend it and use it as a skid / 'channeling guide' plate for the chain.

View attachment 270285
Profile. Add speedholes and large holes for the chain to go through...

View attachment 270286
Plastic guide. Its silent at least. I will not use the entire strip like this. More a part of it.


View attachment 270287
I have seen THIS! Looks cool, reminds me of a ferris wheel. Does guide it a little bit and it will fall of when the chain is too slack. But it doesn't guide the chain sideways.
I could... I could use this with the derailleur wheels above the top part of the chain and below the lower part of the chain. Gives it this planetary wheel feel... I'll ponder on that...


The main goal is to "guide" the chain to keep it from slapping.

If I use derailleur wheels, I have got to position them in such a way that, when braking/accelerating the slack part of the chain can't fall of the derailleur wheel.



View attachment 270292

My previous post may be a bit vague but:

 

[Pondo]

I really like the ghost-ring idea. If you could attach it to the down tube somehow and use it like an idler pulley that might solve the slap issue as well. Or just name the bike the Slapper.

 

[Captain Awesome]

I really like the ghost-ring idea. If you could attach it to the down tube somehow and use it like an idler pulley that might solve the slap issue as well. Or just name the bike the Slapper.

I thought the same

Mount a pulley or bearing on that seat tube and run a chainring off that

 

[BartRidesEternal]

I really like the ghost-ring idea. If you could attach it to the down tube somehow and use it like an idler pulley that might solve the slap issue as well. Or just name the bike the Slapper.

I thought the same

Mount a pulley or bearing on that seat tube and run a chainring off that

 

[SwissGuy]

The video of you demonstrating the front fork issue non-verbally was too funny (but I completely understood it at the same time).

I really love the flow of this build

View attachment 270097

I can't help myself, but every time I look at this picture, I see a running Penguin...

 

[BartRidesEternal]

Working on the fork and doing some testrides!

I found an 1940's bike in the trash. I could save a few parts only.
But I used the carrier legs for my fork...... what a match!!!


Instagram video link

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Now its a dropout
Done! Now I can remove the wheels without disassembling the entire fork.


Before disassembly I ran another testride. The Ghost chainring fell off multipletimes. Useless, but worth trying.

I tensioned the chain and realized I might not need a tensioner, just a guide in regards to chain slap. When on a tour, I just gotta keep the chain tensioned.

Beautiful evening.


Some ideas regarding the chainguide:

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This reminds me of a song:




View attachment 1000029311.jpg
Pretty cool. This is originally a chainguard bracket.


Back to the fork:

After disassembly, I saw a puncture at the swiveling point, not a bush. I decided to change that and over-engineer this piece of ........ *laughs like a maniac*

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Parts to make that fork more rigid.

I will weld the two bushes on the fork legs.

 

[BartRidesEternal]

Not all images seem to be loading, despite me editing the post and placing all images again I'll try again tomorrow.

 

[Captain Awesome]

Not all images seem to be loading, despite me editing the post and placing all images again I'll try again tomorrow.

Make sure they are fully uploaded before you hit submit on your post. It looks like most of your pictures are 10 MB or larger so they’re going to take a little bit to fully upload and set.

 

[BartRidesEternal]

Make sure they are fully uploaded before you hit submit on your post. It looks like most of your pictures are 10 MB or larger so they’re going to take a little bit to fully upload and set.

Thanks Captain, I will make sure to do that in the following (re)post.

 

[Chad T]

This is looking cool. Some old timing chain guides might work for the slap stopper. Also picturing a nice alloy tension arm pivoting from that unused bb hole.

 

[kingfish254]

I can't help myself, but every time I look at this picture, I see a running Penguin...
View attachment 270310

 

[BartRidesEternal]

I changed the size of the pictures, I hope it works now.

Fork process:

Bush goes in the fork, since the original pivot pivots on the tube walls.

Other side.

Since there is a bush in the lower fork crown now, that is a little bit longer than the crown tube, I can fully engage the bolt and nut. The 80mm long inner tube will carry the load.

Filed this to create clearance. Now it will stop creaking!

Off to the welding machine and hobby club!

Looking good!

Fork assembly.

 

[BartRidesEternal]

Result:

It doesn't make any noise and there is no wobbly wheel! The bike rides very good right now!

Mission accomplished!

Now I can start working on the pedals. Looking forward to that!

 

[OddJob]

And the fork mimics the rear of the bike well, too. Looks cool, adds some 'weight' to balance the stance in my eyes.

 

[kingfish254]

I really like how the fork came out. Much more custom now. Nice work.

 

[BobbyStillz]

I changed the size of the pictures, I hope it works now.

Fork process:

View attachment 270813
View attachment 270814
Bush goes in the fork, since the original pivot pivots on the tube walls.
View attachment 270815
View attachment 270816
View attachment 270817
Other side.

Since there is a bush in the lower fork crown now, that is a little bit longer than the crown tube, I can fully engage the bolt and nut. The 80mm long inner tube will carry the load.

View attachment 270818
Filed this to create clearance. Now it will stop creaking!

View attachment 270819
Off to the welding machine and hobby club!

View attachment 270820
View attachment 270821
Looking good!


View attachment 270822
Fork assembly.

Looking good!

Did you fabricate the bushings or buy them? If bought, what size/type, and where did you get them?

Thanks!

 

[BartRidesEternal]

And the fork mimics the rear of the bike well, too. Looks cool, adds some 'weight' to balance the stance in my eyes.

I agree with you! Also the fact that the tube is black helps in the balance of the look of the bike.

I really like how the fork came out. Much more custom now. Nice work.

Looking good!

Did you fabricate the bushings or buy them? If bought, what size/type, and where did you get them?

Thanks!

Thank you!
I fabricated them from steel 12,9 strength screws.
I checked beforehand if I was able to drill the fork holes 12mm at home. Luckily I still had a step drill.
You can buy similar bushes, but sometimes they are hardened which makes the weld strength/quality go down in that area.

Originally, the fork had a 10mm bolt go through.

These bushes are 12mm in outer diameter, 8mm inner diameter (I utilized an M8 bolt now) and about 20mm's in length including the collar.

The bolt used is too long on purpose: there is only about 30mm's of thread, so the clean shaft runs through the fork now.

But I do need to shorten this.

Yesterday evenings testride at sunset. Barefeet testride!
The bike is great, rides very good (for a low burrito style bike).
I tensioned the chain thoroughly (not too tight) and it doesn't slap, no issues whatsoever. I'm thinking about leaving it and just take tools on longer rides.

Now that the bike rides well, now I can work on some details. Yesterday I cleaned and greased the pedals. I left the red paint on, thinking it looks quite cool. But now I might paint it or remove/scrape the paint off since that 'pedal deck' idea that I have does not look good with a scruffy pedal.

Outside was rough looking. Inside looked great. You can't judge a pedal on its looks apparently

Caviar.

Bamboo cylinder. Maybe cool for some tools or a drink when riding.

I'm not installing lights on this bike, but I do have an idea that I want to explore here. To be continued.

 

[OddJob]

That bamboo cyclinder!

 

[Chad T]

So cool! Chain tension looks great. Just give it some good hard pulls and readjust as needed. Should be good to go.

Kitchen fork works awesome for picking up the little bearings. Cap on bb finishes it off nicely.