Revenant

[threeforks]

After six miles the race tightened up because the homemade “D” ring lock washer failed. I can’t find one tiny enough so I made one, which failed

Any chance of trying some red locktight on the nut, with the homemade d-ring acting as a stop ?

 

[BartRidesEternal]

What a machine, love it!

 

[us56456712]

should the front tire be pointing in the other direction ( >>> ) or is this intentional?

You know, I had it on and off so many times trying to get the wheel axles into the fork holes that I lost track of thinking about which way it is supposed to go. I put it on backwards the last time without thinking about it. You have to use 2 cone wrenches and locking grips to back the axle all the way out as the fork has no drops, just holes. It’s a 45 minute job, plus you still have to fight to spread the forks a little. It’s staying put until a flat. Thanks for noticing though. Dang. On the other hand I could tell everyone that they are French tires and they go on that way so you can retreat faster. I think that’s the plan, easier than reversing it.

 

[us56456712]

Any chance of trying some red locktight on the nut, with the homemade d-ring acting as a stop ?

That’s what I did but I haven’t tried to ride it yet to see if it holds. I put red thread locker on the threaded race, let it dry 24 hours and did the same to the d ring and lock nut the next day. It’s wonky on the inboard side with new bearings. The slight looseness of the inboard race causes the outer race to dig into the nylon bushing I made when force is applied to the pedal. Without force it spins as well as any pedal. If I can get it to hold it might work, but the pedal doesn’t always spin under force and the whole pedal spins under your foot, which causes your foot to slide around on the pedal. I’m hoping the red thread locker keeps this from occurring. I’m obviously trying to use as much original stuff as I can. Trying things and moving up to more extreme measures as stuff fails. This is the last thing, if it doesn’t work I’ll have to use replacement pedals.

 

[ingola]

This has been one of favorite builds. I've been there... everything is a fight..but I never even attempted to paint...so difficult to avoid looking like a brand new bike..and you pulled it off perfect.

 

[kingfish254]

That seat!!!! WOW!!!
Thanks for showing all of the awesome details so well!
Love this bike man!!!

 

[us56456712]

Since Revenant works I’m using left over parts on my 1912-17 Flying Merkel Racer. Seat, pedals, cork on the grips left over or extra from the Monarch. I ran out of wire so I have to wait to finish up a spot of welding on the Merkel. Zip ties are holding the cork in place on the left grip until the glue dries.This is a rare bicycle, especially the racer.

 

[us56456712]

That seat!!!! WOW!!!
Thanks for showing all of the awesome details so well!
Love this bike man!!!

I called the guy that made the seat. I wanted to let him know how happy I am with it. He is all fired up, wants to make more, wants more variety besides horse harnesses and board track motorcycle seats. He said he could make more like mine cheaper as he has the pattern and has copied my seat pan and can make more of those. He was really excited to make more until I told him that I didn’t send him the rails, which have to be curved so you can angle the seat with the original post clamp guts. He said he can put any embossed name you want so if you are willing to make your own rails you can get him to make one now. Likewise if you send the pan and a photo he can do that but it will take longer and cost more. He is trying to wrap his head around how these seats were clamped on and see if rails could be made. I’m a consultant, but I know squat about 130 year old seat varieties. I sent him a lot of photos of my stuff and from the net. He is considering if he can do one general type of reproduction using my pan pattern and leather pattern. The rails are the hang up.

 

[OddJob]

If I was him, I'd use the traditional rail design and spacing of most bikes from the '50s - '60s, to fit the separate clamps that can be used for seat post sizes from that era. That would be his most widely used, and best selling , match I believe. Just my .02. And, I'd prob buy one.

 

[us56456712]

If I was him, I'd use the traditional rail design and spacing of most bikes from the '50s - '60s, to fit the separate clamps that can be used for seat post sizes from that era. That would be his most widely used, and best selling , match I believe. Just my .02. And, I'd prob buy one.

I’m not sure what you mean. He has the bolt placement from my pan. Do you mean using modern straight rails? The original rails are curved and come closer together for the 1900 clamp system. On his board track seats he has a standard mount pattern and people fabricate the mounts to fit their motorcycle. I wonder if just the modern rails are available?

 

[OddJob]

I’m not sure what you mean. He has the bolt placement from my pan. Do you mean using modern straight rails? The original rails are curved and come closer together for the 1900 clamp system. On his board track seats he has a standard mount pattern and people fabricate the mounts to fit their motorcycle. I wonder if just the modern rails are available?

I thought you meant he was going to get the rails fabricated as well and offer full saddles, his top, and the rails as well. That's what I meant. Then the customer could use whichever clamp fit the size of the seatpost they were using, 7/8, 13/16, etc.

And yes,' modern' straight rails. If '50s and '60s bikes are 'modern'.

 

[us56456712]

I thought you meant he was going to get the rails fabricated as well and offer full saddles, his top, and the rails as well. That's what I meant. Then the customer could use whichever clamp fit the size of the seatpost they were using, 7/8, 13/16, etc.

And yes,' modern' straight rails. If '50s and '60s bikes are 'modern'.

He is still trying to figure out if he can get rails made somewhere. It sounds like bicycle seats have a more specific mount than motorcycles. He may not be able to get rails but if you have a very old pan he can do the cover and nose flap on your pan. He would have to find a fabricator to make this.

More seat photos.

 

[us56456712]

I stripped the gooseneck dead end threaded hole that the binding bolt goes into. I was cornering and leaning heavily on the bars when the bolt popped out and the bars went spinning. The dead end hole had very shallow original threads and they were already messed up fron previous years of use. I’m going to drill and tap for an oversized bolt. Grrr.

 

[OddJob]

One month to go, bring it on home~!

The Finished Builds category is up and running. Start a new thread for your build in there using the name of your bike build only, then add photos, highlights of the build, a link to this build thread, etc. Remember, your first photo at the top of your Finished Build thread will be the one used for judging in the Voting Thread after the Build Off ends on September 6, at 12 noon, Central Time in the USA.

RaT oN~!

 

[us56456712]

I hope I fixed the stripped dead end hole that clamps the bars to the stem. I drilled and tapped for an oversized grade 8 bolt. I had to square it off to the original 3/8, otherwise the bolt would catch on the stem. It had to be ungodly tight before the bars stopped moving. If this doesn’t work I’ll drill and tap for a bolt that goes through the stem and through one side of the bars. This works on my klunkers with the old Schwinn style single clamp gooseneck. I’m hoping I’m done, but I need a ride first to proof the bar stability.

 

[Couch tater]

Loctite 660 might help get the bars secured.

 

[us56456712]

Loctite 660 might help get the bars secured.

I tightened them up until I could not move the pinch bolt with vice grips and it just got tight enough to stop them from moving. I cant move it but riding puts more stress on them. The stem clamp and bars were slathered in JB Weld before the clamp was tightened. I can stop them moving but the fix makes the bars non adjustable and permanently pinned to the stem. I drill and tap a hole through the top of the stem and through the clamp area on the bars. I cut the bolt head off, cut a screwdriver slot in the end and screw it countersunk into the stem. Then I plug weld the slotted cut off bolt to the stem and file it smooth. It won’t move as I've done this on some klunker bars. I’m trying less drastic things before moving up in my counter measures. I’m trying to use as much of the original parts as possible. It would be easier to put on different stem and bars and that would make it more comfortable to ride, but I don’t want to do that if I can avoid it.

 

[BartRidesEternal]

Loctite 660 might help get the bars secured.

I used sand mixed with grease (for anti rust) between surfaces too. The sand keeps it from moving.

 

[us56456712]

I thought about my oversized bolt stem clamp repair. I don’t trust it. Fixed gear puts mega strain on the bars. Last time the bolt pulled right out and stripped the shallow threads in the gooseneck. I was cornering with bars that were suddenly orbiting the stem, not very good. I drilled and tapped through the stem and through one side of the collar on the bars, using a 1/4 inch bolt. I cut the bolt head off, slotted one end, tinned it, counter sunk it with heat and more solder, plugged the counter sunk hole with solder and sanded it flush. I did this instead of a plug weld so that the bars could still be removed with heat.

You can’t see it when the bike is upright.

 

[Palepainter]

Inspirational build and can really appreciate the efforts.