the Grunge Rudge

[Graylock]

Back from La Jolla. What a time we had. I rode from Windansea Beach to the boardwalk at Pacific Beach and on to the end at the break water (where bikini girls play volleyball) and back 10+ miles, every day. Back to work on the Grunge Rudge.

Picked up my tires

Also I painted the lugs and the dropouts green to get ready to apply the finish.

I glued the tops of the plaid with Phenoseal Translucent vinyl adhesive caulk. After about an hour I started wrapping the plaid around the tubes and trimmed the edges. Finished out two tubes before it got to dark. Start again tommorow.

It's coming out like I thought it would. The only change I made was setting the plaid diagonally. It shows more that way.

Later

GL

 

[Gold Street Customs]

Aaaaa....what size are those tires :?:

 

[KOTA]

I'm liking the tires, a lot!.........Even like the material on the frame!......I remember, Easter weekend, stopping for some drinking water, in YOUR hometown of Brewster.......My thinking hasn't been the same since. Don't know if that's good or bad. :?

 

[Graylock]

Ahhh..... those tires. I had a hard time trying to find tires for this build. First choice were Sweetskinz or something like that but couldn't get the size I wanted.
So I tried for red tires and these are what I came up with. I traded the Robin Hood , AKA Robbing Hood, For these. Nice huh? These are Kenda Kwest Action Messengers. 100 pounders at 26x1.50. They come in other colors but I was looking for reds.


KOTA..............since our new head of water department guy has been in charge, the guy with the pony tail and dark glasses, everybody in town sleeps like a baby. Everyone is mellow and we cut our Police department in half! Sunsets are much nicer now at 3:00 o'clock and then again at 8.

Finished the frame and will spraying the forks and fenders and things this weekend getting ready for more covering. I'm shooting for one nasty fixie.

Later
GL

 

[ej599]

You should bottle that stuff! :lol:

 

[Markm]

You should bottle that stuff! :lol:

...I'll buy some... :mrgreen:

 

[Graylock]

Trying to finish up covering all the loose ends.

Next is detailing and clearcoat and onto some putting things together. Getting closer to done. Still a ways to go.

GL

 

[Graylock]

Small update: Two coated the plaid, I was worried that there would be to much shine but it turned out fine. It still has that cloth feel but it resist dirt better. Slipped on some chrome things. Played with my ball bearings tonight, all 72 of them. Had a setback with a tire tube, Put the wrong one on, right one still in the box.

We are running out of time friends. Deadline will come sooner than you think. Still I know what needs to be done and it's not a problem. I see some late comers to the build off. I couldn't do that, no fun in that.

Next is redishing the rear wheel, and then paint the rim. The rest will be a breeze. Took some pics but I'm running out of space on the web, got to clean house to fit these pics in.

GL

 

[meezonweelz]

I really like where you're goin with this, can't wait to see it complete

 

[Graylock]

Me too! Just redished the wheel last night. Paint the rim Saturday. I have shown some of the parts to some of my bike friends and after a few moments of staring at it they no longer fear it. I will have to be selective in my final photos to get the colors to show.

GL

 

[Graylock]

Busy this weekend. Even mowed the lawn :shock:. I was hoping for a ride on the Grunge Rudge today and got my wish. Right now it's rideable but I need to tweek a little more out of it. My oldest daughter and I took a ride down by the corral down the street for some photos just before dusk. It is surprisingly light and fast and handles very good. This is my first fixie and freaks me out with the constant spin and no brakes :shock: . I can run it all the way to spin out and I could make it go a lot faster if I change the gearing
Maybe by next week I'll take my finished bike pictures and write it up done, or not. Still plenty of time for photo shoots.............so for a tease here's a few shots.

Enjoy.

GL

 

[KOTA]

Unbelievably COOL!..........That is the wildest finish I've ever seen.......NICE!!

 

[dumpster_diver]

Awesome plaid fabric work!! Good job on the full fender too!

 

[aka_locojoe]

What they said!

 

[Graylock]

Thanks guys. I never would have built anything like this if I hadn't joined the ranks of Rat Rod Bikes. So many ideas from so much tallent!

GL

 

[herr_rudolf]

that's cool!
I keep gettin'g surprised on this site...

8 - )

 

[SSG]

So unique and so cool!

 

[Graylock]

that's cool!
I keep gettin'g surprised on this site...
8 - )

Thanks! I was inspired by your builds to get into this build off. That and a kick in the butt from KOTA. I just had to use an European bike of some kind because I had so many of them waiting to rebuild. Had to to use something you don't normally see in a rat rod build off. Most people who see this bike in person smile for a while at it before they speak. This was the kind of reaction I was looking for. It doesn't get any better than that. I still have a few things to add for the finish, tweaking the rear fender was one and pedals was another. I'm looking for a finished project that I'm proud of, nothing more.

Nearly done and happy with it,
GL

 

[herr_rudolf]

that's cool!
I keep gettin'g surprised on this site...
8 - )

Thanks! I was inspired by your builds to get into this build off. That and a kick in the butt from KOTA. I just had to use an European bike of some kind because I had so many of them waiting to rebuild. Had to to use something you don't normally see in a rat rod build off. Most people who see this bike in person smile for a while at it before they speak. This was the kind of reaction I was looking for. It doesn't get any better than that. I still have a few things to add for the finish, tweaking the rear fender was one and pedals was another. I'm looking for a finished project that I'm proud of, nothing more.

Nearly done and happy with it,
GL

Sir stop it, ...you make me blush... ; - )

But it's true. My eyes tend to see a hotrod-possibility in everything. Bikes are a natural. ANY bike... That is something I've learned on Ratrodbikes dot com. I allready knew that 'european' bikes can be made cool but it wasn't untill I came across this site that I saw the coolest examples ever! I think one can make a cool thing out of almost anything with the right styling.
I was surprised to see a previous ratrod build-off bike having an all-suspension MTB frame, the sort that I find the most UGLY of em all, become one of my all time favorites! The creativity here is sometimes overwhelming. Sure, you can paint a bike black and add red wheels just to have a cool cruiser, but for me, doing things a little bit differently and still end up with a cool, traditional looking bike, does it for me. Like you did. With the plaid fabric. I would never thought of that. Makes me think of combining old tweed covered guitaramplifier styling to a bicycle. Lost of pretty details can be found in guitarshops...

Inspiring.

Your bike is cool.

 

[JoeyMac]

really cool and unique look with the plaid! love the colors!