Western Scraper

[deven_science]

I've got an issue. I love the looks of this thing as is, but after test riding it around the block, I can tell that my back is going to hurt riding this thing for any kind of distance. So, as much as the appearance of this bike is my priority, I decided to make a back rest for it. I have a pad from a motorcycle, so I thought I would make a frame for that. I cut and shaved down a fork, and tacked it onto the frame.

The problem is that the seat pokes above the tires. This... we cannot have. Them being the highest peak is the entire point of this build. The frame is safely under the mark, so I'm ditching the motorcycle pad, and I'll make a slimmer pad for it.

 

[SwissGuy]

Besides the already mentioned issue of the pad peaking above the tires, very cool thinkin' of using a fork!

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Slimmer pad will look awesome on there!

 

[OddJob]

Is the pad able to be modified at all? Like, remove some of the padding near the top half, and pull the existing cover material under, and then remove excess cover, glue and mount?

So it would have more of an even 'arc' to the pad to mimic the fender line, and ending below the highest point of the fender.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Not trying to nitpick, but I'd like to see all of these lines parallel.

 

[GuitarlCarl]

I like everything below the top of the tires, true burrito style. I wanted that on my build also, but I couldn't safely control the big front wheel with the gear drive steering wheel. So, I had a choice of what to ditch, the geared steering or the big wheel...
I'm loving your bike and looking forward to the next "burrito" I build. It will definitely have long tiller style bars to control the front end with and I hope to find a similar frame as a starting point. Your tank frame was an excellent starting point.
You still thinking bare metal?

Carl.

 

[deven_science]

Besides the already mentioned issue of the pad peaking above the tires, very cool thinkin' of using a fork!

Thanks.

Is the pad able to be modified at all? Like, remove some of the padding near the top half, and pull the existing cover material under, and then remove excess cover, glue and mount?

So it would have more of an even 'arc' to the pad to mimic the fender line, and ending below the highest point of the fender.

I thought of that, but I originally had that pad in mind for something else anyway, so it'll probably just be reshelved.

Not trying to nitpick, but I'd like to see all of these lines parallel.
View attachment 46557

It's details like that that I'm going to have to start paying more attention to.

 

[Missing Link]

I think you should keep the seatback frame but cover it with some expanded or perforated metal to better match the tractor seat. That would slim it down and flow a lot better in my opinion.

 

[deven_science]

A guy contacted me on Instagram saying that he's been following the build, and he thought he had a good part to use as the back rest. He gave me this child's tractor seat from a pedal tractor for free. I decided to try welding it directly on the back of the big tractor seat, so that I didn't have the eyesore of the other fork attached to the frame. It seemed at first to work:

The problem is that the back of the bracket that helps keep the two held together firm presses on the rear fender quite a bit when I try to ride it.

I worked frustratingly on the issue for two hours, altering the chain length, fender, idler, etc., until I wanted to cry and throw the bike in the street to die. In the end, I think I'm going to have to cut off the seat tube, AGAIN, and weld it back on a little further forward, AGAIN. So maddening. Anyhoo, here's how it looks for now.

 

[Fv2]

I had to move my seat mount a couple times too, I dig the stretch bikes but seat placement is a pain.

 

[Missing Link]

It fits w/the rest of the components, do what you have to to get it to work, it looks good and fills it's purpose, that's hard to come by.

 

[OddJob]

+1 on Mr Link above ^.

 

[GuitarlCarl]

Here's an odd idea. It'd be a neat +1 seat mounted up above the rear fender. But you'd have to put some framework together and it'd be above the height of the tire. Your ladyfriend perched up there behind you would be pretty cool tho.

Guitarl.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Here's an odd idea. It'd be a neat +1 seat mounted up above the rear fender. But you'd have to put some framework together and it'd be above the height of the tire. Your ladyfriend perched up there behind you would be pretty cool tho.

Guitarl.

That would be awesome!

 

[deven_science]

Worked on this bike today. Just so you all know, it's not going to be done by the deadline of the build off. At least, not how I want it. It will, however, be rideable, as it is now, so come deadline, I'll call it done enough, and take my photos. I may just fine tune it in the build threads after.

And with that important note done, I moved up the seat, to see if that solved my problem of the rear fender rubbing on the tire.

Aaaaannnnddd... no. Even moved up a 1/2", it still rubbed a bit! So frustrating. I then saw finally that when I sat on the seat, it moved down in the back quite a bit! So, even though it might mess with the lines even more, in for a penny, in for a pound, I welded in a brace to stop the movement.

Makes the seat post non-functioning, but oh well. I then used an older German coin to fill a hole in the bottom bracket.

Another test ride, and... yes! that seems to have finally solved the problem. This thing is such a beast to ride, I might be on the lookout for a slightly smaller chainring than I have now, but I think I already have one from a girl's bike, so I may not find one. I then knocked off the blue on the curved tube on the frame, and took one more shot for the night.

 

[GuitarlCarl]

A bigger gear in the back might be easier.
Two teeth more made an immense difference on mine.

Carl.

 

[Fv2]

This thing looks like a bullet with a seat. Awesome.

 

[deven_science]

A bigger gear in the back might be easier.
Two teeth more made an immense difference on mine.

That's a great idea, actually.

This thing looks like a bullet with a seat. Awesome.

Thank you.

 

[Jaypem]

I've been throwing girls gears on my bikes a lot lately, I like that easy going pace...

 

[G-Matt]

Killer build !!!! What vision [emoji1303]


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