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Post by philphine on Feb 1, 2016 11:33:08 GMT -5
finally doing a little building. actually i have been doing some things, but i've been trying to make myself finish some older projects before i start new ones. so i've done more parts/bike gathering than really building something new. but this time i got out a really old one and did some work there was never a build thread for this, because i had it up to this point before i joined this forum, or was even able to post pics. it's sat at about this point for years, because i decided the 20" back wheel looked to small. i wanted a 24x4 wheel. i got a rim someone was selling, and got a hub from cycleus, but still can't build wheels and could never talk myself into paying to have it done. but recently i was able to buy a wheel off a new mongoose logan 24" fat bike. it's letting me restart on this and hopefully i can keep myself on it to make some real progress. i've already recut the swingarm to fit the larger wheel, and waiting for a spring so rework the pivot points (i've since used the shock i had for it on something else). i don't have home internet right now so i'll try to get progress pics when i can.
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Post by philphine on Feb 8, 2016 11:15:36 GMT -5
now with 26/24 wheel combo. seat mount and front shock mount cut off and new front shock mount partially welded on
now the wheels are a little more proportional to the frame. i kinda considered a 29" wheel for the front, but i had already welded the shock mount and the wheel made the front sit up too high in relation to the back.. i don't think i want to reweld the shock mount (i'd need to cut and reweld a brace on the fork to do it anyway for a 29, and mess up the chrome), so i may look at a 26x3 tire if i can find one.
the handlebars i had already (couldn't find an old pic that had them) and i just got the crankset that i think will stay on it. i don't think the seat will go back on, so i'm thinking on what to replacce it with and how to mount it (it will be the top part of the front shock mount whatever i do).
so it's on a front burner, at least for now.
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Post by "Chainsaw" Jim Johnson on Feb 12, 2016 22:28:29 GMT -5
Looks good Phil! Sorry for not posting sooner, but the damn board wouldn't except my password. I got a new one, but it refused that too. Good to see you're back at it! Bike looks a lot better with the bigger rims. This is gonna be a fun bike once its done!
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Post by philphine on Feb 15, 2016 20:49:30 GMT -5
thanks, and no worries about response. my 'net time has become pretty sketchy, so I might not even see an immediate response 'til it's been up for a while.
I think I have the seat mount partially done. when it warms up again (I do more stuff outside at home now and we just got some cold and snow) i'll see about sticking it on.
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Post by philphine on Feb 19, 2016 11:20:24 GMT -5
seat mount partially done i had a piece off an exercise bike i tried to weld to it, that let a seat slide back and forth instead of up and down, but i couldn't get the weld to hold for some reason. turned out i had put it on a little crooked anyway so just as well. i'll wait 'til i have a good seat idea. i'm thinking something like a "king" seat, without a queen section but with the high sissy bar. trying to work through the idea or see what i might stumble across. for now i'm going to switch to the chain line. i've only had a chain draped across the sprockets once long ago, so i'm not even sure i can get good chain alignment. i may have to call it a gravity bike chopper if i can't (i saw that on youtube, so i may claim that's what i was making all along). we'll see
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Post by philphine on Feb 22, 2016 11:15:54 GMT -5
i think i have a good chainline since i can't prop myself up on the seat mount i can't ride it to see if things will still work when pressure is applied to the pedals, but so far just rotating it with the wheel in the air seems to work fine. i thought i might have a problem with the chain hitting the frame as it goes over the top of the sprockets 'cause i remembered that from before, but moving the shock mount for the larger wheel helped to clear it, so the bigger wheel actually helped me out too. i just needed an idler for chain sag. and the shifters part of the old work. two cheap muscle bike shifters put together, with one turned backward to control the front derailleur. i've tried this a couple times, but this is the first one i did. i just never finished it. i'm not sure how to cover or dress it up (maybe a kind of leather wrap or bag with the shifters sticking out), so it may stay kind of raw looking unless or until i figure out something. now back to working out a seat, still haven't got what i want yet. i may take a shot at making something, then i think it can actually be ridden and get some finishing deatils worked out.
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Post by philphine on Mar 5, 2016 10:26:23 GMT -5
I've been on hold waiting for the sissy bar on the left. when I got it a couple days back it was slightly bent. I bent it back so easily I decided it was too flimsy to fool with. so I went to lowes and got some 3/4" tubing (plus spliced about 6" on each piece from a piece I had already. much sturdier, and I think it looks more chopper-ish too.
I've found out the seats that I like are called cobra seats, so i'll be trying to make sort of a single seat version of one. I'm kinda caught in a catch 22. I can't ride the bike without a seat, but don't know how well the bike will ride to be worth making a seat for it. I can't tack on something temporary and have it strong enough to ride. grinding and/or cutting it back off might weaken my mount for whatever I do permanently. so I guess i'll just work on what I want to be the permanent seat and hope it's worth it. we'll see.
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Post by philphine on Mar 5, 2016 10:46:47 GMT -5
imagine this, with just the main front seat and long pad rising off of it. that's what I hope to try. I have an idea to maybe let the backrest have a little air circulation for the back since I'm not just sitting with a motor pulling me I figure i'll sweat some (yeah.... just a little), like have the back rest actually bee 2-3 short pads from top to bottom.
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Post by "Chainsaw" Jim Johnson on Mar 9, 2016 23:54:27 GMT -5
Everything is looking good! I like the shifters looking kinda ratty. That seat! OOOOOOHHHHHH! I'm thinking your version will be even more OOOOOOOHHHHHHer! Definitely cool!
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Post by philphine on Mar 10, 2016 11:23:14 GMT -5
thanks, I'm hoping I can get it right.
looks a little cramped, but the measurements seem to be right
just kinda halfway balanced on the bike.
the blue piece will be welded to the frame with the sissy bar. couldn't figure out how to not make the sissy bar part of the permanent frame and seem strong. working on a couple more braces to keep the welded on part as strong as possible (I've noticed on past bikes the pedaling motion does a side to side thing that can work a weak weld loose). it won't have any pads, but then I should be able to hop on for a (probaly painfully short) test ride.
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Post by "Chainsaw" Jim Johnson on Mar 11, 2016 15:05:48 GMT -5
I think the seat/sissy bar gave it some attitude. Its all coming together nicely. I think how you've got the siisy bar attached, will be strong enough, unless you lean back hard and try to pull a wheelie.
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Post by philphine on Mar 14, 2016 9:34:30 GMT -5
I forgot about a couple other things I need to do before it can be ridden, but here is the base plate and sissy bar tacked on enough to sit on it. it did end up being a little more cramped than I want, but not enough to stop the progress I think. when I do the bottom seat padding I mean to make it intentionally thick, with some kind of really dence bottom layer so maybe I get an inch or so more seat height. i'll have to look into types of foam and stuff.
the things I forgot about are the swing arm pivot. it's just sitting in place unbolted. since I widened it I need a longer bolt and also to make a spacer to cover the extra width. I've done it before, just need to find the pieces.
also the front wheel has a quick release skewer that doesn't work with the springer drop outs. I never changed the skewer 'cause even though I got the wheel for this project (back during the first years I was building it), now that i'm working on it again I think I don't want to use it. if the bike works out I want to eventually take advantage of the dual front disc setup.
so a dis-assembly next to finsh welding the base on at work, then probably on hold again while I figure out some things. hopefully not too long though.
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Post by "Chainsaw" Jim Johnson on Mar 15, 2016 18:32:26 GMT -5
Phil, if you do the back padding, will you have enough butt room? The seat portion looks small in the pics and I understand what you're doing, but, once the back gets a pad, even a thin pad, won't the seat be aweful small? Loving the looks! I understand the "hurry up and wait" of these damn bike builds.
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Post by philphine on Mar 15, 2016 19:29:27 GMT -5
I'm hoping not, just have to keep going with it. I mean to try it like I've made a few backrests, so a wood piece will have a similar shape as the bottom, but hang over the metal section about 1/2" or so all around (so about 1" bigger overall). then, yeah, I am thinking make the back pads thinner than the seat bottom. got the frame pretty well welded up, so if I can get it rideable for test rides maybe I can get a better idea of if it'll work.
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Post by philphine on Mar 19, 2016 9:30:10 GMT -5
the wood piece that will eventually hold whatever padding and cover i can work out. i think it will be ok. maybe the pics make the seat look stubbier. front to back it's 13" plus the back angles back a little, so adding padding shouldn't take much room from the actual seat this metal piece will hold the seat pad and the lowest back pad. i just cut out two smaller metal pieces last night for the middle and top pads. then i'll cut some wood for them and set them in place on the bar. that may be as far as i get with the seat for a while 'til i can either work out some upholstry or something. trying to keep it on a front burner, but may have to turn the heat down a little.
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