Nice paint procedure result...are you done now? Two weeks in pretty darn fast build.
Trans-MIG-RaT...RidE ViDeo ! Pg 15
- Thread starter OddJob
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:
Looking really good...nice work!....
For the bulk of the build, yes. A few tweaks and one ace up my sleeve yet....
"Inspiration waits for no one." ~ OddJob
Thanks Chad! It also rides really well, which I value in all my builds. Rode it to work yesterday for my first real 'test ride'. It's only about 4 miles round trip, but hilly, so I gave the ol ' 4 banger a work out.Looking really good...nice work!....
That is one cool looking bicycle. And a 4 speed to boot! Way past cool.
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
Thanks man! I rode it to work last night, and it rides great as well. Even fooled a couple of guys at the bike shop, they thought for sure the paint was old. I've got a couple more ideas to mock up yet, but I'm really happy with it as it stands now.
As mentioned above, I rode the Trans-MIG-RaT to the bike shop last night, my longest ride on it so far at 4 mi round trip ( that's 6.4 km for my Euro friends). The bike rides great. It's low and and carves turns well, great for putting my foot down at stoplights, and I can just slide off the back when I want to dismount. My long legs are actually in a good pedaling position, imagine two pistons moving up and down hinged at my hips. Almost like sitting at normal chair height; only more fun!
In the first week of our build off, when it was wet and cold outside, I did some fiddling with lights possibilities for the build. I hinted at this in Video #1 when I talked about using the cut off end of a trumpet mute for the gear shift cover.
So, the head light was relatively simple. A Royce Deluxe light I had picked up over the years at a swap. I pulled out the guts, cut the back off of it and widened the hole for the bulb so I could fit my LED flashlight inside, with the screw on back end protruding out the back end holding the push button switch. Works great!
The tail light was a little trickier. I cut the big end of the mute off, then trimmed and fiddled with the fluted end to get my old bike tail light to fit inside. The LED flashlight I found, has a magnetic 'ignition'. The very end of it pulls off, and that turns the light on. Pretty cool!
I used Goop glue again to hold the lens in to the body and it is pressed up against the flash light that is screwed into the back end.
So this morning, I mounted the lights on the bike and took it over to our Applewood Park trail for a test spin and photo shoot. Here are the results.
I am looking for some feedback on the lights (don't pay too much attention to the 'look', likely some Rat-ina down the road) as far as their placement, do you like the bike better with or without the lights, does it put it 'over the top' or 'down the drain'; that kind of stuff.
Finally, I lit them up. Because form, without function, is void.
RaT oN~!
In the first week of our build off, when it was wet and cold outside, I did some fiddling with lights possibilities for the build. I hinted at this in Video #1 when I talked about using the cut off end of a trumpet mute for the gear shift cover.
So, the head light was relatively simple. A Royce Deluxe light I had picked up over the years at a swap. I pulled out the guts, cut the back off of it and widened the hole for the bulb so I could fit my LED flashlight inside, with the screw on back end protruding out the back end holding the push button switch. Works great!
The tail light was a little trickier. I cut the big end of the mute off, then trimmed and fiddled with the fluted end to get my old bike tail light to fit inside. The LED flashlight I found, has a magnetic 'ignition'. The very end of it pulls off, and that turns the light on. Pretty cool!
I used Goop glue again to hold the lens in to the body and it is pressed up against the flash light that is screwed into the back end.
So this morning, I mounted the lights on the bike and took it over to our Applewood Park trail for a test spin and photo shoot. Here are the results.
I am looking for some feedback on the lights (don't pay too much attention to the 'look', likely some Rat-ina down the road) as far as their placement, do you like the bike better with or without the lights, does it put it 'over the top' or 'down the drain'; that kind of stuff.
Finally, I lit them up. Because form, without function, is void.
RaT oN~!
I like the lights. Very "motorcyclely." [emoji16]
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
The lights look great... excellent placement I reckon 
And thanks for the miles to kilometers conversion for us 'europeans'
Glen.
And thanks for the miles to kilometers conversion for us 'europeans'
Glen.
Yes to lights with Rat-ina. This has turned out really nice. Is the nexus 4 a good spread of gearing?
Dave, it's different from the rest in that 1st gear is the one-to-one ratio, and then you gear up from there through 2-3-4. Because of this it requires a smaller chain ring, or larger cog on the hub. My chain ring is 36 t , and it's about as big as I would want to go. In first I can go up most inclines, and stand if need be on the steeper / longer ones. Fourth gear is reserved for flats at speed or downhill.
I have it set up on a 'friction shifter', so there are no detents between gears, it's more like an smooth Roloff hub in this set up.
I'm planning some light Rat-ina on the lights and shift lever to blend with the bike.
Lights look good!
With you there Glen!
Maybe he should have said 'non Americans'?
thanks for the miles to kilometers conversion for us 'europeans'
Glen.
With you there Glen!Maybe he should have said 'non Americans'?
Boy, that living so far south has really 'thinned your skin' guys.Lights look good!
Maybe he should have said 'non Americans'?
It's the lack of "Freedom"
Love the lights, especially the cool ‘pull the plug’ rear.
Just thinking out loud here...
What does the ‘plug’ look like? Could you run a D ring through it and clip it via carabiner to the seat spring when it’s on?
For the front, I know you need enough room to get a finger in there to push the button, but if you could shorten the bracket to pull it in a little I think it would help.
My .02
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Just thinking out loud here...
What does the ‘plug’ look like? Could you run a D ring through it and clip it via carabiner to the seat spring when it’s on?
For the front, I know you need enough room to get a finger in there to push the button, but if you could shorten the bracket to pull it in a little I think it would help.
My .02
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Yeah, we are on the same track again. There is a hole in the end of that rear light plug. I was thinking a wire to just clip it somewhere, seat spring would work.
And, haha, I cut it already and drilled a new hole, but I have room to move it back an inch and still operate the switch. It will hide the head badge the more I move it in, but I agree it should be closer.
Headlight really finishes off the front end...little trumpet mute tail light is sweet!
