RRBBO13 4/14 Munster

[Priscilla]

Hello everyone! In new to this forum but have been reading this forum for the past few months. I live in a city where bikes are a necessity and that being so I've recently started taking my love of art and incorporating it into bicycles. That being said I've found ratting bikes out is perfect considering my low income and the fact this city is riddled with abandoned bike parts so frankenstiening a bike is not only a fun activity to get me out of the house but its never ending! Anyways I was given this Electra beach cruiser withva front flat and its fun and all to ride but I really want to rat rod it out. I've been kicking around ideas and then stumbled upon this build off thing and hoped I could be apart of it. I already see this bike in my head and whether it will even qualify I wanted to dedicate it to my adorable pet Rat I call Munster whose b-day is 4/14. Anyways thanks and i suppose this is my submission

 

[KJV]

RAT ON

 

[OddJob]

^ what he said ! Welcome to the RRB and BO #13! If it has two wheels and it pedals, it 'qualifies'. So you're good to go.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Welcome!

 

[Brian macumber]

Welcome to the forum

 

[kingfish254]

Welcome to RRB and the fun of BO13.
You should select "Full Image" when you post your photos, otherwise people only see small thumbnails.
Have fun!

 

[Priscilla]

Welcome to RRB and the fun of BO13.
You should select "Full Image" when you post your photos, otherwise people only see small thumbnails.
Have fun!

Thanks I had no idea they were only posting as small thumbnails

 

[KJV]

Update ?

 

[Funkme]

Welcome to the build-off. Lets see some more pics of progress.
And do we have another girl in the build-off?

 

[OddJob]

Welcome to the build-off. Lets see some more pics of progress.
And do we have another girl in the build-off?

And I believe @Duchess as well Funk.

 

[Duchess]

And I believe @Duchess

Nope, sorry, just an ordinary guy. Duchess was a car and the boat I'll be building as well as the name of various vehicles in my books.

My sister had a rat rescue, so from what I've learned from her, that's getting up there in age for a rat. Rat on in more ways than one!

Bikes are great because they're about the cheapest vehicle to customize, can be worked on indoors, are fairly easy to find room for, and can just keep getting reinvented. Access to free parts should work out great for trying new things.

 

[Priscilla]

Ok sorry to everyone for the lack of journal entries as things have been busy on the home front. So for this build ive decided to try and go about this Electra frame as "ratrod" "psychobilly" "etc" as i could with what i had in my reach power and of course tools of the trade. i used parts from some vintage bikes i found such as an old Beacon leather springer seat and old Murry fender brackets to use as a sissy bar which both i just loved the wear on them i couldnt bare to even clean the dust and patina off of. i did however chop the seat post from the frame to lower the seat as close to the fender/rear wheel and the soft tail fender im sorry just wasnt my taste so i cut that down about halfway and pounded it out to give it some texture (not sure why i really wanted my fender to be that way maybe just drank too much that day and said .... it the next day who knows). Also added a springer front end and colored to suit my own personal pallet. i feel its alittle cliche but i put on a set of U ape hangers and the rubber from old rims i wrapped for handgrips and edged them with that cloth athletic tape. i kept the shimano rear derailer and the 7 gear rim and decided i liked switching my gears better with a phillips head screw driver because of the flatness here i really never switch gears (so more of a personal preference) also i found that this bike now with the fender re-bent and the springer seat so low i wouldnt be able to put on any brakes, however since ive added the springer front end this bike moves really fast if you want it but the faster it goes the center of gravity goes to ..... (never knew that about a springer front end but i learned something new ) umm so i think thats about it guys. hope this passes as something acceptable in comparison to builds ive seen on here so far. anyways thanks for reading and looking 4/14 Munster

 

[Priscilla]

 

[Priscilla]

other than a few sleepless nights fighting some drive train issues this bike turned out pretty much as i saw it in my mind when i was first given the bike. other than the center of gravity issue this bike is so much fun to ride.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Looks good! Hard to go wrong with that color combination for a rat.

The 'center of gravity' issue that you are experiencing is due to the change in geometry, not the fact that it's a springer fork. It's pretty common when you start messing around with swapping forks not intended for your particular frame. You will get used to it after riding it a while, just part of the cost for looking cool.

Just google "fork trail" and you'll find plenty of info if your interested.

 

[kingfish254]

Classic rat colors and build. You made it yours. It's not unusual for the parts to talk to you like your fender was.

 

[Priscilla]

so our pet pig got bored and ate my seat so ill be replacing it with a brown leather riveted one but wont arrive til sometime mid august.

 

[OddJob]

Got another one laying around, or access to one?
Slap it on there, and put your favorite photo of the bike (right side up, preferably ) in a new thread in the Finished Bikes section of the Build-Off 13.

 

[kingfish254]

SIX DAYS TO GO!!!!!