Hot Rod 'Liner, a couple more ride pics

[MplsCoaster]

Hello All,

This is my first RBB post. Please be patient if I do this wrong initially.

Update: Hopefully I fixed this post with an actual name

I couldn’t stand just reading about the Build Off again and decided to join in. I’ve been amazed and entertained for a couple of years now with all the cool ideas and fantastic talent.

I’m actually into light bikes so I wanted to see how light I could build and how fast I could ride a Spaceliner. The lighter I get it, the harder I can gear it, and the faster I go. Lightness can’t be substituted for class or cost though so it’s a balancing act. I love the design of the Spaceliner frame. Viktor was a really cool guy. Thanks to JoeyMac for posting viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7289. I’m using this for part of my inspiration.

I’m going to make everything shiny, sorry, not too ratty. I’ll start an intro post with some other more ratty bikes I currently already have built. Update:see post:
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=39748

Here is what I started with:

Not really my style but good raw stock. The chrome on the frame is decent. I stripped it down. Still heavy with just the frame but it is what it is. Recently, I’ve been collecting parts and trying to wait for the weather to warm up.

I found out the guy before me hacked down the fork tube to fit the repop springer, OW. My friend helped me machine it straight and help get a new solid headset into it. The planned fork is not stock and fairly common in the LBSs around here so I’ll cut it down.

I’ll post some progress pictures soon.

 

[herr_rudolf]

Re: First Build Off, First Post

That's an awesome bike to start with...
I like your idea of trying to make an old bike go faster.
That used to be the essence of hotrodding :wink:

Good luck and have fun.
Oh, and welcome to the forum and don't forget to post an introduction of yourself in the intro-forum.

 

[johnp.smith]

Re: First Build Off, First Post

I love shiny chrome bikes 8)

 

[MplsCoaster]

Re: Hot Rod 'Liner

Thanks guys, hopefully I can pull through with something cool.

Herr_Rudolf, I used your comment to name the bike, thanks. I was in Eindhoven once. When I arrived on the train, I was met by hundreds of bike underneath a purpose built shelter. It gave me a huge smile.

 

[herr_rudolf]

Re: Hot Rod 'Liner

hahah, I feel honoured but I'm too humble to accept the credit of the use of the term 'hotrod'. :wink:

Fun to read you have a link with Eindhoven! What is it what made you visit my hometown? Those guarded bicycleshelters are very common in Holland (and Europe, I guess...?) Eindhoven has several. 3 within 500 meters.

 

[MplsCoaster]

Re: Hot Rod 'Liner

Here was my original plan. It since has morphed, at least in my mind.

The rack I had in mind was repop chrome unit that would have matched the twin tubes of the frame but the geometry didn't work. That's what I get for not drawing to scale. Please excuse my scribbling.

Also I found a really cool stick shift but it was too wide for in between the twin top tubes (other than a really scary placement right in front of the seat). The bike came with a kickback but it is really heavy. I have a Sturmy Archer 3 speed (with a coaster) but needs to have the rims replaced. It's slightly lighter than the kickback. I could rebuild the SA with aluminum rims and try a diferent shifter I have in mind. We'll see... For now I've got a 1 speed Shimano hub with shiny aluminum rims so that's the first version. I rather like the clean look of no shifter or cable. Definitely the lightest setup but maybe not the fastest.

Anybody have any input?

 

[Fisch]

Re: Hot Rod 'Liner

Edit- just read that you are using a SA 3-speed, so not sure the below info will help.

Beautiful starting point! I am building a liner frame but mine was a sears spyder muscle bike. The good thing is they actually made a shifter for this frame for the spyder bike.

What shifter did you buy for yours? Have a pic?

 

[MplsCoaster]

Re: Hot Rod 'Liner

Hey Fisch,

That Liner is crazy man. It's in fantastic shape. Did it come that color?

I'm seriously impressed with the art work at your website.

Your shifter looks awesome and it's a twin top tube too. I haven't seen one before.
Maybe it won't apply because of the 3+ derailleur but it may be alternate plan.

I can't find my picture of the 3 spd stick shift but I'll take some new ones soon with measurements. Maybe somebody can identify it. If it doesn't go on this bike, I have 4 other bikes that have twin top tubes. Some less desirable which I wouldn't feel guilty about bending a bit.

I have a backup plan (if I go for the 3 speed) which includes a chrome standard thumb-lever chrome SA replacement shifter. I'm still on the fence of whether make it lighter with one small hub gear.

All,

On the discussion page, I was mentioning the BB conversion for the Spaceliner frames. Here is the original trial that didn't work.

It's not necessarily the square taper BB that won't fit but the bolts for the adapter won't go through. You can kinda see the holes and the tube in the way. The two holes (for the adapter bolts) are on the bottom and the third is under the seat tube. It's never easy but that's part of the fun.

I'll post a pic of the post trimming of the tubes soon.

See Ya

 

[MplsCoaster]

Re: Hot Rod 'Liner

Fisch was asking about the shifter I had.
I took some pics. Sorry about the reflection on the tape measure.
No markings on the shifter. 15 oz.
I tried it sideways because of the double twin tubes and tried in between but no such luck.

Is it repop? Who makes it?

 

[Skipton]

Re: Hot Rod 'Liner

Great start! cool parts! Spaceliners are cool!

 

[MplsCoaster]

Re: Hot Rod 'Liner

Well I got a mock up done.

The handle bars are one of those crazy ideas that are way too impractical.

My plans were fairly simple until I thought about making my own head badge in the spirit of Viktor (see earlier reference):

My process is usually to make it complicated then progressively make it more simple.
I was thinking about attachment methods and what would blend into a fairly sparse bike.
I think I'm going to make a mock up with hd reynolds wrap first because I can make lots of mistakes with out a ton of time invested.
If I want it to last and stay attached, then I might try to make a mold from the mockup then pound it out in tin.
I've made metal parts before but with machines. The pounding part will have to be thought through a bit more becasue I don't want a dimpled finish. Casting may be too crazy (and heavy).

I'm also thinking what else on the rest of the bike might look good and tastefully done. I really like the way the drop outs are shaped so maybe some subtle repeated shapes on the back part of the frame.

The seat was an idea about an shiny metal bike. Again impractical, but maybe with the right metallic like fabric...
It's pretty heavy too so its just an idea at this point. I still want to go fast with this bike.

The aluminum brake lever is a mock up of how I might try to modify a SA 3 speed shifter (if I go the multispeed route). Maybe I could cut it off and dremel it out enough to slip over the stock lever. We'll see...

I think like the matching Big and Little Tioga City Slickers. They roll so smooth and easy.

Now I have to get some practical work done, like find my missing crank and installing the BB and adapter.
I'll post pics the progress soon.

 

[Slingshot Dude]

Re: Hot Rod 'Liner

Fisch was asking about the shifter I had.
I took some pics. Sorry about the reflection on the tape measure.
No markings on the shifter. 15 oz.
I tried it sideways because of the double twin tubes and tried in between but no such luck.

Is it repop? Who makes it?

i have the exact same shifter lol! :mrgreen:

 

[herr_rudolf]

Re: Hot Rod 'Liner

Well I got a mock up done.

Whoah!
Now that's more like it! Big'n'littles, seat up in the air, bars way down low... It instantly creates the all important hotrod-rake. That thing looks like it's moving fast even when standing still. Exactly my kind of hotrod-bicycle. 8)

 

[Skipton]

Re: Hot Rod 'Liner

I'm with herr_rudolf !

This bike is all hot rod! I really like the Shifter idea, There have been a few builds with that seat treatment done.

This is my favorite one ...... viewtopic.php?f=32&t=18603&p=188825&hilit=hot+rod+girl#p188825


Also check out karfer67's Pay IT Back for cool shifter Ideas..... viewtopic.php?f=25&t=9355&p=95210&hilit=pay+back#p95210

Also I like the bars.... If they where supposed to be practical we would all ride Trek Hybrids :wink:

Keep up the great work!

 

[herr_rudolf]

Re: Hot Rod 'Liner

@ skipton.
We must have the same taste in bikes. That 'HOTROD GIRL' got one of my three votes in the RRBBO#4...

 

[scrumblero]

Re: Hot Rod 'Liner

its lookin great ! that head badge idea is awesome !! :shock:

 

[MplsCoaster]

Re: Hot Rod 'Liner Updated 17May11

Thanks you guys for the comments and support.

I needed it last weekend with the pain of putting the sealed BB into this frame.

First there was the tube trimming that had been done. Then I had to go to demel for a few hours to get them to fit with out tension.
I'm so not proud of the amount I had to do so I'm not going to post a pic.
It's not like it will be dangerous but it's kinda hacky. I glad it will be covered up.

In the pic, I still have the disposable installation 1/4" screws installed but they came out after all the trial fittings.

I'm almost ready to dump the used cheap Sugino crankset. I carefully measured and calculated the width I wanted and ordered a 103mm Sugino BB. Unfortuneately 103mm is too short to fit the Maxx design so it bottoms out.

Then I bought a FSA BB at 118mm. Now it looks too long, a bit goofy and the chainline may be off. Also the FSA (cheaper than the Sugino by half) doesn't have the rotating thread removable. So I have to screw it in the one side then line both threads up and screw them both in simultaneously (without stripping the aluminum adaptor threads). Maybe there is another method of installing into the adaptor before the adaptor's installation but that a pain too.

So a LBS has Origin 8 singlespeed crank sets on sale (32% off) so it would be almost as cheap (and less painful) than getting another BB. The Origin 8's look really good and they take the 103mm BB. I'll have to monkey around with the gearing but that's doable (Sugino 52T and Origin 44T (but has bigger chainring options and I have a 13T hub gear).

I weighed the bare frame and it 9lbs.

 

[MplsCoaster]

Hot Rod 'Liner Update 21May11

Wow, People are getting done already and the bikes look fantastic. This is so much fun.
I plan to have several revisions and then pick one (with your gracious input).

I finally got the bottom bracket in. I used the 103 mm and bought the Origin 8 crankset I mentioned earlier.
I had to flip the gear to the other side to get the chainline a little better. I think It looks ok. It spins very smooth.

I love Big and Littles but I got an idea. Maybe it could be a relative term. These are both 32mm but I think I could go 37 and 28.
I really like the way a larger than 26" wheel looks on certain forks. The top of the tire is even or higher than the bottom of the fork tube. So I mocked up it up with my Felt wheels to see.

What do you think? It will have to take some planning. And my credit card already got smoking. We'll see...
I put a kinda white with silver metal flake seat from a 2010 Schwinn Racer on it for trial. I'm not sure yet.
The chain guard is a repop my wife picked up from the used section of a LBS. It's shiny.

Then I switched gears Thinking Big (27.5) and little (26") just for fun. The 37mm fit in the back. I wonder if there is a 29er slick out there that might fit.

I lost the look I was after but I had to try. It was worth checking out.
I tried a splash of color with the seat to see what that might look like. "S" could stand for Spaceliner but probably not. I bought some NOS "matching" grips but they turned out too purple (versus metal-flake fire engine red like the seat). I flipped the handle bars up and I kinda like it better. I really like the look when other people flip them though.

There was some discussion of the radically cut handlebars I mocked up previously. I like the look too to but the side shot doesn't tell the whole story.

There is very little grip area. I'll try them again once I cut the fork threads down. It depends if I want them Show or Go. I'm glad the difference is only 5 minutes apart.

The fork is next. That will drop all the previous handlebar height by about 2 inches so I hope it won't look weird.

See Ya

 

[herr_rudolf]

Re: Hot Rod 'Liner

Wow! Now THAT's a transformation... All that shiny metal is really beautiful... 8) I like the deep v wheels. But I also like the combo with the smaller front wheel... What are the ERTO or ISO sizes of the tires? There's quite some choice in tires nowadays... Schwalbe seems to have the most choice in retro-esque rubber in a lot of sizes...

The radically chopped bars... the amount of room you have to grip the bars is only relative. How many touringbikers with dropped handlebars where actually gripping the drops? Not many. They grip the upper part of the bars just next to the stem. That's even shorter than the bars from your initial idea. But it's up to you to decide if it'll look good... I didn't realize uptill now you were going this much for a roadbike look.
Absolutely love it!
Keep on doing what you do. 8)

 

[Skipton]

Re: Hot Rod 'Liner

MplsCoaster

This thing is looking sick! I dig all the ideas you got going here, the chain guard is cool! The three pc crank turned out great! worth all the effort!

I like the shorty "hipsters" bars :wink:

I like the flat bars also :roll: :wink: :mrgreen:

Schwalbe tires have some slicks in 700 and 29er. they will make the credit card smoke :shock:

http://www.schwalbetires.com/bike_tires ... es/citizen

Keep up the great work!