BO15 Odyssey of Flight

Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum

Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Sep 14, 2013
Messages
7,829
Reaction score
19,423
Location
Bradley Illinoiz
Rating - 100%
10   0   0
Ok I'm in. Picked this sweet Flightliner with og rattrap fork right out of our "Sale" forum from @marius.suiram (Thanks again brother!) Sounds to me like a perfect fit for category one, stock frame and fork. I should have everything I need to get it rolling in a day. Three months to go...
IMG_20200530_121747911_HDR.jpg
IMG_20200530_121756741_HDR.jpg
IMG_20200530_121806392_HDR.jpg

Note the cool Thunderjet tank. Close enough for horseshoes and hand grenades. So with just a bit of adjustment it will be good to go. Ross I think...

GC.
 
that is one of THEE coolest front ends EVER. And the comment about the shelby tank...it never ceases to amaze me how much knowledge there is here.
 
It's similar to the Shelby tank but, Thunderjet bikes were made by the Chain Bike Corp. who eventually changed their name to Ross. I've had the tank for a while. I thought it'd fit a flightliner, I just had to find one.

GC.
 
Of course I flipped the rockers, so the stance is correct now, low enough I need to mod the kickstand. See the twin bars? I'm thinking I'll try to notch the tank around the lower bars to fit together under the top twin bars.
IMG_20200530_160906149_HDR.jpg
IMG_20200530_160947751_HDR.jpg


GC.
 
I love that tank on there and your idea of channeling it to fit under the twin top tubes.
A few of the Ross tanks are VERY much like Shelby tanks. I can't remember if they ended up sharing some tooling or ownership or what.
 
Well I got it rolling for real today. 2 speed kickback hub (I have a few, gotta say I love them) Higgins chainguard, Schwinn grips and pedals, along with the Chain Bike Co. tank and Sears frame (Higgins) it's a rat for sure. I don't like the skinny fender so it's soon gone. I'd like to find a midweight bobbed one so...
IMG_20200607_193005749.jpg
IMG_20200607_131721883_HDR.jpg

My sweetie was giving it a test ride earlier.

GC.
 
There is a fifth dimension, beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call The Twilight Zone.

— Rod Serling

The Odyssey of Flight 33
episode 54, The Twilight Zone 1961
 
Last edited:
Carl, I love how flipping the rat trap changed the angle on the rack. Good lines
I've got two other bikes, the Thunderbolt Grease Slapper and Wasteland, that have flipped rockers on rat traps. Neither of them have a rack, I'm not sure if I'll keep ii. It's pretty torn up and to my eye the tipped up lines run counter to everything else. I have taken a bit of care to get all the other bits parallel to each other, the tilt of the handle bars and the seat post angle are close to the chain stays angle as I could get, considering I built the seat post for another bike. It's got solid bar inside and doesn't give. Now I know some like the tipped up angle and some like their seat tipped up as well but in my mind, the rake should lean forward, into the wind. So it's undecided yet...

boardtrackgreaseslapper v2.jpg

geocouch1.jpg


GC.
 
That's a sharp looking bike! For the uninformed like me (or am I the only one), what is a 2 speed kick back? Do you reverse pedal for a second to get it to change gears?
Yes! Exactly that. I love them and while they may not be suited for a tour, they are very nice for a cruiser. There is a bit of thought when you come to a stop, so that you'll be in the easy gear to launch, but usually you're in 2nd cruising, so when you brake the next rotation will be in low. The blue bike above, Wasteland, has one as well. Two speeds, no cables and a coaster brake, simplicity at it's best.

GC.
 
You could put a bend or curve in the book rack thing to get the top angle flat or slightly downward instead of facing upward. It could flow with the curve of the fork tines.
 
You could put a bend or curve in the book rack thing to get the top angle flat or slightly downward instead of facing upward. It could flow with the curve of the fork tines.
I did think of that for a moment. But the chrome on it is actually badly chipped. I'm still on the fence about whether or not to take the rat trap apart for some needed cleaning. I've took them apart before and you've got to be careful, it is a rat trap...

GC.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top