Board tracker project

[benny11]

Hi guys!

First of all, excuse me for my English.
My previous bicycle (which is stolen) looked somewhat like a 'path racer'. I really loved riding it through the city!
I bought a second hand bike in my neighbourhood and I was wondering if I could make it into a Board Tracker-style bike. I plan on riding it daily to work, so it should stay rideable... I Don't have alot of money to spend, so I will take tiny steps. First thing is to change the steer and search for an old springer seat and maybe bend the seat post more to the back...


Does anyone have ideas or hints on how to get it sort of in the style of the old Boardtrackers?

[gcrank1]

Get a roadbike stem that fits the fork, flip a set of Northroads and a setback seatpost; you'll be most of the way there and done on the cheap.
Sorry you lost your other bike, I cant imagine the empty feeling........

[benny11]

Thanks for the hints. The seatpost is already adjusted! Tomorrow I'll be looking for the Northroad flipped bars and I'm going to try to get the stem lower..
Do you guys think I should lose the fenders, or should I just spray paint them black. Only... It rains alot in the Netherlands...

[gcrank1]

As you want to be using this bike, and it rains there, Im OK with you keeping them. I think fenders are a classy look anyway, and I like lighter colored ones for contrast, as well as black too. With the seat and bar position you will be capturing a lot of the aggressive look you want. If you havent, spend some time running through the 'galleries' here, you will get way more ideas on which way to go than you probably have money or room for bikes!

[brett4christ]

Keep the fenders for daily riding! You may find that a nip here and a tuck there can make even "commuter" fenders look racier and still keep their function!

[benny11]

Thanks everyone for the comments!

Took advantage of a free day at work for adjusting the heigt of the fork. It took half the day, but I've managed to get it lower
Also, I got a free handle bar from a friend. I think it looks great and because it is not to wide, I can actually take short turns. Next up is to make the wires to the brakes shorter and spray paint the fenders....



Do you think North Road bars would look alot beter?? What do you guys think so far?? Please be honest!

[gcrank1]

I am very fond of the Northroads, so I cant be objective...... ; but you are doing great so far.

[benny11]

I spraypainted the fenders. I thought matt black would fit a rat rod bike... It is really starting to get the look I wanted...


Next up is to get a new bikechain. I also found a great bike seat from 'Lepper' in brown to get some color on the bike. Also thinking about getting brown leather handlegrips... What do you think?

Bye the way: Does anyone now a good webshop to buy North Road handle bars? Just missed an ebay-auction, only 11 euro... dang

[gcrank1]

The Nottingham steel Northroads were 15/16 (IIRC) at the clamp, so some stems dont cinch down well on them, but some do, so old bars are a 'maybe'. The newer stuff is usually speced for 1" or other, so watch out, or ask up front. If they are made for mountain bike levers they are likely std. 7/8", but for roadbike barends they are bigger dia., like dropbars are now. I spec'ed 7/8" bars with a 1" center clamp on mine and they are fine, but they were a used set from here in the USA.
I do like the look of leather grips with a leather saddle, but have enough trouble keeping a rain cover for my seat; I cant imagine having to keep a pair of 'balloons' around for my grips too! As a soft, old guy now I do like more of a 'cushy' grip than I used to, even with padded riding gloves.
Beware, if you get a tan saddle, and grips, you are likely to have to get Schwalbe Delta Cremes too!

[benny11]

I really don't want that cream/brown look on my bike... Maybe just a dark brown or black seat and keep the grips..
I also found a great handle bar at a local bike shop for a few euro. It is sort of like a North road!

[benny11]

Took my bike for a ride. I was a good ride, although I have to raise the seat just a little. The knees go higher than the seat and that hurt a little after a while Still not 100 percent satisfied about how it looks.




If someone has ideas or hints, let me know please!

[gcrank1]

I think you have a pretty good look going there........Can you 'roll' the front fender back some to get the bottom tip on the same plane as the rear? It is pretty close now, though. Maybe consider bobbing the front top back and no front fender stay for a little more sporting look without losing much for rain protection. Then there is pinstriping or p.s. decals that can tune up a look.
At this point you might want to start on the details, upgrade pedals, bits & bobs. For instance, Ive kind of concluded that 'certain' saddle/grips/headlamp/tail lamp (and/or that style) should be common to what my main ride is, regardless of what the bike is. I can move them as the bike platform changes ans still keep 'my' style and comfort.

[sweetwillie]

Benny, your headed in the the right direction. Just step back and look at the bike, trust your eye.

[Carbon]

Looks awesome dude, great job! The black fenders are whats up!

[benny11]

Hey, thanks for the great comments! People in my city just call me nuts for riding this bike...

I was just out, riding the bike on some pebblestone and it started ratling, apparently 2 spokes on the backwheel came loose. Also the back fender wobbles and I can't seem to get it tight...
thursday I will go to the bikeshop to fix the spokes and I was thinking about losing the front fender, but the tyres have the most ugly profile... Also looking for decals. Maybe in time make a plate (in aluminium) inside the frame like some boardtrackers have. I want to make a link to 'Jan Olieslagers', a little know hero who drove real boardtrackers back in the days, but it is hard to find pictures of him...

Thanks for the views and comments!!!