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]

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

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]

I love shiny chrome bikes

[MplsCoaster]

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]

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

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Great start! cool parts! Spaceliners are cool!

[MplsCoaster]

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]

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!

[herr_rudolf]

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.

[Skipton]

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

Keep up the great work!

[herr_rudolf]

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