"building" a loser

[Fiveflat]

Hey,
so my question is how many of you all have built a bike based off a Chinese "knock-off" frame? Is it worth while or is it a huge waste of time? In the end is it still just a Chinese knock-off or can it be a decent bike that someone can be proud of?

Sorry, no pictures for now. I'm trying to decide if I should build mine or leave it stock and look for a better frame to start with. Thoughts and opinions are much appreciated - that's all I'm looking for now. Bashing - not so much...

 

[SSG]

It's just a bicycle. Low end US made, Chinese, welded together out of a bed frame, if you can ride it its good.

 

[Big Ape]

My favorite thing about this site................no bashing!!
Man, many vintage bike people will tell you that building rat bikes from Elgin, Schwinn, CWC, etc. bikes should not be done!
It's your bike and if you want to cut it up, or bobber it, or rat it out.... Go For It!! There are plenty of builds around here that started with $79 walmart bicycles. Especially if this is your first attempt, why not a cheap chinese bike?

 

[us56456712]

There is a section on the RRB Forum where people post what they did with a $79 Huffy Cranbrook (look under "Show Me Your" and then look for "Show off Your Finished Huffy Cranbrook"). As you will see you can make these bikes into an amazing variety of styles . I built a winter bike from a Cranbrook frame but after 3 years in the salt it is toast and I cut it up and donated to the local volunteer fire department's scrap drive. It was a lot of fun to build and ride. A bike like a Cranbrook is a good one as fitting wheels and other parts is less of a problem than trying to mix newer parts to a vintage frame.

 

[MeanOldManMike]

As much as I love older bikes that Walmart Cranbrook is much lighter and more fun to ride than that heavy Schwinn. Schwinns were built to last and they do. There are a lot of both of them around. My Cranbrooks have Schwinn hubs on them for their bearings. Build what ever you want to on your budget. Dream on.

 

[tri297]

It depends on what you wanted from the start. If you always wanted an awesome full carbon roadbike, a Chinese carbon frame could be your dreambike. If you always wanted a cervelo dura ace di2 S5 or a litespeed archon (my dreambikes) and you get anything less or a copy, it may bother you later.

I had a aluminum 2007 specialized transition pro but always craved carbon. So i got the 2010 carbon transition which was great, but then they made the SHIV so i had to have that one for IM. After having shivs for a couple of years i got a weird change in what i wanted. I am now in love with my old beat up aluminum transition pro, have it built with 90mill carbon wheels and top of the line components, i have sold the shiv and converted the carbon transition into a sick fixie.

Moral of the story. Your favorite bike, and your favorite build is what you think it is. People may see my bike and wonder why i kitted this thing out with all those high end parts, and wonder why i ride this when i could have had a 2016 shiv. But all that doesn't matter, i love my bike, we've been places, and that makes it a perfect build for me.

So if you browsing and you see a frame, Chinese or not, and fall in love, then i say go for it. Build your ride and ride it. Thats one of my favorite things about bikes, it will never be a loser if you like it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Fiveflat]

Well I officially have more money in a Brooks B67 Seat than I do this entire bike! At least if I find a frame I like better later on down the road, any add-on stuff I do to this can be taken off just as easily!
Splurged with some Brooks grips and mini ape hangers as well. Next I think I want to find a three hub for it.

 

[Fiveflat]

Great, thanks for bringing up the Crankbrook... so I went to walmart website and stumbled across this... I'm in love with a knock off once again!

 

[SSG]

I dont like how the frame slopes down, but that's a decent collection of parts for $99 bucks.

 

[OneHorsePower]

i like that bike , already know what i would do to it if it was mine chopp-stretch the middle and more rake in front to lower it level

 

[KJV]

Great, thanks for bringing up the Crankbrook... so I went to walmart website and stumbled across this... I'm in love with a knock off once again!

I have this bike.
The fenders,& skirts weigh 8lb.
Head badge is cool.
The 28x1.75 (700cc) tires roll on down,
The bike trail .

 

[horsefarmer]

KJV,
How is the frame on that bike? is it decently heavy duty for a clunker build?
How is the weld quality?

 

[Fiveflat]

Sorry guys, that's not my bike, I just came across it while looking up the Cranbrook frame and ended up liking it - a lot!

Here is my bike - after I put the brooks saddle and grips on it.

But after I took that picture I necked down a cold coors light and stared at it in dismay. I said to myself - I can polish a turd all I want. So back to stock except the mini apes - I can actually ride this bike with these handlebars.

I'm leaving this bike alone - now I'm in search of a 40'something Columbia I think. Also don't think I care if it's necessarily "pre-war" but would be glad to take suggestions/opinions once more.

 

[Fiveflat]

on another side note - this is another 700c bike I really liked on wally's website... It's actually a Columbia????

I'm really kinda diggin' these 700c cruisers... not practical for around my house because I live in the country and have a small farm, but I do go on pub crawls in the city with my girlfriend often...

 

[KJV]

You've built, a beautiful loser. Hey, that sounds like a Bob Seger song.

The 700cc tires on
The premier, Are 1.75 .
I also live in country;
& ride on dirt roads.
It's like riding a 1915 cycle. Except lighter weight.

hf, it seems strong;
My 270 lb. Hasn't broke it yet.

 

[kgmcpheeters]

Started assembling my "loser" build last night. All these bikes I've been putting together are too nice to leave outside unattended and certainly cannot be ridden when its wet...but I've still got to get to work! With that in mind I picked up a $20 Huffy Santa Fe off craigslist...seems to be an older version of the cranbrook. Really haven't improved it much, but took it apart for paint (iron oxide primer frame and fork, flat black fenders and wheels, rusty bars and stem), cleaned/regreased bearings, and added a layback seatpost with different saddle on it. Will post some pictures when its done, but mission accomplished! Cheap bike that can go out in the rain and doesnt have to be stored inside, but still has a dose of style. Rides really well too, and much lighter than my Felts!

 

[horsefarmer]

I like the flat black / primer color scheme too!

 

[Fiveflat]

Started assembling my "loser" build last night. All these bikes I've been putting together are too nice to leave outside unattended and certainly cannot be ridden when its wet...but I've still got to get to work! With that in mind I picked up a $20 Huffy Santa Fe off craigslist...seems to be an older version of the cranbrook. Really haven't improved it much, but took it apart for paint (iron oxide primer frame and fork, flat black fenders and wheels, rusty bars and stem), cleaned/regreased bearings, and added a layback seatpost with different saddle on it. Will post some pictures when its done, but mission accomplished! Cheap bike that can go out in the rain and doesnt have to be stored inside, but still has a dose of style. Rides really well too, and much lighter than my Felts!

I'm drinkin' your sake Kemosabe! I think this is a great "fallback" for inclement weather!

 

[kgmcpheeters]

Thanks! I had a bike of this nature in college too...fun to get back to just wrenching on bikes and not worrying about everything being super perfect, just throwing something together that looks cool and goes from a to b. Total budget on my current one is at about $27 so far, including the bike. Did some more work on it last night...a friend gave me a random modern rack they had laying around so i put it on...then got the idea of making it a back seat. Sounds crazy/stupid, and probably will be, but I'll probably do it...

 

[order99]

I think cheap Chinese frames are just dandy-check your welds and build!

I think that cheap Chinese components are dandy for prototyping a new design-especially if they are free on a cheap or free frame! You can always build now, dial in your settings, ride your build awhile and upgrade as they wear out...

Here's a build made entirely of Cheap Chinese and Dumpster-bound parts I assembled on a bet with a skeptical LBS, and i'm still putting an easy 10-15 miles a day on her on my days off:

http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/in...e-white-rabbit-late-im-late-im-late-im.93609/

Huh, Links are down-here's the pics:

http://imageshack.com/i/eyL3Iu5jj

So IMHO, use whatever you have at hand and enjoy it-upgrade later or create a better version from high quality stuff later, it's a Rot Rod build, right?