Electric Mayhem

[photoaggie]

So this is going to be my first build so I am sure I will have a lot of questions along the way. I wanted to build a cool ride that I can use for leasuire riding and pulling my daughter around in a trailer once she gets old enough. Since I could not sink a lot into an Electra or something like that, I figured I would start with the cheapest setup and build and improve from there. So I went with the good old Cranbrook and started to dummy up my ride in photoshop. My wife came up with the name since the bike was an electric blue and my all time favorite movie is The Muppet Movie. I used the band from the movie to help design the bike. I will find the parts as I go along and hopefully by the time the little one is old enough to ride in a trailer Electric Mayhem will be ready to roll.

Shipped to my door in 3 days for $79 minus $20 gift card. Not a bad starting price.

Built it up and took it for a test spin... can't complain for the price... it actually rode pretty good and fit me well...

That is all for now, my first step will be to pull off all the stickers and get the fenders ready for some paint...

 

[Dana Joe]

Man, I bought the SAME BIKE for my first build as well! I didn't have it shipped; I went straight to Wal-Mart. You know the drill.

So far, I've found the secure bolt on the gooseneck to be of poor quality - it stripped easily, and I had to replace it...the bolt that is. Be careful with it.

I'll post pictures as soon as I can, and will keep tabs on yours! Your "mock up" looks pretty good!

 

[photoaggie]

Thanks for a heads up on the goose neck... I have put about 6 miles on it as I work on it and it seems to ride pretty good... I tossed on a cheap LED headlight and taillight for riding in the evening until I can find my idea bullet light...

So I have pulled all the stickers off and removed the fenders and chain guard in prep for paint...

Hit the fenders and chain guard with a little steel wool and a coat of primer... they are ready to be sanded a little and then paint...

Fender paint is next and I have changed my mind... I am going to go with a satin black and found a guy here in TX that will pinstripe and add a "Dr Teeth" head on the rear bottom fenders for $25... thinking about just some simple electric blue pin-striping...

 

[Dana Joe]

I'm leaving the fenders and chain guard off completely on mine. Like you, I have removed all of the decals from the bike as well. So far I've added some Nirve Super Ape Hanger (see my "Phat Cycles Pipeline" pictures) handlebars and an Avenir Classic Series saddle that I found at a local bike shop here in Vegas. I'm in the process of trying to find a 26" springer fork, either straight or bent...I'm not having the best of luck in finding anything as such locally. I'll more than likely swap out the existing pedals for a "classic cruiser" style, and possibly replace the tires with some Nirve 26x2.125 ...... whitewalls. With all that I just described, I hope to have a finished product soon and be able to leave it at that - sure. Who am I fooling?

It's kinda funny - so far I've got more invested in the seat and the handlebars than I do the whole bike! One might ask, "why don't you just buy a complete bike if you're changing all the parts on what you have now?" Well, in all actuality, it is easier to "piece meal" this bike together in the manner that I am; a little more fun as well, being this is my first "build". OK, a "debit card" build at that...I will admit. Besides, I live in an apartment, so that makes working on an older bike difficult, as I would want to strip the paint from it and so on. For now, this seems to be the most rational way to go and still be able to enjoy what I'm doing. My goal was to keep this as "cost effective" as possible - I don't think that's going to happen. Know what though? That's OK - I'll have what I want - and hopefully have a pretty cool looking finished product in the end.

I have to admit, I'm already thinking about my next project, which will involve yet another Wal-Mart Huffy such as this. I know, I should probably wait and see how this one turns out, but heck - I'm having too much fun, and that's what it is supposed to be all about, right?

 

[Dana Joe]

One thing I was able to find was an angled seat post - both with and without a brace that supports a person's weight at the 45 degree bend of the post. I noticed in your photoshop workings that you're looking to do / add something like this. Something that I learned is that these kind of posts are available, but you'll have to apply a shim kit as well to make such a post be able to properly fit in the existing frame clamp. I could me wrong, and there COULD be a correct diameter post application out there somewhere; I just haven't found it. I've opted to not go with such on mine - I think the existing setup will be OK.

 

[Dana Joe]

One more note - I'm a Longhorn here, Aggie. I graduated from UT Austin in '92.

\../ HOOK 'EM HORNS! \../

I was in College Station the day the bonfire fell - broke my heart.

Small world, eh?

 

[Dana Joe]

OK, dang - you got me on a roll here - think with your photoshop skills that you could "mock up" what -I- am trying to do, with both straight and bent springer forks? I know, that might be a lot to ask - but I'm curious to see what such might look like.

I know, you don't have anything better to do over there, right?

:?

Is there anything I can do for you from this end? Heck, want MY takeoff fenders and handle bars? I won't be using them.

Lemme know, OK? Thank you friend!

 

[photoaggie]

Dana Joe,

It is a small world, I will let your horns slide. I was also there the night bonfire fell. I was a staff photographer for the University newspaper and was taking photos just after it fell, not an easy thing. I also thought about the ape hangers but I am not sure how comfortable they will be, and since I am going to use this ride to pull my daughter around comfort is the name of the game. I am trying to build this one out as cheap as I can, and if that means debit card or garage sale finds I don't care. I am starting to look for my lights right now. I have already picked out some new pedals and the speedometer (both new). If it was a simple photoshop mock up I might be able to help but with the new baby I don't have a ton of time. In fact the only time I get a chance to ride is when she is feeding with mom!! Anyhow, I am off to get packed for a quick weekend trip, maybe I will find some additions on the road in Chicago at some garage sales, wish me luck!

 

[Dana Joe]

Wow - sounds like we were in close proximity on that fateful day. I can only imagine what it must have been like to be enrolled as an Aggie when that happened, especially getting tasked to photograph a tragedy as such. My heart is still with you guys.

If you're looking for comfort - you should try some ape hangers! I've got some Nirve Super Ape Hangers (22" tall!) on the bike now, and they seem to work well. I'm concerned that there might be a potential issue with the stock gooseneck stem; that's a lot of "leverage" for that guy to hold! With this in mind, I'm looking for a BMX-style stem to mount these "reach for the sky" monsters on. None the less, the bike "cruises" well with the "apes", not to mention the looks I get.

Oh yeah - the handlebars kinda look like BEVO, so, you know...I dig that. :lol:

I can understand being busy - and, with what you described, free time runs scarce in your neck of the woods! No worries in the least, my friend, about making a PS "mock up" for me - that was rude for me to ask anyway.

I'm going to try and get some pictures of my project posted today, so you can see all that I am talking about.

Travel safe!

 

[photoaggie]

So I got the first coat of satin black on the fenders, and two coats on the chain guard... looking better than I thought....

I also grabbed a cool square light on eBay last night for $6.04 with shipping... will try to polish it up but if not it will go black to match the fenders and will install LEDs in it...

 

[Half Link]

It's Look'n Good!! Sweet light and only six bones.....Nice!! 8)

 

[Dana Joe]

Hey Aggie, I finally have some pictures posted of MY project - take a look!

 

[photoaggie]

Made some progress this weekend... got the fenders clear coated and mounted... cleaned up the $1.04 headlight... I found a 9 LED torch flash light at Micro Center that was $2.99 that I plan to modify into the existing headlight case... got home checked the hole size and it fit perfect with not cutting!! I will figure out the wiring and battery stuff later but I went ahead and mounted the light before my brother and I went for a nice 3 mile ride this evening... enjoy the photos... more to come soon....

 

[Dana Joe]

Looks like that light polished up nicely...fenders look good too!

 

[DonQui]

i like the way that light looks on there. i saw 1 of these bikes for $75 at walmart, my wife got mad at me she says i spent too much on my old huffy bike since i paid 70 and it was rusty amd spray painted. your bike looks nice.

 

[screw_dup]

heck yeah man, lookin good. i also live in Plano. we should cruise sometime!

 

[photoaggie]

Been a long time since I have posted.... We just relocated to Northern California.... to the east bay of San Fran... since we are in an apartment for a bit I have only really been able to work on LED conversions for my head light and tail light... for the tail I broke apart a flash light from Bed Bath and Beyond... for the head light I cut open a 9 LED cheap flash light and hard wired it.... I have them mounted and working but have not taken an evening photo yet with them running... My right pedal came loose on my first ride out here and the threads stripped going back on so I am looking for some new pedals before I can take it for a true evening spin...