TRADITIONAL SHAOLIN SPITFIRE (Wu Tang Forever)

[BobbyStillz]

It's been a decade since I built up a Schwinn. Though their consistent quality over time is undeniable, they haven't ever been my first choice, aesthetically (aside from a choice few).

I scored a flea market Typhoon for $50, and it will be the base of my Wu Tang inspired build.

For those who are unfamiliar, The Wu Tang Clan is a rap group (posse) that built their sound, image, and ideology off of old kungfu and karate movies. Specifically the Wu Tang Clan and the 36 chambers of Shaolin series.



Bobby Stills is an alter ego of the RZA (the Abbot/leader of Wu Tang Clan). My name, Bobby Stillz, is partially inspired by this.

I've had these Spitfire tires and a chainguard for a while, so I'm going to throw them on the Typhoon base as a tie-in to the theme.

 

[kingfish254]

I like your name even better than my joke about it being a SpitHoon. I just watched the WuTang of MICS and MEN series last week.

 

[Captain Awesome]

You had me at RZA

 

[OddJob]

Great theme and concept! My first 26" bike was a 1964 Schwinn Typhoon. Looking forward to your take on this!

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Wicked unusual theme, naturally good!
I can't believe I missed the whole Bobby Stills thing.

 

[BobbyStillz]

You had me at RZA

View attachment 263759

BOBBY DIGITAL!!!

 

[BobbyStillz]

Great theme and concept! My first 26" bike was a 1964 Schwinn Typhoon. Looking forward to your take on this!

Speaking of 1964. Here is the plate that I'll be incorporating into the build. Not only did it have WU, but the #'s have meaning as well.

"Our boys in Ohio, coming through with the crazy Y-O Y-O"

 

[BobbyStillz]

Wicked unusual theme, naturally good!
I can't believe I missed the whole Bobby Stills thing. View attachment 263761

 

[Bike from the Dead]

Can't say I know much about hip-hop and Wu-Tang, but I'm looking forward to seeing how you incorporate it into that Schwinn.

 

[BobbyStillz]

It's WU TANG WEDNESDAY, and I'm off to grab some parts. This shirt is a little worse for wear, but we have a little sarape action *nod to @Captain Awesome *

 

[Captain Awesome]

It's WU TANG WEDNESDAY, and I'm off to grab some parts. This shirt is a little worse for wear, but we have a little sarape action *nod to @Captain Awesome *

View attachment 263798

 

[BobbyStillz]

Alright, finished the parts run. Scooped up a 16" Stingray chopper. We'll see what might make its way on to my build. The triple tree might go on a previous build.

While picking up the bike, I was handed what appeared to be equipment used for 'herbal essence'. Turns out it is a bike wrench. They equipped me with an oil soaked work shirt as well!

And what would wrenching be without music!? This psychedelic carrier came with a serendipitous surprise inside...

...this song brings us full circle with my name, and the Wu Tang theme of this build.

I used to breakdance, and I was known for my isolations or 'stills'. I therefore became known as 'Bobby Stillz'. At the time, I didn't realize this was also a Wu Tang reference (grew up in Colorado, so there was more West Coast influence than East).

My first roomate, David, was known as 'Johnny Blaze' for his use of 'herbal essence' and the Johnny Blaze tracksuits he'd wear. This song is produced by RZA and performed by Method Man AKA 'Johnny Blaze'. There's a line that goes, "I'm in my hideout in the back of the hill...Co-defendants Johnny Blaze and Bobby Stills." When that line dropped, I lost my mind! "THAT'S US!"

I would later learn more about Wu Tang and the nameplay, but that is my 'origin story'.

 

[BobbyStillz]

So in 2019, I fabricated chopper forks from a Schwinn exerciser. I didn't have a way to fabricate plates for a triple tree, so I rigged it up with a clamp assembly.

The geometry was trash, and though it could be ridden, it was absurdly difficult. Sad-to-say, my Pink Panther build has not been ridden since the 'proof of concept' voyage.

So I am going to try again with this build now that I have a proper triple tree assembly from the donor chopper I picked up yesterday.

Is it cool if I use the old legs?
I have another set that have yet to be broken down, but please don't make me do that

 

[BobbyStillz]

BTW, a little hack I use for keeping parts together - for specific projects - when those parts need to return to said projects...

...egg cartons. It keeps everything compartmentalized, and you can stack them.

 

[BobbyStillz]

Mocked up the previous mounting, and the inversion to see what makes sense for this build. I have to utilize the plate(s) so inverted is probably the only option.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

 

[BobbyStillz]

Tempted to keep the excerciser wheel (with solid tire) as a fixie slick

 

[BobbyStillz]

 

[BobbyStillz]

Playing around w/ this fork assembly

The tubing on the chopper fork is wider than the tubing of the excerciser legs, so though the plate isn't compatible, I can sleeve them together. Working out length and such, so this will be a work in progress.

 

[BartRidesEternal]

I saw that Pink Panther bike earlier, very nice!
Love your ideas and free spirit so far.
And those black square profile tires


Sorry, but Heineken is absolutely As a Dutch person, I could not leave that alone