UK Rat rod bikes??

[NekroGuitar]

Hi all!

I'm only 16 from England, and since probably about a year ago when I discovered this site and the bikes on here, I've been craving one of my own and always look at the galleries on here in awe.
I've always been into rat rods and kustom cars, but never knew about such a great cheaper alternative that doesn't swallow gallons of fuel all the time!

The problem is, finding old American bikes in the UK is really hard! On eBay there are only a few 'good' cruisers if your lucky and they're normally not...right. Always something that ruins them or makes them look a bit 'naff' if you know what I mean.

The American eBay site had loads of great bikes which I'd love to buy, but the cost of getting something like that over here is probably a stupid amount of cash. :shock:

BUT what I do have is what I think is an Edwardian woman's sit-up-and-beg Humber bicycle from the early 1900's with mudguards from a Victorian Raleigh, and the tires are really early Czechoslovakian tires my Dad bought ages ago since the tires are hard to find for 28" wheels!
It was sitting in a shed in really bad condition for longer than I can remember, so one day I decided to clean it up, buy a new saddle and get it running, and it's the best bike I've ever rode! Get some funny looks from fellow teenagers though, which is great!

I'll have to take some photos tomorrow, if the weather's nice, and upload them to show you guys, it might not be a cruiser rat rod, but it's something interesting for the time being whilst I try and hunt down a bike to one day turn into my own "rat rod bike"

 

[CCR]

Welcome to the forum Your bike sounds pretty interesting, i can almost imagine it but id still like to see it instead though. :mrgreen:

 

[Bodge Deep]

Welcome from another part of the UK
True nice US bikes are hard to find over here
The Humber sounds good... lets see some pics

 

[NekroGuitar]

Weather's pretty bad today, but I still got some photos!

The bike used to belong to a woman called Octavia, (she was the 8th child in the family, so thats where the name's from) and she rode the bike everywhere since it was brand new. She used to be a regular customer at my Dad's father's butcher shop, and she then left the bike to him when she was about 80 during the 1960's, he took the bike off her to give to my dad once he was old enough to ride it.
Dad then bought the tires and mudguards and rode it a bit I think but it just sat in the shed in a state until I cleaned it up.

It used to have the original saddle too, which was in great condition, but Dad sold that a few years ago on eBay for about £70 ($100?)

Anyway, here are some photos of the bike..

It doesn't look that big on here, but if you think that those wheels are 28" it is still a big bike!

^ The rod brakes are all original and just about stop you when you need to, probably won't save your life in an emergency though!
It looks like there are 4 bits attaching them to the handles, but the inner two aren't actually joined on and pull away from the main handlebars when you pull on the brakes.

This little lever locks the front forks so that you can leave the bike and the wheel wont turn to the left or right etc. Also handy to tighten and then push it along with one hand on the seat, if your planning on travelling in a straight line that is..

OK then maybe they're not Raleigh mudguards, though I think Dad might have put these stickers on himself, so they might be..
If you notice it says "By appointment by his majesty the King" as the bike's Edwardian from the time of King Edward.

mmm.. old Czech tires

Could do with a better looking seat though.. this was just a cheapish one I bought from a stall in the market in town..

You can see on the mudguard where it's meant to join onto a different style of frame.

Lift this little flap up to easily put some oil in there for great turning pedals 8)
Why don't they have things like that in modern bikes today?? :|

Oh yeah, the handle grips are form a 1950's lawnmower!

The pedals aren't straight so that can be quite uncomfortable on your feet sometimes..


So yeah.. that's the Victorian/Edwardian bike!

Hopefully one day I'll have something much cooler

It may not look like it can in the photos, but this bike can go extremely fast using little effort in pedalling

 

[deorman]

Too bad it's a step-thru, everything else about it is awesome.

 

[NekroGuitar]

Yeah I know :/

Hmmmm... maybe I could have a go at getting rid of that swooping bar in the middle and change the bike into a MAN BIKE ;D

I don't think it's worth a lot to be honest so can't do much harm.. :roll: Though I'll check if it is actually worth anything before thinkign of chopping it about..

 

[Markm]

still pretty cool!!!!!!!!!!! 8)

 

[NekroGuitar]

What if I were to do this?

I edited the photo to see what it would look like if the frame was changed about a bit..

Here's the original photo:

And then if the frame was altered it could look a bit like this:

 

[deorman]

:? Raise and reverse the existing top tube. :idea:

 

[badmuller]

:? Raise and reverse the existing top tube. :idea:

Yes do that! 8)

 

[Bodge Deep]

Stick it on the 'bay' a 28inch loop frame will do well and rod a raleigh or sommat, be a shame to chop it its a nice bike as is.
I'm all in favour of hacking frames but early nice complete bikes need lookin after... a bit like finding a straight '57 Chevvy that hasn't been through a hundred incarnations of hot rod then chopping it up
...or strip it down and stick a coaster brake in the back... boartrack style... All you'd need is a 28 inch coaster wheel...
where to find one though ... ahem (in my shed) :wink:

 

[deorman]

Just wear cloister robes when ever you ride. :lol: Best get some new pedals for those thin sole black shoes. :lol:

 

[xddorox]

Nothing wrong with a step thru frame. Here's what I made of one for a build off. Changed the wheels for some 26" with a coaster brake. Went 1.75 wide on the back tire and 1.5 wide on the front (Tioga City Slickers, I think you can get those in the UK). Remember, a Rat Bike is what you make of it young padawan. Do your own thing.

 

[char]

Hi and welcome to the forum.Nice bike you have there! Nothing wrong with good old English metal.I had the same problem as you have, in that there aren't really many american bikes over here in the u.k.I have two now, which I have put together over the course of couple of years.The first one was an ebay u.s purchase a 1956 Schwinn Wasp, that I bought and had shipped over here, it was very expensive but it was my first bike.It took me a long time to find someone who was willing to ship a bike to me, as most ebay auctions say ' will NOT ship outside the U.S and only to lower 48 states '.Sometime it's worth asking them though, and always get the bike sent with insurance if you can.Also remember that you will have to pay parcel force, import and VAT charges, when the parts/bike arrives in the U.K.If your wanting to build a rat style bike, it might be worth you just shipping a frame and forks over and then using an old mountain bike for parts you need, same size wheels after all.Makes it cheaper and you can have more fun putting it together.Lots of cruiser handle bars/lights/tyres/accessories here already.Also there are builders at the moment using diamond frames to build some really nice rides.Using what you can.Good luck with what ever you decide and just have fun riding the one you have at the moment, it's cool!

 

[NekroGuitar]

Well 2 years since this post my collection has grown from 1 bike to about 20! Here's a couple of photos, but that's not all of them! :lol:

 

[B607]

Hey...UK ratrodder! Looks like you are well on your way. Congrats! Gary

 

[socal_jack]

Looks like a nice fleet of bikes!

 

[largek9]

Great story! Do you still have Dad bike ? Man you an awsome group of bikes . I think your in the right place for sure. Tom

 

[deven_science]

Well 2 years since this post my collection has grown from 1 bike to about 20! Here's a couple of photos, but that's not all of them! :lol:

I was just in England, and I was hoping to buy a Pashley type bike with the all mechanical brakes, such as you have pictured. Alas, they were all too expensive.

 

[bonez]

...!
That is an awesome collection mate. And how do you call the brakes with the connected rods? love those.
Been thinkin of adapting them to my next project....
What happened to your 1st bike? I would think its worth a coupla hundreds at least.