Is there a rush to cut them, doesn't appear you gave it a good test yet? You won't be as upset when you're sure the setup is just right. Something else could show up or change in the near future...
ALiEN FiRE REWiND
- Thread starter GuitarlCarl
- Start date
Drive train is a piece of cake. I've done two of these before and revamping this one should be no problemo. Graphics on the sprocket will be done in paint. The cost for vinyl vs a can of paint doesn't justify. I'm also debating on a green fade. I have a donor frame in the garage for the new BB (I hope it fits) but I'm watching football today and then Walking Dead, so I probably won't be checking it yet, but maybe. Depends on how bad the Bears look. Those guys make a fan pull their hair out every week. Why no one in Chicago values offensive linemen is beyond me, they've ruined more than one good quarterback by letting him get slaughtered. (of course a good quarterback would help too, we've had a litany of second stringers)
Carl.
Stupid coach. Oh well...
I believe I'll give this old seat a recover. The blue leather isn't too bad against the ALiEN FiRE's og paint. Much better than the red I have. The first blue suede one is long gone. Lime green lizard would be perfect but I've none of that so...
C.
I believe I'll give this old seat a recover. The blue leather isn't too bad against the ALiEN FiRE's og paint. Much better than the red I have. The first blue suede one is long gone. Lime green lizard would be perfect but I've none of that so...
C.
First thing I did was trim the excess material from the original cover. I'm leaving it on the pan. Then I cut a piece of blue leather down to fit with some extra. Then I soaked it in HOT water and stretched it over the seat, securing it with the few clothes pins I had. With so few pins I have a feeling I may need to do this twice before I trim off the extra material and clamp the second pan on. But it feels pretty good and it should tighten up even more as it cools.
GC.
GC.
Cut out the donor BB and got to work with large rubber mallet and a squirt of Kroil.
The donor seat tube needs to fit inside the ALiEN's seat tube. I drove a good 7 or 8 inches of tube into the other. I left the donors BB intact for the operation. There's just a bit of flatness now but new cups, bearings and crank should correct it. The donor BB does still spin freely so it really is just a bit from me driving it together with the mallet.
Chain line on these is always tricky. But I got the bottom half to go in a straight line. The top half is going to need a idler.
GC.
The donor seat tube needs to fit inside the ALiEN's seat tube. I drove a good 7 or 8 inches of tube into the other. I left the donors BB intact for the operation. There's just a bit of flatness now but new cups, bearings and crank should correct it. The donor BB does still spin freely so it really is just a bit from me driving it together with the mallet.
Chain line on these is always tricky. But I got the bottom half to go in a straight line. The top half is going to need a idler.
GC.
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Level looks good but I'm going to slide the forks down into the chopper position one more time. When I go back and look at it in the one earlier picture, its growing on me. Add a banana and hmm... ALiEN FiRE REWiND ready for lift off.
GC.
GC.
Thank you. The forks are a departure from the original ALiEN but I'm hoping this version will be as odd as the first one.
GC.
I've always hated banana seats and this one is no exception. Nothing to see here. Chopper is finally out of my head.
It's cool and messed up at the same time. That's just part of the process, sometimes ya gotta visit dumb ideas just to prove they're worthless. No chopper, no banana, no second set of dropouts either.those ends will be changed before any welding occurs.
GC.
It's cool and messed up at the same time. That's just part of the process, sometimes ya gotta visit dumb ideas just to prove they're worthless. No chopper, no banana, no second set of dropouts either.those ends will be changed before any welding occurs.
GC.
I think it looks cleaner, faster with the top bar parallel to the ground.
The former bottom bracket looks like a great spot for a shifter.
Agreed! It gives it a sleek look too, and even tho there's no picture yet,
I did go ahead and cut the forks down.
The original ALiEN was a five speed derailleur and had a fun set of shifters made from a pair of bass drum tensioning keys. I had planned to use a front derailleur too but... The rear hub I'm currently using is a kickback two speed coaster. I have a few of them on bikes and just love them. So it will probably stay and that means no shifters at all, cleaner lines with no cables.
GC.
Kickstand arrived. Forks cut down. Chain line is being sorted out... Thinking about a name change to ALiEN WiND.
GC.
GC.
chain.
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Gonna have to try that when I get around to cover a couple seats. About how long would you suggest leaving it in the hot water? And do you glue it before you put the wet leather on or after it dries?
I did not glue it. I had a two piece pan, old school like a cruiser seat, so the top and bottom pieces pinch it together. I soaked mine just a minute or so in some hot tap water. My tap is hot enough to almost burn you so... Soak it long enough to be supple. I stretched it over the top pan actually over the og seat cover. Pulling a good inch and a half of material over and pinching it with clothes pins. Let it dry overnight and it will shrink as it cools and tighten up. Trim the leather back to about an inch, you want enough to go under the bottom pan. It's not too hard to do but IMHO a cruiser seat is an easier first seat to recover...
GC.
No pic update. Chain won't do an X. But I did get the BB lowered an inch and now the chain clears the stays with NO IDLER! Woohoo, I've done complicated chain lines and they are a hassle. Lots of upkeep and they're never bulletproof. Straight lines rule.
GC.
GC.
That rear angle shot is misleading.
It's actually sharper than I'll ever need, pretty tight. I could lessen the radius with a shorter handlebar clamp, get the bars closer to the fork. But the shorter one I have is black. Plenty of time to change things though, my builds do that a lot. January 15th is SO far away. Next, I'm working on a new plasma ball headlight mount, lower down to put the light in line with the top tube, and a battery pack. The old one was in the headrest...
Haha! That's some ALiEN tech right there!
GC.