BO15 Retro Mullet Ratpacker - 90’s steel MTB // 2X9 // disc conversion // mullet bike

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With my primer job looking terrible, spotty and rough, what should I do??

  • Buy another can of the same primer and cover the bare spots

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Buy a different (better) primer and spray over the first coat

    Votes: 1 33.3%
  • Get this puppy sand blasted and start fresh

    Votes: 1 33.3%
  • Say F it and lay down some paint

    Votes: 1 33.3%

  • Total voters
    3
I wish they sold one without all the barnacles. They look like a pickle.
Agreed but for this project I’m okay with the barnacles for function. I plan to get some button head hex screws so it looks like a more “smooth pickle“ I think I may have just found a second name for this bike
 
Kosher Klunker ? :bigsmile:

Nice parts buy. As long as you use a cable actuated front disc, your V-brake levers should work. I wouldn't worry too much about using a QR skewer in the front, you'll have some extra air volume and rubber to help disperse the load with your plus sized tire on there; and it's made for a skewer, so there's that.

Actually, Gary loved to name his bikes after trails in Marin County, often referred to as the birthplace of mountain biking. So maybe "Piedmont Pickle" ?
 
Small point: you said keeping a2c constant would raise the front 1.5" when swapping to 27.5". Wouldn't only half the height be added? Radius vs diameter?
As for the Karate Monkey, 4 " is too much! The handling could be disastrous with that much fork. Chopper flop!
 
Kosher Klunker ? :bigsmile:

Nice parts buy. As long as you use a cable actuated front disc, your V-brake levers should work. I wouldn't worry too much about using a QR skewer in the front, you'll have some extra air volume and rubber to help disperse the load with your plus sized tire on there; and it's made for a skewer, so there's that.

Actually, Gary loved to name his bikes after trails in Marin County, often referred to as the birthplace of mountain biking. So maybe "Piedmont Pickle" ?
Yep. Planning to keep this cable disc for cheap factor and assuming the XT levers will be fine. Good call on the fork. I’m pretty set on just ordering the Bridge Club. As for the name, I’d love to honor those trails and Gary but not sure I want to say “heading out to ride the pickle”
 
Welcome to RRB and the fun of the build off.
It's super flat here is Savannah, so I never caught the mountain biking bug, but the cool thing about the build offs is we get to see such a wide variety of bikes. Have fun with the pickle!

PICTURE POSTING TIP: Select the FULL IMAGE button when you upload your pics so that we see them full size without having to click on the thumbnails to embiggen them.
 
Polling the audience here...
Ive ruled out the Landing Gear and Black Ops because they seem way overkill and heavy and don’t offer the mounting options for bikepacking gear.

option 1: Surly Bridge Club fork
Pros
- the axle to crown measurement is the same (420mm) as the Rock Shox Indy XC that came stock on my frame, making my ride height only 1.5” higher with the 27.5 wheel.
- 43mm offset vs. original 38mm is pretty close and better in tight stuff (I think)
- I can use the wheel I have (even though it’s blah) keeping this project’s goal of being low budget
Cons
- I would need to run an old 12mm QR disc front hub
- may Be flexy in the rough stuff
- probably will be hard to find a used one ($125)

option 2: Surly Karate Monkey fork
Pros
- I can run a modern 20mm TA hub
- it’s called Karate Monkey!!
- more trail would in theory be more stable descending, right?
- better shot at finding a used one
Cons
- ride height will be a big ol 4” higher!
- 47mm offset vs. original 38mm will make the steering a bit slower
- will need to buy a new hub. $$
- $50 more for the fork (new)

also attaching a pics of the parts I picked up today for $120!
XT rear V brake, Avid disc front brake, XT shift/brake levers, XT derailleurs, Thompson seatpost (will need a shim), FSA crank, XTR/mavic rear wheel, XT 9 speed cassette, weird Ritchie front wheel and 2 tires.
I like the colour of that front wheel!
 
Welcome to RRB and the fun of the build off.
It's super flat here is Savannah, so I never caught the mountain biking bug, but the cool thing about the build offs is we get to see such a wide variety of bikes. Have fun with the pickle!

PICTURE POSTING TIP: Select the FULL IMAGE button when you upload your pics so that we see them full size without having to click on the thumbnails to embiggen them.

Thanks for the welcome and the tip. I know a mountain bike isn’t the typical “rat rod” but I plan to build it ”rat rod“ style. Pieces together with mostly used, found or donated parts and using my best McGuiver skills.
 
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Small point: you said keeping a2c constant would raise the front 1.5" when swapping to 27.5". Wouldn't only half the height be added? Radius vs diameter?
As for the Karate Monkey, 4 " is too much! The handling could be disastrous with that much fork. Chopper flop!
Good call. Only .75” higher. Will be spot on
 
I spent some time tonight doing a little dry fit to see what problems I might run into. BB is smooth as butter and the headset seems good enough. Realizing the rear wheel is in pretty rough shape with a hop that’s not coming out. Considering it’s a 32 spoke rim with alloy nipples its probably best to just get a new rim and spokes and build up a new one. Also going to need a 27.5 front wheel or buy a rim and build up two wheels. Otherwise, I’m in good shape. Getting a bar from a friend, using some old grips, and the just need a chain and cables.

The 26.8 post I got will need to be shimmed up to fit the 27.2 seat tube. Luckily I made chili last night and the beer I used came in a sweet looking can. Took to it with a razor knife and fashioned what turned out as a decent 10 minute fix. See pics below. Room to improve, but a good first attempt.

9288453C-4259-4EF4-A50B-85F7812CB5DA.jpeg

116210A7-56B7-4504-BDEE-C3EC026F249E.jpeg


I wasn’t planning to paint this bike beyond a primer coat, but that Yuengling can inspired me. Thinking the original Gary Fisher Cronus I had back in 1995 would provide a cool paint scheme for the colors from the can. Below pic is pretty much my bike except for those silly Spinergy wheels that were notorious for breaking.

5648F283-16C2-45CE-BCFE-D528CF62C9F9.jpeg


Now imagine replacing the yellow with the cream color of the label, the red with the maroon and keeping with the black back end and black fork. I guess the biggest question is how are my paint fading skills and can I actually pull that off? Probably not. Likely will do a solid cream color with red and gold accents to match the can. See the bike with parts fitted and the can below and let me know what you guys think.

097FED09-461A-4B9D-9052-2245FF714F3C.jpeg

0195A11B-6A0F-4E11-B0E8-AF5FC987F664.jpeg
 
Absolutely go with the Penn beer colors~! Start with the light color up front first, go a ways beyond the 'fade zone', then start from the back with your maroon / red and as you get close to the yellow / cream, cross over a bit and as you do lift up and away on the can and release the trigger. Then start at the rear again, and repeat with your black.

I had never done a fade before, and tried it on my Helen Wheels build last summer. It was fun and I was pleased with the result. Doing your own paint is one of the most rewarding parts of these builds, whether it's a refresh of the original, a complete repaint of a new color, or a Rat-ina job to make it look, well, ratty.

fade paint helen wheels.jpg
 
Absolutely go with the Penn beer colors~! Start with the light color up front first, go a ways beyond the 'fade zone', then start from the back with your maroon / red and as you get close to the yellow / cream, cross over a bit and as you do lift up and away on the can and release the trigger. Then start at the rear again, and repeat with your black.

I had never done a fade before, and tried it on my Helen Wheels build last summer. It was fun and I was pleased with the result. Doing your own paint is one of the most rewarding parts of these builds, whether it's a refresh of the original, a complete repaint of a new color, or a Rat-ina job to make it look, well, ratty.

View attachment 122799
You’re right. I just gotta go for it. RATtle can style!
 
(Comments coming after we see pics) :bigsmile:
Ugh... I've been trying to add images for the past two days. Tried from phone, from laptop, different image format, nothing seems to work. Anytime I add images, it causes the site to stop responding. Really weird. They show up when I attach them but cant add to the body of the post. Even tried the insert image tab above. Ive done this before and had no problems... any help?
 
Ugh... I've been trying to add images for the past two days. Tried from phone, from laptop, different image format, nothing seems to work. Anytime I add images, it causes the site to stop responding. Really weird. They show up when I attach them but cant add to the body of the post. Even tried the insert image tab above. Ive done this before and had no problems... any help?

I got one to load... ...?!?
 
Ugh... I've been trying to add images for the past two days. Tried from phone, from laptop, different image format, nothing seems to work. Anytime I add images, it causes the site to stop responding. Really weird. They show up when I attach them but cant add to the body of the post. Even tried the insert image tab above. Ive done this before and had no problems... any help?
@Rat Rod , Steve, do you have any suggestions for JRobert? JR, have you just clicked on the "Attach files" tab below, and just attach from the Camera mode on your phone, and then click on Full Image once they upload? I'm going to try an image on your thread here, to see if for some reason it is your thread that is messing it up.

103346299_296606268390659_2540639268030631384_n.jpg


Nope, it's not your thread. That worked just the way it's supposed to. Direct upload from my Chromebook. No image program or folder or anything.
 
@Rat Rod , Steve, do you have any suggestions for JRobert? JR, have you just clicked on the "Attach files" tab below, and just attach from the Camera mode on your phone, and then click on Full Image once they upload? I'm going to try an image on your thread here, to see if for some reason it is your thread that is messing it up.

View attachment 128130

Nope, it's not your thread. That worked just the way it's supposed to. Direct upload from my Chromebook. No image program or folder or anything.
Yep. Tried direct from phone or ipad. Also tried sending them to my laptop. Was strangely able to get that one pic plus the one of the Yuengling can. The rest give me an error message.
 

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