20" 1960s Rollfast rat build for my son

[yoothgeye]

Here's one I recently put together.

The F&F was given to me as you see it. I modified and added the rear fender from an old solid tire bike. The truss rods were from an old 24" Columbia that I cut and rewelded for the 20" fork. Seat came off the same old Columbia, but I made a layback seatpost for it. The wheels/tires came off of a late model girl's Bratz bike, I was hooked on the twisted spokes. Tank plate is just a piece of copper and some zip ties. It's a solid little bike.

 

[kingfish254]

Sweet little rat there!!!
I see that you are already scouting locations and honing your skills for your RRBO8 photo shoot.
Nice work in both regards!

 

[SCHWINNRAY69]

That's a real cool looking bike, yoothgeye! I wouldn't mind one of those in 26" :mrgreen:

 

[yoothgeye]

That's a real cool looking bike, yoothgeye! I wouldn't mind one of those in 26" :mrgreen:

My goal was to make a 20" bike that looked like a perfectly scaled down 26" cruiser, I think I managed pretty well, I need to try some more bar combos, but right now those work well.

 

[SCHWINNRAY69]

That's a real cool looking bike, yoothgeye! I wouldn't mind one of those in 26" :mrgreen:

My goal was to make a 20" bike that looked like a perfectly scaled down 26" cruiser, I think I managed pretty well, I need to try some more bar combos, but right now those work well.

I like these bars, they go with the style :wink:

 

[Onewheelsqueel]

Sweet bike. Whats the building in the last pic with the bars in the windows/doors?

 

[yoothgeye]

Sweet bike. Whats the building in the last pic with the bars in the windows/doors?

Not sure exactly what the building is, it belongs to the paper mill, part of the old pumping station that gets the water to the mill. There's some neat old structures all around that area.

 

[yoothgeye]

That is a cool bike. The orange frame, light blue rims, whitewalls, and the rusty fender just somehow all go together very well. At first glance, I didn't notice it was a 20" bike.

Thanks, I just worked with what I had, not a drop of paint went on it, only some linseed oil on te saddle and truss rods. Again, not noticing it's a 20" is exactly what I was going for.

Just let my son ride it, he can but he needs a little height, he was barefoot though, so shoes might get him the extra he needs.

 

[MplsCoaster]

That is a cool little rat!! Really like the way you set it up

 

[sleepy]

My goal was to make a 20" bike that looked like a perfectly scaled down 26" cruiser

That was exactly my initial impression of your photos....a very well porportioned bike that appears to be a 26 incher.

The color, stance, seat, tires...all very nicely done! 8)

 

[yoothgeye]

That is a cool little rat!! Really like the way you set it up

Thanks.

That was exactly my initial impression of your photos....a very well porportioned bike that appears to be a 26 incher.

The color, stance, seat, tires...all very nicely done! 8)

Thank you very much, I need to get a picture of me or my son beside it, the photos are (intentionally) tricky, but the bike is legit.

 

[ruddigger]

You certainly achieved your goal, it looks just like a 26" bike. Really neat build.

 

[18htan]

Nice work. It looks fantastic.

 

[yoothgeye]

That is the type of bike that probably wouldn't do well in the yearly build-off, but it is the type of bike I vote for. So delete this thread, pretend it didn't happen, take the bike back apart, reassemble it in the build-off, and I will vote for it.

You are very right, but if I pretended this was a 26" build it would get more votes than disclosing it was a 20".

Now I just have to find out how to brainwash everyone who has seen this...

 

[yoothgeye]

It's working so far.

 

[sensor]

You did good. About the bars,I'd give you an easy way to get them so you'd be happy but I seem to have lost all recollection of anything about this post!
Just section out about 1/2"-3/4" inbetween the 2 bends and that should get them to fit a lot better. Either way looks great.

 

[yoothgeye]

You did good. About the bars,I'd give you an easy way to get them so you'd be happy but I seem to have lost all recollection of anything about this post!
Just section out about 1/2"-3/4" inbetween the 2 bends and that should get them to fit a lot better. Either way looks great.

Yeah, looking at it (it's still here in our dining room, the wife hasn't said anything yet) that would work, but for now I'm just calling this done.

great job on the bike , and what a cool bike for a SON ...wow !! cool stuff 8)

Thanks, can't wait for us to cruise together.

 

[DeuceWheeler]

Nice work! Super clean.

 

[A.S.BOLTNUT]

I likey a lot !...nice J 8) B .....


Ralph

 

[yoothgeye]

Here's a photo of the bike with me in the photo for scale: