| I'm surprised there is so little activity in the Custom Bicycle area. What do you all do with your bikes that are not 100% original and "correct"? Do you just toss them out? Doesn't anyone take these things and create works of art out of them like custom motorcycle builders and Street Rodders? Fat tires, fancy paint? I see the lowrider people doing this, but doesn't any one else do it with 26" bikes? |
| You're right, it's been amazingly quiet on this list lately. If you're new here, check out the archived discussions on the site. There's a lot of good stuff in there. Or, check out the other lists; I always do, even though I find customs more interesting. Why don't you tell us about your own custom projects? That's the best way to get a new thread going. If you've come up with a solution to a custom-oriented problem, let us know about that, and you'll be seeing responses to it. Or, just ask a question. You could always go to http://bikerodnkustom.homestead.com, and comment on something interesting you saw there. We're here. |
| The most customizing I see on the street are homemade fixed gear bikes. These are seldom art, but true workhorses. My Schwinn Speedster was a single speed coaster brake dorkbike, now a tough and able city machine. I tossed off the gentlemanly 26 x 1 3/8 tires for skinny mountain bike tires. They are slick for the streets, and cushy on the potholes. Mountiain riser bars are there for an aggressive position. It's a small frame for a 26, and now the wheels are smaller, so it handles somewhere between a mountain bike and BMX. Maybe the next bike will be an art bike, but I'm too right-brained. I'm glad that bikerodnkustom is there for us. |
| hey...i just bought a Western Flyer Buzz Bike Eliminator. This is the second Eliminator i've owned, the first being an Eliminator III. The one i have now was Lime Gold, and has a gold sparkle seat. I need some info on these bikes. How rare is the bike, is it collectible? It looks totally different than a Stingray, and maybe that's why i have only seen the two i've got. If anyone has any info or especially pictures, because i need to know where the stripes go on the tubes and the fork, please email me. Thanks |
| That is a rare and unique looking bike. And valuable. Check the picture database for pictures. |
| how many coats of paint on primer do i need and how many coats of paint for the best results? do i need a gloss finish? |
| Check the "Restoration Tips" section of this site for some great painting discussions. |
| I have a restored Western Flyer tandem and put a springer on it.The problem Ihave is-the spring bottoms out as soon as I get on, any ideas on a stronger spring or a way to add spacers or something to keep it from bottoming? |
| You adjusted the springer to it's max tension, right? What style springer is it? |
| Volume Two'Issue Two’s Cover Feature is an amazing bike which looks very much like what the Schwinn Styling Studio would have produced, had they been asked to design a full-suspension recumbent bike in 1935. Designed by the legendary Carl Hoots, it’s the Chartres Cathedral of bike architecture. We also have other of Carl’s masterpieces on view, as well as an in-depth, tech-filled interview with Mr. Hoots by the also-amazing, Michael (TallBike) Watson. We have other new wild rides in the BR&K Gallery by Gary Boivin, Fredrick Trippler, Hal Paquin, and Larry Lauderback. You’ll also find a piece on Taliah Lempert, an artist who specializes in paintings of classic bicycles. Our Off-Topic feature covers Basic Cycles' custom cruisers based on the Brazilian Caloi Dolphin aluminum frame, the Worksman Cycles Pizza Delivery Bike, Artist Eric Staller's Conference Bike, which seats eight riders in a circular array, and the incredibly-slick recumbents of Flevobike, of the Netherlands. Josh Merrow is the first recipient of the BR&K BIKE HERO Award. Josh designed a high school course which teaches math-challenged kids math and science through the design and construction of KustomBikes and other projects. Read the interview to see how he did it, and see the pictures to see how it worked out. Our Award Sponsor, PhatCycles, Huntingdon Beach, USA, donated a phat Silva Chopper Bike as Josh’s prize. Unfortunately, we also have bad news about, and a Eulogy for, Bruce Bursford, gifted designer of the world’s fastest bicycle, our cover subject last issue. Bruce was killed by a truck during road training about a month after our interview with him was completed. You will find it all at: http://bikerodnkustom.homestead.com Bone Appetite! Jim Wilson Sous-Chef, Le Bicycles Krazee |
| I'm looking for some 20" chrome lowrider rims for a first time project |
| We've got a set of brand new 20" Lowrider wheelsets, front and rear, radial laced, 68 spokes, rear coaster brake, with whitewall tires and tubes (20 x 1.175). $35 for the set, plus $20 shipping (they are heavy). US funds only, US shipping only. This is the only set we have. Vin - Menotomy Vintage Bicycles http://oldroads.com |
| 1948 Whizzer, Schwinn WZ frame, restored to new condition, fully accessorized with luggage rack, 43 miles since restoration, $4250. or best offer, if interested I can send pictures. |
| Does anyone know of a place in Northern California (Bay Area) where I can get some custom lowrider parts made for my trike? |
| go to D.T.E.lowriders, he does it...he did stuff for me...he's really good. |
| The High Wheeler was built in 1873. This bike had a front wheel 4 feet to 6 feet tall. I'm looking for anyone who still makes or can make a tire of this size. If you know of anyone please E-mail me. Thanks :) |
| We're waiting for Menotomy to build our new site: RetroSpokes.com. On the site we'll be carrying 3 brand new bikes: A 5-speed Cruiser, a Musclebike and a Lowrider. And we'll have a whole line of reproduction parts. We should be up before the first week of February, but in the meantime you can see a preview of the bikes. We've set up a little web site in the "Reader's Web Pages" section of OldRoads.com. |
| We've got retail space and great storage space now, so we're starting to build up inventory again. The $199.95 lowriders (with great standard equipment) are up on RetroSpokes.com. What other lowrider parts do you want us to carry? Our inventory will be displayed on RetroSpokes.com (see ad above) and can be purchased over the web through them, or in person at Cambridge Bicycle in Cambridge, Mass. (see ad above). As we build up our inventory and get e-commerce running on RetroSpokes.com, let us know what useful bits and pieces you'd like us to stock. Thanks, Vin - Menotomy Vintage Bicycles at OldRoads.com |
| You should carry chrome springers, lowrider style and 26" |
| Since you asked: Nexus7 in a 26.125"alloy rim, Alloy cruiser bars, Alloy MTB bars with 5" rise. Aero wheel discs. Chrome MTB forks in 20,24,26" sizes. |
| I want a good lookin lowrider bike that's new for about $150. If yall carry one please e-mail me. |
| There is one on E-bay right now |
| I am in the process of gathering parts and advice and ideas to make a custom chopper style bike. I just aquired an RST DH Elite suspension fork with dual clamps but it has a broken brake bridge. If I remove the lower end (the suspension part) I am left with a really good start to build a rigid long chopper fork. Anyone know where I can get some good long chrome tubes or mild steel and some dropouts to make a fork? Also, has anyone had experience stripping paint from an aluminum alloy frame. I would like to put this fork on a Royce Union alloy Mt. Bike frame and strip and polish this instead of painting it. Does zip strip tarnish the metal, or is there a better way? The handlebars will be a set from a Schwinn XR-7 exercise bike as will the seat to give it that wide and fat look. I would like to use the front sprocket from the exerciser as well, but the frame does not have enough clearance. Any ideas? Also, what about using an old Schwinn drilled front sprocket from an early Stingray adapted to use as a REAR sprocket on a Bendix hub? Any tips or ideas are greatly appreciated. |
| You can make some excellent extended forks using chrome piping from a publing supply shop. You can cut dropouts off of an old frame and weld those n (assuming you've got access to welding equipment). I don't think paint stripper will harm the AL frame. |
| I would be careful in my choice of materials for front fork fabrication. Always bear in mind that the fork is the difference between your face and the pavement. Plumbing supply stores sell two kinds of pipe-too heavy, in the case of water pipe, and too weak, in the case of chrome plated brass lavatory drain tubing. Bike-grade tubing and dropouts should be got from specialist builder-oriented outfits like Gaerlan. http://members.aol.com/Gaerlan123/bike.html Regarding stripping an aluminum frame: Chemical strippers are the way to go, I've never had any damage from the stuff. Be careful with abrasives, though. I wouldn't recommend steel brushing; I'd just give it more stripper in the stubborn areas. A toothbrush is okay, though. I would recommend using bronze wool in very fine grades for polishing the surface of the metal. This can be followed by a cloth polishing wheel with a suitable polishing compound, if you want it chrome-like. A treated metal-polishing towel like Cape Cod will keep it looking that way. Concerning the use of a front sprocket on the rear hub: Presuming that you also use a front sprocket at the crank location, you will have an extremely low gear ratio, with consequent slow speed. Visually, it's nice to have a big disc back there. Maybe you should consider something like the Hayes hydraulic disc brake, as seen at http://bikerodnkustom.homestead.com/wheels.html I'm afraid it would get kind of crowded back there, but it might be possible to do it. Just for visual effect, it seems possible to graft one of those chrome pieplate-like "chain protector" discs (as seen on my Schwinn Continental 10-speed)to the hub. It would look pretty cool and you would have protected spokes, too. |
| Thanks for the tips to all who responded. I had a computer crash and just got back up and running so now I can respond. I am still looking for fork tubes and BMX style flat blade dropouts. I found a good source of chromoly thru Aircraft Spruce but did not buy it until I can find dropouts of like material. Any help? Does anyone make custom BMX frames, forks, and dropouts? All of the web sites I have found for custom bike builders are for road, track and mt. bikes. |
| i need info on a mini chopper raleigh if they excist |
| i'm so happy you guys made a lowrider/custom discussion thanx |
| FULLY CUSTOM TRIKE ALL CUSTOM PARTS ALL SHOW GOLD &CHROME CUSTOM ENGRAVING ONE OF A KIND DAYTON RIMS FRAME PURPLE FLAKE WITH MURALS 20 INCH BACK PIECE WITH SCISSOR LIFT PLUS MANY EXTRAS $1800.00 OBO |
| We're breaking out the Custom and Lowrider Discussion Areas. All future Custom and Lowrider discussions should take place here. And if you want to get some great discussion ideas, check out The Wilson Bros.' Bike Rod-n-Kustom site. (URL entered below) |
| http://www.homestead.com/bikerodnkustom/ |
| Thanks for the plug, Vin! It's good to hear about your new retail outlet, too. We at BR&K do a lot of lurking on the Menotomy lists; it's a good way of finding what interests people. The Ultimate Bike piece in the current issue is there because we spotted a flurry of discussion about it in one of the lists. Anytime we see a particularly well-composed post on the lists, we tend to invite the poster to be a BR&K contributor. Here's something I'm curious about: NYC bike messengers tend to wrap their bike frames in duct tape, especially the black cloth type of tape. Can anybody tell us why they do that? Real information would be good; but crazy theories would be fun to hear about, also. |
| email me when you have a krunk ass lowrider bike under 200 dollars |
| RE: krunk ass lowriders - I don't know what that means, but do know Menotomy is going to be carrying lowriders again and they they'll be under $200. As for the messenger bikes, my top two guesses would be: 1) to disguise the actual brand of the bike so as to discourage theft 2) Uhh, Maybe I should have said I have only one guess |