Street Cruiser

[Powder Keg]

I've been riding my Bicycle to work and back every day. I ride a Mt. bike that I saved up for and bought when I was in high school. My wife and I are trying to change our shape. We've been walking and riding our bikes a lot! I've been wanting a nice looking road style bike for a while now. This old beater has been hanging around my place  for a few years now. It will have to do.

Here is a before picture. Riding to work in the snow in the dark is pretty peaceful. Accept the ambulance whizzing by with its siren blaring.

Street Cruiser

I walked over on Sunday and bought some paint stripper. This stuff is great!!!

Street Cruiser

Here she is all cleaned up and ready for a fresh coat of paint. Or Not? I haven't decided yet. Maybe a coat of WD40:o)

Street Cruiser

Me being me, I needed to customize at least something on this so here it is. It will make a new fork to look like this one.

Street Cruiser

I need to build a functional rack also. I carry a thermos and sometimes my laptop computer with me. So I will need to come up with something that will hold both of those.

This is going to be a quick project because I want it out on the road and there really isn't that much that needs to be done. A friend is making some wheels for me. The back one will have a 2 speed kick back hub. So I can change gears and I won't have to have any cables running back there. I have a new seat already. I need to make a new post for it. And I might try out some new handlebars. That's about it. It should be back on the road when my wheels are done.

Later,

~Wes~

Feel free to post pictures of bikes you have built here:o)

[Brass_Machine]

Paint it silver and white. Add some down turned handlebars and add one of these:

ENGINE

Eric

[Powder Keg]

Don't tempt me Eric! I want an engine so bad. But I'm really trying to loose weight. Fifty pounds would be Awesome!!!

I'm kind of thinking a early muscle bike like a Schwinn Stingray that got hit by a board track racer? This is the seat I got. Mine is light brown.

Street Cruiser

Here is an old stingray. I always wanted one of these!!!

Street Cruiser

The down turned handlebars are really cool looking. But on a bicycle, bent over like that, my knees (Motor) Hits my belly when I pedal and that just looks funny.

~Wes~

[rleete]

Here is an old stingray. I always wanted one of these!!!

I had one when I was a kid.  Metalic green paint, chrome fenders, whitewall slick in back.  Seat was white with silver sparkles and silver stripes.  It was a sharp looking bike.

Kept it in perfect condition, too.  Washed and waxed it when dad was doing the car.  He sold it for about 10 bucks.  Nowdays it would be worth hundreds.

[MadNick]

I love the Stringray - hard to get hold of at a reasonable price here in the UK though - In fact cruisers and parts, in general are hold to get hold of.

That fork looks good - have you seen the brain fork? Can be made with a minimum amount of materials and technology - plans are free, online.

Nick

[Powder Keg]

I have a couple junker bikes here. I'm trying to come up with a good set of cranks. The set that was on it had been ground on I have another set that is fairly rusty. I might clean them up and paint them to use for a while.

I have the wheels and handlebars ordered. I should probably paint this but I kind of like the metal look. I'm still thinking on this.

I'll get some pictures when something exciting happens

~Wes~

[Powder Keg]

I think the bearing races can be saved? It's probably not worth my trouble But If I cant get them to work I'll just pick up some new ones. I bought new balls for $2. Here is a frosty picture:o)

Street Cruiser

~Wes~

[Powder Keg]

My Bearings cleaned up pretty nicely. I also have a layback seat post made. I'll get a picture with the seat on as soon as it cools off:o)

Street Cruiser



~Wes~

[Powder Keg]

I got the layback seat post made up. Here is the bike reassembled. I still have new wheels and some new Ape hangers on the way\o/

Street Cruiser

Street Cruiser

The seat seems to be super comfy!!! I hope it stays that way

~Wes~

[Brass_Machine]

Looks pretty good Wes. You gonna keep it that color?

[Powder Keg]

I'm thinking green

~Wes~

[Powder Keg]

This color to be more exact:o) Sublime Green pearl:O)

Street Cruiser

Maybe some white diamonds or some pin-striping.

Later,

~Wes~

[Powder Keg]

A neighbor gave me some bicycle stuff. In it was this old Rat trap springer. It needs cleaned up and some new pivot bolts, but it should work fine. Too bad the chrome is gone:o(

Street Cruiser

This will save me some time:o) I'll probably end up painting it.

~Wes~

[Powder Keg]

I pulled the springer apart and am going to have a buddy bead blast it for me. I should have a couple days to find some shoulder bolts. 2 are missing and regular bolts were installed. The other 2 are in sad shape.

I talked with my buddy and my wheel parts should be here on Wednesday\o/ I still need to decide what I'm going to do for a rack. After that I want to put everything back together and ride it for a week or so before I paint everything.

It won't be long now:o)

~Wes~

[Brass_Machine]

This color to be more exact:o) Sublime Green pearl:O)

Street Cruiser

Maybe some white diamonds or some pin-striping.

Later,

~Wes~

That's almost Kawasaki Racing Green

I had a motorcycle that color...

Street Cruiser

[Powder Keg]

I was torn between the The sublime green and the Hugger orange Eric. But Green is my fav color

Today I had the springer bead blasted. It cleaned up great!!! I ordered new bearings also. The cone on the stem was all beat up. The bolts in this thing are non existent. You can't buy them. I'll be making some spiffy new stainless ones.

Street Cruiser

My new wheels and tires showed up also\o/ Here is the new front one next to the old one. Nice and skinny:o)

Street Cruiser

All the parts for the back one are here also. Were going to lace it up on Friday   I'll get pictures.

~Wes~

[MadNick]

Morning,

A man after my own heart, a great looking bike.

Ive never seen a suspension fork of that type before, any chance of a closeup of the mechanism that does the 'springing'?

Nick

[Powder Keg]

I am trying to come up with a nice looking, functional, smallish rack to fit on my bicycle. I think I'm going to have to compromise with a nice looking one. To be functional and be able to carry stuff it can't really be that smallish. I'm going to try and paint her up this weekend. That way I'll be closer to finishing something.

~Wes~

The spring is just like one in a spring mouse trap. Just bigger:o) I'll get a picture next time I have it together.

[MadNick]

Thanks Wes,

Im looking forward to seeing it finished.

Youve given me some impetus to make a start on my spare frame

Nick

[Powder Keg]

The rack is ready to braze onto the frame.  I brazed rivets on the bottom for Bungee lugs.

Street Cruiser

I was going to paint today but the humidity is too high. Don't want to chance it.

~Wes~

[Brass_Machine]

Hey Wes,

Looking good. Just a quick question though... on your rack, is the only means of support going to be the 2 rods to the front? You might want to consider, if you haven't already, to triangulate it. Add a support on each side (around where the boards are) heading down towards the rear axle. That way you can put more than a few ounces on it.

Eric

[Powder Keg]

I have some 3/8" tube bent to fit underneath. But I just had another thought:o) Maybe some wood stays to match the top slats?

[andyf]

Wes,

I'm not sure where your bent 3/8 tubes are intended to go, but the carrier on my old bike has stays running down to bolts through the holes in each side of the frame, behind the axle slots.
The bolts also secure the stays for the mudguards.

Andy 

[Powder Keg]

Like this:o)

Street Cruiser

~Wes~

[Powder Keg]

One of the chainstay tubes that the dropout is spot welded into was cracked a little. I decided to braze them all up while I had the torch out:o) Better safe than sorry. Now I just need to file them down a little and clean everything up for paint.

Street Cruiser

Weather is supposed to be better later this week\o/

~Wes~