wpflem

What is downside here?

I would likely have little if anything to contribute, but I sure think I would enjoying readiing. If the participants would post a few .jpegs of their prized bikes, it would be that much more fun to follow.

It's lowrider country here in New Mexico.

phidauex

Sorry, the snippy part of my post was mostly directed towards the eye roller, the rest was meant to be more light hearted, I suppose I should have used more smileys.

Anyway, I think that fun is integral to bicycles. If someone isn't having fun on their bike, then they have a serious problem. I was just challenging the implication that bikes need a reason beyond fun to validate them. I have fun on my road bike, and also my mountain bike. Commuter bikes are designed to get you where you are going fast and reliably, and be fun. Road bikes cover a lot of distance, and are fun. Touring bikes carry a lot of weight, and are fun. But my double decker tall bike is just fun. It doesn't do anything that well, but it is so much fun, that it justifies itself. A bike don't need no reason beyond fun.

Its OK if you choose not to ride a tall bike, but guess which of us will have the best view of the city.

peace,
sam

phidauex

I'd use that section regularly, post photos, etc. It could also be nice to talk with other people who value things like old one-piece cranks, and who weld their own dropouts. The SS forum is close, because there are some serious trash-bike scavengers around there, but not to the extent of many customizers.

Plus, parents could ask, "What is the 'kewlest' chopper bike I could buy for my 12 year old boy's birthday?"

peace,
sam

moxfyre

I don't have a cruiser/chopper/lowrider of any kind, because I'm into riding bikes for (a) transportation and (b) high-speed thrills and (c) I love building and fixing them.

I think it'd be nice to have a forum for these kinds of bikes. I know people do cool things with them and would like to hear about them. And for everyone who says, "Those bikes are stupid, they don't go fast, they tarnish the image of cycling" ... well having a forum would expose those people to other kinds of riders, and that can't possibly be a bad thing . Oh and you know what? The modern mountain bike was developed based on the Schwinn Stingray, so they've definitely had a very positive influence on the performance-oriented bike world.

So I vote for yes!

Joe Gardner

It's a go, if i have time, i'll have the new forum up tonight.

Dannihilator

If you are making this PLEASE convert the mtb racing forum into the beginning mtb forum. The plea for a beginning mtb forum has been ignored for over a year and a half and in the mean time, folding bikes gets a forum, 50 and over gets a forum and now this? I think it would be fair to at least convert the mtb racing forum into the beginners forum when you add this forum.

Joe Gardner

There are a few changes i'll make tonight, but not what you are asking for in mtn biking just yet...

Raiyn

What? That chopper section will be populated by AOL'ers from the BMX section and we can't even get a beginner's section in MTB?

phidauex

No sour grapes now, Raiyn.

Seriously though, its not easy managing information on a forum this big, if there is a need, then the changes will be made with time, I'm sure.

peace,
sam

phidauex

I'm with you on all three points! Thing is, I'm not the most powerful cyclist in the world, so if I can't get my thrills with high speed, I need to get them by being high up! 15mph feels pretty damn fast when you are 8 feet in the air. Besides, your C is what customs are all about. Building, breaking, fixing.

peace,
sam

smurfy

Thanks, Joe, for the new cruiser/chopper/low rider forum.

Granted, they're not the kind of bikes I would build and ride, but I still think it would be fun and interesting to see and read about these crazy kid's (and adult's) creations.

And besides, they got to do something to keep themselves occupied and out of trouble!

phidauex

Heh, I suspect most of us are adults, just young at heart. (not to say we still don't need something to keep us out of trouble). Most of the hardcore bike modifiers here in town are in their 30's and 40's. The guy who I've been working with says he's in a midlife crisis, and it just happens to manifest itself in mutant bikes instead of sports cars and mistresses.

To make some serious trash-bikes you need metalworking tools, and a place to do metalworking, which most kids don't have. Of course, 26" forks on 20" bike choppers are something any kid can do for an early taste of bike mutating. I saw a cute one the other day.

peace,
sam

EnigManiac

As originator of the thread and request, I'd like to thank Joe for agreeing that the chopper/cruiser/lowrider market will be recognized here. It was fascinating reading some of the posts, particularly from those who demonstrated disdain for choppers, etc. Perhaps it's envy, I don't know. My son and I spent the last two gloriously sunny and warm weekends riding as much as 6 hours a day (not all at once, of course) on the Stiletto chopper and Firebike and the attention these two eye-catchers merit is nothing short of remarkable. It baffles me that anyone would dismiss a cyclist of any kind who operates their vehicle properly, safely and effectively, whether or not they're out for a casual ride, racing, training or commuting. Who cares? It's one less car on the street, ain't it. See you all at the new forum.

Joe Gardner

Sorry, I havent put the forum up yet, out the door right now, havent had much time... anyone want to come up with a short name for the forum, and a 30 - 40 word intro to the forum to be used on the home page?

Stacey

I like the Alt Bike Culture title.

I'd surely contribute, since that's where my interests are.... buliding Kustoms. Now, if I could only convince the local constable that the machine gun between the handlebars dosen't pose a threat. Oh well!

EnigManiac

I'll try to have a submission for you later this evening (22c and sunny outside...and I'm trying to enjoy as much of it as I can)

phidauex

Here is my little suggestion, though if enigmaniac has a good one, I'll defer to him (since its his thread and all).

Alt. Bike Culture - Chopped, dropped, stretched, lifted, and otherwise cut up and put back together. The art and science of choppers, cruisers, lowriders and the vast world of mutant bicycles, either store bought or homemade. (32 words)

peace,
sam

phidauex

Here is a picture to whet your appetite. The most recent tall-bike.

EnigManiac

Wow! That's excellent! Go with that one, Joe. I couldn't do better. Well done phidauex!

And that is one radical tall bike! I've seen a few. Would love to ride one but I'm afraid of heights! Guess that's why mine are all real low-riders...I don't sit more than 18" off the ground!

phidauex

Glad you like my suggestion.

The tall bikes aren't bad to ride at all! Getting on and off is a bit tricky, but once you are up, its just like a regular bike. We do a lot to tweak the geometry to keep them ridable, like using 24" wheels up front and 26" in the back, extending the trail by moving the fork dropouts forward, and stuff like that. Then build them up with a 3 speed (though a 7 speed would be sweet), comfy saddle, ape hanger bars, and you have a surprisingly ridable tall bike. That tall bike is actually the most comfortable bike I currently own.

My next project is going to be either a triple-tall, a tandem-tall, or a low low chopper. I'm still trying to decide (and seeing what frames come my way).

peace,
sam

EnigManiac

I had no idea you built that one. Very cool. I hope you'll add more to the new forum! In fact, it would be nice to be able to post pics on the new forum (hint hint, Joe )

moxfyre

That thing is awesome, man, awesome. A couple questions:
How high do you sit off the ground? It looks like about 6 feet to me...
How the HECK did you get a fork with a steerer that long???

phidauex

The seat is about 5ish feet, and the handlebars about 6ish. That puts your head about 9 feet up while riding! The frame, if measured by regular mountain bike methods, would be a 37".

Where do you get a fork with a steerer that long? Well, you take a normal 24" mountain bike fork, cut it off just below the threads, and weld in a big ole extension, which in this case is the top tube off another bike. I also welded extended dropouts on the fork to kick the wheel about another inch to the front, for more trail, and a more stable ride. The head tube extension is actually from one of those halogen 'torch' lamps that light on fire when moths fall in them, it was a good fit, so I went with it.

When you've got a MIG welder and a plasma cutter, the world is your nashbar.

I'd post some closeups of the dropout work, if we had a forum to do that in... wink wink joe.

peace,
sam

moxfyre

Wow, you have some serious skill. Getting that steerer aligned must be a B@#($*&, although perhaps having a perfectly aligned headset is not your main goal . Have you built any conventional frames? I have been wanting to learn to braze frames, but cost and the fact that I am supposed to be getting my PhD keep getting in the way...

phidauex

Aligning the steerer isn't too bad, with the right technique. I'm not very good, and I'm still learning a lot. MIG welding is so easy its stupid, just point and weld. Plasma cutting is even easier!

To align tubing, like the steerer and the headtubes, we drop the tubes into a big piece of angle iron, and clamp them down. If they have the same outer diameter, then they will have to be perfectly aligned! Then you put a few quick tack welds on to hold the pieces together, then remove the angle iron to lay the whole bead. Then we grind the welds down just enough so that the cups will fit over the welds, and assemble it. If you saw what that steerer looks like with it out of the headtube, you wouldn't be so impressed.

Fortunately, the tube came out straight, and the headset aligns with no problem. I wouldn't race on it, but its good enough for riding.

I've never made a conventional frame, but I've been considering building up a frame for a fixie... Maybe lugged and brazed... Brazing isn't too difficult, though honestly it is harder than MIG welding (though looks nicer, and stronger for the lightweight tubing you'd want to use for a 'real' bike, these old trash bikes have such thick tubing you can weld away with no worries).

I'd say jump in, who needs that phd anyway. What are you studying?

peace,
sam