It's going to look good either way...

 

I hope so. I want it to pass for a production bicycle finish wise and how it is put together. That way if people ask me where I bought it I can tell them I built it from scratch. If enough people show interest in getting one I might just start building these. If I can build one for $1,000 and sell it for $2,500 that's a $1,500 profit right there for me.

I also just now moved all my pieces around brought two fork pieces in and hung them in the house since they are fairly dry. Frame I moved to the cloths hanger rack to let it hang up for at least 48 hours before I sit it back in the box in the house awaiting assembly. This way the clear has time to harden up enough so it doesn't stick to the cardboard.

I did get some photos with and without flash and I am loving how the frame turned out this time.

Without flash


with flash


Close up of script with flash

 

If I were you and had a place to hang it I'd do that until assembly. I had my tailgate sitting on end on carpet thinking it would be okay and the weight of it cause the carpet to sink into the finish so had a little more sanding to do..it takes a good 30 or more days for the clear to really cure..

 

Well I really hope to have the wheels this weekend where I can install the forks and place the wheels on and have the bike sit on the wheels.

 

That would be okay..

 

Only thing holding me back right now is the wheels and the kick stand. I want a rear hub mounted kick stand but only ones I keep finding is chrome not sure if chrome would go since I am going with limited chrome. Think black would probably be better or bare metal and just paint it red but in the end I don't want to spend a whole $25 on the kickstand and find out it wont work on this frame as its too wide for the kickstand.

 

You could always sand blast the chrome off and paint it black..

 

Yep or I could have it taken to a powder coat shop and have them powdercoat it black. Only thing is it has springs to hold the kickstand in the retracted position the flexing of the springs I don't know how well they would stand up to powdercoating or paint. Chrome might not be bad.

So far chrome on this bike will be chrome rims with stainless steel spokes and aluminum colored hubs. The pedals themselves will be black with chrome trim, the grips will be black with chrome trim and I am looking for a gas cap to replace the black plastic edger gas cap so it looks a little better. I don't know about the seat post as I am looking at trying a laid back seat post and a straight up seat post to see which looks and feels better.

Fenders will probably be chrome as well. Have to figure out how to mount fenders on the front suspension forks there is no real good way to mount full fenders on the front without going for a dirt bike look to avoid being jammed into the front tire on deflection of the suspension.

 

I'm sure you'll find the answers..

 

Oh I will. Right now I found this forum topic I am reading first page has a pic of my style of forks with a very fat tire on it but I want to run the same size tire front and rear for a uniform appearance. I would run bigger out back like some motorcycles if I can get the same tire in the larger size so they are same style front to rear.

This topic they are also talking about fender mounting as well. Which the rear wont be hard but the front will be.

Monark Mega/Sunlite DeLuxe/Kai Cheng Fork | Rat Rod Bikes

 

I really like that..

 

You're starting to peak my interest in a different project in the future...lol

 

I saw that one. That is a 24" x 3" super balloon tire I read on page 4 I think it was. He test fitted a white 26" x 2.35" Project 346 balloon that seemed to have a little more side to side clearance between the frame rails.

If I were to squeeze in a 3" wide tire it would have to be a 26" and it would have to be enough room to run my speedometer cable down the inside of the frame rail to the wheel as well as to allow for side to side lateral movement of the linkages which I am sure there will be some side to side movement.

 

Its a fun little project that's for sure.

I read all the posts on that forum topic and it seems like some ran 3" wide tires with no problem one for sure had problem with the 3" tire rubbing the primary fork, one guy had problem with the 3" tire rubbing the secondary fork.

I looked on Bicycle-Engines where I bought my GT2A frame from and it says can accommodate up to 2.25" wide tires with 150mm drop out.

So it looks like I will be limited to 2.25" max as I surely don't want the front wider than the rear. I just haven't really found any 2.25" tires and I am not fully sure if a 2.25" tire will work on a 2.125" wide rim. I know lots of rims Ive seen in the 1.75" width being claimed to accommodate up to a 2.125" wide tire. I just don't like the thought of having a wider tire bulging out past the rim. Id be afraid of the rim cutting through the sidewall when flexing going down the road.

 

I like the look, can you get wider forks..?