dirttorpedo
Senior Retro Guru
Its strangely compelling
USA maggot cruiser.
- Thread starter Nabeaquam
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So are car crashes...
chickendrumsticks
Senior Retro Guru
... and bike crashes. Although I doubt you'd ever get that maggot up to enough speed to crash properly.
STX-RC
Marin Fan
Some of the worst crashes, especially on ice are performed at ridiculously low speed
chickendrumsticks
Senior Retro Guru
Worst for the rider maybe - but best for the audience!
Nabeaquam
BoTM Winner
I’ve figured out that the frame was made by Ross, probably mid 1950s. Nothing else is original to the frame, including the crank (much older) and the chainring which is made by Shelby. There was never a bicycle shop anywhere near Amasa, where I got the bike, so it’s a make do. It’s got an English Perry rear coaster and an American Bendix coaster on the front. I like the make do esthetic. I always thought Specialized was the first manufacturer of mountain bikes but it was Ross that first mass produced them. They had the first professional mountain bike racing team. I found this out looking up information on the frame and then the company.
Nabeaquam
BoTM Winner
I’m now leaning towards that the frame is an AMF built Shelby, 1950s. The frame is bent inwards as the cantilever bars touch the top tube. It should have a space. There must have been a front impact that broke the frame where it’s welded back together. What a maggot. I want to preserve the esthetics of this old make do fix up home built beater. Someone, years ago, must have had no bicycle, no money and needed one, so they cobbled one together. The fender stays are homemade out of heavy steel flat stock. I took the braking ball and brake shoes out of the front wheel coaster brake. I cleaned it and greased it. Much easier to ride now. My knees feel like they come to my chest when peddling. It’s got the typical American cruiser too short seat stem. I can’t use a longer one as it’s a wedge instead of a clamp. I could cut a slot and weld on a bolt clamp but it’s good enough, but uncomfortable. My feet can’t put good pressure on the pedals, with the seat this low the pedals aren’t in a good position to be efficient.
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Nabeaquam
BoTM Winner
Your right, it rides crooked and wobbly, wonders around. After a few beers it rides straight. I’m soaking the spoke nipples with penetrant, right on the bike. For some reason there is no tension in the spokes. I hope I can tighten them. Their cobbled together and one is spoked wrong. I’m wondering if the spokes were too long and their as tight as they can go. There very, very loose. I don’t know that they do much except complete a wheel so they spin. I’m not going for a respoke. I could put some nipple washers I have in my junk under the nipple heads, or even two of them, but then there is a big nipple head protrusion that could puncture a tube. Good enough perfect. Hopefully I can make them tighter. What a POS. I should make a POS head badge, or a FUBAR head badge. I have one good shiny chrome 26x1 3/8 rim I could use for a new wheel but I don’t think I’ll bother. I might be able to pick up a bike for cheap at the thrift store with 26x1 3/8 wheels. The last one I bought a year ago, in the fall, it was $5.00. When I went to pay for it I found out it was on sale for $2.50. It’s now a commuter bike for a friend of mine. I was walking when I stopped into the thrift store and rode it a Km on flat tires to my truck. He put flat bars and a different seat on it. I gave him those too. It originally had drop bars. Originally a cheap, below entry level, hardware store brand, of unknown generic Tennessee manufacture. I want another one to strip down.Proper hack / pub bike thisIt's ride better after a drink.
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FUBAR...
