Current Projects chat and miscellany

Not sure how old the frame is, I got the whole bike for free from someone that just wanted it shifted, it'd sat in an outdoor bike shed for a fair while so the drivetrain was rusted solid.
Was going to use it for polo but that ain't happening up here now. (Glasgow)
The bars are Triumph Bonny bars that I used to have on my Enfield but have been sitting unused since i sold that.
They give it quite a sat up riding position which is what i want for drifting round fire track corners.
I also have some 15" apes that might get put on it at some point, then it'll be a total bastard to ride!

I really only used the mtb title for my bike as I didn't know what else to call it.

The bike itself is actually design to do MTBing.

All I have to do is removed the mudguard, add MTB tyres and be on my way;

sweet, looks fun. I think i saw you on one of these the other day ed

my classic mtb has similar geometry and is full rigid steel, dont worry about the bumps or the weight and have a good time. You will get to appreciate the scenery at least!

MTB cruiser / cruiser seems entirely reasonable.

At the risk of just repeating myself my problem is with people who want to go properly off road - up steep hills, down steep hills, through mud, over bumps and jumps etc etc - and use an unsuitable or outdated bike. By problem I mean I don't understand why you'd do it!!

A rugged little number to go on tracks / canal paths - fairly flat and a bit bumpy but not a mud-pit or hilly - is a perfectly sensible bike especially if you can put it together cheap.

In the past I have owned a few rigid ss mtbs which you would probably consider to be outdated.
I find rigid mtb to be really good fun on things like singletrack, slow,technical descents, fire track etc. The lightweight that comes with no suspension or gears etc makes for really nice responsive ride, older steel frame has a nice bit of spring to it (as would a much more expensive new steel frame) and if you're running v brakes - which are more than adequate for the speeds a rigid bike will be doing - then you don't need to worry about getting a modern frame so it has disc mounts n stuff so might as well save some money and get an older frame.
I have no interest in competetive downhilling or freeride etc and I doubt il ever use a bike with a derailleur off road again, iv ridden singlespeed bikes for years - way before the current fixed fad - so i'm used to lack of gears and ss is so much cheaper to build and maintain particularly on a mtb that get's dirty a lot.
I haven't done much mtbing recently but I used to ride my ss rigid steel mtb with v brakes with guys that were on modern front and full sus alloy and carbon bikes with full gearing and disc brakes and I was never left behind on flat or uphill sections, the only place they had the advantage was on some descents.

I dunno what bikes you ride Jeez but I'd be really interested to see if using them all as intended as much as your objections in this thread would suggest.

Edit: A quote from another thread proves my point. "The bike has had light ramp use and use as a local run-around "

Here are some more pictures of my Obree build.
Super narrow front wheel.

Totally brilliant. Repped!

I was wondering if you were going the whole hog, with uber narrow q-factor etc. and finding your tuck position on a pram, fantastic :D

Keep the details coming. My inner bike nerd is doing somersaults.

someone photoshop spok's on it.

Look like I've opened a can of worm.

anyhow, going to take it down for a proper test ride down WImbledon Common when I change the tyres and cog with a sensible gear ratio (currently 61).

Ed. Chuck the bonti's on it and take for a muddy spin, and decide for yourself wever it rides well off-road.

Sorted.

(I'd gear down from 61, I use 56 and loves it)

Here are some more pictures of my Obree build...

This looks fascinating. Are you documenting it in any more detail anywhere, as it looks like you're already some way into it.

Carbon Fibre projects - the bar has been raised...

proper test ride and wimbledon common are not words I've heard often...

proper test ride and wimbledon common are not words I've heard often...

This.

unless you're into experimental womble sex.

proper test ride and wimbledon common are not words I've heard often...

Well I'm not going to go to the north shore just to see how the tyres handle!

Sorry, I didnt mean for it to come across like I am poopooing your bike and off road ideas for the sake of it.

I really like your bike, it seems pretty flashy & expensive. But it doesnt seem like the best tool for the job. Thought you might have some overexpectations about how it will ride. Ive done most of my off road riding on rigid bikes.

But there is a difference between even 80's-90's steel MTB's compared to something cruiserish like your bike. They are more handle-able, the geometry is setup so you have lots of leverage to comfortably move the bike around underneath you.

Your red bike looks long and difficult to handle.

Look like I've opened a can of worm.

anyhow, going to take it down for a proper test ride down WImbledon Common when I change the tyres and cog with a sensible gear ratio (currently 61).

The bike itself is actually design to do MTBing.

All I have to do is removed the mudguard, add MTB tyres and be on my way;

Does this bike have only one brake?

The example were a prototype model, and have 3 speeds (AFAIK) coaster hubs with 2 speed BB.

Recut splines on the pressed in axle? We're going to have to up our "Current Projects" game.

Look like we got ourselves an LFGSS version of Scraphead Challenge.

Recut splines on the pressed in axle? We're going to have to up our "Current Projects" game.

great project and this is taking it to new levels. top stuff

Well I'm not going to go to the north shore just to see how the tyres handle!

yeah but dorking is less than half an hour away by train.....

he can't sit on the saddle for long

that's why I suggested the train.....

Clunkers FTW! can't wait to take mine down to Yorkshire for proper off roading fun.

You can't just call it a clunker simply because it's a slightly old MTB put together with random bits, or in your case Ed, a brand new bike.
Clunkers were made from post war beach cruisers and news boy bikes with slack angles.They stripped off all the fairings, used motorbike brake levers and bars, welded bits on, bodged bits, etc and they weighed a hell of a lot more.
You bought your whole bike ready built online...hardly qualifies as a 'clunker'.

It's like when you were calling any bike with a bit of rust and some skate stickers on it a 'Rat bike'.

It's like when you were calling any bike with a bit of rust and some skate stickers on it a 'Rat bike'.

How do you define a rat bike?

wiki says;

Rat bikes are motorcycles that, over time, have fallen apart but been kept on the road and maintained for next to nothing.

I thought the cycling use came from Sheldon Brown... altho I can't for the life of me find it.