The Bike Geek

Looks like “Rat Rod Bike Fever” is spreading. Moe got this handsome and wicked-looking new bike the other day, and I spent a couple pleasant afternoons in my backyard last week prepping a pair of bikes with my homie Rae from down the street. Unbeknownst to any of us (including himself, I think), Rae rocks a serious talent for creating some really sharp rides out of junky old bikes!

If you’re not familiar with the concept of “rat rods”, let me do a bit of explaining: during the initial hot rod craze post-WWII, a lot of servicemen came home flush with some extra cash and some free time on their hands. Quite a few of them (particularly in the beach communities in So. Cal) decided to try their hands at making fast cars out of old junkers. The idea back then was not to make them “show quality”, necessarily…no polished chrome or fancy paint jobs were required. The cars just had to make a crapload of power and be super-fast for streetracing purposes.

The same goes for rat rod bikes: they don’t have to look pretty and fancy, they just have to be “cool” (and they’ve got to work, too)…for kids and adults with time and talent on their hands but not a lot of “prettying up” money. You know, the types of kids who like to play Bike Derby, drink cheap beer, maybe do a little fighting, starting out-of-control bonfires from old couches and listening to punk rock. In other words, my kind of people!!! Salvaged pawnshop bikes are ideal for this type of “conversion”.

In the below picture, Rae is polishing up a vintage Schwinn “cloverleaf” chainwheel to slap onto a 1952 Schwinn (we think it is a Suburban or similar Schwinn model, but we aren’t sure. It was in BAD shape when Rae found it). Just to his right is a crapped-out old Roadmaster awaiting some serious wrench and blowtorch work:

The classic paint scheme for a rat rod bike is satin or flat black (or no paint at all — natural corrosion is actually a pretty sweet look) with red and white and a couple of chrome accents. This picture embodies the true spirit of a rat rod conversion…you don’t mask anything or even sand it all that well. You just lay on the paint and go!

Here’s a photo of that vintage Schwinn…Rae found NOS glitter grips in red to put on there, and it really makes the bike look like a hardened ex-con with a heart of gold. Or something:

If you’re interested in such a conversion…an old beach cruiser floating around in your Grandma’s garage, a neighbor with a bunch of yard-sale beaters, etc…and you don’t have a lot of cash yet want to do some wild customizing, here’s a great source for parts: BicycleDesigner.com.

And if you want to look at some TRULY AMAZING homebrewed creations from some incredibly talented folks, check out the forums at Rat Rod Bikes.

Have fun out there letting your creative spirit go wild!