Cooper & Ludwig

[Ludwig II]

I brought the bicycle home today for the Mk2, the wheels are tall looking, but the frame itself is for the shorter leg.

It's a Raleigh, there's a clue to it being about 70 years old or a bit more; the rims are painted black, and chrome was unavailable after 1939 because of wartime restrictions.

This is sort of like it, but mine doesn't have the dynamo hub.

I'll post a pic within a day or two.

 

[Dan]

looks awesome, Lud

 

[Ludwig II]

It will have a Raleigh moped engine in the frame loop, and the tank will be placed where it ends up. I'd like a Dax tank under the crossbar, but it might end up as one of those alloy tanks that fit on top. Drum brakes both ends as well, this is going to be road legal and it has to go through a test to be registered as a Low Powered Moped.

The mudguards really are mud guards, big, 70 years old and still solid metal. The icing on the cake is a leather Brooks saddle, like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RARE-VINT...sure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item4adce332cb

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

Very nice bicycle Ludwig. I love these vintage heavyweight touring bicycles and don't ride anything else but such glorious machines these days.

 

[moto-klasika]

Hello,
Attached is a pair of photos with my big, old bicycle - got from a friend, modernised a little, and later gave to another friend. In that time, I didn't have money to renovate it. Could be good base for "motorsiation"? New owner planed to instal Serbian old KRUSIK bicycle-engine on it... Don't know what happened with such project...
Zoran (huh!)

 

[Dan]

Purty cool, Moto

 

[Ludwig II]

Moto, I found a Krusik for you, with a Steyr bike attached.

 

[silverbear]

Ludwig,
You mentioned the heavy duty fenders on your bike. I've had a number of American pre war bikes and each of them had fenders that had to have at least twice the metal in them as modern ones. Heavy, serious and meant to fend.

Back when, bicycles and just about everything manufactured was meant to last. I remember taking a 1941 Ford panel truck to my brother who was a body man. He had agreed to take care of a largish dent in the roof where a tree had fallen on it as it sat in a forest neglected for twenty some years before I dragged it home to restore. I was in his shop when he got out his body hammer and started to work on the dent. He went back for a larger hammer when the first one didn't do anything. It was funny watching him go form one to another to another before that metal would move. It was built like a tank and other than a bit of surface rust where the paint was gone it was as solid as the day it rolled out of the factory. By the 1980's trucks rusted with just looking at them with moist eyes weeping a bit at what they cost versus what you got for your money. Planned obsolescence.

I always look to old bikes for the foundation of a new build. I'm sure that yours will serve you well.
SB

 

[Ludwig II]

Having mused upon tanks for this beast, I have looked at the tanks on the back of refrigerators. Various sizes, cheap from scrapyards, well sealed and free from corrosion.

 

[curtisfox]

Having mused upon tanks for this beast, I have looked at the tanks on the back of refrigerators. Various sizes, cheap from scrapyards, well sealed and free from corrosion.

Truth is they are not just tanks,they are self contained compressers with oil and pump inside. And you would have to take them apart to get rid of all that......Curt

 

[Ludwig II]

OK, I will go away and have a good long think.

 

[curtisfox]

OK, I will go away and have a good long think.

Was at our local habitat store and seen some track light and thought thet would make some really nice tanks if one welded them together. Have a nice round end on them about 3"in diamitor and you could cut them to any length. Just a couple screw holes to weld shut..........Curt

 

[Ludwig II]

Do you have a picture of one?

 

[Dan]

This would make preparing the tank way more fun....

https://www.google.com/search?q=hei...Q_AUoAg#tbm=isch&q=heineken+mini+keg+gas+tank

 

[curtisfox]

Do you have a picture of one?

Still at the store they look like half of a fire extinguisher only more rounded on the end. I will go back when the wife is not along don't get no hasel that way.............Curt

 

[Ludwig II]

I have the bike stood up outside the front door, and given the amount of space and where parts will sit, it looks to me as though I'll have to sit a 1 gallon monkey tank at the front of the top tube. It won't be teribly out of place, as a lot of the old cyclemotors also had ugly, deformed containers on them.

 

[curtisfox]

Maybe you could find a couple small cylinder tanks and put one on each side,saddle tanks..........Curt

 

[silverbear]

How about one from an Atco mower? Even has mounting holes on each end. Measures about a foot long and 3" in diameter. Nice vented brass cap, too. Weld a tab on the top of the frame at each end for the bolts to hold it in place. It would look good. Must be some floating around in the UK.
SB

 

[silverbear]

Maybe you could find a couple small cylinder tanks and put one on each side,saddle tanks..........Curt

Dual Atco's... cool!
SB

 

[Ludwig II]

Nope, I've decided. A humpty backed little monkey bike tank, it solves so many problems. It will also have a matching aura for the era the bike will vaguely represent; so lacking in style, it becomes stylish.