New Wheels!

Today we installed the wheels we had rebuilt after we put new white wall balloon tires on them. We also installed a new chain:

 

Jake shows us what the handlebar is going to look like on this maxi-size low rider.

Ennis, John and Jake are taking stock of the work ahead of us.

Rebuilding

Today we started rebuilding our cruiser. We installed a spring fork and a new crank with the original chain wheel, which John had cleaned up with steel wool. All the ball bearing cups, ball bearings and various other small parts are original and were cleaned by Ennis. We recycled pedals from another bike.

Painting

This week, we took advantage of the warm weather to prime and paint our cruiser:

(John is demonstrating for MS students how to spray paint without drips. Barret, Jake, Simon and Sarah gave it a shot too)

Learning new skills

 

Frame of our 1950s Monark Cruiser

Kevin is rebuilding his first wheel!

John and Jake are buffing spokes and rims with steel whool for Kevin

Ennis is sanding and wirebrushing the frame in preparation for painting

The Bicycle Mechanics Club is back!

Every Monday after school in the Fab Lab. Open to Middle and Upper School students. Come an join us and design your own bike:

(last year's team)

We started taking apart a 1950s ladies' Monark cruiser (made in Chicago) to learn the use of bike tools, and the basic design of a classic American bicycle. The back wheel is badly rusted and will need a new rim and some new spokes. We'll rebuild both wheels so they match, using recycled rims left from a previous project. Perhaps we'll customize it into a large Stingray style cruiser:

The Dean's Bike

Made from a discarded 1970s Raleigh Sport frame and customized to look like a 1900s path racer...

... with a single speed coaster hub and a home made stenciled disk wheel:

JE's Cruiser is Finished!

New Schwalbe Fat Frank balloon tires:

Seat recovered with leather recycled from an old leather jacket: 

 

 Ready for college: