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24 inch Free Spirit BMX Cruiser (Still figuring out a name for it)

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Bike from the Dead

I live for the CABE
Okay, this is not the trike I had originally planned on building for my first ever Class 2 entry in the 18th Annual Rat Rod Bikes Build Off, but I think this bike will be a better project for me to learn some basic welding on.

Here's the patient: a 24 inch twin-tube Sears Free Spirit 10-speed boy's bike that I think was built by Murray in the '70s, but I'm not sure.
I picked up this bike along with 4 others for free off Marketplace last summer, and but to me, this one bike was the crown jewel out of the lot. I love twin tube frames, and this one had a really interesting frame design I just didn't see elsewhere.
232059-BftD-ff-8-19-22-18.jpg

232062-BftD-ff-8-19-22-21.jpg


Here's what this bike would've looked like new:
232084-il-1140xN.2152522504-jojo.jpg


If you look closely, you can still see the red and blue paint poking through the ugly black top coat. Sadly, whoever painted this bike had really poor taste, because they painted this bike Earl Sheib-style! They painted everything; the stickers, the bearing cups, the shifter levers, even a bit of the chainring and crank!
232060-BftD-ff-8-19-22-19.jpg

232061-BftD-ff-8-19-22-20.jpg


Ever since I got this bike, I'd been trying to figure out how I wanted to build it. At first I though about converting it into a 10-or-more-speed muscle bike, but I wasn't sure how I'd mount the sissy bar, since there aren't any places I could mount one without it getting in the way of the derailer. Later this year, I tried mocking up a later-model 26 inch mountain bike suspension fork and some BMX-style handlebars to see if it'd make a good klunker build. However, between that mockup, and all the times I hung out with @billn and some other guys at local vintage BMX events, I got the idea to turn this old Free Spirit into an old school BMX "cruiser." I figured with a few welded gussets, a chrome straight tube fork, and some tasteful paint applications, this Free Spirit could easily work as a retro cruiser inspired by all those '70s and '80s BMX bikes I saw at the shows. Best of all, I can build it for a fraction of what most original vintage BMX parts cost!

Admittedly, I would've loved to save this for the Off Road/BMX Build Off later this year, but I want to hurry up and get all the bikes in my backlog built so I can start getting rid of everything I don't have a use for. Plus, by the time the Winter Build Off starts, the weather's not that great for painting. Not only do I want to learn how to weld on this bike, but I also want to try my hand at painting this bike too.

I whipped up this digital Mockup just earlier on Monday, and just like that, I knew this is how I wanted to build this bike. I'm not even a BMX guy, but I'm stoked to bring this vision to life!
232065-BftD-Free-Spirit-BMX-Concept.jpg


I really wanted to include some shade of blue and green, my 2 favorite colors, on this bike, as well as some white and gold, which I think look good with blue and green. In fact, the entire paint scheme for this bike was inspired by this Lego set I bought 2 years ago, which I bought partly for the build, but mostly for the colors. I just felt the colors all work together really well, and I thought they'd translate to an old school BMX bike quite well.
o-2021-monkie-kid-80020-white-dragon-horse-jet-jet.jpg


I took some time to do a few mockups today while the weather was still dry. In silhouette, it's already looking like the bike I saw in my head!
232066-BftD-Free-Spirit-1.jpg


...Out in the sun though, it's a different story. The vision's still there, but there's clearly a lot to do.
232067-BftD-Free-Spirit-2.jpg

232068-BftD-Free-Spirit-3.jpg

232069-BftD-Free-Spirit-4.jpg

232070-BftD-Free-Spirit-5.jpg

232071-BftD-Free-Spirit-6.jpg


One of the challenges I need to figure out is how to squeeze the dropouts closer together without squeezing the upper seat stays too much closer. The 24"x2.125" tires I have on there are already a tight fit on these old out-of-true wheels as it is. I don't want to make it any tighter of a fit. Is there a way to focus the bend of the seat stays so it begins after it clears the tire? I've seen folks shrink and expand the dropouts using some all thread, washers, nuts, and a lot of patience, but I've never tried it myself. Is there a good step-by-step guide for this process? The more detailed the instructions, the better.
232072-BftD-Free-Spirit-7.jpg

232073-BftD-Free-Spirit-8.jpg


Truth be told, the main thing I was mocking up on this bike today was the crank and chainring. Most of my older cranks don't clear the inside of the bottom bracket, so I just used this slightly newer one that came with this funky chainring already. It had a look that felt like something I'd see on an early BMX bike, and had loads of potential for a gold/chrome two tone paint job. My only concern was that it might be too big for the look I was aiming for.
232074-BftD-Free-Spirit-9.jpg


That concern was quickly replaced by the concern that my next chainring choice was too small. As much as I liked this 3-spoke "steering wheel" chainring, it just looked too dinky in proportion to the rest of the bike.
232075-BftD-Free-Spirit-10.jpg

232076-BftD-Free-Spirit-11.jpg


Even in silhouette, it just looked wrong.
232077-BftD-Free-Spirit-12.jpg
 
I threw the other chainring back on, then Sharpied the cardboard gussets black to better blend in with the rest of the bike. Much better. It needs some refinements, sure, but I'm convinced that this is how I want to build this bike.
232078-BftD-Free-Spirit-13.jpg

232079-BftD-Free-Spirit-14.jpg

232080-BftD-Free-Spirit-15.jpg


In order to save some money on sheet metal, I'm going to use this piece I picked up along with a lot of other material for free last year. I guess it was supposed to be a table or stool made out of a cross section of a tree trunk, but the guy who started it never got any further than this. I'll have to get some better pictures of it later, but this piece is big enough and thick enough to make plenty of solid gussets to help beef up this frame.
232081-BftD-Free-Spirit-16.jpg


There's a lot left to do on this bike, but I think I'm off to a good start. With any luck, I'll be able to meet up with my friend Allan at some point soon so he can show me how to cut and weld the gussets to the frame. In the meantime, I've got some parts to order!
 
Okay, this is not the trike I had originally planned on building for my first ever Class 2 entry in the 18th Annual Rat Rod Bikes Build Off, but I think this bike will be a better project for me to learn some basic welding on.

Here's the patient: a 24 inch twin-tube Sears Free Spirit 10-speed boy's bike that I think was built by Murray in the '70s, but I'm not sure.
I picked up this bike along with 4 others for free off Marketplace last summer, and but to me, this one bike was the crown jewel out of the lot. I love twin tube frames, and this one had a really interesting frame design I just didn't see elsewhere.
View attachment 1836125

View attachment 1836126

Here's what this bike would've looked like new:
View attachment 1836127

If you look closely, you can still see the red and blue paint poking through the ugly black top coat. Sadly, whoever painted this bike had really poor taste, because they painted this bike Earl Sheib-style! They painted everything; the stickers, the bearing cups, the shifter levers, even a bit of the chainring and crank!
View attachment 1836128

View attachment 1836129

Ever since I got this bike, I'd been trying to figure out how I wanted to build it. At first I though about converting it into a 10-or-more-speed muscle bike, but I wasn't sure how I'd mount the sissy bar, since there aren't any places I could mount one without it getting in the way of the derailer. Later this year, I tried mocking up a later-model 26 inch mountain bike suspension fork and some BMX-style handlebars to see if it'd make a good klunker build. However, between that mockup, and all the times I hung out with @billn and some other guys at local vintage BMX events, I got the idea to turn this old Free Spirit into an old school BMX "cruiser." I figured with a few welded gussets, a chrome straight tube fork, and some tasteful paint applications, this Free Spirit could easily work as a retro cruiser inspired by all those '70s and '80s BMX bikes I saw at the shows. Best of all, I can build it for a fraction of what most original vintage BMX parts cost!

Admittedly, I would've loved to save this for the Off Road/BMX Build Off later this year, but I want to hurry up and get all the bikes in my backlog built so I can start getting rid of everything I don't have a use for. Plus, by the time the Winter Build Off starts, the weather's not that great for painting. Not only do I want to learn how to weld on this bike, but I also want to try my hand at painting this bike too.

I whipped up this digital Mockup just earlier on Monday, and just like that, I knew this is how I wanted to build this bike. I'm not even a BMX guy, but I'm stoked to bring this vision to life!
View attachment 1836130

I really wanted to include some shade of blue and green, my 2 favorite colors, on this bike, as well as some white and gold, which I think look good with blue and green. In fact, the entire paint scheme for this bike was inspired by this Lego set I bought 2 years ago, which I bought partly for the build, but mostly for the colors. I just felt the colors all work together really well, and I thought they'd translate to an old school BMX bike quite well.
View attachment 1836131

I took some time to do a few mockups today while the weather was still dry. In silhouette, it's already looking like the bike I saw in my head!
View attachment 1836132

...Out in the sun though, it's a different story. The vision's still there, but there's clearly a lot to do.
View attachment 1836133

View attachment 1836134

View attachment 1836135

View attachment 1836136

View attachment 1836137

One of the challenges I need to figure out is how to squeeze the dropouts closer together without squeezing the upper seat stays too much closer. The 24"x2.125" tires I have on there are already a tight fit on these old out-of-true wheels as it is. I don't want to make it any tighter of a fit. Is there a way to focus the bend of the seat stays so it begins after it clears the tire? I've seen folks shrink and expand the dropouts using some all thread, washers, nuts, and a lot of patience, but I've never tried it myself. Is there a good step-by-step guide for this process? The more detailed the instructions, the better.
View attachment 1836138

View attachment 1836139

Truth be told, the main thing I was mocking up on this bike today was the crank and chainring. Most of my older cranks don't clear the inside of the bottom bracket, so I just used this slightly newer one that came with this funky chainring already. It had a look that felt like something I'd see on an early BMX bike, and had loads of potential for a gold/chrome two tone paint job. My only concern was that it might be too big for the look I was aiming for.
View attachment 1836140

That concern was quickly replaced by the concern that my next chainring choice was too small. As much as I liked this 3-spoke "steering wheel" chainring, it just looked too dinky in proportion to the rest of the bike.
View attachment 1836141

View attachment 1836142

Even in silhouette, it just looked wrong.
View attachment 1836143
First off Austin, your spacing on the drop outs and the hub clearance could be taken up with the use of spacers off a ten speed axle or some flat washers could be another substitute. The sprocket should be fine unless your looking for more teeth or easier pedaling, a larger sprocket might just be the order of the day. You've off to a great start. Good luck and RideOn. Mark.
 
First off Austin, your spacing on the drop outs and the hub clearance could be taken up with the use of spacers off a ten speed axle or some flat washers could be another substitute. The sprocket should be fine unless your looking for more teeth or easier pedaling, a larger sprocket might just be the order of the day. You've off to a great start. Good luck and RideOn. Mark.
Yeah, I know I could just use spacers, but I want this to look factory if I can, so I'm going to try squeezing the dropouts closer together. Thanks!
 
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