RAT RODS
Hey Everyone!
I know I know, PICTURES!!!! They are coming I promise... just been doing other stuff then breaking out the camera for pics of the new house. But really, its FUCKING GREAT!!!!! I love everything about the new place and it's even inspired me to start up a hobby, one that I seemingly am going to be addicted to for quite a while...
I've never really been a "hobby" kind of guy. I don't really consider gaming much of a hobby or movie watching either, more part of my leisure activities so this new "fix" is a good one for me. A hobby, to me, is either brain or manual labor but with a major splash of passion involved. Mine, which I am getting to, is a manual and brain labor of love that I am going to really enjoy. The "manual" labor part of it has already helped me find that needed break away from the computer screen and my graphic design work that I have been needing so badly. It's hard to be creative ALL the damn time! This new hobby does entail some innovation and design, but in a form that is less obtrusive as my graphic practices lately. And its always nice to pull me away from my gadget and tech fixes that hold my attention so much.
OK. OK. I know, dragging it out and really for no apparent reason. My new hobby is customer Cruiser bicycle building... Well not JUST Cruiser bikes, but Roadsters and a few other styles as well. I already have three ideas that I want to play with and work up!
If you want to know more about what I am doing, then check out the Rat Rod's Gallery, the bikes are fucking sweet!
A rat rod is basically an old school bike that has been "rodded" out like you would do with an old hot rod. The exception is that Rat Rod's are more built piece by piece, here and there, and usually on a cheap budget. You might have parts from a few different bikes slapped together with a "rattlecan" paint job to get your finished look. These bikes can range from beautifully colored and elaborate bikes to rusted out clunkers with personality - and mainly you'll see A LOT of flat black paint jobs.
Here is a great example of one of the bikes I like:
The Iron Ghost designed by Raised By Robots
Kas is the one that really got me started on this. She has a bike and thought it would be cool for me to by a cruiser as well so we could go on rides together. Well knowing me, I have a hard time settling with just mediocre and no bikes really "popped" out to me, especially the standard manufactured ones. So my creative side told me to support someone by buying a custom off of them. In doing research for that I found out so much about bikes that I figured I would take on the challenge myself. It's also that creative gene in me as well, I have to have something that is mine on it.
So there we go... I will update you all on pics of the first "clunker" I just bought to fix up and some of my concepts. Next will probably be a new bike for Kas and then after that a "Commuter/Roadster" Custom "Dutch" style bike for me as well.
Also makes me feel good I'm re-using old bikes instead of seeing more trash end up at the dumps. People really don't understand how easy it can really be (and cheap) to fix up and make an old bike shine like new.
Oh! And for fun I threw together a new "Chatters" Group Image for the threads here on SG:
Thats all for now, hopefully more soon!
JP
Hey Everyone!
I know I know, PICTURES!!!! They are coming I promise... just been doing other stuff then breaking out the camera for pics of the new house. But really, its FUCKING GREAT!!!!! I love everything about the new place and it's even inspired me to start up a hobby, one that I seemingly am going to be addicted to for quite a while...
I've never really been a "hobby" kind of guy. I don't really consider gaming much of a hobby or movie watching either, more part of my leisure activities so this new "fix" is a good one for me. A hobby, to me, is either brain or manual labor but with a major splash of passion involved. Mine, which I am getting to, is a manual and brain labor of love that I am going to really enjoy. The "manual" labor part of it has already helped me find that needed break away from the computer screen and my graphic design work that I have been needing so badly. It's hard to be creative ALL the damn time! This new hobby does entail some innovation and design, but in a form that is less obtrusive as my graphic practices lately. And its always nice to pull me away from my gadget and tech fixes that hold my attention so much.
OK. OK. I know, dragging it out and really for no apparent reason. My new hobby is customer Cruiser bicycle building... Well not JUST Cruiser bikes, but Roadsters and a few other styles as well. I already have three ideas that I want to play with and work up!
If you want to know more about what I am doing, then check out the Rat Rod's Gallery, the bikes are fucking sweet!
A rat rod is basically an old school bike that has been "rodded" out like you would do with an old hot rod. The exception is that Rat Rod's are more built piece by piece, here and there, and usually on a cheap budget. You might have parts from a few different bikes slapped together with a "rattlecan" paint job to get your finished look. These bikes can range from beautifully colored and elaborate bikes to rusted out clunkers with personality - and mainly you'll see A LOT of flat black paint jobs.
Here is a great example of one of the bikes I like:
The Iron Ghost designed by Raised By Robots
Kas is the one that really got me started on this. She has a bike and thought it would be cool for me to by a cruiser as well so we could go on rides together. Well knowing me, I have a hard time settling with just mediocre and no bikes really "popped" out to me, especially the standard manufactured ones. So my creative side told me to support someone by buying a custom off of them. In doing research for that I found out so much about bikes that I figured I would take on the challenge myself. It's also that creative gene in me as well, I have to have something that is mine on it.
So there we go... I will update you all on pics of the first "clunker" I just bought to fix up and some of my concepts. Next will probably be a new bike for Kas and then after that a "Commuter/Roadster" Custom "Dutch" style bike for me as well.
Also makes me feel good I'm re-using old bikes instead of seeing more trash end up at the dumps. People really don't understand how easy it can really be (and cheap) to fix up and make an old bike shine like new.
Oh! And for fun I threw together a new "Chatters" Group Image for the threads here on SG:
Thats all for now, hopefully more soon!
JP
-TM
SO much.