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This is an instructable on how to build a chopper bike on a budget.
The main inspiration for this came from AtomicZombie and Koolkat's instructables.
I've recycled as many parts as possible, and used scrap materials when I could.
I took a 25 year old Raleigh Wisp ladies racing bike and converted it to something a bit out of the ordinary.
Materials needed:
*Donor bike.
*Welder (I used a gasless MIG welder - a Clarke 105EN)
*Steel tube(s) for the forks. These need to be quite heavy gauge as the forces involved will tend to bend the tubes.
*Steel tubing to extend the frame after chopping. The diameter of this tubing should be either slightly smaller than the existing frame tubing (to fit inside the cut tubes) or slightly bigger (to fit over the tubing). Butt welding tubes of the same diameter is more difficult and will not be as strong unless your an expert welder (and I'm not!).
*Some sheets of steel. I had some 1.4mm thick sheet steel which is perfect for the plates I made.
*New chains - if you're extending the frame significantly, the chain length will also increase. Buy two cheap chains to join together.
*Access to a pipe bender - you may need this if your angles change significantly and you don't want to cut the extension tubes at an angle.
Read on for instructions on how I did it, and the mistakes I made along the way.
Above all, enjoy building and don't give up!
The main inspiration for this came from AtomicZombie and Koolkat's instructables.
I've recycled as many parts as possible, and used scrap materials when I could.
I took a 25 year old Raleigh Wisp ladies racing bike and converted it to something a bit out of the ordinary.
Materials needed:
*Donor bike.
*Welder (I used a gasless MIG welder - a Clarke 105EN)
*Steel tube(s) for the forks. These need to be quite heavy gauge as the forces involved will tend to bend the tubes.
*Steel tubing to extend the frame after chopping. The diameter of this tubing should be either slightly smaller than the existing frame tubing (to fit inside the cut tubes) or slightly bigger (to fit over the tubing). Butt welding tubes of the same diameter is more difficult and will not be as strong unless your an expert welder (and I'm not!).
*Some sheets of steel. I had some 1.4mm thick sheet steel which is perfect for the plates I made.
*New chains - if you're extending the frame significantly, the chain length will also increase. Buy two cheap chains to join together.
*Access to a pipe bender - you may need this if your angles change significantly and you don't want to cut the extension tubes at an angle.
Read on for instructions on how I did it, and the mistakes I made along the way.
Above all, enjoy building and don't give up!
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Signing UpStep 1Think about your source bike.
So... what have we got? My sister's 25-year-old Raleigh Wisp. I've wanted to build a chopper for a while, but surely we can't do anything with this Wisp, can we?
It's an unusual frame - it's got twin top tubes which go from the steerer tube all the way down to the rear hub. This is a really distinctive look and I wanted to keep it.
I could use the twin top tubes as a nice place to mount the seat.
OK, lets move on to the next stage - preparing the forks.
It's an unusual frame - it's got twin top tubes which go from the steerer tube all the way down to the rear hub. This is a really distinctive look and I wanted to keep it.
I could use the twin top tubes as a nice place to mount the seat.
OK, lets move on to the next stage - preparing the forks.
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you also may have the wheel poorly alighed making it look like the break mount is off or not centered.
Most normal bikes tend to centre themselves if you take your hands off the bars.
However, choppers and bikes with a long rake are naturally unstable. You have to fight to keep the wheel centred. If you take your hands off the bars, the wheel will instantly fall to one side.
It takes about 10 minutes to get used to it, though. At very low speeds, it's very difficult to ride, but speeds above 10 mph / 12 kmh it's OK.
I actually rode the first version in a charity bike ride for 24 miles!
Very very rock'n'roll.