Loopybike gets a make over

[Mark Grant]

There are some good YouTube vids showing how to lace a wheel.
They worked for me.

 

[loopybike]

When I reached the end of the fabrication stage of this bike all those years ago I really had had enough! Welding in all those triangles was so tedious. All I wanted to do was to fit the wheels etc and go for a ride!
Now I'm looking closely I can see where I rushed the fabrication. I've actually missed three triangles and some of the weld finishing is very coarse.
So before I paint it I need to go over it and tidy it up.
Correcting this makes me happy

 

[Serge]

When I reached the end of the fabrication stage of this bike all those years ago I really had had enough! Welding in all those triangles was so tedious. All I wanted to do was to fit the wheels etc and go for a ride!
Now I'm looking closely I can see where I rushed the fabrication. I've actually missed three triangles and some of the weld finishing is very coarse.
So before I paint it I need to go over it and tidy it up.
Correcting this makes me happy

I can't wait to see the finished article.

 

[loopybike]

I can't wait to see the finished article.

Nor me lol
Hopefully we won't need to wait too long

 

[loopybike]

Started the prepaint assembly this evening.
Finished the missing welding today and gave it a polish. It came up quite nice!

There are a couple of little issues though.
The chain ring hits the rear frame. It's only slightly so I'll either give it a little "tap" or fit a spacer. I'll know more when I check the allinement with the wheel sprocket.
Oh and I punctured the rear tube fitting it! "I've left my tyre levers at home, ah well these screwdrivers will do" ......

 

[Soltydog]

Started the prepaint assembly this evening.

Does it really need painting? I like the bare metal look

 

[loopybike]

Does it really need painting? I like the bare metal look

Hmmm I was thinking the same.
I would like to give it a new look though.

 

[Soltydog]

Hmmm I was thinking the same.
I would like to give it a new look though.

don't know how you'd get a finish like this (& excuse the image) but reckon this would look very nice

 

[loopybike]

don't know how you'd get a finish like this (& excuse the image) but reckon this would look very nice View attachment 421227

Oof I like your thinking!

 

[Soltydog]

Oof I like your thinking!

Whilst recently looking at Ti bikes I saw one company that did a rainbow finish on Ti & though it looked rather nice. Your frame looks rather nice anyway, so add that finish & wow! Real show stopper

edit - https://www.traversbikes.com/bespoke.html

 

[loopybike]

Whilst recently looking at Ti bikes I saw one company that did a rainbow finish on Ti & though it looked rather nice. Your frame looks rather nice anyway, so add that finish & wow! Real show stopper

edit - https://www.traversbikes.com/bespoke.html

When stainless Steel is heated the chemical reaction that occurs gives different colours, blues, golds etc. It might be worth an experiment. It would be hard to get it uniform though and may just look a mess. It's quite a "busy" design already.
I have a rule with my designs: stick to 3 colours. My idea for this rebuild uses silver, orange and black. Any more than 3 can look confusing.

 

[Beebo]

don't know how you'd get a finish like this (& excuse the image) but reckon this would look very nice View attachment 421227

So all week soltydog uses a boring grey knuckle duster but brings out the snazzy knuckle duster for the weekends.

 

[Threevok]

Love that bike BTW

Considering making similar outta Fray Bentos pie tins

 

[Alfa GT]

Awesome bike! You could look into some Hydro Dipping... although some (most) of the finishes are a bit

https://www.hydro-graphics.co.uk/bikes/

 

[loopybike]

My local friendly paint shop has just offered to paint the frame for free! Result! He's a bloody good painter as well.
For the wheels, I've ordered some pin stripe tape to run round the rim. Easier than paint to remove if I don't like it! I can always paint them at a later date.