This is a memorable bike of mine, I bought it about 3 years ago with odd parts on it and with a very bad condition. It looked like the two yungsta’ from Kriss Kross in an early 90es clip which name was jump. 

So I jumped up and tried it. I was so surprised that I immediately put on my „I’ll do it” list. Above all I started to use it in the city. Simply I cannot describe that feeling but those of who has a cruiser surely knows what I’m talking about. If you don’t then you should make a try. That style never really impressed me, it was just a piece for me, I repaired a lot but I don’t like them at all. But there was a turning point. I was tossing it around then I decided to not do anything with it, I got more than enough bike to worry about. So I uploaded to some websites, maybe somebody will see something in it and buy it. After two months not a single soul interested. But I tried to show anything about it, I think I showed the most important things.

 

So anybody could see the well manufactured frame and that the angles could provide a nice geometry even for a rider taller than 180cm. I really liked the static fork in it, but I could see even a springer fork on it.

 

Off course there were visible marks showing that the cycle got a lot of damage in its earlier life, but that is nothing for a veteran bike repair man.

 

 

 

 

 

I liked the arc of the double top tube and bottom tube so much that I changed my mind: “the bike should stay I’m gonna do it!” At that time I’d already knew that the derailleur gear wasn’t going to stay, I wanted a gear hub, clear out forms. I made up my mind let’s do this. Before that, I had talked to my friend about the bike. Had told him about my plans. I saw his bike what he made for his girlfriend. he made a unique bended wooden fender on it, like icing in the cake. I started to combine the ideas. I asked him to make a fender also from wood. He became a little bit upset. So as I’ve already mentioned I like the manufactured staffs. So I was thinking about the factory colors (original wood color). So I asked this from “Laci”. I was waiting anxiously, in the meantime I took the frame to sand down. I’d got heavy thoughts about the next steps.

But hold on a sec! I’ve got a story to tell. One old friend of mine was bugging me for ages. He wanted me to make a chopper bicycle for him. He didn’t care about anything he trusted me on this, only his ideas must be complied. To be honest, I was dodging this for years. I didn’t want to do anything with it. I didn’t see any beauty in it, I thought that it is not handy at all. One day he called me and said me that we should meet and he want to show me a few things. I couldn’t escape from this one, so we met and talked showed me pictures on his phone about these more and more flat chromium wonders, how like this and that and so on. I was listen to him to the point where I made a suggestion that he should come with me to my friend. Who actually has a similar factory built chopper cycle. He sat on it and I immediately saw the disappointment on his face. He instantly recognize that I was talking sense earlier. Because his long face I asked him:-Why don’t you try a cruiser?- You could use it. He didn’t know what a blip is the cruiser, so the internet came to our aid again, and he was wondering. I looked at him and I knew that the corratec won’t be mine.J

After sanding down I took out the frame from the trunk showed him. He fall in love with it. I wasn’t surprised because the same time I enlighten him about what I’m going to do with the whole thing. I fired him up, and told him he need this. I was happy, and a little sad in the same time. But the challenge is still on, I need to build this thing. Yeah but the conception is different but I’m free to do whatever I want.

So I tried to collect all the parts..
I needed to adapt to the customer but I want to maintain the quality. Demand was that it should be wider and stronger. First I got these funny thoughts about train wheels but my customer is not really a Hercules typo of man, so I found out the a rims used by the trial bikers will be good for this task. Too wide with spectacularly large holes.

 

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I think I don’t have to say that I had similar plans with the project. If must be extreme than it will be super extreme. Black rim strip ordered schwalbe big apple tires with it. I imagine it how it will look on the rim.

 

Spectacular piece. Here I’d got an idea from my friend: the color will be the same on the frame and the rim. Thanks for him, one problem less. I was glad because I don’t like to organize painting tasks. So he found out the color, I was working on the cleared simple forms as I planned, so I cut of every useless protruding parts derailleur hanger, mechanical cables dynamo holder etc. Then came the painting nicely executed. Not a Ferrari red. I didn’t want Ferrari red anyway.

 

Look like too much but it isn’t just the picture distort a little.

 Mm, here looks the same, well it’s not for me anyway.

 

So the point everything is ready to put together. The result of extreme fantasy, my son often says –That’s your new toys?-..

Ok, I’ve got almost all the parts I needed then an unwanted request came in. He’d like a springer fork. In the beginning I was thinking about it, but later I noticed that the factory fork is enough. But the customer is always first! I started to do some research. Unfortunately I noticed that our country has a disadvantage in this field as well.

 

 

I’m not into politics but I must say we are about a hundred years behind from the Austrians. It is very hard to collect the important parts.

As the corratec was built with a 1.1/8 head tube I needed to fine a fork which is fitting. It was a dud. I’d seen it wasn’t going to work. But if you have a good turner than you can solve everything. So I ordered a basic springer, standard size off course. Before that I had a bush done for the head bearing therefore I could insert it to the frame. It supposed to be a smooth process but off course it wasn’t. When I unpacked the fork I literally almost burst out laughing. It was a joke, it was a basic tube bended from a slim sheet, without any bearings, punched out with a size 8 screw which is also a center point of rotation. I knew that it wouldn’t stay like this, or at least I don’t give my name in it. So I found out a few modification which –in my opinion- would be safer. So excluded the missing mechanical cable the cycle had a shinamo nexus 3 hub gear. The first picture look like this. The handlebar is yet an illustration.

 

It didn’t really convinced me, but it did when I was sitting on it. But this fork is life threatening. Speeded spiraling etc. so it lowered my spirit a bit. So I went online again and a small research I found a nice part but it wasn’t cheap. Although it looked correct I agreed with the owner as well and in the same time the ordered handlebar had arrived. So the new view look like similar to what I expected from that bike. Above all: the accessories had arrived from Laci, with a big surprise.

 

 

 

Yes it is clearly can be seen! He made a light set from wood as well. When I saw it I was really surprised caused me a fertile imagination. This is a sick one! I can imagine how much work was it. I couldn’t be more grateful. I wanted to see them on the bike ASAP. About the lights: simple silicon led in the back, and one 5 led in front. With a gorgeous wooden holder and a wooden button. Elaborated to the smallest details, my jaw dropped. It barely matched but I made some adjustments. It worth it, looked spectacular and matched with the frame.

 

The light shows the chiseled work, it is a masterpiece

 

The back also shows how well was made it by the desiner. But a bike is good when the every single part is good on it, giving a real boost its looks. For me there was something missing. I liked the wooden accessories so much that I asked Laci to make a wooden handler to the bike.

 

Well, he likes the challenges therefore he couldn’t say no. Made them only in a few days, I had them early.

 

Naturally its color going to be the same as the Fender’s, but the form was good for me. It will be really good on the bike.

 

 

 

I think it looks better as a whole. Now, here come the details. I made the wheels In this way because I want more attention for them. If somebody take a look at them then they will be shocked and check out the other cool parts as well to the smallest details. The shock absorber is American monark fork. I worked a lot on this but it’s a well working massive part. As the bike the front handle is American, 85cm matched well. Maybe the saddle can receive some critic, the owner wanted to replaced, but he listened to me and kept it. Comfortable, useable piece not like the expensive uncomfortable leather saddle which can ruin the feeling of what this bike was built for. Needless to say that it is quite an experience to ride this bicycle. We find out the dimensions very well, off course it was perfectly set up for the owner and he’s still has being used every day since that.

 

If I may say so, I don’t think that people should scare about to dream the perfect bike for us. So with a little research it can be put together everything. I’m talking about the various parts, solving compatibility problems. So I encourage everyone to make his/her dream come true, if you can make your dream bike it is maybe the best feeling ever. If you got problems with it, then don’t hesitate to contact me. I help gladly.

 

Thank you for spending your time reading this writing. Stay tuned for the next one!

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