Rat Rod Everything!

I went and checked out the mechanical tempest work shop yesterday. I had arranged to meet up with the founders with the intention of volunteering some time to help build up some bikes. When I arrived two dudes were out the back cutting up old frames and welding them together to build a portage bike. They said they'll use it to pick up abandoned bikes for the shop. One of the founders, Arthur, showed me around the place. If anyone remembers the old Adventure Cycles, the original Fort Lane one, then they'll know how rad it is to have a workshop overflowing with weird old stuff. So far so good.

The shop works like this: a few people volunteer to work. If someone wants their bike fixed, they come in and the volunteer teaches them how to do the job themselves. Payment is Koha (small gift like contribution). If you wanted to build a bike from scratch, it'll cost you $20. You just need to forage around for the bits and pieces you need. Rad? Indeed.

I start on Friday. I'll post some pictures of some of the stuff later.

All this has gotten me excited about building bikes again. I've been digging the whole idea of Rat Rods, but applied to anything but cars. From what I can tell Rat Rods are munted old chassis, not really worth restoring, that are welded up and mutated and melded with allsorts of wierd parts to make a spastically awesome...something.
Check out these clubs:
http://www.ratrodbikes.com/gallery.htm
http://www.bareiss.net/nlccbc.html
 

Freestyle freestyle freestyle

From back when people just made shit up and weren't afraid of getting radical.

Skull Bike Club 2007

Here are some pics I found from 07. It was a pretty rad year. Lots of drinking and riding went down. I'll see what else I can find that hasn't been posted yet.

Bike racing and beer make for a fun combination. The real skill in this race was being able to chug back the brown champagne while huffing after a round-the-block sprint.

I (forground) tried to play to my strengths - ride slow drink fast. It didn't work.

Look em in the eye while you skull to show you're not scared.

Total carnage. Dizzy, beer filled belches.

Too drunk to stand.

A Zombie Hop Comp was held in an empty parking lot sometime in April or May. Paul Beadle took out the highest hop, about the height of a tall dwarf, only an inch or two off the highest ever recorded hop.

The Skull Bike Club were there, but as usuall were too drunk to really compete. They need to hold a Zombie Fall Over Comp.

Zombie Hop Comp winner Paul Beadle going for the world record - he nearly makes it. Photo by Justin Henehan.

Let's see Wesley Snipes do this. Photo by Nat Cooke.

The Wazzman feels the boost-burn. Photo by Nat Cooke.

Moffat hops his BMX over an adjustable wooden bar while some people watch and drink beer and redbull and stuff. Photo by Nat Cooke.

Feel free to add any pics that didn't make it from 2007...