My friend "Ol Mule" Gets a Swingarm

[spikebender]

I joined the group a few months back. Some of you might remember me from my search for a swing arm for my 95 attack. Well my computer has been down for a while and thats given me alot of free time after work. And since had had no luck looking for one I fabricated my own. That being said, Ta Da this is what I came up with. Plus this gave me Insperation for a face lift. I'm trying to get close to being stock, but with a few changes. The original colors on my bike were- bright yellow R S T pro mozo forks, kinda a mustard maine frame, and a silver/gray rear end. You can view the colors I had changed it to in my profile or in the pride and joy topic. So now this is what I've got going. I've polished the main frame, went back to bright yellow for the forks, and the top of the rear end and grey for the swing arm. Then I'm going with the red Pro Flex decals for the frame and head tube. For now Here is a pic of the swing arm I fabed, and I'm just about ready to reassemble it all. I'll post more pics as it comes together. Thanks Pro Flex Riders Group for the insperation!

[Colin]

COOL!

WOT, NO DISC MOUNTS?

Look out! You might have got yourself a job "fabbing" swing arms for the group!

<GRIN>
Col.

[Lysander]

Excellent............I'd be interested to see better quality pics when ye get a chance to take them

[fyrstormer]

Won't the straight swingarm interfere with the chainline?

[spikebender]

Nope, no disk mounts at this time. Funds are a little tight, and apart from fabricating the swing arm everthing right now is pretty mutch cosmedic. I did put a little fore thought in before I brazed in the drop-outs. I have a piece of flat metal welded not brazed into the channel on the drive side appox. 2 inches infront of the drop-out.  I can grind away as mutch as I need to. I hav'ent had it mounted to the frame yet only had the top of the triangle and a rear rim on it while I was setting up a jig. I'm sure I'll have some ajustments to make. I had made a proto type out of some old bike frames but had a hard time making the round tubing strait and true. The rectangler channel worked sweet. Also wait till you guys see my custom shock mounts and shock modifactions. lol

[spikebender]

Hello Group, Found a little time the past few days to start reassembling "Ol Mule" Have some pics to post that show the swing arm I fabed. Will post updates as it comes along.
                                                                                         Tracy

[spikebender]

Finally think I got them down to size!!!

[fyrstormer]

Skip the internal photo gallery and post some 800x600's on Photobucket, then copy/paste the IMG links over here.

[Colin]

well I for one won't be able to see them then!
Unfortunatley Photobucket and a lot of other image sites are barred from my work PC!

Use the ID Riders Gallery and link to the photo:-
http://idriders.com/proflex/coppermine/albums/userpics/10284/IMG0007.JPG
or:-


Col.

[shovelon]

well I for one won't be able to see them then!
Unfortunatley Photobucket and a lot of other image sites are barred from my work PC!

Yup, my flckr photos won't show here either.

Terry

[fyrstormer]

Colin, those wheels are dangerous. I hope you're not still using them.

[Colin]

Colin, those wheels are dangerous. I hope you're not still using them.

you missed out................"In my opinion"...............

I've read the scaremongering, and dismissed it.

I ride them and love them.
I've experienced wire spoked wheels taco completely and stop the bike suddenly and down onto the fork ends with me going straight on/over the handlebars..........................
I don't think that the failure mode of the Spinergy's is any worse.

Of course I will be the first to write on here when they catastrophically explode (if I survive)

Other dangerous forms of transport:- (IMHO) <GRIN>

Aircraft - When they hit the ground in an incorrect attitude.
Boats - When they stop floating.
Cars - when they crash into other cars.

Regards
Colin S.

[fyrstormer]

I suppose really cheap wheels could taco without warning after you hit something, or if you're using them for much harder riding than they were intended for, but the four-spoke Spinergy wheels only have to lose a single spoke before they collapse.

At least do me the favor of reading this page, it has firsthand accounts: http://pardo.net/bike/pic/fail-020/index.html

Sure, they could all be wrong, but it's much more likely you've gotten lucky thus far. Why do you suppose Spinergy isn't still making them or anything like them, if the design was sound?

[Colin]

Firstly, Thanks for your concern, I'm sure it's genuine and well intentioned.

Yes, I've read that web page before, that's what I referred to when I said "scaremongering".

My issues with this article:

• The Mech Eng. does not give his name or qualification.
  The article writer does not give his name or qualifications.
  Very emotive language is used to describe the accidents.
  Accidents happen.
  As I've said, it's happened to me with wired spoked wheels (Mavic + Shimano, dunno what make spokes) on the road after hitting a minor pothole, so I've experienced the consequences.
  It doesn't match with my world view and positive attitude to these wheels, so quite irrationally I don't believe it.

K2 stopped making Carbon Fibre/Thermoplastic bikes, so does that mean that they are unsafe?
Ford stopped making the Escort in the late 90's, does that make my '97 Escort unsafe?

Again, Thanks for your concern, but I'm choosing to ignore the content of that web page.

Col.

[Spokes]

I tell you what Col, my old MK1 Escort was a complete wreck when I sold it and I still got £30 for it. I'll give you £30 for your wheels and take a chance..

Chris