Instructions for building a basic chopper bicycle.
Custom bicycles have become a cult phenomena, with enthusiasts forming clubs all over the world. Custom bike fans ride their homemade pieces of art, which are often put together using spare parts from several spare bikes. Some custom bicycle fans find their bike parts in dumpsters or at flea markets, while others purchase parts from high-end custom bike shops. Highly polished chrome and elaborate paint jobs are typical on custom bikes, while the wilder ones include electronic features and more off-beat decorations.
The basic custom bicycle is usually a “chopper.” Chopper
bicycles feature a front tire that extends from the front of
the bike at a low angle. These bikes also sometimes have
taller handlebars and longer seats to imitate the popular
chopper style motorcycles. Building a chopper bicycle is a fun
and easy way to enter the world of modified bicycles. You
don’t have to be a mechanic to alter a regular bicycle and
turn it into a unique masterpiece. You may need to weld,
however, so if you don’t know how to use a blow-torch, you may
want to enlist the help of someone who does.
To build a chopper bicycle, you’ll need two bikes: your
future chopper plus a donor bike for parts. You’ll also need a
small bike tire. You’ll be extending the front fork of the
bike, so a smaller front tire will be necessary to keep the
bike riding low. First, remove the front tire of both bikes
and saw the tubes off of each bike’s fork. The fork is part of
the bike that the front tire attaches to. Saw the tubes off
just below the point where they join the fork. Next, saw the
bottom part off of the donor tubes. Weld the two sets of tubes
together and make sure they are the same length before welding
them back onto the fork of your chopper bicycle. For extra
support, weld an additional bar across the tubes,
perpendicular to the fork. If you don’t know how to weld and
don’t know anyone else who can, you can buy pre-made chopper
forks at custom bike shops. In lieu of using the fork of a
donor bike, you can use metal tubing bought at a local
hardware store. The area of the fork above where the tubes
split off has to withstand a lot of pressure, so it’s
important for beginners to extend the fork below where the
tubes meet. Extending the fork above this point can weaken the
frame considerably and cause serious injury if it breaks while
you’re riding it. Finally, attach the small tire to the front
of your chopper.
Riding your creation will take some practice, though. With
the longer frame and smaller front tire, steering will be
especially difficult. But after putting all that effort into
building the bike, you should have no problem learning to ride
it. And since custom bicycle enthusiasts almost always name
their creations, don’t forget to think of a fancy moniker for
new toy before taking it out for a spin.