Diddle's Cartoon Wunderland: Sugar Frosted Maggots ......step-by-step

I know...nothing to do with bikes. But this is funny in a disgusting way! Courtesy of Darryl Young's blog Diddle's Cartoon Wunderland:

Diddle's Cartoon Wunderland: Sugar Frosted Maggots ......step-by-step

9/11/2007

Rather than looking back and reliving the past of six years ago today, I have worked to move forward and make the world better in some small way. It's an admirable thing to remember those who lost their lives on that day, and to realize that in many ways the world is changed forever. I will contend however that - in remembrance of those who left this world before us - we should help make the world better for those of us who are still here.

9/11 was a driving factor for me in bringing Bikes For Tykes of Puget Sound to life. That evening I sat in the backyard and stared at the sky, hearing nothing. There were no planes. No helicopters. The sky was mechanically silent for the first time in decades. It's a memory I will hold forever. That day I realized my time on this earth is finite. What we do here in the time we have is important, and our ability to serve the needs of others - no matter how small that service might be - can only lift up our civilization that much more. Fixing a bike for a five year old girl, one who wasn't even alive when the planes hit the towers, may seem to be disconnected until you consider that her world is one where 9/11 is history. She doesn't remember it, nor should the emotional impact of that day hinder her from leading a good life now. We build her a bike because we know how fun it is to ride a bike and enjoy something in this life that isn't connected to money, congestion, politics, war, or poverty. We build her a bike because it's the right thing to do.

On this sixth anniversary of 9/11, remember not only the victims of the tragedy but also the everyday victims of domestic violence, low wages, mental illness, broken homes, and just plain rotten luck. By doing something for them we can carry the sense of American service beyond Ground Zero and into the hearts of those who need our assistance.

May God Bless you all in your endeavors to help.

"The Drama Queen"

I tend to name my bike projects. Call it goofy, but it seems that after spending as much time as one does building a bike from scratch or scrap that it deserves a name. This bike started as an original albeit crusty Schwinn Stingray Fairlady 20" girls bike. It didn't have a lot of rust, thankfully, but it was covered with 40 years worth of grime that made it initially look worse than it was. Once I disassembled it I found that it was quite solid. Sure it had nicks and scuffs from riding over the years, but I've seen bikes built in 1997 that are crustier than this was. I would say it's not only a testament to the care given the bike over four decades but also the tank-like nature of original Schwinns in general.

Since the Schwinn girls bikes with the "drop top tube" measure their value in fractions compared to the boys "polo style" frames, I figured there was nothing to lose in turning this one into a custom of some sort. Ever a fan of the Stingray Krate bikes, I thought it would be fun to have some styled the same for riding without the expense or collectible value of the real thing. I used a chrome 24" fork purchased on eBay create a Krate wheel arrangement of 20" rear and 16" front. I used a 24" fork with the 16" front wheel so I could keep a level riding position equal to stock. The modification took nothing away from the maneuverability. Everything worked as it should.

The paint was a nice sparkly blue with some chips and minor surface rust in places, but generally presentable. The chrome was already pretty nice on the cranks, chain ring, kickstand, and stem - which are all original parts. The shiny chrome "Duck Tail" rear fender came on the bike, and only had a couple of minor dings. White dice stem caps were added to the wheels for flavor. The pedals were original and functional. I replaced the rusty handlebar with a 70s style new replacement bar. The seat was covered in an unusual sparkly rubber material that I have not seen on another Schwinn. The big round reflector on the back, coveted by collectors presumably because it's big and round, was accented by a cool vintage "1969" Washington License tab underneath the seat.

Though I built this up about four years ago for fun, it turns out that everyone who rode this bike loved it. It had a dramatic stance and a smooth ride. One twenty-something freestyle BMXer last summer called it "possibly the coolest bike I've ridden...ever." I'm 5'6" tall and could ride it around the neighborhood comfortably. It was mostly a hit with the neighbor kids who are only used to seeing mountain bikes and BMX bikes. While it wasn't a show bike, it was a clean rider with lots of character and many years of use left. Hey it's a Schwinn...built like a tank!

I recently got a boys Stingray that's about the same vintage. Who knows what we do with that one??