8th AF Tribute Bicycle

[evolutionmovement]

So I started riding as transportation some this summer—Christ, I live on an historic coastline frequented by vacationers the world over, so why the hell not see some of it up close?!

I was taking my road bike, a 2000 Specialized Allez, which is a great bike—fast, light, smooth, and the only thing I've ever had to do with it is bar tape and replace a punctured tire—but the riding position with a back pack was killing my neck. My Giant mountain bike is too damn heavy and the gearing too short for long trips, but then I remembered my ugly old 1993 mulberry Giant Innova that's been sitting around as a back up bike for friends and barely used for years. It's a little on the heavy side for a hybrid bike, but it's a friggin' tank and pretty fast. Just ugly and it needed a seat and I'd have a nice local ride bike again. So I came up with a WWII 8th Air Force theme by sanding the frame, repainting, and adding inkjet decals (the handlebar color is from the 352nd Fighter Group—the "Blue Nosed Bastards of Bodney" and the red tail and seat tube insignia for the 328th Fighter Squadron), but then components and such didn't fit the look, so things got out of hand. . .

The road bike I blame for the whole over-budget thing:


The "USAAF Pursuit" (still needs complete assembly; the leather for the grips, cut out, dyed to match the saddle, and assembled; the shifter cables bracket fabbed; some more clear coat; wet sanding; waiting over the winter to fully cure, but other than that, it's done!):












If any of our German friends are looking, I hope there's no offense taken by the "Cleaning Haus" name on the left fork—it's just the only funny thing I thought of to go with the pinup girl, which I really wanted to use because she reminds me of my ex.

I almost wish I could do a whole series now—a polished alloy frame and a Pacific theater 5th AF theme, a British night fighter look, a Mitsubishi Zero, and a Focke-Wulf 190 in gray.

[gijonas]

Hmm kinda creepy, but cool i dig the old school look,and i love pedalin myself.


Put some bullet hole stickers on it

[evolutionmovement]

I would if it were of a P-47, but it's non-specific even if the blue really dates to when the FG converted to P-51's, but if a Mustang sally had bullet holes in it, it would probably be forced down in a field, unlike the T-bolts that could make it home with a chunk of telephone pole stuck in the wing, a couple cylinders shot out, and a couple hundred bullet holes.

[Redlined]

Looks slick! Used to bike allot myself. Not to long ago wanted to compete. Rode a 2001 Schwinn Super Sport. LOVED that bike.Had the same issue with the forward leaning riding position. Have to crane your head waaaaaaaay back to see where you where going. After about 10 minutes id start getting headaches.

Anywho, good work! I may have to do something to my city bike now. Always hated the color scheme (purple & white).

[evolutionmovement]

Thanks!

Yeah, this thing was a dark purple color with thin silver paint drizzled over it (they called it mulberry something or other). I think it's a definite improvement and, aside from the aggravation of putting on those letter decals, was fun to do. I highly recommend the Brooks leather seat, too. By far the priciest item of the build, but I rode with it on my Allez a few times and it is amazing without even being broken in. It looks like it would be uncomfortable, but it's like a hammock of leather as the frame is only at the front and rear. Plus it looks old school and quality. Kind of heavy, though, so not for weight weenies, but then, this whole bike isn't—I think this bitch is around 27 lbs. Maybe I should have done it specifically as a P-47 after all.

[magicmike]

I already commented on FB What do you think about flat blacking the wheels? I think it would look pretty slick like that.

[evolutionmovement]

I want to, but I'm not sure as the rim would get rubbed off by the brakes. I might do it anyway and replace the reflectors with some reflective tape at 4 points around the circumference of the inner wheel to represent a 4-blade prop.