Guinessisgoodforyou
rBotM Winner
Imlach's Sweaty Hippie Funk Collection, adventure bikes, rusty rats, cruisers and other alt bastardisations of bicyclery
It's a great question this is. Texture is one answer.
Personally think there is a scale. I remember talking to a stone mason here about the definition of "rustic". He said there is "rustic rotten" and "rustic beautiful" . A bit like Patina - there's a structural and aesthetic balance. I think the eye enjoys looking at consistency; an otherwise immaculate frame with one big rust spot is an eyesore and we see it as a blemish.
Some rust spread out fairly evenly everywhere works. Totally rusty also works. Call me weird
Mod-Master
Cannondale Fan
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Now you’ve shown me these beautiful pictures I’ll take back what I said and say “why would a rusted frame be a feature on some bikes”It's a great question this is. Texture is one answer.
View attachment 725871
Personally think there is a scale. I remember talking to a stone mason here about the definition of "rustic". He said there is "rustic rotten" and "rustic beautiful" . A bit like Patina - there's a structural and aesthetic balance. I think the eye enjoys looking at consistency; an otherwise immaculate frame with one big rust spot is an eyesore and we see it as a blemish.
Some rust spread out fairly evenly everywhere works. Totally rusty also works. Call me weird
View attachment 725872
But yes sometimes rusted frames do work.
Madmax1993
Orange 🍊 Fan
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In my mind, rust is a big part of the rat rod movement. Is 'rat rod' not a car thing before it was a bike thing, and derived from 'hot rod' but instead of clean, shiny chrome, it's a hot rod that's been beaten up and left to rust?
I agree with others when they comment about scale. For me, scuffs, marks and even surface rust on a frame can tell a story of the bike's life, and would endear the bike to me, if it's a certain age already, and as long as the rust doesn't threaten the structural integrity of the frame. If I was looking to build a dream bike, a Sunday best, then I would discount anything rusty, and I am horrified when I chip, scratch or otherwise damage a frame that was previously in good condition.
I agree with others when they comment about scale. For me, scuffs, marks and even surface rust on a frame can tell a story of the bike's life, and would endear the bike to me, if it's a certain age already, and as long as the rust doesn't threaten the structural integrity of the frame. If I was looking to build a dream bike, a Sunday best, then I would discount anything rusty, and I am horrified when I chip, scratch or otherwise damage a frame that was previously in good condition.
MattiThundrrr
Kona Fan
This is the first one right here
What Is A Rat Rod?
Rat rod describes a style of hot rod or custom car that broadly imitates or exaggerates the early hot rods of the mid-twentieth century, unlike the "traditional" hot rod built at that time or a close re-creation of one of such.
www.jdpower.com
Guinessisgoodforyou
rBotM Winner
A bike in my eyes is something to be enjoyed, how it's labelled doesn't worry me too much.
Boron
Old School Hero
This has been street furniture just round the corner from me for ages. I assumed it was dumped long ago, but imagine my surprise when I saw the owner riding it a couple of months back. Does the seat have sentimental value? How is the mudguard in such good nick? Is there an underground rusted-klunker scene in 2023?
So many questions.
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MattiThundrrr
Kona Fan
One of the guys made a swing bike, and he did it without welding!!
I think someone should make a trail swing bike...
ratrodbikes.com
Kirsch Special - Swing Bike Project (no welds so far)
I don't know how, but somehow I got drawn into a SwingBike wormhole last night, that reached it's culminating point through various tube videos at this thread here: https://ratrodbikes.com/threads/swing-bike-gallery.31549/ It itched me that hard to build one of these that I went scoring the...
ratrodbikes.com
