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The shape of things to come...

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pHeller

Monkey
Nov 5, 2007
106
0
bolt thru seat?

Cruiser is nice look, very very old school. If I were just browsing pictures I wouldn't have been able to pick it out from other 80's cruisers aside from the Melms touches.

I'm really surprised you went with V's, they look out of place.
 
DirtEveryDay

DirtEveryDay

Turbo Monkey
Nov 24, 2003
2,692
4
Pacific North Wet
Geez..... Hold on a minute. I'm waiting for my speech shop to come up with an appropriate comment for me to give to you...

In the meantime, first reactions: The first thing I noticed was the seat for some reason. I instantly noted it as a Skyway Hotseat from BITD. Then I noticed the hole, and it started flowing back to reality and that it was a recovered modern seat and I have no idea what it started out as!
The bars are absolutely PERFECT, but I'm not quite sold on the skinwalls yet, but I know why they're on there!
It looks "too pretty" though. The peg will be completely out of place on there, even though I know you'll use it!

I think you may need to build TWO cruisers... One street and one retro. One for abuse with the short-as-furk chainstays and pegs, and the other with a taller seat tube(so us old guys with bad knees don't have to have 20" of exposed post!) and maybe even longer stays purely for cruisin? Maybe some billet coffee cup holders on the bars? Seriously, that would be sick as hell (for me)! Build it right into the cross bars! I just gave MYSELF something to build, I think! But it won't be getting chrome...sorry, I jus tdon't have access to such technology in this dinky silly town. Think Cru Jone's home town...with a smaller bike seen...
I'm not sure which one I'd buy first...street or retro...? Prob a true, but updated retro. I need something for fetching coffee on those cool, Saturday mornings...
So when's the Melms Cruiser go on sale?
 
Hup

Hup

Chimp
Apr 6, 2007
92
0
Portland, OR
I am speechless. That bike is a thing of beauty. I can't tell you how much I want that.

Thanks for building it and posting pics. It is frame builders like Tonic and builds like yours that remind me why I love bikes so much. That has made my day.

Now I am going back to staring at it.

Cheers,

J
 
B

Blown04GT

Chimp
Apr 14, 2008
54
0
Raleigh, NC
That is absolutely, by far, without a doubt, no questions asked....okay I'm done.........the SICKEST rides I have ever seen in the 26 years of my life. Simply amazing!
 
G

GMDesigns

Chimp
Sep 27, 2006
94
0
OH
Thrillseeka I bet you're a blast to hang out with! Too funny!

The seat started life as a McNeil SL. The stripes are actually the thread of the french seam. 3 pcs of material make up the seat. The chrome grab rails came off the cream bike.

Matching blue anodizing sucks...
The seat material matches the Paul Love Lever anodizing. The Profile hubs are a bit darker.
The pedals turned out even darker. It all depends on the surface finish and the dye used.
I will probably polish the pedals. Someday.


And you're right, this thing is almost too nice to ride. So......while the jig and fixtures were set up I whipped up this frame:
Same geo 13.75 CS, 74 deg. HTA, etc. I call it my Daily Driver. Nothing fancy, just built to beat on.




Regarding selling products, I thought I could just add to my existing business liability insurance to cover making bike parts.
Unfortunately my insurance company freaked out. I'm currently in the process of getting specific bicycle manufacturer's insurance. Wonderful huh?

I've got a couple guys who help me part time on the architectural stuff, but the bike stuff is all me.
The bike stuff is all after hours too. Like 1 to 4 am after hours... I already put in about 80 hrs a week to begin with.
Thank god for coffee!


Thanks again to everyone!
GM
 
G

grom-dom

Turbo Monkey
Jun 27, 2006
1,140
0
Chapel Thrill
damn. that thing is soooooooooooo good. skinwall dirt monsters? whattttttttt

are you ever thinking about welding up a trailsy sorta geo 20" at all? i'd do r&d for ya :]

nice work Greg
 
BikeSATORI

BikeSATORI

Monkey
Apr 13, 2007
720
0
one world...
whooo doggy, run wit' it!


daily driver looks like a mean ridin' machine too! smokes.


Good work Greg, style for miles, quality for the long haul trucker too, no doubt about it. Once that ins. business gets worked out I think you'll be in for a long successful road ahead! You've already got many answers up your sleeve to the numerous "why nots" and "where are they"s that the current bicycle industry just seems to keep stumbling over.
 
Hup

Hup

Chimp
Apr 6, 2007
92
0
Portland, OR
Cru Jones said:
What tonics? You know he built those from scratch, right?
Click to expand...
I thought they were Tonics as well. I should really read things. Now I am even more impressed. Those frames are mint. The daily rider looks outstanding. Nice job.

I have to say that I have been really impressed this last year in the quality of frames being made. Tonic, USB, Simple and now these. Inspiring.

J
 
B

Boxxer

Monkey
Jul 18, 2005
856
2
Dirty South
Greg, sick and inspiring work as usual. Don't ask me how Ive missed this thread until now. I like how the blue imperial and hubs pop together, same as my 1st gen FG. Matching blue ano does suck. My hubs were a bit off actually and I was never really 100% pleased with that. Good to hear you're exploring insurance options for bike frames.... I think you know you have at least 2 clients down this way, and from he looks of this thread, probably plenty more to keep you busy.


James
 
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G

GMDesigns

Chimp
Sep 27, 2006
94
0
OH
These frames are all me but I'll definately take that as a compliment.

It was the pierced top tube and curved seat stays on the Fall Guy (and the geo of course) that got me riding again after 20+ years off a bike.
Just reminds me of my old scoots...

I actually had straight seat stays on the white bike in an effort to NOT look like a Tonic.
They were tacked in place for over a month...I just couldn't bring myself to weld them on.
I wanted curved stays. Well, I wanted a looptail but it's not possible with that large of tubing (dies are too large of a radius).
I asked Landon if he minded if I made the stays similar. He said go for it.

James and Dave, Thanks for popping in!


Take care,
GM
 
L

Landon

Monkey
Oct 20, 2004
274
0
Sweet rides.

I'm digging the retro-vibe of the new bike. Chrome and polished AL is a welcome contrast to the black-out look so popular right now.

For me, these bikes are about a million times more interesting then anything I saw at the hand built show a couple months ago.

Gregs's frames are all based on hardcore geometry and materials. These bike are meant to be ridden. Which I think is an important detail.

I'm glad you are getting such positive feedback.

-L
 
DirtEveryDay

DirtEveryDay

Turbo Monkey
Nov 24, 2003
2,692
4
Pacific North Wet
I agree with the others, I think I actually dig your "tossed together" Daily Driver(hence it's name is born...) more than the sexed out art pieces. I just don't think I could ever ride those and NOT feel like a total poser. In fact, in order for me to even feel good about myself on the DD, I'd have to leave it out in the rain for a few weeks, then clear coat it that way.
Any thoughts on something similar in the 26" version?

And yeah...I would really dig seeing a short-stay'd loop tail. Dayummmn.

And cancel the 26" order...make it a Cruisa' for me, I just GOTTA Mag it up... Unless you're going to start working with graphite...? ;)
 
Str8OutaBallard

Str8OutaBallard

Monkey
Jun 18, 2004
945
0
Your bike rocks... but would you really want to dj it? ride it in a skatepark? if it was mine I think I might ride it down the street to get a beverage on a hot day and wory about scratching it... but that's just me. Maybe take it to the bike show or something.

All five of my bikes routinely look like they have been thru hell... but that's how it is in the PNW... winter riding can get your bb submerged easily and that's riding thru a puddle! on trails that other peeps are riding moto's through... scouting trail locations w/the DNR no less (Reiter Pit)... other freeriders driving up in Jeeps saying "....I can't believe your riding in this; I miss my bike..."

If I was so lucky as to have one of your frames built it would be in the form of a road bike or a sunny day commuter... nothing I would dump over or crash on.

I think of your stuff as being akin to a 84 OM Flyer or Kuahara cruiser or something like that... but if makes you happy I say have fun and keep having fun...

To me functionality is much more important in damn near everything. From Jeeps to Boxer Engines to locomotive Engines to Computers to Stereos, Guitar amps and darn near everything else.

But your thread is interesting and the pictures are beautiful the workmanship is obviously impresive... I'll give you that.
 
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DirtyDog

DirtyDog

Gang probed by the Golden Banana
Aug 2, 2005
6,598
0
Str8OutaBallard said:
Your bike rocks... but would you really want to dj it? ride it in a skatepark? if it was mine I think I might ride it down the street to get a beverage on a hot day and wory about scratching it... but that's just me. Maybe take it to the bike show or something.

All five of my bikes routinely look like they have been thru hell... but that's how it is in the PNW... winter riding can get your bb submerged easily and that's riding thru a puddle! on trails that other peeps are riding moto's through... scouting trail locations w/the DNR no less (Reiter Pit)... other freeriders driving up in Jeeps saying "....I can't believe your riding in this; I miss my bike..."

If I was so lucky as to have one of your frames built it would be in the form of a road bike or a sunny day commuter... nothing I would dump over or crash on.

I think of your stuff as being akin to a 84 OM Flyer or Kuahara cruiser or something like that... but if makes you happy I say have fun and keep having fun...

To me functionality is much more important in damn near everything. From Jeeps to Boxer Engines to locomotive Engines to Computers to Stereos, Guitar amps and darn near everything else.

But your thread is interesting and the pictures are beautiful the workmanship is obviously impresive... I'll give you that.
Click to expand...
I can't think of anything I'd rather do than take a work of art like this and give it the abuse it deserves. To each their own.......
 
Cru Jones

Cru Jones

Turbo Monkey
Sep 2, 2006
3,025
2
Hell Track
Str8OutaBallard said:
Your bike rocks... but would you really want to dj it? ride it in a skatepark? if it was mine I think I might ride it down the street to get a beverage on a hot day and wory about scratching it... but that's just me. Maybe take it to the bike show or something.

All five of my bikes routinely look like they have been thru hell... but that's how it is in the PNW... winter riding can get your bb submerged easily and that's riding thru a puddle! on trails that other peeps are riding moto's through... scouting trail locations w/the DNR no less (Reiter Pit)... other freeriders driving up in Jeeps saying "....I can't believe your riding in this; I miss my bike..."

If I was so lucky as to have one of your frames built it would be in the form of a road bike or a sunny day commuter... nothing I would dump over or crash on.

I think of your stuff as being akin to a 84 OM Flyer or Kuahara cruiser or something like that... but if makes you happy I say have fun and keep having fun...

To me functionality is much more important in damn near everything. From Jeeps to Boxer Engines to locomotive Engines to Computers to Stereos, Guitar amps and darn near everything else.

But your thread is interesting and the pictures are beautiful the workmanship is obviously impresive... I'll give you that.
Click to expand...
Did you not see the part where he made two cruisers? One to keep nice and one to fyck around on? And functionality was the first thing he was thinking of when he built those cruiser frames. There aren't any 24" cruiser frames on the market with that short of chain stays. Pretty much all other cruisers are designed with a more racing type geo, rather than freestyle.

I see what you're saying about wanting to keep something really nice really nice, but other than that, your post seems like a lot of hate for no reason.
 
DirtEveryDay

DirtEveryDay

Turbo Monkey
Nov 24, 2003
2,692
4
Pacific North Wet
Boy needs to actually read this whole thread! Ballard, did you miss the pics Greg posted up of himself killin the park? He RIDES those bikes. Why would you want to "show it?" That's like living in a closet so you can have a really nice corpse to show off before they BURY IT!
They're bicycles. Very well thought out bicycles. All the work makes the ride only that much better.
And there's a difference between RIDING bikes and ABUSING them. Only a complete jackass hack finds it necessary to trash a frame doing the same thing a more graceful rider can do with no damage. Hell, you can gring all day long and not touch the frame if you know what you're doing and build the bike right. Right?
Melms for President.
 
G

GMDesigns

Chimp
Sep 27, 2006
94
0
OH
Form follows function. It cannot be the other way around.

I understand your viewpoint Ballard. Stuff's gotta work right? Right. I get that. These bikes are one-offs. I don't sell this stuff (yet).
This is a fun way for me to get these ideas out of my head to make room for more...I don't sit still for long.

These bikes weren't designed for muddy conditions. Too much polished aluminum! They were designed for park and street.
I will say the cream bike has been dirty (trail dust really) enough to warrant a full disassembly, cleaning, and full inspection. Which it passed with flying colors btw.

Daily Driver Update:
The daily driver has turned out to be a very nimble BMX racer. I'll try to get some pics of it in action.

Here's how it sits now. Red was what the powdercoater was running that day. Parts are whatever I had that would fit or could borrow. The stem was blue so I polished it.







Here's a cool pic looking down through the stem on the charcoal bike:


Thanks again,
Greg
 
don

don

Turbo Monkey
Nov 8, 2001
1,319
0
Rumson, NJ
Wow. That daily driver built up nicely. I don't know why more race cruisers have the shorter chainstays - I would think it would be better - but what do I know... It looks like that rig could snap out the gate like a bottlerocket.

It looks real cool in race build but I would love to see what it would be like w/ some bigger smoothy tires, slammed pivot seat and orig Gay Bars.

Ballard - IDK... DJ and Park won't do much to a bike unless you ghost launch it... hell I have more scratches and stuff on my Molly from travel with it than actual crashes.

And "akin to the 84 OM Flyer -... but if makes you happy..."? The Old Man was a dope cruiser - great line and the originals had a solid build for aluminum. They command some bucks now. I'm not sure if you are giving GM props or what.

That race cruiser reminds me a lot of the stuff Jim Melton did but with updated geometry and technologies. You can look at a 30 year old JMC (as long as it's built up right) and it still looks awesome. 30 years from now that GM will look timeless just as well.
 
Hup

Hup

Chimp
Apr 6, 2007
92
0
Portland, OR
The daily cruiser looks perfect. That is exactly what I want out of a 24. Nice work. I hope you start selling these frames at some point.

J
 
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