After painting a couple of thin tubed ’80s f&fs…
..and…
…I felt that something with a bit more surface area might be worth a try. A Specialized Fat Boy sure as heck fit that bill, and as luck would have it, a young fellow who used to give me a whupping on the race tracks had one such frame that he was keen to have Kiramekisan-ed.
Enjoyed it so much I might just do more! Next one might even be a carbon race frame…
Because Japan. Heh heh heh. And also, because I rediscovered bikes when we were living in Japan and I’m happy to say that they are a big part of our family life now (and also because our local library in Machida had an excellent English language Haruki Murakami collection and I read them all).
That aside, when this D Blocks Big Ripper came into my possession, I felt the need to make a change to the “Xmas Camo” paint scheme. And in a quite stunning twist of timing, I let rip on the frame & fork in the week before Xmas! I know. Spooky…
This is how it started out. Xmas Camo may float some boats, but not me. No Sir.
Underpainted with some yellow and orange. “Pre Xmas Sunset” if you will. But you don’t have to. Up to you.
Pretty much there more or less. Less was clearly not more in this case.
Yep – that’s Alf Stewart from Home and Away. Like most people, I’ve wanted an Alf Stewart graphic on a bike for as long as I can remember.
Bit of Banco and it’s a Kiramekisan Big Ripper!
After I’d finished desecrating it with spraypaint, it seemed only fair to put it back together. More or less stock, but with Skyway cruiser bars, ODI Longneck grips and Maxxis DTH tyres. I like the look of the Thick Slicks that it came with, but at 2.1, they are a little skinny for a 29er I reckon. Plus I’d like to ride it in the rain without terrifying myself too much.
It’s going to be a rider, so it’ll be interesting to see how the paint stands up to regular use – and if I’ll need to get the clearcoat done by a professional on future bikes. Of course, most scratches can be repaired with a sticker or two. Easy!
I’m quite keen on bikes, as some may be aware – especially BMX type bikes. So it seemed like a good idea to paint a bike or two, or more…
First up is a late ’80s Cyclecraft cruiser for a friend from racing days – in the late 80s. I think this will probably be the first and last 80s style small diameter chromoly tubed frame I do, because it is a #@%& to paint! Given that I’m painting it with acrylics and a brush, as I would with a canvas. The paint scratches like a #@%& too, so hopefully many many coats of gloss clearcoat will protect it. Not finished yet, but getting there.
After discovering what a #@%& the Cyclecraft was to paint, I went to the other extreme and picked up a Specialized Fat Boy for the next project, as it had the largest surface area of any 20″ BMX bike that I was able to source easily (ie cheaply). It’s a bit of a weird machine, as the alloy frame weighs very little, but the parts are pretty boat anchor – especially the cranks. I’ve been careful not to drop them in case they smash through the concrete floor of the garage. The Specialized has been put aside for now because…
…of these. Took me a while to get two Lil Rippers into my possession, but I have them now! Heh heh heh. I plan to paint ’em up as a 3 bike collection with the PK. The Cyclecraft has given me an idea of what to do, so it should go almost smoothly (hopes fervently). Now I just need to source the parts. Might need to sell some paintings. Also – I have some paintings for sale.
kirameki san experiences sustained loss of traction 