I just finished building my third balloon tire bike. The 1937 Zep frame came to me courtesy of Gordon Bradbury and was in very good shape considering the year and the amount of house paint that was on it.
I started out by lacing stainless DT spokes to Mavic M 231 Alloy Rims, using a 1972 Sturmey Archer 3-spd. rear hub, as these hubs are bullet proof. Up front, I used a Suzie Alloy Hub. Traction to the pavement is supplied by GT Dyno Super Slicks. These rims are bought to a stop by a v-brake by Tektro, which is tucked away neatly by the rear fender and kickstand.
I wanted a cool 3-speed shifter to keep the S/A hub at bay. I ended up coming across a shifter off of a 1970 Girls Raleigh Chopper which is rare I am told. To make it match the bike I machined up an alloy shifter knob and detailed it to the color of the frame for a more personal touch.
The front forks are courtesy of a Hiawatha and are kept in check by a set of new production Electra Alloy Bull Horn handlebars. Grips on the bars are my own machined and end milled specialty items designed by myself. As well I designed and machined the handlebar stem and detailed it to the same color as the frame.
Power to the rear is cranked through a Sugino Maxy Cross BMX crank set which is also detailed to the frame. Feet are kept in tacked by my own specialty machined and designed alloy block pedals keeping the cruiser theme.
While cranking out the power the ride is cushioned by a Leppers Primus Saddle, courtesy of Phat Cycles. The springs and frame of the saddle were all plated. The seat was reassembled with polished stainless steel allen head cap screws throughout the saddle.
The fully enclosed chain guard is out of a trike, which to me is reminiscent of the old Columbia. The reason why I used this guard is because of its smooth lines.
The fenders are the deep dish style and have been chopped down kind of reminiscent of the Schwinn Krates.
To round out my ballooner, I prepped the frame and various parts and laid on three coats of Competition Yellow paint courtesy of Dupont. With all the alloy work and alloy rims this bike weighs in at only thirty pounds.
And last but not least, this Hep Zep supplies one heck of a smooth cruise to the local coffee shop or for that matter just plain cruisin` around on a summer evening.
Built By: Cruisers By Lou
Regina, SK Ca
