Brent
From Austin, TX
March 12th, 2010
 |
Hi Golden Eagle!
Attached are 2 pictures
of my completed bicycle.
I'm an engineer, and I
enjoyed tinkering
with this project very
much. I enjoy (no,
I absolutely love) the
bike/motor combination
as I can access trails
and paths that a moped
cannot. I can ride slow
on sidewalks, pedestrian
trails, etc. and mingle
with people and smell
the smells. I can also
deal with heavy traffic
very well too. I can motor
along, then when
it's all backed up at a
light, I turn the
motor off and hit the sidewalk.
I got the
40cc 2-cycle.
I feel like I came up with
a very good design
and would like to share
the high level features.
It's a bit pricey, but
I'm a quality nut:
* First, the bike. I looked
long and hard
for the right bike and
this one is great.
It's an Electra Townie
21D with flat floot
technology. The crankset
is forward, allowing
the rider to set their
feet flat at stops.
That's very nice. Plus
you sit upright and
the seat is comfortable.
I don't like being
hunched over with a lot
of pressure on my
hands. I do need to add
a shock-absorbing
seat post.
* I added your big spoke
rear wheel... 105
gauge. I had to buy a new
7 speed cassette
for it because I didn't
specify the right
wheel type. No big deal.
$25.
* I don't like changing
flats, and I don't
want sudden flats while
flying down the road.
I substituted Specialized
Armadillo tires
with extra thick tubes
and slime. $100. Tires
are Kevlar reinforced.
I got ones with a
fairly aggressive tread
for dirt, but they're
fairly smooth on top for
street use.
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* Plastic fenders. I learned
you need fenders
because when you pass over
water, you'll
sling it all over when
flying down the road.
You'll need to drill a
hole in each side
of the motor strap mount
at a particular
place to accommodate the
fender attachments.
There's some skill, thought
& "ifs"
on these holes. Nice thing
about the holes
is if you do get a flat,
you don't have to
remove the motor. If you
want details, let
me know.
* Bars for bags. I used
1/4" tubing
and had a guy off Craigslist
fabricate them.
The bars attach on the
seat post spot for
fenders, and I drilled
a hole in each side
of the motor strap. Finding
the right pipe
and fabricating was not
easy. I have written
specs for the bars. The
fabricator said he'd
make more for $100 per
pair. If he gets orders
for a lot, he'll make a
jig for them and
the cost will come down.
There's some technique
& thought on these
too. If you want details,
let me know.
* Axiom "Typhoon"
waterproof bags.
Retail they're $135. You
can get them off
the internet for $80.
* Fuel bottle that fits
in water bottle holder.
You'll want supplemental
fuel, and you need
a real fuel bottle for
leak prevention, not
just any old bottle. Got
it at REI.
* I turned the motor 90
degrees because the
exhaust was hitting my
rear. If you have
a large rear, you'll want
to tilt the motor
back a little more than
the strap that comes
with it will allow. I needed
to trim the
cover with a pair of tin
snips.
* Used Loctite blue "Threadlocker"
on all nuts/bolts.
* Helmet with rear view
mirror. You need
a mirror of some sort.
* Safety vest. You're flying
down the road.
Get over your self consciousness
and take
care of your body first.
* Check all tightness often.
Falling due
to a loose fitting is dumb
and not close
to worth it.
Thanks so much for bringing
such joy to my
life. |
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