National Bicycle Day!

[Davey Do]

I love bicycles and bicycling and could bore you to tears recalling voluminous stories of my many bicycles, accessories, trips, and adventures. I would bicycle everyday if I could, and do so in reasonably good weather.

Several years ago, Belinda and I took off at 6am, rode our tandem bicycle  65 miles on a round trip, returning home at 3pm. On one Dead of Winter vacation, we rode our folding bikes from one hotel in South Beach to another on Key Biscayne.

Even though I continue to regularly bicycle, last Summer my longest round trip was 15 miles and I believe Belinda put less than 20 miles on her bicycle.

Old age and past injuries have caught up with us.

Soooooooooo...

I decided to motorize my old single speed bicycle that has been hanging in storage for years. I took it apart and did some maintenance to it, readying it for the build, attaching the frame and one wheel to supports. I kept parts that will be used later in an old milk crate:

 

 

This is the kit which is scheduled to arrive today:

I plan to report on the progress.

Isn't this exciting?!

Happy National Bicycle Day!

[TriciaJ, RN]

That looks like quite a project.

This is a very timely topic for me.  Several years ago, I found a bike that someone had dumped in my yard.  Attempts to find the rightful owner were unsuccessful.  This Spring I finally resurrected it to see if it was rideable.  It is, but barely.  The gears don't work and fixing them would probably cost as much as a new bike.

So... my boyfriend is now researching bicycles and plans to buy me one.  I'm looking at a girly bike (the movie The Prime of Miss Jean Brody comes to mind).  But with a few gears.  The "found" bike is a commuter style, but I want to sit fully upright, in comfort.  We're leaning toward Schwinn.

I'm open to any input from avid cyclists.

[nursej22, MSN, RN]

I have 2 bikes- one is a "hybrid", suitable for road and trails. It is quite comfortable but a little heavy for going up hill. My road bike is much lighter and I prefer it for longer, hillier rides.  I have gotten used to the more forward leaning position, and padded gloves have made leaning on my wrists more comfortable. 

Lighter bikes tend to be more expensive due to materials. 

[Davey Do]

1 hour ago, TriciaJ said:

  We're leaning toward Schwinn.

Good choice.

Several years ago, I bought Belinda a Schwinn Voyageur GS which fits your criteria TriciaJ. It's a girl's bike, upright rider, with a super comfortable seat and handlebars/grips. It's a 21 speed with touring type tires that are thin enough for easy speed, yet wide enough for comfort and the ability to some easy off road. Like crossing a grassy field.

Good luck and please let me know of your progress,!

[maryellen12]

Happy Bicycle Day

I would love for their to be no more cars

just bicycles.

[Davey Do]

19 hours ago, Davey Do said:

This is the kit which is scheduled to arrive today

It didn't arrive and I sat down by the driveway like some 7 year old in the Summer of 1964 awaiting for my Weekly Reader.

13 hours ago, maryellen12 said:

Happy Bicycle Day

I would love for their to be no more cars

just bicycles.

Thank you, maryellen, the same to you, and I agree with you but would like to add this:

I think it would be cool if those found guilty of Road Rage were sentenced to bicycle everywhere. Oh the heck with that! I think every rude impatient automobile driver should be sentenced to the bicycle!

 I have scads of stories where rude motorists have cut me off, or blasted their horn as they drove past, or did some other stupid thing like pass me on a hill with a vehicle coming in the other direction.

Here's an example: There's a mean old man who has lived out here for decades, who races very closely past me while I'm bicycling. One time, I was starting up what is known as White Oak Hill, 1/3 of a mile at its steepest, when this mean old man was so close to me as he passed, I could feel the breeze from his vehicle.

It gave me such a bolt of adrenalin, that I made White Oak Hill in record time! And I biked the remaining five miles to the state police substation and filed a complaint.

On the way home, I saw a state trooper drive by, I believe going to the mean old man's place. I have not had any problem with the mean old man since.

Yes. Bicycles!

[Davey Do]

22 hours ago, Davey Do said:

I plan to report on the progress.

The motorized bicycle kit arrived!

The motorized bicycle kit arrived!

[Davey Do]

[Davey Do]

This build would have been a rather frustrating experience if I didn't enjoy improvising so much. Instead of describing the process, I will paste the review that I wrote after contacting the company on two occasions by phone and getting the runaround.

"I paid $299.95 for the BBR Tuning 38cc Lock-N-Load Friction Drive Bicycle Engine Kit- 4-Stroke and it took over over a week to receive the poorly packed kit with the free shipping offer. The package was not sealed when received, and loose parts, like nuts and washers, were lying in the bottom of the large container outside of the two smaller containers.

The engine was not the one as pictured, and the gas tank was scratched and dented. There was no Install guide, Installation Guide Video or spark plug tool. Two of the nine nuts and bolts could not be tightened and the online video showed a three metal plate assembly when only two were received. On the bottom crank assembly, a nut and washer were missing.

The engine looked nothing like the one pictured and there was no port on the engine in which to connect the muffler. When I read the information accompanying the engine, I noted that there was already a muffler built on to the motor, which as I said looked, nothing like the one in the picture.

The engine mounting plate that was sent is a three-piece, when the online video clearly shows a two piece. This is as far as I've progressed on the build and am relatively certain that other problems will be encountered.

I have contacted BikeBerry support, informing them of this situation and filed a complaint with one of the reps. 

 

 

Drama follows me wherever I go!

[Davey Do]

Here's a couple of pics that I emailed to the company in order to prove my points of stripped bolts and missing parts:

 

 

 

 

 

[Davey Do]

 

This is how far I've progressed on the build and my old single speed bicycle can now be ridden just like any other bike. From this point on, the bicycle should look more like a motorized bicycle.

From left to right: I added a front brake for safety once the bike is motorized. Along with the back coaster brake, I should have pretty good stopping power. However, should the pedal-driven chain should fall off, I could still stop with the front brake.

And I have, many times, had chains fall off.

The throttle assembly was assembled with drilling a hole in the handle bars. There are so many criticisms I have about the online video and this is one of them-their drilling technique, as they 1) left the handlebars attached to the bike 2) did not use a punch to mark the site 3) drilled no pilot hole 4) used a hand drill.

I installed the handlebars after the hole for the throttle assembly and used a drill press, because chrome is difficult in which to drill through.

I mentioned the two vs three piece engine plate. This build is like putting together a puzzle, referencing the wrong picture.

I also mentioned the two 10mm nuts that would not tighten on the engine driven sprocket.

Just to make due for now, in lieu of the missing nut and washer keeper on the bottom crank, I used a couple of metal spacers between the crank housing and pedal. This way, the nut holding the pedal will prevent the crank bearings from getting too loose.

Next, I plan to play with the engine plate, gas tank, engine, and transmission!

Wish me luck!

 

 

[Davey Do]

Well, it looks like this motorized bike build is going to be put on hold.

When I rode and pedalled the bike to test it out, I heard a clicking noise and found the back wheels cones, which hold the bearings, were loose; the wheel slightly wobbled.

I tightened down the cones sufficiently so the wheel didn't wobble but then noticed the head of the bolts that held the engine driven sprocket were slightly up against the brake arm. That was probably the clicking noise I heard. "No problem"", I thought, "I'll just bend the brake arm a bit".

When I removed the brake arm, I saw that the cone was damaged.

So, I'm either I'm going to have to obtain some bearings and learn how to replace them, or take the wheel to the bike shop and pay to have them replaced.

Such is life.