Friction drive roller lifespan

Do any of you have problems with thorns? I'd think the FR would force any thorns deep into the tire. I used to get flats from thorns weekly until I double lined my front tire with a nice thick motorcycle tube. Most of the thorns get in the front tire but I've pulled them out of the back tire too.

How are these engines at high altitude? I'm around 4200 feet I think.
 
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:unsure:I've had good luck using the "tire within a tire" method. Haven't had a flat in a few months.

I've also changed routes. Before, I rode on the glass-ridden bikepath.

Now I ride down the middle of the highway and boulevards.:giggle:

All five rollers look brand new.:whistle:
 
I've never had a problem with glass or anything like that. Lots of flats from thorns though. They are super sharp and I'd think the roller pressure would force them through almost anything.

I'm beginning to wonder if one of these friction drives will work at all where I am. I checked my street today, it's a 10.5% grade. My street is about the steepest around but just guessing from what my street is I'd say 5%-8% grades are pretty common around here.
 
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:unsure:I've had good luck using the "tire within a tire" method. Haven't had a flat in a few months.

I've also changed routes. Before, I rode on the glass-ridden bikepath.

Now I ride down the middle of the highway and boulevards.:giggle:

All five rollers look brand new.:whistle:
I'm thinking of using this idea but first i wanna try black plastic PVC piping(round/unribbed/semi-flexable 2" water piping)
Cut it in halves & lay it down as a super tough tyre liner....it's also very thin which helps.
 
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I'm thinking of using this idea but first i wanna try black plastic PVC piping(round/unribbed/semi-flexable 2" water piping)
Cut it in halves & lay it down as a super tough tyre liner....it's also very thin which helps.


That's a good idea. I think I have some of that pipe in my garage. It's already coiled and may just fit right in the tire.

I'm now looking at the Titan set up from Thatsdax again. I like the simplicity of a friction drive but I just think there's too many hills here in the Rockies for that type of set up. Thatsdax and the Titan both seem to get great reviews. I would rather have the Subaru engine than the Titan and the simplicity of a friction drive over a chain drive but I guess everything is a trade off. At least I could ride the chain drive on wet streets, which there's been a lot of here this Spring, the Titan should have more power for the hills too. I just wonder about the lifespan of a Chinese engine compared to a Japanese engine.
 
That's a good idea. I think I have some of that pipe in my garage. It's already coiled and may just fit right in the tire.

I'm now looking at the Titan set up from Thatsdax again. I like the simplicity of a friction drive but I just think there's too many hills here in the Rockies for that type of set up. Thatsdax and the Titan both seem to get great reviews. I would rather have the Subaru engine than the Titan and the simplicity of a friction drive over a chain drive but I guess everything is a trade off. At least I could ride the chain drive on wet streets, which there's been a lot of here this Spring, the Titan should have more power for the hills too. I just wonder about the lifespan of a Chinese engine compared to a Japanese engine.
My advice....do NOT buy the Titan setup if your planning to ride for extended periods on dirt roads. :mad:
As for the engine itself it's very very good,maybe not quiet as good as the genuine GXH50 but totally acceptable.
http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?t=19815
 
Don't plan on any dirt road riding.
You'll be fine then......even a small amount of dirt would be fine,but NOT extended periods at high speeds.
BTW...if u do that plastic piping mod before me don't forget to sand/file any sharp/rough surfaces that come into contact with the tube.
 
You'll be fine then......even a small amount of dirt would be fine,but NOT extended periods at high speeds.
BTW...if u do that plastic piping mod before me don't forget to sand/file any sharp/rough surfaces that come into contact with the tube.

I've got my tires double lined with motorcycle tubes which are far thicker than bike tubes. I'll stick with that set up until I get a flat. They were a major pain to get in there straight and I don't want to pull them out after all the time it took to get them in. I haven't had a flat since I double lined them. I had them single lined at first and after a season that way I finally got a slow leak from a thorn. The poly pipe would no doubt be better at stopping thorns than tubes but those things are so sharp sometimes they might even get through the pipe.
 
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