Why didn't I do this sooner?????

"it's kind of a worthless system if you can't change gears when hitting a decent hill with 165 lbs of trailer hanging off the back, and not much use even without a trailer."


I doubt that it could be modified to run with the shifter kits, The Gebe system is set up so that the toothed gears and drive ring provide the correct ratios for the engines torque. you can however adopt the gebe according to your terrain. The #11 & #12 gear are for climbing, the #13 & 14 gear are for speed... so yes you can climb a hill or pull a trailer with your kids or supplies.

http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?t=27227&page=10

This system has less parts to mess with, less things to go wrong, and although it doesnt use the bikes gears, most of the gears provided will provide plenty of power for the style of riding needed.

The thread is about how reliable this system is and the ability to change your gear on the go is also a benefit. Most peoples riding, will be done over the same roads day in day out, so you will be able to find the correct gear for your style. However lets say you want to go road trip, by bringing the extra gears you can change them out in a matter of minutes.

So yes it costs alot up front up to 3 times the price of a china doll but once fitted unlike a china doll the kit will probably last as long as you are able to ride the bike, with just a little tlc.

Of all the kits i own staton, De, gebe, electric etc, the Gebe is probably the most realible behind my staton friction drive, so i would not call it worthless thats for sure. Like i say don't knock it until you have tried it.........
 
After reading this thread..... I'm going to give the GEBE a go.
I'm looking to make a third build (got two sons).
 
"it's kind of a worthless system if you can't change gears when hitting a decent hill with 165 lbs of trailer hanging off the back, and not much use even without a trailer."


I doubt that it could be modified to run with the shifter kits, The Gebe system is set up so that the toothed gears and drive ring provide the correct ratios for the engines torque. you can however adopt the gebe according to your terrain. The #11 & #12 gear are for climbing, the #13 & 14 gear are for speed... so yes you can climb a hill or pull a trailer with your kids or supplies.

http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?t=27227&page=10

This system has less parts to mess with, less things to go wrong, and although it doesnt use the bikes gears, most of the gears provided will provide plenty of power for the style of riding needed.

The thread is about how reliable this system is and the ability to change your gear on the go is also a benefit. Most peoples riding, will be done over the same roads day in day out, so you will be able to find the correct gear for your style. However lets say you want to go road trip, by bringing the extra gears you can change them out in a matter of minutes.

So yes it costs alot up front up to 3 times the price of a china doll but once fitted unlike a china doll the kit will probably last as long as you are able to ride the bike, with just a little tlc.

Of all the kits i own staton, De, gebe, electric etc, the Gebe is probably the most realible behind my staton friction drive, so i would not call it worthless thats for sure. Like i say don't knock it until you have tried it.........

Well said.

Not to mention it fits most states moped regs.
 
It's kind of a worthless system if you can't change gears when hitting a decent hill with 165 lbs of trailer hanging off the back, and not much use even without a trailer.

Single speed drive systems just don't cut the mustard for those using their bikes as daily transport.

Fabian

I use my bike as daily transport and it works flawlessly. It sounds to me that if you need to run gears to haul that much stuff up and down big hills, you need something more than a bicycle. The way you are talking, you sound like the kind of person who gets a 2 door car and puts 7 people in it then fills the trunk with 500 pounds of cement mix and then wonder why the car has no power.

You have to remember, these are only bicycles, and the motors are only "assist engines". They are not meant to be run like a farm tractor hauling big loads of stuff all over the country side.
 
Their website scared me away from them.

First of all they still say this :

•Do I need a driver's license to ride one of these?

No, in most states our kit does not classify as a motor vehicle/moped. Check your local laws to be safe.
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Sadly that is still not true and we have a lot of work ahead of us to make it true.

Second, they claim:

•Would a bicycle shop be a good place to take my Eagle for installation?

No, many bicycle shops have a negative attitude, when it comes to motorizing a bike; they feel everyone should be in Lance's physical condition. If you don't have the time (or the inclination) to do the installation yourself, take the unit to your neighborhood lawn and garden repair - these folks are familiar with engines And which end of the screwdriver to use!

__________________________________________________________________________

Having read every bicycle building wheel book I can find scares me away from stressing the spokes on just one side.

Their kit is for people that have not studied wheelbuilding.

And we don't use screwdrivers on wheels.

( if I am wrong about the ring being hooked to spokes on just one side please let me know )
 
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They do sell wheels.

http://www.bikeengines.com/orderpage2.htm

A big problem with motored bikes is wheel failure.

I have seen many potato chipped wheels from WalMart bikes.

They sell them at the store not adjusted right and just hitting a pot hole on a bike with no motor can make them potato chip.

I would suggest buying a heavy duty wheel from GEBE if using a GEBE kit.

And keep a close eye on the spokes.

I would not put a GEBE kit on a WalMart wheel, ever.
 
You are right about them only attaching to half the spokes, and also about cheap wheels. But that doesn't mean that as soon as you ride your bike it will fold in half. I have purchased heavy duty wheels with 105 gauge spokes and have also zip tied them. I have over 100 miles on this setup and it runs as true as the day I bought them.

As far as them saying don't take this to a bicycle shop, that fault is with the shop itself. You can ask just about anyone here about them, only a few shops don't mind bikes with engines, and I mean any engine, not just GEBE setups. Majority of the people at bike stores believe that they are Lance Armstrong and everyone that rides a bike should be too. They say that adding a motor is cheating and punishable by death. (I added that last part, but they sure do act like it)

If you are worried about adding a GEBE kit to your bike, just ask around here. There are people who put thousands of miles on their bikes. Augidog is one, and bamabikeguy (RIP) is another. Bama took his bike from Alabama to Colorado with very little trouble from the kit. Augidog is taking his bike up to Alaska to visit friends there. Those kinds of people taking those kinds of trips are the proof I needed to convince me that this setup is good and reliable.
 
I hear you. The reports sound good.

Their website seems to misinform people about motored bike laws and friction drive.

We really need to face the truth about motored bike laws and change the laws.

How can we do that by misinforming people about our legal condition ?

Why do that ? I hear people bad mouth friction drive a lot and I think they never tried it on a heavy duty moped tire and wheel else they would know how bulletproof friction drive really is !

Having studied bicycle wheels and wheelbuilding books and building wheels causes me to look at wheels in a different way.

Stressing the spokes on just one side is a no no.
 
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Thatperson did you ever see the You Tube video of Bamabikeguy from Northern Alabama. When I saw that little film I was really sorry I did not opt for the Gebe system. At the time I just didn't like the way the engine looked sitting on that rack behind the rider. Anyway in his video he says he rode from Holly Pond, Alabama to Denver on a little over 12 1/2 gallons of gas. In my book that is ultra reliable, not to mention the lack of vibration from the little 25cc he used. In New York they don't allow homemade gas bikes they have to be on a new york state approved list of gas bicycle manufacturers. Gas bicycles that are complete and ready to ride.
 
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