decent dirt cheap/free parts build

i do it on every forum, this is the thread for my bike basically, and i'll probably post most of my questions, pics, updates, etc, here.

here we have it's current (temporary) state. i was just using this frame because it still had paint and i wanted to paint another lighter probably better frame for it. then i got a bunch of free parts ontop of a whole 24" like new GOOD mtn bike from a bike shop. then i also have just piles of parts and frames and everything almost.

so in my recent score he offered me a norco frame, nice thin tubes so i asked to feel it, weighs about the same as my bmx frame. heat treated chromoly double butted frame tubes. my impact sockets are chromoly, sounds strong to me..

think she'd be strong enough for a motor. cant be worse then most of the oversized walmart frames i've got right? crank bearings in it are just wow, smooth, tight wow. needs a head tube bearing cup though

then for forks, i've got some rusty stiff mercali forks on there, but now i've got these

the xcm ones look nice and hefty and have a disk brake mount (i want disk brakes up front) but they weigh more than the frame, are a bit stiff and have liquid inside (probably intentional right). the manitou's are probably ok but they need the internals put back together and i dont know how and they dont have a disk brake mount. the white ones are about as good as my mercali's but they have a disk brake mount. no fancy adjustment though like the others.

one thing i dont have is a good suspension seat post, any suggestions for good ones? also is it ok to run a narrower 26" rim on the front? i have one with a disk brake compatible hub on it already so it would be great if i could use it as is.

and good speedometer suggestions would be cool.

 

[craig7]

so i've determined that my top speed is 47km/h. i dont get many people passing me on the street but i do get a few and i cant blame them. i also dont like running my engine so fast like i have to to keep up. but i guess a lot of people do it just fine. so a smaller rear sprocket would do the trick, a 30t would give me 10km/h per 1000rpm, so 70km/h top speed which is up there with my pocketbike, which is sketchy enough... but 50km/h at 5000 is cool. any places i could get something like that online?

i got myself a cheap mirror and a $26 Schwinn speedometer which is pretty nice, also got a useless kickstand. what do you guys use? if i could get this one angled right, i'm not sure how well it would handle the weight, but i've got tons of other bikes i could use it on.

then a better picture of the bike

so brakes are important, at least to me, on this particular bike..
i've heard people on here saying that disk brakes dont give much of an advantage in braking other than staying clean and dry (and easily replaceable braking surface) but i still think i'm going to go for a front disk brake but for the rear and the front for now i want something better than the thickest set of pads i pulled from the pile.
one brand i've been looking at is kool stop. seems like they've got a great selection of disk and rim brake pads with all kinds of different compounds. i figure since we're pushing the limits of what a bike was designed to do, i'm thinking i want the biggest and best pads i can get. really it's a matter of what compound do i get. i'm torn between the triple compound or they have a compound for electric bikes "designed for the added weight and speed of electric bikes".

i was looking at these or their v-brake v2 style. whatever i get i want ones that i can easily swap pads. i didn't know that existed till 2 days ago, and now i need them. still looking for cheap front disk setup but will get decent pads for the front as-is since it needs them.

and one final matter for this post. boost. gonna get a boost bottle, suggestions? i've heard they just really help the engine run nicer

 

[professor]

Couple of things come to mind.
Motoredbikes are not legal in Ont. as far as I remember reading here. Your trying to keep up with traffic is a bad idea. Not only is it dangerous because traffic tends to run you over- your presence in the traffic lane is like a red flag to the police.

Brakes- MINIMUM 2 V brakes.
Those calipers are bad news.
One day you will need to stop RIGHT NOW and you won't be able to.
They are OK for 6-10 mph bicycles but not for the speed you can go.

Finally- if you ride safe and your bike is quiet (in the bike lane/ side of the road) and look safe (helmet / glasses/ safety vest) you run less chances to be stopped.

 

[craig7]

nothing is legal in ontario. but i stay off main roads when i can and i've seen other motorized bikes around on very busy roads. i feel like i'd be more likely to get pulled over for being in the bike lane because it's a motorized vehicle (i keep off to the side but not too far, seriously, i barely have anyone behind me when i ride, and i keep it brief when i do). when i ride my mountain bike i'm pretty vulnerable to traffic and i could be killed in an instant, oh no. my bmx has no brakes at all and does 50km/h, what ever will i do. my other bikes have no reflectors, mirrors, safety things but with this one i'm going all out. i do ride safe though, i've got a motorcycle helmet and i plan on getting lights for the bike. as for legality, it's a lot better than a pocketbike , but i beat that ticket anyways. it's not very quiet being it's revving at 7k at 47km/h but i like to keep it around 40 when i can. i'd get a shift kit if they werent so expensive. i threw some better pads on for now and they're a lot better and adjusted right now, but brakes are something i wont cheap out on but i'm not paying $100+ for calipers either.