First Commute

[Mountainman]

Gotta fill the handlebars with something. Birdshot is the obvious answer, but around here I can only get it in bags weighing 25 Lbs and costing $50. What else would work? Sand? Foam?

Brake pads could use some help. They're old and hard and don't stop as well as I'd like.

-Mark

have seen mention here somewhere regarding
scooter type hand grips bought from scooter stores
when I see one -- stopping in to check the thick grips out
seems as if some thick soft grips -- would be nice

those brake pads -- don't want them old and hard
time to buy new -- with brakes the best quality we can find

ride that thing Mountainman

 

[ComfortableShoes]

I used a old mini bike twist grip on my friction drive. It hurt like heck. but I found the foam pad off one of my old weedwhackers and slipped that on over the twist grip. About 70% better in terms of feel. It really increases the diameter of the throttle. I get better grip than I did on the fancy silver aluminum and it cushions my grip quite a bit. I also picked up some cushioned mechanics gloves and those are very good too. The combination is very helpful.

 

[Tinker1980]

Commuting in BAD parts of town...

Since it has started to warm up here in Tulsa, I have started to ride my bike farther, and commute to work again. (Although I never did stop riding it just due to the cold, I notice the HT engines do quite well in 9ºf weather)

I have only one problem to face, however. Every large city has it's bad parts, where one should not be if he/she is not resident there, especially at night. In Tulsa, that would be parts north of Admiral drive and west of highway 75... which is right about where I have to ride Gizmo on the way to work. In the daylight, for the most part, it's safe. Crowded, lots of witnesses, and the problem children are in school. Every time something happens in North Tulsa, it's some high school kid doing it... so not much I worry about during the day. At night, however... it's a different story. The police won't go there. Mazzios, pizza hut and dominoes won't deliver there any time of day. UPS and FedEx take two to three people.

I have a choice. I can ride down the spacious shoulder of highway 75 and take an exit to a safer part of town, or I can dodge chuckholes, broken glass and wannabe gangsters at 3 am. After an incident last week, I have a loop I can hang my mag lite from on the handlebars... (Some teenagers learned early friday morning that big factory guy+maglite>2 punk kids and a knife. Especially when the big factory worker has been getting in fights about as long as they've been alive...)

I hate to give up my cheap way to work, but unless I'm willing to go down the shoulder on the highway, seems like I'm taking the truck to work. Do any of you have problems with problem parts of town?

-Mark

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

When I first started commuting to work, I had an electric hub, then single engine, then dual engines. I used the bikepath near where the homeless and chronics live under the road. We are courteous and considerate of each other, so no trouble there.

I still use the bikepath for my daily lunch-hour exercise ride and still no trouble.

HOWEVER, in your case it's MUCH more dangerous. If I were me, I'd add a more powerful engine(s) and ride the highway towards a safer part of town.

Having more powerful engine combinations offer more options as where to travel. By building a more powerful MB, I was able to find other commuter routes.

It may be more expensive but life is precious and should be safeguarded.

Make the sacrifice by quitting smoking/drinking/other stuff. Use that $$ to modify your bike and ride safely.

 

[RMWdave]

2 words, tire knocker.

 

[one percenter]

Newby to this

Hello members and guests; I bought a nice 2nd hand Sachs 301 on a mountain bike last week and I've commuted a couple of times to work now, and am loving it! The only thing holding me back is the ****ing rain; come on summer! It only takes 15 mins, with one easy hill. By car its about 6-8 mins, and no fun at all.
Not having riden a pushbike for many years, I'd forgotten just how stupid most cage drivers are. Yesterday one woman in a 4WD tried to force me into her driveway, 'cos I was in her way when she wanted to go there. I gave her a large serving of abuse, and felt better for having done so. The little motor hums nicely as it does its best to push my fat backside home, and I'm not bothering to re-register a large m/cycle I have, I will let the new owner bother with that, after I've sold it. I should have gotten one of these fun little commuters years ago, more power to them!

 

[RMWdave]

id like to see ya knock that wheel out of true lol
nice little setup you got there!