<<< friction drive 92' specialized hardrock... my favorite so far >>>

Here is my latest build. I have had it a little over a month and only one word really describes it... perfect.

It really has the best combination of qualities for a true hard core commuter bike. Its old school cro-molly frame is super lightweight and strong. It has quality shimano drive train and brake components. It has adequate storage for the minimals on board (water, spare tube, air pump, wallet, keys, xtra gas).... most anything else can be carried in a back pack. The friction drive is simple but VERY effective, Its my opinion to say the engine/roller drive essentially boils down to a perfect blend of pedal power and motor assistance. I can use it in combination with my derailleur and pedals to get massive acceleration, or torque, depending on the situation and terrain. Disengage it via the quick connect release mechanism, and the bike behaves just like a normal bike... no chains or belts connected. The friction drive is super durable and when combined with the r/s eho35 should give me years of 1st pull/reliable operation. The 1.5 inch roller cruises very nicely at about 25 mph with little throttle... (due to the larger diameter roller a little pedaling is required to get to speed). If you notice, the headlights are offset slightly so that one points directly in front of me and the other points out ahead... that way I can see the whole road at night.

The bike is 18 years old so I picked it up for $80 on craigslist (special thanks to "noel the bike guy" for a good deal on a great bike). The kit cost a little over $400 and I have about $100 worth of accessories and new tires/tubes. So all-in-all I am out about $580 for a super durable, very roadworthy bike.

I thought about sanding it down and painting it flat black with an od green American flag... but the retro 90's graphics started to grow on me and now I like them (they remind me of the jet skis I used to ride as a kid). The guys at my local bike shop got a kick out of it.

http://i652.photobucket.com/albums/uu246/give_me_vtec/IMG_3720.jpg

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Nice ! Those motors will run on homemade ethanol too.

I know a fellow that makes his own fuel from waste pizza dough from the pizza factory.

It's legal and but he had to get a permit. :cool:
 
Hi Vtec

NICE NEAT CLEAN BUILD.

Do You Think A Street Tire Would Make It Even Better? I Like My Fd`s Also. Why Is Your Post Bigger Than My Screen? At 75% The Print Is Very Small. Ron
 
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Hi Vtec

Do You Think A Street Tire Would Make It Even Better? I Like My Fd`s Also. Why Is Your Post Bigger Than My Screen? At 75% The Print Is Very Small. Ron

I thought about street tires. I might try them when these wear out, but to tell you the truth... the ones on it right now are kevlar and they run very nice. Very little tire wear/noise so far, and they work well in the river floodplain or at construction sites when im scrappin' for raw materials.

Dont know why my thread shows up so large on your screen. Could be the resolution setting???? I resized them to 33% just like all my pictures.
 
Hey Vtec,
Another great build! You have a great eye for aesthetics. I truly enjoy seeing your completed projects. Is this the Staton friction? And out of all your builds, you like this one the most?
 
Hey Vtec,
Another great build! You have a great eye for aesthetics. I truly enjoy seeing your completed projects. Is this the Staton friction? And out of all your builds, you like this one the most?

thanks for the compliments guys... much appreciated.


to answer your questions... it is a staton friction drive, and I do like this one the best.... its the simplest but still the most functional/utilitarian.
 
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Nice ! Those motors will run on homemade ethanol too.

I know a fellow that makes his own fuel from waste pizza dough from the pizza factory.

It's legal and but he had to get a permit. :cool:

thats sick... can you tell me more???
 
Is it true that its hard to get the bearings out of the Staton, to change the roller or bearings? I've heard that it requires a machine press.
 
What tires are those? They look to have center treads that all connect around the tire. That should be nice, to have a MTB tire that also runs with the roller drive.
 
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