Prepping a bicycle before installing an engine.

[Yeshua]

I'd say leave unless you have no hills anywhere near where you'll be going/could break down, you can loosen the thumb shifter and move it over or turn it upside down?

It's all flat around here. So I should still be able to pedle start the engine tho?

 

[zippinaround]

Once you can pedal it yeah it will start to

 

[JunkyardDog]

If you intend to ride it only as a motorized bike like I do, you only need one gear. But it needs to be as low as possible, to assist in taking off from a stop. Most single speed bikes are geared way too high. You can remove the shifter cable without actually removing the shifter. Put the chain on the smallest front sprocket and largest rear sprocket, toss the front derailleur and lock the rear one in place with the adjustment screws. Much less to go wrong. If you plan on actually pedaling it more than what is required to get it moving, I'd use a friction drive setup. With an in frame motor, you are turning the motor chain, tensioner, and part of the clutch while pedaling. With friction drive you just lift the motor and drive unit off the rear wheel, and eliminate all drag.

 

[skyash]

I don't think it a good idea to take gears off if you got them I would not want to pedal without them sometimes you are happy with the gear it's in till you try another one then you stick with it for a while or go back at least it's just a turn on the changer not getting off and playing with the derailer .if there's not much room on the handlebars get some straight ones ?

 

[Oliver]

My advice for prepping the bike ,
1) remove wheels open up the bearings pump full of grease , or install a grease nipple on the axel if possible then put back on.
2) check the bottom bracket bearing same procedure.
3)if a cheap bike replace the brake pads at very least , else fit a disc brake one from minimoto/pocketbike will do.
4) make sure every nut and bolt is tight/secure.
Done just 4 steps , removing the derailed will make no weight difference gain nothing and lose all your gears why?

Weight is not an issue and why do you need to change gears?? You will still have one gear to use if say you run out of petrol.. that gear is one that you set the derailleur to whichever you choose. Removing shifters and cables neatens up the bike which equals less hassle and less clutter and lower maintenance.

 

[oliverw123]

It is not a problem to leave the gears as they are. The area I ride in tend to be flattish therefore I just set my rear derailleur so that I have a balance between starting off and pedalling speed. I just like to simplify things and my suggestions are only that, suggestions.

 

[zippinaround]

Sure if you live in a flat area it's fine I've only ever lived in extremely hilly areas so removing the gears seems like madness , many times I have had to cycle back home after something went wrong so no gears is a no go for me .

 

[oliverw123]

Sure if you live in a flat area it's fine I've only ever lived in extremely hilly areas so removing the gears seems like madness , many times I have had to cycle back home after something went wrong so no gears is a no go for me .

I never mentioned having no gears at all. If you read and understand my initial post then you'll get what I'm on about.

 

[zippinaround]

Sure you did you said remove derailers and gear cabling which = no gears . Your left with a fixed gear unless you adjust the arm to a different screw which you can't do while moving,

 

[FurryOnTheInside]

I'm with zippinaround. I see no advantage in removing the (working) gear system that can get you home if you have engine trouble. Single speed can be pretty annoying on flat ground too, due to the wind.
Plus if you can't maintain a geared bicycle how do you expect to maintain a motorised bicycle.
You can always remove the gears later on or limit the derailleur to one sprocket IF you have any problems later. Or just maintain your bike's gears.