Sun EZ Sport CX (24 speed) w/RS 35cc

[bamabikeguy]

I picked up my first ever Bent last Friday, when Justin rang it up, bike/faring/accessories and sales tax, he said "one one, one two, one three", a really spooky number to write on a check. That's him, in pic#1.

The weather hasn't cooperated, I had the engine mounted on Saturday, but didn't get around to putting in the first tank of gas till late yesterday afternoon.

Everybody warned me that the balancing part would take a little getting used to, and the steering would feel different. But nobody told me that when peddling, it used a whole new set of muscles on the thighs.

On the first 10 miles, I positively never assisted the engine, was downshifting the gears to see how I could get some foot power into the equation, but never caught up with the Robin/Subaru. So, to compensate, I went on a different route coming back, with 3 pretty steep grades, downshifted, and pedaled like a crazy person.

It took the hills fine, and I was noticing that "different" feel in the pedaling.

Now its a few hours later, and I'm sure feeling I overdid it. Hopefully the weather will cooperate today and I can get 30-50 miles on the break-in, do some seat adjusting to make sure I'm doing it right.

I'm going to test mileage, using one of those 50 cc cattle hypodermics syringes, to get exact measurements, without, then with the wind faring.

Hope one of you math wizards will help me out with the math.

My J&B catalog said the Sun Sport came with 14 gauge spokes as standard equipment, but this one had 16's, so I'm running with another bikes rear wheel until I get mine replaced, after the Christmas rush. Justin got in the wrong item on a basket that fits on the back of the seat, so that's another add-on for the new year.

And I ordered the 105" throttle cable, maybe should have asked for the 92". Julia at GEBE sent me a replacement throttle clip with the invoice, thinking I might shorten it. But I have it running along the bottom, some more miles and getting one of those saddlebags somebody pointed to at Tractor Supply will delay that decision.

In picture #4, I used a wider piece of aluminum for the front strap, thinking ahead to the saddlebag placement.

Too early to give a verdict...but I do think a newbie should start with a regular bike, not begin the adventure on a bent until he or she gets all the other MBuilding experiences.

A bent tricycle might be a whole different matter, because the balance/steering issues would cancel each other out.

 

[bamabikeguy]

Lesson 1 on "faring" installation: When bothering to read instructions, go ahead a find your reading glasses.

Just got back from a 10 miler, but isn't the thing supposed to raise higher than chin level??

I thought maybe the two top brackets maybe are supposed to go up on the bar with the grips, but then when I eventually found the instructions, I've got them somewhat correct.

Bottom bar has to be reversed, where the rubber cap is UP instead of down....but I don't see how that is going to get the shield "eye level".

Anybody have a close up picture of the top of the windshield?

And if this is the case, chin level is the max, how do you light a smoke at 30 mph??

 

[srdavo]

good looking bike!!

But nobody told me that when peddling, it used a whole new set of muscles on the thighs.

haha...you're gonna end up with thighs like Suzanne Summers!!!

And if this is the case, chin level is the max, how do you light a smoke at 30 mph??

So 'chin level' doesn't channel the wind over your head?
did you try "slouching" while you lit your smoke? haha

seriously...as you get more comfortable on this bent..... you'll find a nice posture.
does your backrest adjust so you could lean back a little farther?

 

[Alaskavan]

I find that if I set my fairing above chin level, I'm always kind of stretching to look over it (straining to see the next obstacle on the road).

 

[bamabikeguy]

Lesson #2: if you're going to grab an old wheel, on a bike that's been sitting in the back of the shop since 2005, since before I started doing all that puncture proofing, check for dry rot.

First flat tire since June 2006 ! No tools, no cell phone, nobody at home. So I got a little walking in today...

But the flat was AFTER I filled up at the standard station, a little over 8 miles=.08 cents in $1.77 mid-grade...that's better than the .18 cents it used to cost when a gallon was bumping $4.

seriously...as you get more comfortable on this bent..... you'll find a nice posture.
does your backrest adjust so you could lean back a little farther?

I stopped at the hardware store too, get a few washers, 2 of them rubber, strengthen up the braces on the back.

I did figure out why they are efficient, that you push your back into the matter, kind of like those row boaters. If only I could get the odometer to work, I would be able to verify I was going pretty fast up the steepest grade around these parts. Piece of cake.

I find that if I set my fairing above chin level, I'm always kind of stretching to look over it (straining to see the next obstacle on the road).

I can't wait till summer, when June bugs start bouncing off like ping pong balls. When one of those flying beetles smacks you in the noggin, that has always been my "wake up" moment.

Well, back to the shop, butcher another bike looking for a puncture-proof tube....

 

[srdavo]

Lesson #2: if you're going to grab an old wheel, on a bike that's been sitting in the back of the shop since 2005, since before I started doing all that puncture proofing, check for dry rot.

bummer

I did figure out why they are efficient, that you push your back into the matter, kind of like those row boaters.

yeah...w/o that backrest, you'd have nothing!!

I can't wait till summer, when June bugs start bouncing off like ping pong balls. When one of those flying beetles smacks you in the noggin, that has always been my "wake up" moment.

heh...swallowed a june bug once, while riding my motorcycle...had to, it was either swallow it or
& I don't know how well that would have worked out for me at 70 mph!!
I did learn to keep my mouth shut after that...haha

 

[vegaspaddy]

welcome to the world of bents bama your rear posture and back are going to love you forever

NEED I SAY MORE !!!!!!!

The more the merrier

 

[bamabikeguy]

Here's "Rucio", (Sancho Panza's donkey, stablemate to Rocinante), and I figured out the windshield puzzles...with a bit of Allen's wrench fooling around I have it about as far up as possible.

I have a whole new sequence nowadays, step by step, on the frame mounting, new jigs for the spoke ring mounting, a few new tips/tricks, and when I get caught up on a long list of post-holiday chores, I'll get them on this thread.

But now its "to the fences", my neighbor called about having 100 goats in his yard, the rains have washed out my "creek blocking-fence", have to get the wading boots out and see if I can recover about 50 feet of heavy logging chain, and start back from scratch.

I got the goats back, but my llama was missing for 3 days, didn't know HOW I was going to get him back, but he wandered up in my yard yesterday afternoon, piece of cake.

 

[bamabikeguy]

The guy in pic 1 is Jack, with the stretch cruiser that hit 52 mph. It's equipped with a GEBE setup and a 40cc pocket rocket engine.

Pic 2 is his garage, packed full of bikes, including the first one which I sold him in 2005. Once he caught the MB.bug, folks in his area started bringing bikes and bike carcasses to his house to tinker with, so there are probably 8 projects going on at any one time. He came by this week to measure the recumbent, he's planning on welding up a modified version of it, with more of a step-thru framing between the seat and handlebars.

It has been very beneficial to have customers like Jack catch the bug, he's a retired plant engineer who can visualize then build just about anything. When either of us discover a trick, tip or a new jig, we share it.

I'm going to gather all those jigs and small tools, take pictures, and share them in this thread, even though the bike is a bent, they could be applied to any frame-mounted build.

Jack and I buy enough 1 1/2" wide steel to cut and pre-drill, with a 5/16" hole, 20 "blanks". (fyi, the steel and aluminum is available at Tractor Supply Co. and Lowes.) 5/16" carriage bolts are what I use, attaching the engine mount to the blank.


Then, because the (2) 5mm holes, to mount the blank on each model seem to differ, I keep a sample to use the next time I come across that model. He does that also, between us we have 10 of these drilling jigs.

Here's the problem when a new model shows up, and the solution.

On the recumbent....NONE of the jigs fit those two 5mm holes. (pic 3)

There are more scientific ways to do it, but for folks just wanting to build ONE frame mount, here is a quick/flawless tip.

Cut a piece of cardboard the size of the blank. We cut our blanks 2 3/8" long. Then clamp it in position, careful to be above the marks where the axle nuts will tighten.

A 20-penny nail fits pretty good into a 5mm hole (mine has 2 layers of electric tape for a perfect fit), which I use to punch the guide marks, then I drill the pilot holes.

Once the pilot holes are drilled through the nail marks, a 13/64" bit bores the best size to fit the (2) 5mm bolts. (pic 4 & 5)

So, to recap, 2 drill bits (5/16" and 13/64"), a 20 penny nail, and a cardboard jig are an easy way to get the three holes, 2 at the bottom, 1 in the top, into that blank.

 

[bamabikeguy]

Frame mounting continued....

Once I've dry fitted the 2 blanks, I paint them, (I try never to mix up right and left, but they are near identical).

Time to cut the ends off the axle mount, I cut off 2 1/4". (pic 1)

To insure that I never get it out of alignment once the 2 holes are drilled for the carriage bolts, I draw a directional arrow. (pic 2). Right after I mark it, I loop the belt over the mount, and tape it, clamp it or zip tie it to the top of the mount, so I never forget that step.

On to measuring/drilling the hole for the 2 carriage bolts. I have a 3/8" threaded rod ($2 at Tractor Supply) and 4 wing nuts to serve as my axle substitute. I tighten it in the slots, with a very small gap at the top of the slot if I have to do a minor "up adjustment" on my belt tension. That gap is "just a sliver", it doesn't take much to get belt tension correct.

357 mm, the distance between the axle and the bottom of the mount, has proven to work, and cutting a piece of wood exactly 357mm, then using 2 C-clamps to hold the mount/blank together for drilling, is the easiest way I've found to do it.

So, now the painted blanks are on the frame, notice I have some masking tape at the bottom of the mount to reduce scratching, and once they are clamped, I can bore out the 5/16" hole.

Pic 5, belt looped over it, I bolt the mount to the blank. Everything checks out? I put fingernail polish on all the threads. Fingernail polish and nylock nuts have never let me down.