21cc Echo FD

[Cannonball3]

This is an old build and in a sense its new. I built it several years ago, then robbed it of the aluminum frame bike it was on For my YD build. Made a really light weight bike to carry to the beach on a rack. Bought an old Pacific Schwinn bike to use fo my Minarelli build, but didnt
like the frame. So dug the Echo and its mounts out and put it on the Schwinn. I had forgotten how well this thing works. It has a clutch, so it can be cranked and will idle while parked. Its super quiet and smooth. I used the bearing housing from the weedeater which has a high speed bearing instead of a bushing. Its driven by a section of 7mm key. Its driving a section of 1.25” bmx peg.
Tops out around 22. I can get away with such a small engine as I live in totally flat coastal Ga. This is one of the Japanese Echos which
were very high quality, should run practically forever. Its not as ungainly as it looks as the engine is only a few pounds, dont really notice
its there. Uses a CG clutch handle to lift and lock the engine off the tire for dragless pedaling. The whole bike is light and fun. Carry fuel in the stainless bottle.

 

[2speedboi]

How's the off set weight?

 

[Cannonball3]

The power head is so light its not an issue. I have spent a good bit of time on trails where gas engines are not allowed
under pedal power, and you really dont notice it. Stationary is another matter. I have a thumb screw in the steering head that locks the fork in a position for stable parking. Other than that its pretty much like a normal bike. I can also remove the entire system in under 5min, leaving only the clutch handle in place, due to the hard to remove hand grip.
Its a simple system that works surprisingly well for what it is, if looks dont factor in.

I stand corrected, I believe this Echo was produced in Illinois.

 

[2speedboi]

That roller looks nice too

 

[Cannonball3]

Thanks for your interest!
The roller was easy to make. I cut off the part of the bmx peg not needed. It then threaded on to the trimmers
threaded shaft for the string head. I dont remember if I rethreaded the peg, but am thinking since this was a curved
shaft trimmer with threads in the normal direction it threaded right on as the pegs axle thread was the same as the trimmers. The peg beds nicely into the tire at 30psi, and the little engine doesnt have excessive power to spin it
out like bigger engines. Works well. This is probably the minimum practical transportation. Im really amazed the little
Echo performs as well as it does.

 

[2speedboi]

I love, and not in bad taste. The goofy contraptions that people can come up with.

Award for the cleanest and most weed whipper looking Friction drive goes to...

I have looked into echo engines as well and they do seem very impressive!

 

[Cannonball3]

Always wanted to try a Stihl 4mix. Never found a good deal on one. For sure Zenoahs rule on power and
top end. The Echo was left by my dear departed dad, so figured I do something of an MB nature with it.
He would have liked it.
With all the cheapy (or at least they were) box store trimmers out there folks could build bottom end FDs pretty cheap.
A yard sale bike and trimmer, some tools, time, and a few materials and you have a ride.
Really like your units! Very well thought out and fabricated. Smart basing them around the engines you use.

 

[Cannonball3]

The more I ride this thing the more I like it and the other stuff sits in the garage. Im amazed that 21ccs are able to power a bike as well as it does. Had a still air day Wed. And got nearly 24. Not impressive to most, but I like it.

I bought another ball bearing Echo curved shaft head to have as a spare, or maybe use a 26cc Ryobi thats hung
in the garage too long. It a pretty good ripper. What I dont like is it has a fairly high clutch engagement speed. It may make 25+ but its more hyper than the easy going torquey(relatively speaking) Echo. May dust off the 2.5hp Lifan for
a long cruise. Really great having NO chains, sprockets, idlers, etc every once and a while.

 

[2speedboi]

I think for the sake of riding, mostly pedal free, with good fuel economy, and simple mechanical nature, friction drive comes out on top.

I've made troy bilt units that are mounted on plywood frames and look like a mad max contraption and at the least, rideable.

It would be cool to revive a plans/ kit DIY style where you can just buy the parts and pieces yourself and with minimal effort make a ride using a commonly available weed whipper.

My biggest thing is having a 3rd bearing support


I envision a large get together of Friction drive entrepreneurs, where ideas are shown off, slick rides are rode, and maybe a couple fun race circuits.

We just need a couple hundred more people to get in on this, of course motorized bicycle laws can be a headache... dreaming

 

[Cannonball3]

Yeah FDs are not for everyone, there is the wet weather thing though thats is able to be overcome as you know.
I would like you see more interest in them. Well done they are pretty bullet proof operationally.
You have made a very nice unit, that I hope generates some sales. The Echo build was a exercise to get a bike motorized with the minimum. The trimmers bearing head becomes the third bearing. I havent pulled one down
yet but there may be two bearing in there. The radial load is on the head not the engines bearings. The drive shaft
is solid steel. Not much to fail. I believe the bike would give issues before the FD.
I think you have a good idea about plans and or parts for off the shelf trimmers. I have recently kicked around a design
to mount a trimmer vertically over the front wheel and drive the side wall. Would keep the weight/foot print central to the bike. You have to have an idler roller opposite the engine but that's a simple loop that would bolt to the fork.

Feel free to pm me if you want to kick around Ideas. I have built many FDs, I like em!