Anyone Motorize a 29'er ?

I have built a few. My latest is an aluminum 700c hybrid with a 7 speed shifter kit.

I have also built bikes on the 27" road bike frames. they are both faster than 26" bikes.
 

Attachments

  • D3.JPG
    D3.JPG
    130.5 KB · Views: 211
  • black.JPG
    black.JPG
    161.2 KB · Views: 204
I had a 49cc thescooterguy brand 29er.

it was FAST. Easily took me to 40mph but it had english racer tires on it. I had no grip in any condition except hot and dry.

29ers are fast, but it will take awhile to get there and with a smaller engine, you will NEVER hit your top speed unless going downhill. Also, a lot of torque is lost unless you change your gear ratios

btw, just noticed this is a 2008 topic :D
 
I love the idea of an electric bike with a larger wheel in the front & a 20" wheel in the back. A 29" in the front could be even better?? Create more momentum possibly?

Then of course the bike would look like this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Ordinary_bicycle01.jpg

And everything ocscully said... hard to find tires, and most everybody here's cheap.




lol looks like the mod i made for one of my unicycles thats right folks im a 1 wheeled traitor a 2 wheeled traitor and a motored traitor
 

Attachments

  • 04-05-09_1553.jpg
    04-05-09_1553.jpg
    132.5 KB · Views: 194
Check out Specilized bike company tire line... they got ya covered.

my wife really hates my bike
 
I'm just looking for a regular push bike for right now to get in shape, but motorizing it will always be an option in the back of my mind for EVERY bike...

Anyway, here's what I want:
- *NO* suspension
- 29" or 700c wheels
- single-speed w/ flip-flop hub for "fixie fun" & perhaps motor sprocket
- less than $400

And here's what I'm looking at right now:

- http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/outcast29_08.htm
- http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/uno.htm

Questions:

- Why does the road bike have a thicker chain than the MTB 29er? Doesn't make sense to me... but Sheldon Brown actually said that he prefers the thinner chain on a fixie. :-?
- Obviously tire choices have been much better for the road bike, but are they that much better now? I like that the road bike can fit tires up to 1.7" wide (impressive!).
- Does anybody actually like pedaling a road bike? Because I sure don't remember them being comfortable.
- I guess the point is that with the MTB 29er, I'll be able to go just as fast as the road bike... but the wheels will absorb more of the impact, and I won't be hunched over, right?
- Any other places to buy 29ers with 2+" tires?
- Anybody had any real experience with Bikes Direct??
- Should I just say to heck with the "29er Revolution" and jump straight into the "69er Revolution" (adding 29" wheel & fork to a 26" frame & rear wheel)??
 
I've motorised the Giant Elwood which has 700C wheels. Using the 66cc HT that is. It goes much better than a 26" wheel on a 44T sprocket. The advantage is you can cruise at your normal speed using less revs which is important on a short-lived HT. The slightly larger wheels make for a much more comfortable ride - that is the most noticeable thing about the 700C wheel.
 

Attachments

  • FG2 Chincogan Climber.jpg
    FG2 Chincogan Climber.jpg
    196.1 KB · Views: 184
Sparky, I would say go for it. The outcast has all the features you are looking for at the right price also. I have gotten several bikes from Bikes Direct and they are the real deal.

However with the fatter tires and upright positioning the bike won't be quite as fast as a road bike one but fast enough and as you say, much more comfortable.
 
Yea, I think I'm gonna pull the trigger this afternoon...

The main reason I was asking for the comparison is because the road bike seems to have more durable specs

MTB --------------------------------- Road
3/36" chain------------------------- 1/8" chain
reg. aluminum w/ presta valve---double-walled aluminum w/ presta

Just seems like those specs should be the other way around and are the only things throwing me for a loop.

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

... that and the road bike has more slick tire options, which is what I need.

 
Last edited:
Sparky, I would say go for it. The outcast has all the features you are looking for at the right price also. I have gotten several bikes from Bikes Direct and they are the real deal.

However with the fatter tires and upright positioning the bike won't be quite as fast as a road bike one but fast enough and as you say, much more comfortable.

I've also had a good experience with Bikesdirect, they ship right out and the bikes are good quality for the money, You won't be dissappointed. BTW, these 29'ers really do eat potholes for breakfast. I put a Big Apple on the rear, It rides like a full suspension bike.
 
Back
Top