<<< 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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[give me vtec]

Ok, excuse me. It did look like a classic bike, but I wondered, since GT and others have now offered WM models, often with 7speed stuff or 1" threaded headsets.

I like the Trek 820 steel bikes. I have had a couple and they seemed really stable when climbing, and good on pavement with slicks. Should make a fine Mb.

sorry, didnt mean to be abrasive.

I just dont recommend wal-mart bikes for mb's and didn't want somebody to see this thread and think I did. Honestly between craigslist and ebay, I don't know why somebody would... I found this bike for less than a new wal-mart bike and its far superior. All it takes is a little patience and persistence.

I apologize for any confusion.

 

[Turtle Tedd]

Yes Wall Mart bikes are ok I guess for peddling . The del mar that I bought new , even though it had a steel frame with good welds, had bad tires.and paper thin ,bad aluminum alloy rims , cheep bearings. Even though speeds were 20 or so mph it basically self destructed after 450 miles..Best not to mount a motor on these I think. I do not have experiance with other Wall Mart bikes. Schwinn used to be one of the best ,strongest bikes made, now coming out of mainland China -the are not..in Tiwan factories quality control is much better

 

[donutguy]

I am totally digging it your ride.

I have a Staton FD Mitshubisji TLE 43 on a newer Specialized 29'er mountain bike with the 1.5 roller and it flies....I get over 35 mph on flat ground.

One thing you can try is when your tires wear out...look into Shwalbe Big Apple tires.

http://www.amazon.com/Schwalbe-Bicy...e=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1277948107&sr=8-2

I run them on my ride....I have over 500 miles on the rear tire with hardly any wear whatsoever....I go with about 45 pounds of air- I get a great ride and I set the roller into the tire so it deflects about 1/4 of an inch. They aren't cheap tires by any stretch of the imagination, but I think they are worth the money...great traction, great looks and they have a reflective sidewall.

I have one question....how do you have your aux fuel tank plumbed into your system? ....I have my ride torn apart right at the moment and I am installing one of those under the top tube long rectangular fuel tanks for additional range. I am installing this tank above on a luggage rack on the rear, so it will be higher then the engine.

If it's not too much trouble, could you post up some close up pics of your engine/fuel tank area? I want to somehow plumb the extra tank into the lower tank, but I'm not sure how to do it so it looks sanitary.

Much thanks!

George

 

[Turtle Tedd]

donutguy...yea those Schwalbe tires are one of the best and well worth the money...

 

[Irish John]

A very nice & practical build Vtec. I wonder if smoother tyres might help for comfort & grip.

 

[Whizzerd]

Hi VTec, enjoyed your vacation pics. I'd read where you had setup an F/D for your nephews but just found this thread. While I still love your RB and my 1903, my last two builds are BMP, my daughter's w/ one of Silvaire's R/S EHO 35's and the other w/ a Titan 50. I'm sold on these F/D's. It's where people should start in motorbiking IMO. And maybe even stay! Great to be using quality powersystems isn't it?

 

[give me vtec]

Hi VTec, enjoyed your vacation pics. I'd read where you had setup an F/D for your nephews but just found this thread. While I still love your RB and my 1903, my last two builds are BMP, my daughter's w/ one of Silvaire's R/S EHO 35's and the other w/ a Titan 50. I'm sold on these F/D's. It's where people should start in motorbiking IMO. And maybe even stay! Great to be using quality powersystems isn't it?

you said it brother... simple is always better, and this is the proof.

 

[TREEWK]

Hi All

My First Build Is A Diy Friction Drive. I Used The Little Clutch Bell-housing. Switched The Bearing For One`s With 1/2" Id And Used 1/2" X 6" Shoulder Bolts For $5. Ea For The Roller Axle. Cut The Allen Heads Off With Chop Saw.

Bought 10 Of The 1 1/4" Od X 3" Long Drive Roller`s With The 1/2" 1 Way Bearings. "industrial Supply.com". 10 Roller`s For $65.

Had Sheet Metal Shop Bend My Channel Mounts Out Of 1/4" Thick X 12" X 12" Aluminum Scrap`s, 4 Mounts $48. When He Bends Them The Side`s Are Not Perfectly Square/ 90 Degree.

I Bought Quailty 1 3/8" Hole Saw`s But They Would Not Cut A Perfect Hole For The Bearing Used In Bmp Fd Kits. So I Use A Self Aligning 2 Bolt Mount Bearing On The Right Side. BOUGHT THE SLOTTED SUPPORTS AND U BRACKETS FROM BMP. WITH HIS LOWER PRICE NOW = DIY??

So Then I Came Up With The Idea To Use The Clutch Cover Bell And Bought A 3 1/2" Hole Saw. The Inside Of Motor Channel Has To Be 4 1/2" Because The Motor Fits Against The Channel With Out Sticking Out = Gooder!! Lol And The Bell Sticks Inside, Actually A Much Stronger Set Up - Imo Of Course.

I Like Fd, Have Several, Some Not Diy. We Clocked This One At 35 + Mph, 49cc Pocket Motor & 180 Lb Rider. At 35 I Could See He Was Nervous, Had A Bit Of A Speed Wooobbble From Holding The Bars Too Tight!! Lo

The frame mount is a zipcycle.com. It has a 25cc John Deere weed wacker motor with a jack shaft roller on the seat tube. the whole assembly pivots off the tire with a brake lever. a nice bike.

Ron

 

[happycheapskate]

No problems. Since you cannot hear my voice (cheery) then it may be hard to know when I'm not being sarcastic.
Sorry, "excuse me" is sometimes rhetorical words on the internet.
I agree with your assessment, but for people that don't have patience and persistence, thank heaven that Kent is making better bikes than Huffy 20 years ago. Cheers!

re: Trek 850 from last page. Yeah! Thats one like I had. I liked it a lot. I sold it to a family member for $50 and I bet its still going strong.

I bought one of the "Snap On Tools" promotional trek rigid bikes off Craigslist for $100, and loved it! It had good wheels, quick releases, gripshift, new tires, and a decent seatpost. I didn't want to give it up but I sold it to a friend to get him into biking again. He's still using it every week.

sorry, didnt mean to be abrasive.

I just dont recommend wal-mart bikes for mb's and didn't want somebody to see this thread and think I did. Honestly between craigslist and ebay, I don't know why somebody would... I found this bike for less than a new wal-mart bike and its far superior. All it takes is a little patience and persistence.

I apologize for any confusion.

 

[happycheapskate]

TreeWK. How does that trike handle at 30mph? Is it scary? Does it have a live-axle?