GT5A / Skyhawk Clone build - slowest build in recorded history.

Preamble to this - I have had a basic straight kit-build in the past decade, and an aborted build that was much higher grade, that had i lost interest in/evolved into the build being documented right now.. over a 5 year time-span.

I had stopped 'building' .. but i didn't stop monitoring/buying up parts to progress on another possible build. As such, in putting it all together when the project came back on the bench, i had minimum needed to buy, more a matter of pick and choose. In my frustration over my aborted build, i had built a higher-end eMTB - and some components of that, have also being able to filter down to this project. I have, in all truthfulness, already found my 'regular' ride in the Downhill eMTB. I am doing this project, for an occasional use neighborhood pavement-plonker.

In the meanwhile, the project had idled, as other projects jumped the project queue.. i did get a work bench into the garage, and organized parts so that i could find them, whatever project it might be awaiting... until several months ago being newly inspired, it hopped onto the workbench in this state... a collection of parts flying together in loose formation.

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In addition to the Belt Drive pulley option - one of the last things i had picked up, was 3 or 4 different variations of the 36 tooth sprocket/rotor adapter combo, but for the life of me i couldn't make it work.. I'm going to call that, my own cognitive issue. When i got it on the bench, i was looking at my drive-train options again, i laid them out.. and got a bit of a brainwave on the Belt Drive Pulley. See, i was never really happy with it, in Theory.. it's got no shouldering for belt retention. If alignment or tension is off, you aren't going to have belt retention! I just so happened to have a few 203mm rotors sitting on the bench at the same time, and my mind's eye made a visual connection.

Let us start putting a couple of these things together..

Now, along with a 255mm rotor that i had from Bicycledesigners.com...

This is the renewed Impetus for my Project. I couldn't make it work with 203mm/36 tooth combo, but i'm making the principle work in a way i haven't seen elsewhere... This is all a creative experiment, at this point, using what i have accumulated, minimum additional to purchase. I've already done several donations to Bike Cooperatives, in cleaning the garage of spare parts.. .

 

[HackD]

Day 1 of Battery tray fabrication. Everything is out of the scrap bucket. ABS sheet plastic, with 1/4" pre-bent brackets, cut down to size, drilled, and pop-riveted in.

This will be attached to a vertical master mounting bracket (to be fabricated) to join up with at least two mounting points. The loose spare brackets will be joined to that, and the tray itself will be suspended at 4 points from the master mounting bracket. Only the side suspension brackets will be visible on exterior of the bag, when completed. The bag itself will be secured to the bicycle via a hidden buckle sewn onto backside of bag, with it's mate attached to the master mounting bracket, to prevent any unforeseen bailing out of the battery, or quick snatch and grab by a thief.

It doesn't look like i can mount it immediately behind the saddle, unless i switch out the post to a rigid post. I ain't doing that. I've got enough room on the side of the bike, immediately above the belt tensioner assembly, so it will be going there.

Or alternatively... I've got 1/2" clamps coming in to work with the bike tubing, to go from there.. whichever side is better.

Edit: Hard-shell battery support complete. Bag will literally 'lock in place', with a battery inside.

This is the beginnings of a shaped frame insert for the battery sub-assembly, to be secured in at least two points, with aluminum reinforced mount points. Getting Fancy here. Battery Bag tray Support will be mounted upon this, allowing it to be pretty much flush to the frame. Doesn't look like much, but it'll look much better, done.

Edit: 24 hours later, the base plate has a .040 aluminum backing pop-riveted to it, and it's final-shaped down to the mounting bracket for the belt tensioner.

I would like to get this secured to three mount points for maximal strength. I've got two solid mounts that will work right now. The second mount being a .75" Lightbar mount (again!) modified to fit the base mount plate in a recessed position. Another 1.25" lightbar mount is on order, from Amazon to complete.. so yeah, i lied.. no longer a scrap-bucket build on this sub-assembly - i've now got $40.00 worth of mounts invested into it.

Definitely an evolving design as I go along. Can you tell that I liked Meccano as a kid? How did i end up being in Social Services as a Career?

 

[HackD]

Battery Bag mod, minus paint, done.

 

[HackD]

I am coming down to the final details of the project - the Minutia, if you will. I am awaiting another Tektro brake bracket adapter with fingers crossed, to put the front brake back together. This is what happens with mix and match components, and non industry standard component specs used on this specific Tektro brake caliper. Also, in order to put the clutch assembly into play, i am awaiting delivery of an alternative locking clutch lever that i noted is on the market, that isn't of the button type.

In the interim, i've been dealing with some of the Minutia remaining. I wanted a rear fender on this in some form - i hate the brown skunk look when you hit a puddle. I took a bog standard/wobbly Velo Mountain 65 rear fender with it's thick gauge wire 'fender stays', and reworked/reinforced the mounting setup to be resistant to vibration stress, utilizing an aftermarket set of rack mount brackets. This is mounted at 4 points - i front, 1 middle, 2 rear fender stay brackets. Should be good enough, and is plenty rigid now with adequate mountings resistant to vibration.

I also received a replacement intake manifold to correct the carburetor angle - much better. Petcock, also properly installed with pipe tape. No fuel in the gas tank yet.. i ain't quite that silly enough to do that in the living room..

Next job is to determine location of total-loss 8.4v battery packs for the lighting. I am leaning towards the void created between the frame tubes, created by the side cover on the left hand side.

Edit: January 26th, 2021.

My alternate Clutch lever assembly came in - and it's the perfect fit. Works far better than the plunger detent style of locking clutch lever - this one works by a bracket that holds the lever open.

The handlebar stack is now complete. Now on to wiring everything together.

I am currently Transitioning from this project, over to my developing Recumbent Trike ebike project, so progress may slow a bit on this one, while awaiting parts/inspiration for last remaining things to be done.

 

[HackD]

Last (hopefully) part came in, after a significant delay.. the 203mm Tektro D-6 Specific brake bracket spacer, combined with a 203mm Shimano mount, for the Front 255mm disk.

The 8.4v battery pack found a home, where i expected to put it - fits fine and zip-tied through on the fender. It can be charged in situ/connected from the rear of the frame.. I might change this out for a down-voltage Buck, to run off the 48v battery pack, direct. I'm looking into that also, for my new Tadpole Trike Project. All wiring connections at the rear of the bike, will also find a home, here.

It appears that i am down to wiring for both Gas and E-Bike sides of the electrical system, connection of cabling, installation of drive-chain, final adjustments, fuel .. and Spring weather.

 

[HackD]

This project was put on Temporary Hold at 99% completion, shortly after the above post was made. I got distracted/occupied by another project that grabbed 100% of my attention.

I'll finish it off at a later date, which consists of finalizing wiring, fine tuning the belt-drive setup, and installing the chain. It's summertime weather now, and with that other project now completed, i've been busy riding

 

[Cisco]

Looks nice. You put a lot of time into this build, and you're so close to finishing it. Don't quit now. What is this new project that has caught your attention?

 

[HackD]

Looks nice. You put a lot of time into this build, and you're so close to finishing it. Don't quit now. What is this new project that has caught your attention?

You could say i went OCD on this one, also. 1000w hub drive, custom dual battery / seat setup..

Haven't given up.. just on temporary back-burner in terms of priorities for the summer. .

 

[Cisco]

This looks amazing. Could you show us some pics of the controls and other details? Thanks, ;-)

 

[HackD]

This looks amazing. Could you show us some pics of the controls and other details? Thanks, ;-)

I've got a walk-around video up here.



A build thread on it, exists here.. although shorter, it meanders through the build process for doing what i did, much like i did with this gas bike/hybrid build.

Ruh Roh.. Electric Tadpole?

I should be properly firewalled away from Kijiji, Fleabay, OMGmazon, etc.. This happened to catch my eye in the past 48 hours. Initially, i thought it was the Terratrike Path - in further research, it's a Terratrike Tour 2. Color is the same, but this one has better components on it, as well...

motoredbikes.com

 

[Lugnut]

Preamble to this - I have had a basic straight kit-build in the past decade, and an aborted build that was much higher grade, that had i lost interest in/evolved into the build being documented right now.. over a 5 year time-span.

I had stopped 'building' .. but i didn't stop monitoring/buying up parts to progress on another possible build. As such, in putting it all together when the project came back on the bench, i had minimum needed to buy, more a matter of pick and choose. In my frustration over my aborted build, i had built a higher-end eMTB - and some components of that, have also being able to filter down to this project. I have, in all truthfulness, already found my 'regular' ride in the Downhill eMTB. I am doing this project, for an occasional use neighborhood pavement-plonker.

In the meanwhile, the project had idled, as other projects jumped the project queue.. i did get a work bench into the garage, and organized parts so that i could find them, whatever project it might be awaiting... until several months ago being newly inspired, it hopped onto the workbench in this state... a collection of parts flying together in loose formation.View attachment 100507.

In addition to the Belt Drive pulley option - one of the last things i had picked up, was 3 or 4 different variations of the 36 tooth sprocket/rotor adapter combo, but for the life of me i couldn't make it work.. I'm going to call that, my own cognitive issue. When i got it on the bench, i was looking at my drive-train options again, i laid them out.. and got a bit of a brainwave on the Belt Drive Pulley. See, i was never really happy with it, in Theory.. it's got no shouldering for belt retention. If alignment or tension is off, you aren't going to have belt retention! I just so happened to have a few 203mm rotors sitting on the bench at the same time, and my mind's eye made a visual connection. View attachment 100508

Let us start putting a couple of these things together..

View attachment 100509

Now, along with a 255mm rotor that i had from Bicycledesigners.com...

View attachment 100510

This is the renewed Impetus for my Project. I couldn't make it work with 203mm/36 tooth combo, but i'm making the principle work in a way i haven't seen elsewhere... This is all a creative experiment, at this point, using what i have accumulated, minimum additional to purchase. I've already done several donations to Bike Cooperatives, in cleaning the garage of spare parts.. .

Excellent HackD!! Necessity is the mother of invention.