gudday mite

[weez]

Hi folks, weez here. I'm in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, about 100km/60mi west of Sydney. I'm a recovering American, moved to Sydney in 1996, an Australian citizen since 2003.

Once in a while I get a bee in my bonnet and build Tour Easy inspired recumbent bikes.

'Orangebike' is a straight TE pinch, made from old bikes and new tubing.

http://machinegunkeyboard.com/bikes/orangebike_rhs_primer.jpg
http://machinegunkeyboard.com/bikes/orangebike_rhs.jpg

'Limo' was built for an Aussie land giant who is a skosh under 7 feet tall and weighs about 100kg (220lbs). Intended for a smooth paved bike trail, no front suspension needed.

http://machinegunkeyboard.com/bikes/limo_rhs.jpg

'TourSleazy' was built in 2002 as a suspensionless TE clone, similar to Orangebike.

Unfortunately, a drunk ran a red light in front of me while I was on a motorcycle around 1990. After 6 knee surgeries, I can't pedal much. So, in 2004, TS sprouted rear suspension, a Honda G100 97cc SV, 2.5hp engine, centrif clutch, 7:1 primary reduction drive (including 84T, dinnerplate sized sprocket) and a differential drive system made from freewheels to permit drive from the engine, pedals or both at once, with all drive transmitted through the rear derailleur. Shimano Mega-Range cluster added for a super-low 1st gear.

http://machinegunkeyboard.com/bikes/ts_lhs_r34.jpg

Total reduction in 1st gear is about 13.2:1. Climbs hills fairly well, could be better. Sustains 55-60km/h on the flat, will run 74km/h on the 3600rpm rev limiter in top gear down a slight grade.

http://machinegunkeyboard.com/bikes/ts_rhs.jpg
http://machinegunkeyboard.com/bikes/ts_lhs.jpg

After 2 years and about 1000km buzzing around Sydney at 50-60km/h- with never a comment from the constabulary, despite our pathetic 200W limit for power assist bikes- the solid front fork started showing signs of metal fatigue on the bottom of the steering tube. Bought a 26" MTB from the local Aldi with suspension and disc brakes. Front end in mockup in these shots:

http://machinegunkeyboard.com/bikes/toursleazy_new_frt_end_01.jpg
http://machinegunkeyboard.com/bikes/toursleazy_new_frt_end_02.jpg
http://machinegunkeyboard.com/bikes/toursleazy_new_frt_end_03.jpg

TS is now stripped and clamped in the workstand, getting a new front frame section to accommodate the new fork.

http://machinegunkeyboard.com/bikes/ts_lhs_stripped_workstand.jpg

While it's there, I have plans to eliminate the rear 7-speed derailleur, which requires serious heroics with chain tensioners to keep the very floppy chain on the sprockets at speed; derailleurs just were never made for running at 60km/h. Planning on replacing it with a 3 or 7 spd internal gear hub... gotta replicate the gear range of the derailleur, if possible...

http://machinegunkeyboard.com/bikes/ts_rhs_chaintensioner.jpg

...unless someone has a better idea.

While the Honda G100 on TS is ultra reliable and very quiet, I've since moved from hilly northwestern Sydney to the much more hilly Blue Mountains area.

As Capn Kirk said to Scotty- MORE POWER!!

The Blue Mountains are now a World Heritage Listed National Park- petrol powered bicycles are not smiled upon out here. Zo... the next bike is going to be built around this beast...

http://machinegunkeyboard.com/bikes/lem200_01.jpg
http://machinegunkeyboard.com/bikes/lem200_02.jpg

It's a LEMCO LEM-200C pancake motor, weighs only 10kg, good for 27kW (32hp) peak and about 6kW (8hp) continuous output. Planning to run it on 48V, but that's about all the planning that's gone into it yet!

cheers

-weez

 

[fetor56]

G'day man and welcome to MBc,a pleasure i'm sure.

 

[azbill]

welcome to MBc !

 

[mickey]

Welcome aboard Weez. Great intro.

 

[weez]

Thanx folx.

Having great fun browsing the forum, checking out various ppl's various solutions to the pivotal problems of bunging a motor on a bicycle. Bicycles being bicycles, There's few elegant ways of getting the job done in a way that will hang together for a while- there's very little on a bicycle not essential to it acting like a bicycle. Most of the fun of motorising a bike is the mental gymnastics of creating durable solutions for the power assist.

I will be writing here under a nom de plume and being a bit circumspect about where I live & ride for the simple sake that Australia has a fully stupid 200 watt power assist limit. A 200W 'legal' bike won't pull its own driveline weight up even very modest hills... and I have mountains to deal with! My powered bikes will always be garishly overpowered in many motorised bike builder's opinions- and that of the fun police. My bikes have to look like bicycles to avoid attracting the wrong sort of attention.

I know some folks who live on the nearby flatlands who use tailor-made Chinese 200W PA bikes which are styled like Vespa type motorscooters. They DO have (vestigial) pedals, but coppers don't see that part when they bail up the rider for using what looks to all the world like a registerable motorscooter on footpaths or bike paths.

I live in a very touristy area. Lots of recumbent and 'lycra' riders in my area, so the cops are used to some eccentrics on weird looking pushbikes. I will be completely overlooked- as long as I throttle back (and spin the pedals a bit) when passing the donut shop.

 

[Abeagle]

Welcome to MBc.

 

[Alaskavan]

Welcome to MBc. It sounds like maybe you should check out the NuVinci hub. I think Andy can get them at a reasonable price.

 

[wavygravy]

great intro & great work there weez! welcome to mb.c

 

[weez]

Thanks again for the warm welcome!

Welcome to MBc. It sounds like maybe you should check out the NuVinci hub. I think Andy can get them at a reasonable price.

Thanks for that! Looked up the NuVinci- very cool. If the NuVinci's CVT can cope with the torque. It'd be ideal.

The more traditional internal gear hubs I've been looking at are upwards of $A200-250 (Alfine) and lots lots more (Rohloff).

I was thinking about building up a rear wheel with a second-hand, 3-speed internal hub as a proof of concept before I go buying a new unit, tho. I know the chain problem would be sorted but I'd hate to crunch the internal gears on an exxy new internal gear hub.

Any Aussies got any old 3sp hubs they wanna part with?

Thanks loads.

 

[Zev0]

Welcome Weez, to MBC. You got some amazing looking stuff there. I'm sure you will be able to contribute mightily here.