I got my ARMY RECON folding Bicycle Today.

[sabrewalt]

I needed a folder to put in the back of my car and drop and shop or drop rental cars off etec.

Now to motorize it.. How?? Chime in here please. I have a GEBE so I am going to test fit it and see if it interferes with the folding.
... Here are pictures.
This bike folds away from the chain so it would be towards a rack mount engine. The bike is pretty cheaply made. I paid like $169 for it. I looks like a Montegue knockoff.
Pictures are:

How it came out of the box.
Accessory pack.
Unfolded with Plastic on it.
Plastic removed.
Partially folded.

What do you guys think??

 

[darwin]

Hey cool bike! How will your cables fold safely when the bikes folded? Brake, throttle and gear cables? I like the idea of a rear shock.

 

[srdavo]

dude's right...cool bike.

friction or gebe?? drippy...gassy smell/

electric? where ya gonna charge it?

ok...friction drive, it is....lol

 

[RdKryton]

Keep the pictures coming as the build continues please. This looks very interesting.

Jim

 

[sabrewalt]

Motor possibilities

Will do Jim. The bike is heavy now. I own two ebikes and they are WAY too heavy for a foldup of this size. A Revopower.com wheel would be PERFECT but it is PROBABLY NEVER COMING OUT... GRUMBLE GRUMBLE GRUMP. If the GEBE down strap interferes with the foldup, then a friction will have to do....
I will keep everybody posted.

 

[jared3377]

Yes, please, keep the pics rolling in! What a neat deal!

 

[sabrewalt]

Update on Army Recon bike itself.

Hello, I got the bike tweeked into "riding" condition. I would not recommend to anyone to buy one of this brand. I am not a very picky person but a department store schwinn has three time better hardware than this thing does. What a piece of potmetal junk. Probably better to get the original Montegue if you can find one used or something. Fortunately I have a couple of derilicted 26 inch mtb's to scavange parts of when these break. I already chucked the seat post and the seat and put one on that I had lying around. The post is too short so I look like a clown with my knees in my chest when I ride. The seat was unpadded cheap plastic. Brakes seem ok but I don't expect the pads to last very long. That Said....

I DO PLAN TO MOTORIZE IT. A GEBE is in the mail so that is the first thing I am going to try. I plan to get some thick bed type soft foam to put between the halves when I fold it and a big piece of foam below it in the car or whatever.

 

[jared3377]

Should be nice to toss into a trunk when you're done--a great idea!

 

[sabrewalt]

Test fitting the GEBE RS35 to Army Recon.

Here are Pictures of test fitting the rack mount and engine. Looks like it fits pretty well some padding between the halves in the trunk should do nicely. The whole rig is gonna be too heavy to just "toss" into a trunk.When folded, it is a bit gangly and hard to get a double handed grip on. I looked like a monkey trying to seduce a football. The ad for the bike show a chick holding it folded with one hand.... NOT....I think it will work for what I intend though.

However, The bike all by itself does not feel right. It's like the back end moves seperate from the part I am sitting on when I pedel hard. I thought it might be the shock system but I have ridden those before and this did not feel right. I got off and pushed forward on a pedal and watched the chain actually PULL the back end over. Mmmmm Close inspection revealed that the BRAND NEW bike is missing a key bolt or whatever goes in that bottom knuckle behind the Chain Ring. See Photo. I will have to take the chain ring off to get at it... ARRRRRRGH..... A project for another day.

 

[SirJakesus]

You want to fix that asap before riding it more or you'll end up damaging the frame. While you're in there might as well pack it full of grease.