Making a VeloSolex styled roller

[2speedboi]

I use Kevlar reinforced tires myself...If Kevlar is good enough for bullet-proof vests and the tires of the Presidential Limo...Just saying...lol.

My Armadillo tires were great, just to narrow. But they fold up nice and I keep it as the on bike back up.

 

[CENTURION]

I have a 74 Velosolex in a box. I started restoration about 10yrs ago and it got side lined. I did restore the engine though, using European parts. I also have a Hongdu clone which also got upgraded with Euro parts. Its mounted
on a 24” Macargi cruiser. Has a Velo aura to it. I have run it quite a bit. They are great engines, very torquey, around 50cc.
As I remember 4K rpm is about max. Has a larger roller. Tire wear might be an issue with the grit type smaller rollers
turning at high speeds. Bike tires are not generally a hard compound. Some wear quickly. I have found the common
cruiser tire to do well. My favorite is the Maxis Hookworm. Wears like iron, has a big cross section that beds the roller
nicely, and a grippy cross hatch like tread. I dont remember the life of the 2.125 cruiser tire but it seems close to 2K
on my oak rollers, which saw a lots of dirt roads as well as asphalt. Not trying to be negative in any way about your
rollers. I applaud your innovations in the development of your FDs. Tire quality Im sure has improved in recent years.
The quest after the roller perfection, will be finding the best tire wear wise for it.

Can you still get those Hongdu motors?

 

[Cannonball3]

Dont know. Search Hongdu Solex. They were plentiful around 2010 or so. Had some quality issues as so many
different companies were making them. Some were very good some not. However all could be rectified with
Euro parts either new or used. A good velosolex should run almost forever. They are worth the effort to rebuild.

 

[Cannonball3]

Check Schwable Marathon Plus HS 440 ebike tires.

 

[DieselTech]

Another tire to check out is the (Continential Contact Plus Travel) it wears like iron so far on my 4 stroke bike. There a E-bike rated speed tire with 4 layers of flat protection including kevlar. They also have the reflective sidewall, which has really grown on me.

 

[JunkyardDog]

The tires were specifically designed for the Solex, they are smooth, and have a thick section for wear. The wheels and spokes seem much heavier duty than bicycle stuff, after all these years mine are still very true and the bike still rides very nice. I find myself using mine more than my electric bikes for little trips, it's always ready, and the cold does not bother it's range.

I have a Solex 3800, and have found it to be much flimsier than a quality bicycle. It has a 220 pound weight limit. I weigh 240. I do ride it, but very carefully. The frame is bolted together out of about 20 pieces of stamped steel. And the wheels are very weak. In fact I had one rear wheel fail. It was not an actual French made Solex wheel, it was made in Hungary by Impex, a company that made Solex replicas in the early 2000s. I love the Solex, it is a wonderful, and very quiet bike for taking long evening rides through residential neighborhoods. I just wish it was built a bit stronger. I also wish it had standard American bicycle wheel sizes. It has 19" wheels in motorcycle size, which is 23" in bicycle size. Would be nice to have 24" wheels. Then I could have super strong wheels made for it. But it was originally designed in France back in the 1940s.

 

[Wrench]

I have a Solex 3800, and have found it to be much flimsier than a quality bicycle

But it was originally designed in France back in the 1940s.

Solex made between 1946 and 1988
Pretty sure the 3800 was first made in 1966.
Bike looks in great condition, sell it to help pay for what you really want

 

[JunkyardDog]

I would, but these are sort of collectors items now. I do have a rear mounted friction drive bike. It is very different from the Solex though. It is faster, noisier, and not nearly as smooth. It works fine out on main roads, but not well in residential areas. The Solex just purrs along. It doesn't have the typical chain saw 2 stroke sound (probably because of that huge muffler) so it doesn't disturb people in residential areas. It's so quite it's hard to hear if you are not really close.

 

[Cannonball3]

Heres a build I have had for years, Built on a 24” Macargi cruiser. Sorry about the crowded pic.

 

[DieselTech]

Heres a build I have had for years, Built on a 24” Macargi cruiser. Sorry about the crowded pic.

Ok I'm sorry, but I'm off topic & off my chain! What is the light green board track inspired bike in that pic? I would love to see & hear a little bout it. Cannonball3 you been holding out! That thing looks absolutely sick!!! Love it!!