S
Sianelle
Guest
Now here's a question for you wise gentlemen, - how would I go about successfully motorising a ladies framed bicycle with a Gen II 'Happy Time' type engine? I borrowed this image from a thread in the Picture Gallery because it nicely outlines the dilemia.
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa276/Sianelleofavelorn/tn_ladiesbikewhowantsmotor-2.jpg
For religious reasons I started wearing long 'floor sweeper' skirts this year and while an ordinary ladies framed bicycle is just fine and dandy for me to ride while wearing a long skirt I can see a problem or two should I throw an engine into the mix. In the borrowed picture it's fairly plain that there's no room for the carburettor and while the engine is in a great position for keeping me warm on a cold Winter's day so long as I don't set my skirt on fire, it's not exactly very practical.
I don't really want to put an engine on the rear carrier because I'd want to use that for carrying shopping & etc. And besides I don't like the idea of raising the C of G with a carrier mounted engine on any bicycle of mine. About the only option I can think of that would work would be to return to the past and employ the 'autowheel' solution which by all accounts was very successful.
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa276/Sianelleofavelorn/WallAutowheelDrawing-1.jpg
After doing some messing about with a ruler with the bicycles in my bedroom I've determined that the rear frame portion of a gents bike (diamond frame) could be modified into an autowheel without too much difficulty. In fact I have a once lovely black enamelled and pinstriped Raleigh frame with a horrid bend in the top frame tube that would be just perfect to convert into an auto wheel. Something always stopped me from throwing the frame away and now I've found a use for it
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa276/Sianelleofavelorn/AutowheelHowTo.jpg
Please forgive the simplistic drawing, but it's late and it's time for me to go to bed.
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa276/Sianelleofavelorn/tn_ladiesbikewhowantsmotor-2.jpg
For religious reasons I started wearing long 'floor sweeper' skirts this year and while an ordinary ladies framed bicycle is just fine and dandy for me to ride while wearing a long skirt I can see a problem or two should I throw an engine into the mix. In the borrowed picture it's fairly plain that there's no room for the carburettor and while the engine is in a great position for keeping me warm on a cold Winter's day so long as I don't set my skirt on fire, it's not exactly very practical.
I don't really want to put an engine on the rear carrier because I'd want to use that for carrying shopping & etc. And besides I don't like the idea of raising the C of G with a carrier mounted engine on any bicycle of mine. About the only option I can think of that would work would be to return to the past and employ the 'autowheel' solution which by all accounts was very successful.
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa276/Sianelleofavelorn/WallAutowheelDrawing-1.jpg
After doing some messing about with a ruler with the bicycles in my bedroom I've determined that the rear frame portion of a gents bike (diamond frame) could be modified into an autowheel without too much difficulty. In fact I have a once lovely black enamelled and pinstriped Raleigh frame with a horrid bend in the top frame tube that would be just perfect to convert into an auto wheel. Something always stopped me from throwing the frame away and now I've found a use for it
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa276/Sianelleofavelorn/AutowheelHowTo.jpg
Please forgive the simplistic drawing, but it's late and it's time for me to go to bed.