snowmobile bike anyone?

L

lotsa_mpg

Guest
I was just checking out the bicycle track & ski kits at ktrakcycle.com .....they look pretty nifty and I couldn't help but think about building one with an engine. Has anybody in here bought one of those ktrak kits yet? I checked out their video and it seems to only show the dude riding it downhill...probably cause it's too hard to pedal it on the level........but with a 70 cc engine, a huge rear sprocket, and the baffles cut out of the exhaust...it might have some potential!

Pete
 
Two Words, OMG Awesome! :eek:

Too bad it does not snow here that much or I would be all over that.
 
I have no direct experience with one, but it has been noted on other bicycle fourms that they only show the guy pedaling it downhill. The ski and drive-belt aren't anywhere near wide enough to float over powder; if they were a FOOT wide, you might have something that studded tires couldn't follow.

The general consensus is that it's probably no better than studded tires would be. and maybe even quite a bit worse, as with studded tires, your fromt brake is still functional. With a ski on the front, you lose your front brake.
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I can't recall who made this bike, they sold them for a few thousand bucks each a few years back:
http://vine-ave.com/DSC04166.JPG
Also now there is the Surley Pugsley, with 29" x 3.5" tires:
http://images.google.com/images?um=1&tab=wi&hl=en&q=surly+pugsley
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sno runner

Those are some pretty interesting looking bikes, Doug. The reason the Ktraks system intrigues me is that I restored an old Chrysler Sno Runner a few years ago. It has a really skinny track and ski, yet it gets around fairly well in packed snow (ie: groomed trails) and will go almost anywhere in late winter when the snow tends to from a bit of a crust. I really enjoy riding it, but with parts being hard to come by and quite costly, I don't ride it as much as I'd like to for fear of something breaking. So I got to thinking that if I combined an engine with a ktraks equipped bicycle, it might get around almost as good as the Sno Runner and I wouldn't have to worry about parts being unavailable. I'll attach a pic of my Sno Runner.

Pete
1548_Picture_050_1.jpg
 
I think the ktrac would be a brilliant idea and I would shell out the cash if i had it. Im hoping by next year Ill be able to test this out. From what i heard, (daily planet)there isnt much more resistance with this kit on packed snow compared to a regular tire on pavement. Your limit for snow depth is as high as your clearance when pedaling. I would say a foot of snow would be ok. All I would want to know is if you could mount a sprocket on the disk brake mount. I would put a studded tire instead of a ski on the front, I think the ski would be to awkward.
 
Heres an idea ive already tried on a scooterteq electric bike, and it worked fine once i got used to it, problem is that it produced a lot of drag, and that combined with cold temperature, made it impossible to get more than 15Km of range on a charge. Another problem would be the use of brakes if used on the rear tire of a motored bike, but with coaster brakes, this would be an ideal way to get traction in snow.

1. start with a length of chain (ten feet would be more that enough) that is small but strong.

2. Wrap the chain around the tire and rim and cut the chain so that the to ends of the chain meet but do not overlap at the rim. (an example would be like putting on a wrist watch with your wrist being the tire and rim.) You now have the length that you need for all your pieces of chain.

3. How many lengths of chain that you will need depends on how spaced out you want your chains to be on your tire. You dont need many and its not too important that they are evenly spaced on your tire tread, but what is important is that all your lengths of chain are exactly the same length, or the number of links are the same. Cut as many lengths as you need to go around your tire. (Less is better, less drag, less work)

4. Remove your rear wheel and take a few psi out of the tire, but not all of it. This will help you get the tension you need to keep the chain from sliding on the tire once you have reinflated the tire.

5. Use removable chain links (or whatever would work best) to join the links when wrapped around the wheel and tire. Do this all the way around the wheel than reinflate the tire. Make sure all the chain lengths are snug with equal tension all the way around the tire to ensure the chains do not slide on the tire.
Another way to join the chain links at the rims is to use old brake or derailler cables (without the casings) clamped together with whatever is available.

6. Put the wheel back on and challenge the snow.
If your riding on paved roads for a good length of time, be sure to check for exessive wear on the links, it never happened to me, but I would hate to see where the chain would end up if it flew off the tire.

Im sure there are tire chains are available for bikes, but I dont know of any and im sure their pricey. Besides it only costed me around ten bucks, and a couple of hours to concieve this idea. Hopefully someone might try this and let me know how it works on a 26" tire so that snow does not conflict with our need for speed.
 
That is way too cool! Are you using anything special for the rear tire for traction?
 
i had one of those snow runners and it was hard to balance unless it was going fast

the track bikes look like it will balance a lot better cause it has a wheel to act like a gyro i seen that ktrack but its a lot of money to spend and it doesnt look like it would be much to make one
 
Nothing, drifting is part of the fun. Traction doesn't seem to be a problem in 4" of fresh snow. I avoid ice. Ski is on a quick release. I just pop off my front wheel, put on the ski and go.
 
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