what level of tinkering is involved?

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iron_monkey

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I get the impression one needs to do alittle tinkering to make these kits work. Im still not exactly sure what im getting myself into if i do buy one of the very cheap no name kits.

Ignoring frame fitment issues; has one found themselves in a situation where they need fabrication equipment (lathe and mill) to make the kit work or fix a problem?

edit: Many thanks to slicerdicer for bringing my attention to the existence of bicycle engine kits.
 
Welcome to MB.com I.M.

My take on the situation is that if a person like you finds us BEFORE they start, the tinkering factor is reduced by at least 50%.

Little hints and tips for installation and optimization are valuable, and if you start with a good and/or new bike, again the satisfaction factor increases.

Certain ideas, like 12 gauge spokes on the rear are becoming semi-official advise, no matter what kind of kit you choose.

And even the experience riders are learning new things nearly every week, like substituting fingernail polish for Locktite, and "double bolting", which I've now done four times.

Once your engine is on, if you do that important break-in procedure, for the first hundred miles or so, engine performance increases.

Anyway, good luck whatever you do, if you join us with an engine, smiles are a guarantee. :D :cool:
 
iron_monkey said:
Ignoring frame fitment issues; has one found themselves in a situation where they need fabrication equipment (lathe and mill) to make the kit work or fix a problem?
Click to expand...

Oh, and the first piece of equipment I bought was a double wheeled grinder and I already had an old table vise.

The third and fourth peices of equipment I bought, because I was building them for others, was a bike work stand and small air compressor.

21_alum7assembly_010_1.jpg


21_bikestand_002_5.jpg
 
a lot of mounting problems come from new style bikes that have oblong frame tubes. nothing a Bridgeport mill and a block of aluminum cant fix.
 
but...there are few (front mount) situations that can't be overcome with a little ingenuity & a drill...just keep doing your homework & browse deep in tech/mech and the owner's manual, all (almost) will be revealed 8)

on my bike, i have yet to "need" any powertools at all, my whole toolkit fits in a medium size tupperware.
 
I ordered a "F80 kit" from ebay.

Hope all goes well for me.

Currently I'm mainly concerned about breaking spokes as my intuition tells me using the spokes to transfer torque is alittle dodgey.

How much would getting a bike shop to install thick guage spokes be?
 
Steel is cheapest, 12 gauge is anywhere from $35-45. He has a special socket to get your cassette on/off the rear wheel.

Do those upgrades I've described, zip tie the spokes, put the in the $7 slime tubes (so you never need to inflate the tire every week) and Mr. Tuffy tube/tire liners in, so flats on the side of the road are diminished.

That peace of mind, re: picking up a nail, with be worth every penny next week.
 
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