1953 Columbia

try1897 · Dec 30, 2009

This is my Columbia that I ride most of the time . It's a work in progress type thing that seems to change with the tidesI'm really not sure if the pic's will come out as I've never done pic's before....EVER... So I hope you get to see all the work I've done....Tom Woha it worked... Ok Thats a Chriss Hill 70cc , the wheels are Worksman H/D with 11g. spokes ,front end is a Monarch springer remake the fenders are Planet Bike kinda ruberized plastic with mudflaps , lights run off a battery thats curently in the trailer this thing pulls . It runs a 36 tooth rear sprocket and easy does 30+mph....It's got coaster brakes and a backup hand brake on the rear wheel that also makes the b/lite come on....It has an overstuffed huge seat from a stationary bike that I recovered leather and mounted kicked back and braced to the rear axel.....It has a leather seat bag as well as leather handlebar bag not in the pic...Our local tatoo artist Dave did the ghost flames on the tank and will work for a reasonable price.... Well thats all for now Thanks for being into bikes too ....Tom

silverbear · Dec 31, 2009

Nice bike. I bet that's a really solid ride.
SB

try1897 · Jan 1, 2010

Well Silverbear THANK YOU for saying anything at all about it . I put alot of work and sweat and tears into this bike . and I did it all on a NO budjet. With only a handfull of bucks and the help of a gifted gab and a few friends... Thats a 20 dollar yardsale bike to start. I WAS very proud of the wholething until I finally figured out how to post a picture of it and then Boy Was I LET DOWN to realize that 122 people looked at it and not one person even had a coment. What a DRAG!!! Almost enough to cause me to give up the hobby and sell it cheap and go back to a boring life of driving a car......Then again it's SO FUN TO RIDE..... I think I'll keep it...Maybe just paint it grey like the mood it left me in.....Tommy the 58 year old kid with the blue bike...(and the blues)

silverbear · Jan 1, 2010

try1897 said:
Well Silverbear THANK YOU for saying anything at all about it . I put alot of work and sweat and tears into this bike . and I did it all on a NO budjet. With only a handfull of bucks and the help of a gifted gab and a few friends... Thats a 20 dollar yardsale bike to start. I WAS very proud of the wholething until I finally figured out how to post a picture of it and then Boy Was I LET DOWN to realize that 122 people looked at it and not one person even had a coment. What a DRAG!!! Almost enough to cause me to give up the hobby and sell it cheap and go back to a boring life of driving a car......Then again it's SO FUN TO RIDE..... I think I'll keep it...Maybe just paint it grey like the mood it left me in.....Tommy the 58 year old kid with the blue bike...(and the blues)

Tommy,
Try not to let it get you down. If you notice most of the threads there are a lot of looks, but few comments unless it is a spectacular high bucks custom board tracker or chopper type bike. I happen to like old bikes like your Columbia, am real partial to old Elgins and like step through bikes, partly because they are easier for me to mount and generally they're cheaper to buy. I just go my own way with things and always have. Where I live most of the year I'm the only one with a motorized bike and am the old guy with the weird little moped/motorcycle/bicycle thing towing his dog around. Some of the other old people seem amused and tolerant and others I sense just think it is either weird or childish. Who gives a ....! It gives me pleasure and that's enough. Don't let your sense of accomplishment and pleasure be dependent on what others think. Sometimes I'm disappointed when I have made something for the bike or figured out the solution to a problem and my brother or neighbors don't quite get what I'm excited about.
And I like blue on a bike. Riding just about always gives me a smile. The naysayers don't know what they're missing. And I think a lot of older people are just scared to do something different. I say, "ride with pride". You aren't all that far away from where I am for the winter. I'm up about fifteen miles north of Frderick, Maryland. Wish the weather would warm up so I could ride. You have anybody else out your way with the same interest?
SB

Cannonfish · Jan 1, 2010

Try1897, don't sweat the lack of comments - a lot of people on this forum are probably just like me, they look at all the new posts and those posts make them happy and inspired to do new things to their own builds - but they don't ever post much in the way of a reply unless they happen to be drunk at the time. Which I am now. But I think your bike is very cool, and I'm happy when I read that it makes you happy to ride it.

Silverbear, go Frederick!! Happy to see another Marylandite on the forum. I'm glad the snow here is melting, hopefully it'll get warm enough to take a spin soon.

Now back to the beer...

Elmo · Jan 1, 2010

Nice ride Try. The sense of accomplishment is enough reward to do a job like his. I am 5 years older yhan you and just got into motorbikes. Most of the folks around here think that I have finally lost it. As far as I know I am the only motor bike in town. The other guy got run over by a truck. Good to have you on the forum.
Elmo

try1897 · Jan 2, 2010

Well thanks you guys for pickin up the pieces a bit. I had some time to think about it and it's pro/ly just the winter blues got to me for a few minutes there. I'm so sick of winter and cold and all that goes with it. If I was one of the first to come to this country what was it the pilgrims . At the first sign of spring my vote would have been we got the h*ll out of this God forsaken dismal place and head south....I need to get out and ride... Well enough ranting ... I'm from Rockville Md. And moved up here to aford to live ..I've only seen one other motorized bicycle in the area and not had the pleasure of meeting the guy yet. I was the only one for two summers and got alot of questions about the bike (still do ) We do have the moped scooter guys and I ride with them on ocation but there all way younger than me and still into massive beer drinking etc. So I'm kinda out of place... If any of you guys want to get together I'm all for it . Maybe a ride when it warms up to it....Tom

fasteddy · Jan 2, 2010

Tom, just saw your thread and understand how you feel but if you had all those people look at your bike and not say, what did you do this or that for or you should have done this, you have built one heck of a great bike properly.

A great job Sir, very well done.

Steve

silverbear · Jan 2, 2010

try1897 said:
Well thanks you guys for pickin up the pieces a bit. I had some time to think about it and it's pro/ly just the winter blues got to me for a few minutes there. I'm so sick of winter and cold and all that goes with it. If I was one of the first to come to this country what was it the pilgrims . At the first sign of spring my vote would have been we got the h*ll out of this God forsaken dismal place and head south....I need to get out and ride... Well enough ranting ... I'm from Rockville Md. And moved up here to aford to live ..I've only seen one other motorized bicycle in the area and not had the pleasure of meeting the guy yet. I was the only one for two summers and got alot of questions about the bike (still do ) We do have the moped scooter guys and I ride with them on ocation but there all way younger than me and still into massive beer drinking etc. So I'm kinda out of place... If any of you guys want to get together I'm all for it . Maybe a ride when it warms up to it....Tom

Hey Tom,
I know about the blues thing as it is something I struggle with. The motorbicycles are a major effort on my part to drive away the darkness, but of of course it is always there. I can spend time thinking about my brain trauma from surviving lightning, focus on the tingling and pain in my feet and lower legs from Guillane Barre Syndrome (like polio) or play with my bicycles and be twelve again but with a lot more knowhow than when I was actually 12 and stared at pictures of friction drive motors you could buy for your bicycle (Bumblebee was one of them) advertised in the back of Boy's Life and Popular Mechanics... but were way too much money for a kid whose spending money came from finding pop bottles to return for deposit money. Took me a long time to get my motorbike and I'm not going to let anybody pee on my Cheerios!
I think a ride in a little warmer weather is a great idea. Maybe we can start a new thread later this month for something next month or in March. Beginning of April is about the last it could be to include me as I expect to return to Minnesota in mid April in time for the beginning of spring thaw there. I wonder if someplace like Harper's Ferry would work? I don't know what the laws are in Maryland... maybe a state park or someplace like that. A Marylander needs to weigh in here. I'd drive about a hundred miles max as otherwise I'd be too tired to ride the bike once I got there. Think about it.
SB

try1897 · Jan 2, 2010

I'm all for a get together , ride , cookout ,anything ya like when it warms. There are a few nice rides in this area. My problem is hauling my bike to a ride site. Too far to ride all the way there and then ride.Hopefully by spring I'll have the old van running again and can haul both bikes to a good ride area. We have some asphalt bike paths that are open to us at least no one has said anything to me so far . Also lots of country road park type areas to cruse around but you have to know the area and plan in order to avoid the mountains and huge hills. But there are some nice vally runs for sure.... Anyway we got time cause winter is here for awile.....Tom

silverbear · Jan 3, 2010

try1897 said:
I'm all for a get together , ride , cookout ,anything ya like when it warms. There are a few nice rides in this area. My problem is hauling my bike to a ride site. Too far to ride all the way there and then ride.Hopefully by spring I'll have the old van running again and can haul both bikes to a good ride area. We have some asphalt bike paths that are open to us at least no one has said anything to me so far . Also lots of country road park type areas to cruse around but you have to know the area and plan in order to avoid the mountains and huge hills. But there are some nice vally runs for sure.... Anyway we got time cause winter is here for awile.....Tom

Sounds good, Tommy. Danged cold right now to think about riding a motorbicycle, but we can dream, right?
SB

try1897 · Jan 3, 2010

Oh its cold alright . It's colder this year than normal or well most years we have days every now and again when it gets unseasonably warm for a day here and there. So I keep the bikes covered but ready to go and slip a day in here and there. We had a day last January that was in the 70's. So it pays to be ready. This year however it just been downright cold day after day without let up. Day before yesterday I'd had it and just took the bike out anyway. BAD IDEA !!! It seened ok going down to the store but on the return trip I found myself riding into a 40 MPH wind and about froze my noze off...Woooaaah now that was cold . And I'd riden my 65 Firestone bike that has a front friction drive Sears Free Spirit engine on it that has .8hp (thats point eight hp ) and I had to help it go thru that wind it was so so strong so I had to pedal pedal pedal like a mad dog just to move at all... What a ride that was......Tom

silverbear · Jan 3, 2010

try1897 said:
Oh its cold alright . It's colder this year than normal or well most years we have days every now and again when it gets unseasonably warm for a day here and there. So I keep the bikes covered but ready to go and slip a day in here and there. We had a day last January that was in the 70's. So it pays to be ready. This year however it just been downright cold day after day without let up. Day before yesterday I'd had it and just took the bike out anyway. BAD IDEA !!! It seened ok going down to the store but on the return trip I found myself riding into a 40 MPH wind and about froze my noze off...Woooaaah now that was cold . And I'd riden my 65 Firestone bike that has a front friction drive Sears Free Spirit engine on it that has .8hp (thats point eight hp ) and I had to help it go thru that wind it was so so strong so I had to pedal pedal pedal like a mad dog just to move at all... What a ride that was......Tom

Tom,
I'm familiar with that Free Spirit engine... made by Tanaka of Japan. They were good little motors, but pretty wimpy. It is what I started this motorbicycle madness with some years back, figuring out how to repair one I bought on ebay. I ended up with a couple which ran and I still have them and quite a few parts. If you need something let me know and when I'm back home in Minnesota I can help you out. Even in the summer sometimes I ride and it is so cool there that my eyes tear up and have cold hands. I don't even think about it in this weather. And I have no interest in riding in snow. At my age (65) I value having all body parts in functional condition with no broken bones. Let the young guys ride in the snow, not Grandpa Geezerman.
SB

try1897 · Jan 7, 2010

Silver, If you have any dealings with those little engines now you need to know Mike Schnider of Texas. He's the man when it comes to those kits . He's a really nice guy too. I did some work on mine and he helped me with parts and step by step info on the job and was all around very very helpfull. He also keeps in touch just to see how I'm doin every now and again.I hope to do some traveling one day and will def. stop in his area.The bike engine itself runns like a top but I was planing on doing some experiments with the drive wheel next spring. It has a skate neopreem wheel on it ( from Mikes )now and that works good in dry weather but if it rains....Nowheresville quick... It just spins and won't grip.....I've been thinking about maybe a belt drive or if that fails maybe sand impregnated epox. or rubber of some kind to get a bite in the bad weather.... Got an extra drive wheel and left handed nut???pullies belts etc.... I can always come up with some cash it just takes me a little time..... Tom

silverbear · Jan 7, 2010

try1897 said:
Silver, If you have any dealings with those little engines now you need to know Mike Schnider of Texas. He's the man when it comes to those kits . He's a really nice guy too. I did some work on mine and he helped me with parts and step by step info on the job and was all around very very helpfull. He also keeps in touch just to see how I'm doin every now and again.I hope to do some traveling one day and will def. stop in his area.The bike engine itself runns like a top but I was planing on doing some experiments with the drive wheel next spring. It has a skate neopreem wheel on it ( from Mikes )now and that works good in dry weather but if it rains....Nowheresville quick... It just spins and won't grip.....I've been thinking about maybe a belt drive or if that fails maybe sand impregnated epox. or rubber of some kind to get a bite in the bad weather.... Got an extra drive wheel and left handed nut???pullies belts etc.... I can always come up with some cash it just takes me a little time..... Tom

Tom, Yes, I've known Mike for many years now although since I stopped using the Tanaka engines we've been out of touch He has one of my Americans on his website. At one time he was interested in buying some of my parts. I'm not sure I have an extra drive wheel core or not. I may, but can't really say until I get back to Minnesota sometime in April. You are on the right track with epoxy and sand as I have done it and it works fine. I'm trying to remember what I used for the mold... it might have been a juice can, otherwise it was a plastic bird seed container of about the same size. It has to be something expendable that you can peel away from the wheel once it is done. I tried several different epoxies and found that good old JB Weld was the best. The problem is in finding it in the larger more economical tubes. I had a source at one time, but they stopped carrying the larger size or it isn't made anymore. Probably a google search of the company would tell you where to find it. I wasted money on other, cheaper stuff with did not hold up. I made a few of these, one a wet weather version with sand mixed in to the epoxy. I used sand from the lake bottom by my dock and ran it through window screen to get the smaller stuff, which is what you want. Then rinse it well with clean water. First you put the aluminum core from the original drive wheel into the bottom of the container serving as a mold. If I remember right I used a bit of contact cement to keep it centered. Once that was set up and secure then I mixed up the epoxy and put it in the mold. It works very well and I liked it better than the skate board wheel version of the drive wheel. It will last until sometime around the twelfth of Never... really hard and durable. The larger the sand grains the better the traction, but the more wear on your tire. The price is right and it works, so give it a try.
Snow tonight up this way.
SB

try1897 · Jan 7, 2010

SB , Yes indeed I'll give it a try when I can find another drive hub. I think I could go a tad larger still with the thing and still have enough umph to make it go.. I took the governor out of the engine for the extra 1/4 horsepower or whatever it gives it ... I don't know why I keep the thing . I want to put it on Jeanie's trike but she wants to stay totally electric. I wanted to do a both and use the electric to help on the hills and use the engine on the flats. sounds like a winner to me. My first bike was a Velosolex with a similar setup . Maybe you know the small black bikes with 19" wheels and the same friction drive . I had one in the early 70's and had a blast riding it around Rockville Md. on the bike paths etc. Lot of fun .... Yes its snowing now out there....Bummer........Tom

try1897 · Jan 7, 2010

SB , I'll try and do another pic. of the 65 Firestone warrior with the Free Spirit.Tom Ah ha ha ha I did it ! thats twice now and by trial and error . This computer is so old , how old is it ? , you have to stop and wind it up every now and again......Tom

silverbear · Jan 8, 2010

try1897 said:
SB , I'll try and do another pic. of the 65 Firestone warrior with the Free Spirit.Tom Ah ha ha ha I did it ! thats twice now and by trial and error . This computer is so old , how old is it ? , you have to stop and wind it up every now and again......Tom

Tom,
Your photo brings back memories as those little motors were my initiation in motorbicycles and were an education (not saying I got all A's, either). I did set up an American with a front hub pancake electric motor and had the batteries (3 12V lead acid) on the rear rack along with the Tanaka gas engine up front. I liked certain aspects of it, such as being able to run silent with the electric when desired and while running the gas motor and climbing hills it was not up to, it was nice being able to kick in the electric as a booster. The down side is that it was awfully heavy and cumbersome at low speeds or starting out. Having the batteries in a tow behind trailer would have solved that issue, but I moved on to the HT motor and haven't looked back. I didn't have a little roller fender, so made mine from a cut up chrome fender from a 24" bike. It was fun getting an old motor going again.
At one time I really wanted one of those Solex bikes you mentioned, but they were too expensive for me. Now I'm happy with the HT motors.
SB

fasteddy · Jan 8, 2010

Tom, that is to funny. I have an 8 day computer myself. Slows down though towards the end of the 8 days and that way you know it's time.
The family says I need a new one. Still waiting for them to bring the money.

When this thing was new, Bill Gates was still working out of his garage.

Steve.

try1897 · Jan 8, 2010

SB , I got the Solex at a yard sale for a few bucks ( a lucky find ) back in the mid-seventys . I remember the reason it turned out to be so cheap was that it took 19 in. tires and they were hard to get. It did have baldies on it and came with one bald spare. We tried for two or three days to get it to run and it seemed like it wanted to go but never would actually run smooth and would sputter and caugh etc. Then my friends brother showed up and said let him give it a try . He went down the block and came back driving along pretty as you please and having a blast. Turns out we had been pushing the choke lever the wrong way for two days ( what we thought was choke off was actually choke full on)In any event after that rather rocky start to things it turned out to be alot of fun and dispite the bald skins I rode it for two summers and ended up selling the thing for 50 bucks in 1979. My second bike was a Sears Free Spirit the one with the big square cover on it . I finally tinkered it to run by rebuilding the fuel pump . I tried all sorts of rubber and plastic for a pump diaphram including a peice of old shower curtin and finally hit on a type of plastic that would hold up to the gasoline. and voala it sprang to life. That bike was given to me when a friend bought a house and found it chained to the antena mast and thought I would like it. (FREE) I went to Big Lots (store) and got one of every color of spray paint they had and painted it 20 different colors. It looked for all the world like a Clowns bike from the circus. I don't seem to have any pic of that one . That was maybe 10 years ago. Next up is the red 1965 Firestone in the pic.That kit came from an estate sale new in the box and has about 200 miles on it . For sale this spring. Then I got a bike at a yard sale 2 years ago that turned out to be the what is now the blur 1953 Columbia that I put the HTon. So there you have it .......Those are the two in this thread. Four bicycles total.....Tom

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