Riding in the hood.

**Norman** · #11 (**permalink**) 01-22-2008, 01:20 PM

If you look crazy and act crazy then people will leave you alone.

If they don't I carry a little something for them as well but I'd realy hate to have to use it. Its a good idea to carry a little bait and not your wad. Throw the bait and beat it or them when they bend over to pick it up.
Enough this makes me mad thinking about someone robbing or harming us just for a few lousy bucks.

Norman

deacon · #12 (**permalink**) 01-22-2008, 01:26 PM

To be honest it never occurred to me till that morning. Some guy actually waited for a walke, who probably was in a sweat suit with no wallet anyway. But then if he had any brains he would have a job i guess.

deacon · #13 (**permalink**) 01-23-2008, 09:29 AM

It is wet, cold and foggy this morning but they promise a better day later. I hope to ride the Sissy Schwinn with the stock 24" wheel today, then take it apart to replace it with the 20" one I just bought.

Oh I didn't tell you yet. I stopped by the thrift store and bought a 20 inch bike. It has all those girlie stickers, but I just want the wheels and chain. I might use the crank or even the handlebars for other bikes. The $2.50 price is a bargain.

The front wheel matches one I have from a previous purchase. The bike I bought for the crank set because the pedal throw of my big huffy was uncomfortably high. Anyway now I have two 20" front wheels for bike trailers.

I have a rear wheel with coaster brake for the rear of the gasoline bike. And a chain and handle bar set to use for future projects. I love thrift store bikes.

Usually I repack the bearings before I use them. Probably they have been stored outside for a long period of time. Otherwise the bike is about half the price of an inner tube.

I'm curious to see how the motor sprocket will bolt up on the small wheel.

deacon · #14 (**permalink**) 01-23-2008, 02:01 PM

I rode the bike more today than all the other times since i bought it combined. It ran very well for quite some time. Then I put it away to visit with my wife over her lunch hour. I went back out hooked up my newest trailer to test drive it, and wouldn't you know it the darn thing got a flat within a mile.

I came home and modified the trailer a little to make it pull better I hope. I was pulling it empty which is not the best way to test one. I am going to have to put some weight on it next time. The one I was testing has bike tires from a kiddie bike so it is very light weight. I have one with lawnmower tires which is very stable even empty.

At this moment the decision is do I put a tube in the back tire of the bike or wait and get a tube for the new tire and wheel I plan to install. I might as well pull the wheel that is there just once is my thinking.

It is just a guess but I think the motor chain will be good to go, but the pedal chain will be too long. Pedal sprocket is smaller than the one on the bike now. This may all be for nothing but I will see when I get a tube for the feminine looking white wheel and tire.

Oh by the way, I had someone try to buy the bike as I rode in the hood. I explained all about it but I think the guy just wants to ride not build a bike. Oh well I'm going to listen to my wife and not build for anyone else even though Norman has taught me enough to at least install the motor correctly.

deacon · #15 (**permalink**) 01-24-2008, 01:34 PM

beauty of the wheel....

I bought a girls 20" bike yesterday for the wheels. So last night I moved the rear engine sprocket to the 20" wheel. I had about five inches on each side when I finished. I also had a bad inner tube I thought. Then when I took it out, I did have one. The old pinched tube trick.

One neg on the wheel was that it was painted white. The regular sissy wheel is chrome. I had a choice paint the sissy wheel white or paint the new wheel chrome. I knew I wanted to change the front fender and tank so I went with a can of chrome paint.

I shot the wheel then the tank and fender. Of course I couldn't stand to wait for it to cure to ride it, so now when it cures I get to repaint it. Oh well I got to ride it with the 20" wheel which what this is about.

I am not into speed that much more into not having to work too hard. The first thing I noticed about the new setup is that its easier to reach the pedals. Much more comfortable. I already had a twenty inch bike sprocket and pedals on the front so it is just a stretched out 20" bike with a little more height.

I'm not sure schwinn would claim it now. I had the basic sissy schwinn frame. It also has the china motor, high bars from an even small child's bike, a broom stick for a bar across the top to hold the gas tank, and a white rear tire. All in all a misbegotten step child for sure.

So the big question is how does it run. On the flat I didn't open it full. I got it to a little over 15mph and backed off. However on the hills, it climbs like a goat. It will actually accelerated while in the middle of a steep hill. That's what I wanted all along. I think it will pull a trailer as well. I am going to have to test that one day soon. All in all I approve of the bike. The chain is going to need adjusting a dozen times before it is right but what else would I expect.

**Norman** · #16 (**permalink**) 01-24-2008, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deacon

beauty of the wheel....

I bought a girls 20" bike yesterday for the wheels. So last night I moved the rear engine sprocket to the 20" wheel. I had about five inches on each side when I finished. I also had a bad inner tube I thought. Then when I took it out, I did have one. The old pinched tube trick.

One neg on the wheel was that it was painted white. The regular sissy wheel is chrome. I had a choice paint the sissy wheel white or paint the new wheel chrome. I knew I wanted to change the front fender and tank so I went with a can of chrome paint.

I shot the wheel then the tank and fender. Of course I couldn't stand to wait for it to cure to ride it, so now when it cures I get to repaint it. Oh well I got to ride it with the 20" wheel which what this is about.

I am not into speed that much more into not having to work too hard. The first thing I noticed about the new setup is that its easier to reach the pedals. Much more comfortable. I already had a twenty inch bike sprocket and pedals on the front so it is just a stretched out 20" bike with a little more height.

I'm not sure schwinn would claim it now. I had the basic sissy schwinn frame. It also has the china motor, high bars from an even small child's bike, a broom stick for a bar across the top to hold the gas tank, and a white rear tire. All in all a misbegotten step child for sure.

So the big question is how does it run. On the flat I didn't open it full. I got it to a little over 15mph and backed off. However on the hills, it climbs like a goat. It will actually accelerated while in the middle of a steep hill. That's what I wanted all along. I think it will pull a trailer as well. I am going to have to test that one day soon. All in all I approve of the bike. The chain is going to need adjusting a dozen times before it is right but what else would I expect.

When I brought up this picture old Rufus(my cat) took one look jumped up off my lap and I haven't seen his since. Yea its different.now I got to go doctor the claw marks

deacon · #17 (**permalink**) 01-24-2008, 04:33 PM

It might not be purdy but it's paid for. and blame yourself it runs to. I have a deal with the bike shop owner He will sell me a black tire for the rear if I come for the tire in my car.

deacon · #18 (**permalink**) 01-24-2008, 05:22 PM

You know I started riding an electric bike. One that I built with a scooter motor and a piece of pipe for a drive wheel. I have fond memories of that but there is something about the roar of these engines, and the feel of the bike when it is running right that is so much more satisfying. I have my bike set up to keep the speed down so it isn't that. It's the noise and the uncertainty of it all. The bike might take you home or you might take it home kind of feel about it all. I guess I will trust it more as I go along but for now even that is a kind of neat feeling.

I would like to say I'll be riding the electric one again soon, but I don't know that I will. It might just lose it's place in the easy access shed and wind up indoors where it is ten times harder to get it outside to ride.

Pablo · #19 (**permalink**) 01-24-2008, 08:54 PM

The thought of a grown man riding that bike through my hood is stinking hilarious!!!! I think the white tire is...........striking.

Seriously, takes a set of cajones to ride that without some big red shoes and...........a clown outfit.

All in good fun!! :lol:

deacon · #20 (**permalink**) 01-24-2008, 10:08 PM

Like I said the bike shop guy said he would sell me a black tire cheap if I did NOT ride the bike in to pick it up.

Oh heck guys it's a SISSY schwinn to begin with lol... I think it looks alot like the old babe on Murder She Wrote in the opening shot.