Riding in the hood.

Pablo · #**191** (**permalink**) 04-22-2008, 01:37 PM

I have a three bay garage mostly filled with cr.....sh........stuff........

The furthest south is bike bay central - aka chinese girl karaoke bike zone....got a couple makeshift benches, my compressor, a window, and sometimes a place for Chancho the vunder dorg to sleep. For a small dog, he has big gas, so bay doors and back door stay open to fully appreciate the breezes.

Prep bike, roll out or I guess now it's pedal start the thing and not kill my legs, until I get the new larger gear.....

deacon · #**192** (**permalink**) 04-22-2008, 01:57 PM

I am jealous but i have moved mine to the lawnmower shed. I can roll it out and ride off into the sunset. But of course I have to fight it inside to work on it.

Dont even want to think about how much trouble it is to get the electrified clown bike and trailer out of the shop

**Ilikeabikea** · #**193** (**permalink**) 04-22-2008, 09:08 PM

I just open the little door to my shed, walk in, open the big door and ride the bike down the ramp. Really simple...............

deacon · #**194** (**permalink**) 04-23-2008, 09:33 AM

God I wish I had built my storage building with a door on each end. it would have been simple to do and a lot more efficient.

deacon · #**195** (**permalink**) 04-23-2008, 02:44 PM

Half link came, I broke yet another chain braker. I am going to start grinding them off this is ridiculous. I am going to just go ahead and order the master links for both chain sizes.

Like I always said i fix things till the will never work again. I reset that nmotor with new nuts and I also adjusted the chains. So now of course the chain noise is horrendous. It fell off half a dozen time till I finally got it in alignment and straight in the frame. The bearing nut got loose and that was throwing the chain. It was just a mess. I rode it two miles without anything happening so I called it healed.

I expect I'll be doing it again tomorrow. Never ever going to buy another supplimetal chain drive again.

deacon · #**196** (**permalink**) 04-24-2008, 10:27 AM

two tips from todays ride... first: beware of the knobby tire. I have had this terrible chain noise since I had the great train wreck, aka chain tensioner going into the rear wheel and distroying it.

I switched for an almost new wheel from a kids bike. turns out the wheel had an almost new knobby tire so I left it on the wheel. Then I started to have chain noise big time. I checked everything. Even stopped riding the bike till I could get a half link to end the use of tensioners forever. Well the noise got better but didn't stop. It wasn't the old rattle noise it was higher pitched. Today I spotted the culprit just before it stopped. The knobby tires were hitting the chain and throwing it around just enough to change the tone of the chain noise. It stopped Later in the day I guess the knobbies are finally worn down.

Tip two: Set a schedule to clean your in tank filter or throw that sob away. I was at the auto parts store five blocks from home when the engine died. I checked and couldn't see any gas so I thought it was empty. I had removed my extra gas from the basket to work on the week eater engine. So I rode and pushed it home. That's when I noticed that the in line filter was dry. I pulled the tank which had gas by the way, took the shutoff out and yep the filter was clogged. I wiped it off and then shot it with carb cleaner and it works fine now.

Those of you who don't have these penny ante things go wrong ALL the time consider yourself lucky.

deacon · #**197** (**permalink**) 04-26-2008, 05:00 PM

Since I finished the clown bike I took it out for its final test run. I rode it a mile with no problems at all. I will only do about 8 to 10 miles an hour but it is pretty consistent even climbing a hill. It might drop one or two miles and hour but it climbs them like a mountain goat.

I was struck by how quiet the electric motor is. I also kind of liked going that slow. I could actually see what was going on around me. I even got to say hi to the people I passed and they interacted with me. It was a totally different experience from the gasoline bike.

I think the clown bike would be ideal for someone who just wanted to run to the store and who was in no hurry just wanted to enjoy the day and enjoy being outside. I quite enjoyed the ride and plan to start range testing on the batteries with this configuration.

The pure math says I have 30 amp hours with my batteries. If I ran the engine the whole time it would be a two hour ride, but that wishful thinking. I expect it will be more like one hour tops if that. At eight miles an hour that is an eight mile range. I'll have to lay out a course and see how many laps I can do before the bike falters.

**Norman** · #**198** (**permalink**) 05-04-2008, 02:31 PM

Deacon
sounds like you have a hellofa time with your bikes the great train wreak line made me laugh!

I personally don't like the knobby tires at all they are for off road and will drop you like a bad habit on pavement not enough friction or grip on the pavement and if its wet better get out the bandaids cause you will go down if you get a little wild and try leaning on a turn when its wet. I busted my butt last year on knobs and of they came. I run the smooth pavement tires from wally world the cheap ones.

deacon · #**199** (**permalink**) 05-13-2008, 06:40 PM

I took the bike out for two rides today. I did not have any chain problems at all. One thing did happen that is almost always the same. People ask me about the bike and are really excited. Right up till I tell them it is a kit and I built it myself. That's when their yes go dull. I have no idea what it is that makes people afraid to try to build one of these. I tell them that it isn't that hard.

I also was passed once by a cop who squeezed by me in the same lane. Anybody else I would have cursed. And of course there is the dog story. This one is a little different. I was on main street and a wave of traffic came up from behind. The light behind me changed I guess.

I heard this dog woofing. I was trying to stay as far to the right as I could so I didn't look for him. Then the barking was right on top of me and I looked to my right to see what kind of dog was running that fast beside me.

The dog wasn't running he was half in, and half out of a pickup truck. I swear I think he tried to bite me as he passed.

deacon · #**200** (**permalink**) 05-18-2008, 02:03 PM

I know I have gotten sorta used to the china girl bike. I don't ignore her but I tend to forget that it is a very unique piece of machinery. I know there are those who say it is crap, and it may well be, but today I took a short cut through a new neighborhood.

Two small boys gave me a long stretched out wow as I passed. It might not be a chick magnet, but it sure is a wonder to little kids. That almost made up for the jerk who tried to kill me earlier lol.