my ultimate project

deacon · #1 (**permalink**) 08-18-2008, 10:33 PM

I will probably never do this but I can't help think about it. I have been seeing all these schwinn choppers on craigs list. I keep thinking I could very easily put a stripped down weed eater on one of those. A nice 31cc on the front I think or maybe a 42cc chainsaw on the rear.

Schwinn Sting-Ray Chopper

Oh well maybe next year.

comfortableshoes · #2 (**permalink**) 08-19-2008, 04:22 AM

I've been thinking the same thing! I have been planning on making a new schwinnwacker with one. I have one in the garage! They are a sweet comfortable little ride. I can see right off the bat that there are som challenges-

#1 the width of the tire
#2 the rear of the bike is set up ALOT differently than a regular mountain bike- angles and clearance are funny.
#3 no space for teh killer fender on the back

When buying them be sure your looking at the right size. They made 2 sort of styles- the adult or XL if you can get that south of $800 it's a deal, not kiddingm hard to find and a collectors item. Then there was the kids style. The kids bike came in 3 sizes 16,18 and 24 inch. The frame size is designated by the front tire size. After looking at the 2 smaller sizes, you need the 24inch size. I need the 24in size.

Also they came with at least 2 styles of seat that are stock and were on teh wallmart bikes- a standard black vinyl with a flam and schwinn logo in it as well as a stiffer slicker vinyl with the same logo etc.If you can get the plain jane black versus the slicker seat- your butt will thanks you. The other seat is so darn uncomfortable and stiff I don't know how anyone could ride it.

Both of the bikes I bought (a blue and a black) came with lame stickers all over it as well sa the brakes put on poorly and every nut and bolt needed to be tightened. I had to rebuild both brakes on one of them and one on the other bike. Now the brakes pull so hard they stop on a dime.

The great thing on these bikes is that with the right seat, man are they comfortable to ride and old school ape hangers will look right at home one them.

Huffy made one called the West Coasts Chopper- designed by Jesse James. It came in black and chrome. Those are REALLY hard to find on the east coast. I've found one in months of searching on C-List and I didn't have any cash. Man was I bummed. Its awesome. It's set up a little more upright than the schwinn and has some nice spiderweb detailing. It's a nice bike.

These bikes occasionally catch a lot of flack- especially on the other forum- but I love them. If you can get one cheap do it it, you won't regret it. BTW $60 is a good deal on the bike if it has the 24inch front tire.

deacon · #3 (**permalink**) 08-19-2008, 06:12 AM

I think it would be a terribly hard project to do and keep the bikes integrity. That is the only reason I haven't done one. One version or another comes up on craig's list here every couple of months.

I am pretty sure that I would never build with a china bike engine again. I really do love the simplicity of friction drive and the ease of working on the WW engine. The friction clutch works fine when I have it adjusted right. One day I am going to figure it out. I am thinking now that the cable stretches and that's why it won't stay adusted. I might go with a very small chain on the mount almost all the way to the lever then marry in a couple of inches of cable at the very end.

Ranger · #4 (**permalink**) 08-19-2008, 07:56 AM

Has anyone thought about making a weedeater scooter?

I like the chopper but thats out of my reach. Maybe just a friction drive wheelbarrow wheel.

Heres an idea while I was thinking of this one: A 3 wheel contraption, 1 in front 2 in back. There would be no traditional steering, indstead have a castor wheel on the front and 2 engine controling each back wheel.

When you want to turn just drop an engine on one wheel and take an engine off the other wheel. Similar to a tank, sounds cool. Probably not feasable.

I would like to buy a china bike engine but I dont have a bike thats big enough.

jasonh · #5 (**permalink**) 08-19-2008, 08:31 AM

What's funny is the ad says it's a "west coast chopper" but the schwinn was co-designed by OCC (orange county choppers, new york).

Anyway, what you should do deacon is transfer your china kit over to a chopper, and do your other bikes friction drive. Those choppers just beg for an in-frame mount

Dang, I wonder if I could find a 24" for a decent price. That'd be a nice alternative to a vintage cruiser.....

deacon · #6 (**permalink**) 08-19-2008, 09:43 AM

I think I just sold my china bike. I really do not want to go through all that again. It is way easier just to plop a weed whacker on top of a wheel and ride. Actually I agree about the inframe engine in the chopper. The look is one reason I have not done it. I see those choppers on craigs list under a hundred bucks all the time. If I was going to build just one bike to run around with I think I would use the chopper.

I am seriously considering going back to the 20" rear wheel on all my bikes. The only real problem is i would have to change the crank set in the mtb and I really don't want to do that.

I have found out one more things. The old 3speed girlie bike,now my chainsaw bike, is about six inches shorter than the mtb and I like that. It makes it much easier to move around in a tight space. Doesn't sound like much of an issue but it gets to be a drag maneuvering them around after a while.

I'm hoping the grand daughter's bike is smaller as well. I still have dreams of a 20" WW bike but that will have to wait. What we really need is some kind of canvas storage bag to drop on the other side of the wheel. Across from the WW engine to kind of make it look like one of the old cop bikes.