What's the best drive roller?

deacon · #21 (**permalink**) 09-07-2008, 06:27 PM

maybe it was the sand but mine wore off in less than ten miles both times I tried it.

I didn't let the gorilla glue cure long enough on the chainsaw bike and it fell off. Im not upset because of what that sand paper did to my tire. I am going to leave it on the mtb bike and try it with a different tire.

Shoes I am curious to get your opinion after a week. Let me know please.

comfortableshoes · #22 (**permalink**) 09-13-2008, 09:31 PM

So I tested out that knurled BMX peg, it was good but after trying out and getting hooked on the JB Weld and sand it just doesn't compare. The alloy spindle was better, I think because the knurls on it were pointy. The knurls on the steel were flat, and the pattern made was from grooves not true knurling. IF that makes sense...

So. tonight I decided to fix them. All my pegs that I've bought since I've started this addiction. I had the 1 inch, 1.5 inch, and a fat 2 inch. I prepped the spindles by first putting them in my drill and sanding down any chrome so that it was dull. Then I wiped everything down with acetone. Then I mixed up a mammoth batch of JB weld and sand. I slathered it on with a plastic fork again.

On the 1 inch I put it on pretty thick, so that it made the diameter about 1.25 inches. I put it on thinly and evenly on the 1.5 in. ON the 2 inch I put it on thin.

I rolled the finished spindles in sand for one final coat and to even out the texture. After that I used the handle of the fork to put an even set of grooves along the length of each.

The 2 inch was the thinnest application so after 6 hours it was hardened so I decided to take it for a test drive, I could resist no longer. I took it down to the industrial park and tooled around a bit. No low end power, Bump starts after nothing, got to love a freshly gapped and cleaned plug!

After the industrial park I cruised on over to the cummin's center parking lot via mcpherson drive and behind the stop and slop. Easy cruising at 17mph, with pedaling 19. Pretty scary fast. It handles downhills under power at nearly 23 mph. I will say though, it's no hill climber. Engine bogs down at the smallest incline, things the 1 inch roller handled with ease this one can't. BUt it makes up for it's lack of hill climbing ability with the flat and downhill speed.

I'm thinking the 1.5 inch roller will be the best of both worlds. I suspect it will increase my easy cruising speed (no pedaling) to 15 or 16mph and my easy pedaling speed to around 17 or 18mph and downhills will probably come in at a smooth 21mph, unless I lift the engine then it's whatever the cruiser can do.

A note about the 6 hour cured JBWeld- it held up just fine, the loose sand came out but over all little to no wear.

I can't imagine what this thing would do if I weighed about 50lbs less.

deacon · #23 (**permalink**) 09-13-2008, 10:46 PM

Let me know about the 1.5. I have a 1 1/4 id pipe nipple with the chainsaw nut on it. I can use it on the 42cc as well as the 33 Im curious now.

comfortableshoes · #24 (**permalink**) 09-14-2008, 05:11 PM

The 1.5 with JB Weld is where its at, higher top speed, though I have to pedal more... There is significantly less low end on this thing than the 1 inch, but I like the higher top end, it's safer in this area, if I were cruising around the farm I'd go 1 inch but for safety here, I need to keep up more with traffic.

I had to tune the tension to find the sweet spot. Which changes a lot when I sit my fat a$$ on the bike. Reminder to self: every time I change a spindle adjust the tension.

When I first went out I was riding with the dregs of what was in my can, engine was acting funny. I blamed it on all kinds of thing and then was reading through here and read a post by Pablo about oil settling out of the mix. This was as good a time as any to go get fresh gas.

I got fresh gas and mixed it to the proper ratio for this Ryobi= 32:1 drained out the old and filled it with fresh. Results- better running engine. Seems the bogging down wasn't my engine's fault or my fat butt, but the mix. Probably the oil settled out and though I shake it before every use it had probably just sat for too long.

So I took it out for a little test spin. The results:
The JB Weld and sand wins again. There is more oomph than the faux knurled spindle alone and less slipping. Though I will say more slipping than the 1 inch roller. This might have something to do with the size or how I put it on, the first application was sloppy this one is smoother and more precise. I'd say that rough is better, it has more grab, even if it is uneven. Also I used less sand, more sand is better.

The numbers: Top speed of 24mph, downhill with pedaling. More pedaling on flats, more ability to keep up higher speeds. I averaged 12 mph before tweaking the tension and 14 after. On McPherson drive I was able to keep the bike at 17mph easily and get there quickly. This was also not at WOT, more like 1/2 to 2/3. WOT got me the 24mph down hill and the engine wasn't racing. Up hill if I didn't pedal the engine would bog a bit and the spindle would slip, so pedaling up hill was necessary.

I'll have to test it out again when the roads are dry there were still a lot of puddles at the cummin's center where I did my test runs and speed runs, I suspect that speeds will be higher when everything is dry.

Verdict: This is my every day driving spindle. It will keep my up with traffic, force me to pedal a little more in the start but over all it's a winner. IF I know I'm going to a place that's really hilly I'll switch out to the 1 inch spindle and sacrifice speed for hill climbing.

deacon · #25 (**permalink**) 09-14-2008, 06:47 PM

Sounds like a plan. I have a 1.5 inch spindle that will fit either of my chainsaw bikes. I'll keep it in mind. I might decide to go that route as a test one day.

After I run the chainsaw 2 a few more times, I am going to build or rather rebuild a trailer for hauling packages. You never know when I might want to haul something home from home depot again. Something that won't fit in a plastic bag that hangs from the handle bars.

comfortableshoes · #26 (**permalink**) 09-14-2008, 08:04 PM

Yep I have a basket for the front of my bike, I keep a water bottle, my tool kit and the cell pone in a bag in there. BUt if I went to the packie here I'd only fit a small bottle in if I went to the grocery store I'd only get a small bag in.

comfortableshoes · #27 (**permalink**) 09-18-2008, 04:42 AM

Last night I went for another ride- did about 6 miles, getting 10 on a tank of gas now. This thing is hitting it's sweet spot now I think. I was easy cruising around 16 to 18 MPH and on McPherson drive I got up to 21, with a little human engine help. I got home rode up the drive way and parked in my usual spot.

I was letting the engine cool off before I put it away for the night, Well I went to go put it away and I decided, hey it's still early, why not go for another quick spin...

I backed the bike up turned it around and decided I was going to see if I could bump start it instead of pull starting it. Primed it up and off I went.

Well engine was acting funny, really funny, like it did when the peg was loose or when I was running out of gas...

So I pulled into the industrial park and took a look, first thing I check out was the gas- full tank I just filled it, next thing the peg. It was loose!

Remember when I said I backed it up? I gave it a little test and if I don't lift the clutch and back the bike up it loosens the peg just enough that the engine starts to act funny- loose flywheel, causes magneto to not work right and thus I don't get the right spark! so I tightened the peg down and pull started it- back to normal. So If I back it up and then bump start I've got issues, If I back it up and then pull start, no issues, the peg tightens itself.

I've decided this is going to be my everyday peg so I may go with a little loctite on it, but I really like the fact that I can change everything fast if i want to.

deacon · #28 (**permalink**) 09-18-2008, 07:05 AM

I use loctite or super glue on everything now. Well that isn't quite true. I use it when I remember to use it.

I do have loctite on the drive wheel on the 33 chain saw because it used to come loose.

by the way running an engine backwards causes the drive wheel to come off all the time. It's why engines that run clockwise have nuts that turn counter clockwise.

comfortableshoes · #29 (**permalink**) 09-18-2008, 05:23 PM

I have locktite on everything but the peg. I like being able to change them out for testing purposes. If I put locktite on it it'll make it a lot harder. I just need to remember when backing the bike up (engine off) to lift the clutch and not to be lazy

I'm headed out for a nice long ride tonight- I had a terrifically stressful day at work and well, I need to unwind a bit...

deacon · #30 (**permalink**) 09-18-2008, 06:10 PM

You know something was said earlier about friction drive. Friction drive is probably the safest of all bicycle propulsion systems. If your engine locks up wot you are going to have some slowdown from the braking action on your wheel. If your chain drive locks up you are headed for the ditch. I can swear to that first hand. Actually in both cases.