King of the junkers

deacon · #1 (**permalink**) 09-05-2009, 05:37 PM

Yes the king of junk bikes almost bought a brand new bike So what stopped me you ask. Good sense and my wife. No she didn't cut off the funds, she asked me a few pointed questions. She asked what size stock bike I could ride.

Well I have balance issues so I have to be very careful when I swing my leg over. Since that is the case a 20" bike is best for me. I usually modify something to make it work.

Then she asked me if I bought a brand new 20" bike would I still be in the shop modifying it. I had to admit that a 20" bike is mostly for kids and as such has the wrong chain ring. I big bike has pedals that are too long so the best is a combination of both. 20" crank set and a 26" chain ring. Then of course I would have to mount the motor which would probably screw up the paint anyway. Then there is the trailer hitch to consider. Yeah all in all I should just stay with the junker bikes from the thrift store. If i catch them on sale, I can get twenty for the same 100 bucks.

ryan2249 · #2 (**permalink**) 09-05-2009, 08:58 PM

Thats a very good point decon, thrift store shopping is one of my favorite things to do. A lot of the bikes at the thrift store are older and better build quality too, compared to some department store bikes available today. Great thread decon.

Ryan

deacon · #3 (**permalink**) 09-05-2009, 09:06 PM

thank you I try

deacon · #4 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 12:25 PM

Funny but somehow it all came together with my last modification of the rhino bike last night.

Here are the things that make this bike perfect for me. There is nothing left to change.

1. It is a 20" step through frame. (easy for an old man with brain damage to mount.)

2' It has a coaster rear brake that finally works as it should (explanation later)

3. It has a front suspension fork from 24inch bike. (adds a little height to the front end so I don have to be bent forward. I can ride sitting straight up and it absorbs some of the road shock)

4. It has a 20" wheel in that 24" fork. (The bike is still pretty level in load so it doesn't lift the front too much.)

5. It has the rhino drive (my own invention rofl) (so the rear wheel has drag no front brake is needed. With the motor off in a few yards I could just foot drag it to a stop in case of chain brake.)

6. The rhino drive is fixed in place so the tension is controlled by air pressure. (I can deflate the tire completely in case of breakdown)

7. The rhino drive is powered by a 900 watt 36v power plant. It will pull even the worst hill with little or no help.

8. The bike has the short crank of a 20" bike which makes pedaling easy.

9. It has a 48 or 52 tooth chain ring (It allows me to pedal with the motor engaged almost at any speed and it also makes the coaster brakes work ten times better)

10. It has slightly taller BMX style handlebars (To keep them off my knees as I pedal)

11. The rhino drive was cheap and easy to build.

12. The batteries ride on a trailer. (That makes the bike lighter and easier to get in and out of the shop)

13. The batteries are inside a plastic took box ( I can remove it from the trailer for charging or storing the bike)

14. The trailer can be lifted (I can raise it and hook it in a lifted position so that I can roll the bike around without taking the trailer off and on every time.

I think that's about it. The last thing I did was putting on the larger chain ring. (It made a great improvement in the human element in the hybrid system. It also made the brake work ten times better)

Okay I COULD TAKE IT APART AND PAINT THE FRAME OTHERWISE IT IS PERFECT.

myocardia · #5 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deacon

Okay I COULD TAKE IT APART AND PAINT THE FRAME OTHERWISE IT IS PERFECT.

Isn't that what the guy who's looking for something else to do to his bike always says?

jdcburg · #6 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 09:49 PM

So when is the proud papa going to show us pictures of the new baby? (smiley face here) - jd

deacon · #7 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 11:04 PM

There were supposed to be two pictures with that post darn it.

I did do one more thing today. I used an old mountain bike handle bar to make a laid back seat post. Not sure how that is going to work out though.

Recumpence · #8 (**permalink**) 09-07-2009, 11:59 AM

That bike is hillarious! I love it!

Man, that is what is great about this hobby------- Anything goes.

There are two extremes in this;

#1 Those who do as much as they can with as little as they can.

#2 Those who do as much as they can with as much technology as required to make it happen.

Admittedly I am firmly in the latter catagory. However, I always love to see the extreme on either side of this. On the ES forum, there is a guy from Pakistan who has a REALLY junky looking bike. But, he has almost zero money in it and it works great. That is truely inspiring!

Matt

deacon · #9 (**permalink**) 09-07-2009, 12:29 PM

Today was half price sale at the junk store. I have decided that I will never ever wait till half price day to save less than five bucks. I stopped by on Saturday knowing that today was sale day. Just to see if there were any bikes I could buy for parts.

I have about decided to stay with the 20" bikes for myself so I have tossed out a lot of odd ball stuff I had laying about. I have a couple of extra coaster rear wheels but they are very old so I thought If I could find one that had not been out in the weather I might just pick up the whole bike.

they had two that would have done just fine. They were $9.99 each. I went back today to buy one for $5... Actually I was surprised to find that they were both there. I picked out one then waited for the lady to come unlock the chain. When she finally came, I took the bike and got in line. After 30 minutes I finally made into the same county as the cash register. More waiting. It took me an hour all together to save five bucks. I probably wasn't worth it but heck why not.

When I got home I realized the frame was probably a little stronger than the one I'm using now. I took the bike apart and then used some spare parts I had laying around to rebuild it to my specifications. I also ordered a couple of extra 600watt/24volt motors. Running them at 36volts give me a real hummer. It's death on range but it hums.

Yes I have, from day one.. built with junk bikes... I could have bought three or four good scooters brand new for what I have spent experimenting but it's a hobby not a profession. At the moment I am very pleased with the Rhino bikes. I hope I don't get bored with them and move on to a new field entirely.

Maybe a nuclear reactor or a flux capacitor.