Steve Ford

GoldenMotor.com

fordie

New Member
Oct 11, 2008
7
0
0
72
Bardwell, Suffolk, England
Hi there!! I'm in cold wet England!! Have just finished fitting the 70cc unit to my ancient Raleigh mountain bike (That was rotting away in one of my sheds!!) The whole transition went incredibly smoothly and the bike goes like a rocket. The only trouble being, that here in England we have so many stupid "nanny state" laws that, in theory, it's illegal to use it on the roads!

Fortunately I live in the depths of Suffolk, in a small village where we seldom see a cop car, so I've been out enjoing myself.......albeit with one eye constantly in the mirror! Have even managed to achieve 40mph, but then I do only weigh 68Kg!! Not bad for an aged 57year old hippie!!

On the downside, I constantly seem to destroy inner tubes, the last time in the dark, miles away from home & my wife away for the weekend.......what a time for two flats!! and what a time for a VERY long walk home.

What I really need is a two cable brake lever. I can't get one in this country, and I did e-mail Spookytooth for a price to ship one to me, but they never replied.

I think these motorised bike things are the best thing since sliced bread......I LOVE mine!!

Be lovely to hear from some of you "Yanks", you seem to have so much more fun than us!!
 

Saddletramp1200

Custom MB Buiilder
May 7, 2008
1,451
83
48
Houston, Texas
Welcome fellow biker! The dancing girls are at lunch and the butler is on a beer run so Hello from S. Texas! Spooky is real good about returning emails. Yours may have got by him. Happens to me. I ride with a back pack, always! A cheap hand tire pump and a two dollar patch kit has save me more than once! Small cresent wrench and your set! I run out of gas, a lot rotfl a canteen fixes that! Cherrie O's dude :) Tramp
 

Bikeguy Joe

Godfather of Motorized Bicycles
Jan 8, 2008
11,837
252
63
up north now
Welcome Steve.

Take your tire off and check the rim very closely for protruding or sharp spoke ends and nipples. Also, check where the valve stem comes through the wheels, it can have burrs or rust too.
 

johnm14

New Member
Jul 28, 2008
3
0
0
Hi there!! I'm in cold wet England!! Have just finished fitting the 70cc unit to my ancient Raleigh mountain bike (That was rotting away in one of my sheds!!) The whole transition went incredibly smoothly and the bike goes like a rocket. The only trouble being, that here in England we have so many stupid "nanny state" laws that, in theory, it's illegal to use it on the roads!

Fortunately I live in the depths of Suffolk, in a small village where we seldom see a cop car, so I've been out enjoing myself.......albeit with one eye constantly in the mirror! Have even managed to achieve 40mph, but then I do only weigh 68Kg!! Not bad for an aged 57year old hippie!!

On the downside, I constantly seem to destroy inner tubes, the last time in the dark, miles away from home & my wife away for the weekend.......what a time for two flats!! and what a time for a VERY long walk home.

What I really need is a two cable brake lever. I can't get one in this country, and I did e-mail Spookytooth for a price to ship one to me, but they never replied.

I think these motorised bike things are the best thing since sliced bread......I LOVE mine!!

Be lovely to hear from some of you "Yanks", you seem to have so much more fun than us!!
Hi Steve,

I am a 56 year old former hippie living in California. I started with this craze in July this year. I now have 2 bikes. One mountain bike and a beach cruiser. I ride one while I tear apart the other one to re-paint it or swap tires.

I haven't had a real hobby in decades, but this one has me by the balls. I think about it all day long. My garage is filled with motorcycles and motor bikes. My wife is beginning to worry about me. She's also afraid that someone will go into the garage with a lit cigarette and blow up the house.

Unlike England, California actuallly has a legal status for these kinds of bikes. I even have a license plate for one of them. I have been observed by many cops, but never stopped.

My major problem with the bikes is the brakes. The mountain bike has two rim brakes attached to one lever. It works fairly well unless you are going downhill at 30 MPH. It's a little scary.

The beach cruiser has coaster brake in rear and hand brake in front. This is a somewhat better stopping setup, but you have to have a very slow and gentle engagement of the coaster brake at high speeds. It will lock up on you if you muscle it too much.

Anyway, nice reading your story.
 

Saddletramp1200

Custom MB Buiilder
May 7, 2008
1,451
83
48
Houston, Texas
I just dropped in, to see what condition my condition was in. Stock brake pads are junk. The wheels have the stability to stop these bikes. The brake arms have the same. Better brake pads can be had @ good bike shops. I have some that will stop the wheels no matter how fast I go. (30 ah 40 max) Excaliber products. $ 11.00 a set. My local bike shop carries them. 22.00 bucks is worth it to me. I de grease my rims with alchocol at least 3 times a week, Heaaahhh yea.
 

Goat Herder

Gutter Rider
Apr 28, 2008
6,237
20
38
N.M.
I'am in the land of mass goat head stickers, cured my prob green slime, and heavy thick walled tubes. I swear by the slime I've picked up a razer blade once wound up wearing this stuff It got me home another40 miles! Hope this helps. Welcome to the forum!
 

Bikeguy Joe

Godfather of Motorized Bicycles
Jan 8, 2008
11,837
252
63
up north now
10,000 comedians out of work, but We have Joe! One of the U.S.A. 's finest! Not conceaded either. Just look under his Name. rotfl

10,001, I'm outta work too.

The sig is supposed to be "self employed genius visionary", but it wouldn't fit in the space alotted, kinda like my head.:ride: