A Colorado Rocky Mountain Hi

TheLoneRanger · Mar 12, 2008

A general question from a still spry 73 year old. I don't think I have the mechanical ability or patience to modify a bike to a motorized or electric unit. I have a 15-speed with somewhat medium wide tire but not as wide as the old balloon tires. Considering safety, stability, ease of maintenance, noise level, cost and something not too speedy, what would you recommend for one of the geezer crowd? The way and speeds people drive in the cities here in Colorado, I would probably take it up to some of the small mountain towns and tour on the back roads. Oh yes, it would have to run OK at altitudes to 10,000 feet. And, probably something I could mount on a trunk type bike rack. Might be a good way to peruse some of the trout streams.

Ilikeabikea · Mar 12, 2008

Wow 10,00' you'd sure need to get it pretty lean at that altitude. I'd like to ride up that high sometime just to see what my bike would do. Welcome to the forum. What part of Colorado you from?..........bicycle motor

paul · Mar 12, 2008

you may want to go electric. most of them only do around 15 mph and you will have to pedal assist it up the hills. i am sure someone knows about the altitude thing. as far as mechanical ability i have zero. kit said 2 hours to build and took me 2 week lol but is worth every minute of time put into it. i have both electric and gas and i perfer the gas over electric but i like to do around 30mph. if you get one you have my phone number and i will always be available to help you
paul

deacon · Mar 12, 2008

Electric will not have the range you want to tour. I have built and ride both. Twenty miles sounds like a lot till you actually do it. Plus as batteries age they lose some of their ump. And up hill eats the power. Gasoline is the way to go. If you carry the bike on your truck, then you can park your truck so starting is a downhill pedal and make it easier on yourself,

However they are noisy and smelly and almost as heavy as an electric bike with the batteries.

Take a look over the site and see what you like. I'm sure you can tailer something to your needs. Most important thing is to stay active. At least it has worked for me.

I got active again about a year ago and feel as good as i ever did. So don't quit go for it all. Just as long as you can.

I have my gasoline bike set to run about twenty miles per hour max... The electics will do about 15 mph. If you did want to build your own, the electric would be easier to build. That new hub kits is very easy and would just replace your front wheel and string a couple of wires. That one you probably could do in half a day with minor tools.

paul · Mar 12, 2008

make sure you have a good padded case on your rack for you camera equipment. theloneranger is an awesome photographer and i love the pictures he does

deacon · Mar 13, 2008

Well I would buy a cheap throw away camera if I was going to carry it on one of the gas bikes. I have ruined a lot of equipment just on the seat of my car let alone these things.

Bikeguy Joe · Mar 13, 2008

Hi Ho Silver!

Sorry.

I think a bicycle motor like that'sdax has on ebay (dacscommm) or similar motorized bicycle kit would work fine for your needs. The needle in the carb is easily adjustable, and should be fine at that altitude.

TheLoneRanger · Mar 13, 2008

Ilikeabikea said:
Wow 10,00' you'd sure need to get it pretty lean at that altitude. I'd like to ride up that high sometime just to see what my bike would do. Welcome to the forum. What part of Colorado you from?..........bicycle motor

I live in the Colorado Front Range near the foothills about 45 minutes from Rocky Mountain National Park. BTW, when you reach 62 you can buy a Golden Age Passport for a one time fee of $10 that allows you and all the passengers in your vehicle entrance to any National Park in the U.S.A.....FREE for life. Plus you can stay in any campsite up to 14 days for 1/2 price. One of the few perks to getting older. rotfl

TheLoneRanger · Mar 13, 2008

CRUISER said:
make sure you have a good padded case on your rack for you camera equipment. theloneranger is an awesome photographer and i love the pictures he does

Here are a few photos from this area: winter and summer.

deacon · Mar 13, 2008

Beautiful scenery and great information about the parks I am old enough for that. Of course not too many passengers can get on my bike. lol

Skyliner70cc · Mar 13, 2008

Lone Ranger,
I sell motorized comfort bicycles with a front suspension and am located in Monument Colorado. A 2 stroke frame mounted bike with a 55 tooth rear sprocket would be PERFECT to suit your needs.
Top speed in Colorado with a 55 tooth rear sprocket would be 15-20 mph depending on altitude and you would be able to climb ANY hill in Colorado. I have ridden hours and hours on mountain forestry roads on similar bikes without any problem. Contact me at [email protected] if you have any questions.

PS To take into account loss of power with increasing altitude and increasing richness, I overcome this by adding methanol/nitromethane based fuel to the tank. I typically use 2 oz per 1/2gallon of 20/20 model airplane fuel for rides above 5,000 feet and 3 oz/per 1/2 gallon for rides above 9,000 feet. However, this is because I run a 48 or 50 tooth sprocket and don't wish to pedal on those steep mountain passes. With a 55 tooth sprocket, you wouldn't have any need to do this unless you wanted to.

Norman · Mar 14, 2008

Mr. Lone ranger
I visit Colorado now and then I go to Hooper I've got family there and I love the hot springs water to go swimming there winter or summer its great and the valley where Hooper is lights up at night during the summer when thunder storms hit on the mountains very very cool to see Gods free fireworks. while swimming in the hot springs pool. If you ever get down in the Texas panhandle which by the way is only 6 to 8 hrs from Hooper look me and Ilikeabikea up.
Norman

deacon · Mar 14, 2008

Well I never been to Colorado but I did like John Denver music. Does that count? I also hear it has dynamite views. Not much chance i'll make it in this lifetime. Maybe i'll make it next time around.

TheLoneRanger · Mar 14, 2008

I'm a John Denver's music fan and that does count. He and George Burns in the "O God" movie is one of our favorites. I am a novice photographer and can send you some photos especially if you like trees. I did a CD called "Tree Magic: Nature's Antennas" before I quit book publishing. You can still see some of the old web page at: Tree Magic : Nature's Antennas

deacon · Mar 14, 2008

I am a bit of a photographer myself. We need to work out some kind of theme and shoot some shots just for the forum. (maybe scenes from the seat of a motor bike.) Of course I still use film for real photography. I even shoot a few old cameras now and then. That is a crown graphic in my avitar. I also built a few cameras last year before I got involved with bikes. This is like building cameras, hank of hair and a piece of bone kind of thing.

nogoodnic · Mar 14, 2008

Hi Lone Ranger and welcome to the group. I've only been through CO once and I loved every minute of it, Colorado is truly Gods country. Great shots you've posted, I'm looking forward to seeing more in the future. Now on to bikes, being at 10,000' you may want to look into a jet kit from Mike Simpson which will help with your fuel mixture. Mike is a member here, I would sugest contacting him here or through his site Simpson Motor Bikes for more info...Kelly :ride2:

Norman · Mar 15, 2008

Mr. Lone Ranger
If I get one of my bikes to Hooper sometimes I'll take along the solder and drills I;ll be Abe to report on what to do at 7,000 ft. at least and I'll have to try it at one of the passes La Vita comes to mind Monarch would really be the best test I don't remember the one out of Aspen I think it is 12,000 ft and it was hard for me to walk and talk at the same time last time I was there. Start of summer me and the guys were having a good snowball fight everyone got in it I wore out quickly.
Norman

TheLoneRanger · Mar 15, 2008

nogoodnic said:
Hi Lone Ranger and welcome to the group. I've only been through CO once and I loved every minute of it, Colorado is truly Gods country. Great shots you've posted, I'm looking forward to seeing more in the future. Now on to bikes, being at 10,000' you may want to look into a jet kit from Mike Simpson which will help with your fuel mixture. Mike is a member here, I would sugest contacting him here or through his site Simpson Motor Bikes for more info...Kelly

Thanks for the tip. I'll look into the Jet Pack once I get a bike. It sounds like it might launch me Hi Yo Slivering off a mountain pass. rotfl

deacon · Mar 15, 2008

It's hard to imagine how much fun these bikes really are.

Skyliner70cc · Mar 16, 2008

I contacted Mike last year via email regarding his Jet kit. His reply was that the jets were all larger in size and not smaller which doesn't help us folks in Colorado. There are two options for Coloradoans: Solder and redrill a smaller jet hole or use a fuel mixture that will run at the richer mixtures with the stock jet.

Several high altitude options:
1. Run a blend of E85 and regular gasoline. Straight E85 requires a 40% richer mixture. Straight E85 doesn't work at my altitude (too lean) but a 65% gasoline and 35% E85 blend seemed to work perfect at 7000 feet.

2. Experiment with methanol/nitromethane-available in model airplane fuel-in very small amounts. Nitromethane is like a liquid turbocharger additive. A VERY SMALL amount per/gallon is needed to fix the problem but too much will cause a lean run that can be damaging.

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