New Bike Build
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Very nice looking bike, and looking forward to seeing the new build come together, spend some time here reading and using the forum search feature and that will help answer many queations before you ven get to them.Here's a pic of my new bike I got today for my new build. The motor should be getting here tomorrow. Will post more pics when she's complete.
Best wishes Gravity
Map
Welcome to the forum. If you are building a two stroke, you may need an oversized front motor mount to fit that nice fat down tube. You can also make one from a muffler clamp. It has become quite routine.
Welcome and good luck with your build. There's an old thead which addresses oversized tubing and how to cope with it as far as the front mount is concerned.
http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=6427
Hope it helps and if we can help further, just ask.
Tom
http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=6427
Hope it helps and if we can help further, just ask.
Tom
Here it is all complete Okay maybe not all complete but just about. I need to get a back brake since I had to remove the back disc brake to allow room for the sprocket. I also had to use a hole saw to make the opening on the sprocket larger to fit around the disc brake mount on the wheel. The front disc brake seems to do the job, but Im still going to hook up a v-brake on the back just to be safe. It rides nice and smooth just like I hoped. These things are awesome!
Also if anyone has a solution for this gas tank, Id appreciate it. I couldn't find another place for it. Its mounted on top of the wires to shift gears on the bike, so im stuck in one gear. I have it in the best gear for pedaling and wont be doing any shifting since theres a motor on the bike but would like to solve the problem just in case. Thanks
Okay maybe not all complete but just about. I need to get a back brake since I had to remove the back disc brake to allow room for the sprocket. I also had to use a hole saw to make the opening on the sprocket larger to fit around the disc brake mount on the wheel. The front disc brake seems to do the job, but Im still going to hook up a v-brake on the back just to be safe. It rides nice and smooth just like I hoped. These things are awesome!Also if anyone has a solution for this gas tank, Id appreciate it. I couldn't find another place for it. Its mounted on top of the wires to shift gears on the bike, so im stuck in one gear. I have it in the best gear for pedaling and wont be doing any shifting since theres a motor on the bike but would like to solve the problem just in case. Thanks
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Is your bike a 21 speed or a 24 speed? Then I can tell you the best shifting system for it.Here it is all complete
Also if anyone has a solution for this gas tank, Id appreciate it. I couldn't find another place for it. Its mounted on top of the wires to shift gears on the bike, so im stuck in one gear. I have it in the best gear for pedaling and wont be doing any shifting since theres a motor on the bike but would like to solve the problem just in case. Thanks
Let me explain a few things first. A 24 speed is really only a 17 speed. 7 gears are redundant ones. There is a complex shifting system you could learn to avoid gear redundancy. I've developed a simpler system which is 10 easy to learn gears. It elimites gear redundancy, cross chaining and chain droop.
Long upgrades or entering uphill at a slow speed 1(1,2,3). Level ground comfort riding, rolling hills 2(3,4,5,6). Downhill, rolling hills or level ground sprinting 3(6,7,8). The only time you shift the front chain rings is when you're in 3 or 6 in the rear. Before stopping going uphill be in1(1) then use that as a starting gear. On all other stops be in 2(3) before stopping then use that as a starting gear. Shifting like this is similar to an internal hub system.
Get a bicycle computer with a cadence meter on it. Then be in a gear where you can comfortably maintain a crank rpm of 70-90. Here is a cadence meter I like using on pedal only builds or non shift kit builds.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0030CHBM0/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1398607887&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70
Long upgrades or entering uphill at a slow speed 1(1,2,3). Level ground comfort riding, rolling hills 2(3,4,5,6). Downhill, rolling hills or level ground sprinting 3(6,7,8). The only time you shift the front chain rings is when you're in 3 or 6 in the rear. Before stopping going uphill be in1(1) then use that as a starting gear. On all other stops be in 2(3) before stopping then use that as a starting gear. Shifting like this is similar to an internal hub system.
Get a bicycle computer with a cadence meter on it. Then be in a gear where you can comfortably maintain a crank rpm of 70-90. Here is a cadence meter I like using on pedal only builds or non shift kit builds.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0030CHBM0/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1398607887&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70
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http://motorbicycling.com/album.php?albumid=677&pictureid=5906
As for your cables you can either get full sleeves for them and tie wrap them to the bottom side of your tube. Or use some unistrut and some conduit stand off straps.
As for your cables you can either get full sleeves for them and tie wrap them to the bottom side of your tube. Or use some unistrut and some conduit stand off straps.
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You could maybe get a rear luggage rack tank- boygoesfast and some of the other vendors have them-
for the rear sprocket, maybe you could get an alloy sprock with the six bolt pattern to screw right on where the disk brake was- You might be able to lose the tensioner too then- and the smaller the sprocket the more likely to clear the frame- If you used titanium bolts you'd be saving POUNDs of weight.
I don't suppose the back wheel stays have a cross brace over the whells with a drilling for a caliper brake? If it does then you're in business to replace the brake.
The gas tanks have become a personal pet peeve of my own, and i've meant to do a thread about it- maybe soon- but I've been waiting years for something smaller and lighter- there's nice plastic tanks with lightweight vented plastic caps for pit bikes, but very few of them could ever fit a very few bike frames- I found this problems a few years back when I was building a Schwinn World Sport- the top tube on a diamond road frame is just too short to put a tank on without it being in the way of peddaling.
Kings and gasbike have listed an under bar tank for years- and at only $15 too- but guess what?
IT'S NEVER IN STOCK! I've checked for years now.
As I've said before- it's all about selling gasoline, and keeping the weight of a otorized bike/moped from being ridiculously low-
I could build a vintage road or touring bike with a 50cc motor right now that weighs barely more than 40 pounds- my 50 cruiser build with 700c wheels weighs only about 45 now unloaded- and still cruise at 25 and peak up to 30-
If a smaller motor was feasible- i'd probably opt for it- I'd love a 40 cc with a stock muffler that has a pipe another six inches in the front- AND it would be even quieter than my 50 now-
but it just ain;t gonna happen in the oli controlled corporate conglomerate world-
it's TOO PRACTICAL! (especially here in florida)
for the rear sprocket, maybe you could get an alloy sprock with the six bolt pattern to screw right on where the disk brake was- You might be able to lose the tensioner too then- and the smaller the sprocket the more likely to clear the frame- If you used titanium bolts you'd be saving POUNDs of weight.
I don't suppose the back wheel stays have a cross brace over the whells with a drilling for a caliper brake? If it does then you're in business to replace the brake.
The gas tanks have become a personal pet peeve of my own, and i've meant to do a thread about it- maybe soon- but I've been waiting years for something smaller and lighter- there's nice plastic tanks with lightweight vented plastic caps for pit bikes, but very few of them could ever fit a very few bike frames- I found this problems a few years back when I was building a Schwinn World Sport- the top tube on a diamond road frame is just too short to put a tank on without it being in the way of peddaling.
Kings and gasbike have listed an under bar tank for years- and at only $15 too- but guess what?
IT'S NEVER IN STOCK! I've checked for years now.
As I've said before- it's all about selling gasoline, and keeping the weight of a otorized bike/moped from being ridiculously low-
I could build a vintage road or touring bike with a 50cc motor right now that weighs barely more than 40 pounds- my 50 cruiser build with 700c wheels weighs only about 45 now unloaded- and still cruise at 25 and peak up to 30-
If a smaller motor was feasible- i'd probably opt for it- I'd love a 40 cc with a stock muffler that has a pipe another six inches in the front- AND it would be even quieter than my 50 now-
but it just ain;t gonna happen in the oli controlled corporate conglomerate world-
it's TOO PRACTICAL! (especially here in florida)
I've got one of these when I was thinking I might be building up an old Atala road frame I have sitting around-
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fuel-Gas-Ta...Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a82d73d8f&vxp=mtr
it's TALL- 24" and it would probably hang under the top bar at the front of the frame and have just enogh space to get the cap off-
This little plastic tank doesn;t weigh ANYTHING!
but what we need is something with a bit of a side fill- and just not there yet-
Also, wouldn't some kind of nice small universal CRUISER TANK be nice? to occupy the space where the old fake tanks were on "tank cruisers"?
Just not there- after all these years- CORPORATE CONSPIRACY!-
What HAS come along? the GALLON/ 4 LITER teardrop tank, with the same HEAVY HEAVY cap. I even see a 5 LITER teardrop on ebay now-
NO SMOKING, STAY PUFT MAN!
I recall as a kid seeing "hot Rod" gas caps in the auto stores in the 60's EXACTLY like the gas caps on our motorized bikes. I wish I could lose the hot rod cap at least- the two liter tank I have isn't that heavy- but more gas than I need really- and I could get by with a plastic water bottle's worth of fue at a time for the local utility riding I use the bikes for.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fuel-Gas-Ta...Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a82d73d8f&vxp=mtr
it's TALL- 24" and it would probably hang under the top bar at the front of the frame and have just enogh space to get the cap off-
This little plastic tank doesn;t weigh ANYTHING!
but what we need is something with a bit of a side fill- and just not there yet-
Also, wouldn't some kind of nice small universal CRUISER TANK be nice? to occupy the space where the old fake tanks were on "tank cruisers"?
Just not there- after all these years- CORPORATE CONSPIRACY!-
What HAS come along? the GALLON/ 4 LITER teardrop tank, with the same HEAVY HEAVY cap. I even see a 5 LITER teardrop on ebay now-
NO SMOKING, STAY PUFT MAN!
I recall as a kid seeing "hot Rod" gas caps in the auto stores in the 60's EXACTLY like the gas caps on our motorized bikes. I wish I could lose the hot rod cap at least- the two liter tank I have isn't that heavy- but more gas than I need really- and I could get by with a plastic water bottle's worth of fue at a time for the local utility riding I use the bikes for.
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On many bikes that can be a problem. If you can, re-route the cables to the underside of the top bar. If it's a problem with welded-on cable stays (loops it passes through), you have two options (that come to my mind right away)..
Either cut the stays off the bar, and grind/sand smooth where they were welded (the cable(s) can be tied up underneath after the tank is mounted or position is determined).. I did this for my cruiser, which gave me the added bonus of a sample of each colour paint to take with me to match at the store..
or
Build up a series of layers of rubber strips to go under the tank against the top bar, so that you build up support between cables. By doing this you can vary the widths of the strips to go between/beside cables.. I've done this on my beast, and a couple of other mtn bike frames where the cable stays are needed for the operation of the shifter system. To try to explain, my beast has a 'stack' of 5 (or maybe 6) strips between tank and frame in a sort of I-beam shape. The number depends on the thickness of material you work with. A strip 1" wide, goes against the bar under the cables (they are raised slightly by the stays holding them). I have 3 (or 4) 1/2" wide strips stacked on that that run between the cables, then another 1" wide strip across the top. To make it easier to handle I used the ultra-thin two-sided tape that comes with window seal kits to hold the layers together.
The bike has the stays holding the cables and I don't want to grind them off messing up the bike. However the second way is very good. While I was bolting on the gas tank I thought of exactly what you said... Putting some kind of spacer in between the gas tank and frame so the cables can still move. I didn't do it yet because the mounts aren't long enough to reach the bolts if I put some kind of spacer to raise the gas tank up off the cables. Gotta get some bigger mounts or make some.
if you want to put brakes back on the bike your going to have to get a double brake lever so you can use front brakes with the clutch lever and have rear brakes on your throttle side if you dont order a double clutch lever you wont be able to have front and rear brakes and the clutch
I have three levers on both of my multispeed bikes, two on the left side for clutch and front brake and one on right side for rear brake. Living in the country and riding on dirt roads a dual lever scares me because if you apply the brakes while making a turn and the front locks a little and slides and you are going down hard.... so. I prefer single brake levers for that reason myself but some do like the dual levers.
Map
Map
I run two levers on the left. I don't trust a dual brake lever to apply the brakes evenly in emergency stops.
I prefer to judge for myself which brake to use.
I prefer to judge for myself which brake to use.
Yep im with ya, a little to much pressure on the front brake at the wrong time and you're gonna wreck, the only wreck I've had so far was due to applying th front brake at a bad time....
With regards to the brakes; to each thier own, if you like dual levers great, if you don't, your call. I've used a double brake lever on every build so far.. I've found that if they're set up right there are no problems. When set correctly, they will stop a bike doing 32 kph (or 20 mph) - the local 'limit' for powered bikes inside of 20 feet if you grab 'em hard. (Local legislation says bike has to be able to stop within 9 meters (30 feet) from 32 kph).
Yep its all about what someone wants and what works for them for sure, as far as regulation like you spoke of we dont have to worry about any of the kind of stuff in Texas, Im happy to live in an American state that prides its self on a low amount of government regulation on things like this.
My bigges concern with dual levers is braking while cornering, just a slight amount of brake pressure on the front wheel while tire is on dirt or on a little gravel or water on pavement and the chances of the front of the bike sliding out from under is way higher then it is if only rear braking is used while cornering, I do use both front and rear when stopping when going straight and on pavement, having a front break adds a huge amount of stopping power, on my motorcycles I use the front brake a lot more than the rear many times because it's so affective in slowing you down quicker with just a little pressure on the rear brake.
Map
