Marin build

[haste]

have a front suspension 98 marin hillhawk. Was going to turn it into an ebike..but I just love 2 strokes and I dont want dangerous batteries. This is also a hobby not a commuter...so tinkering is somewhat fun.

The bike is okay...no dents but paint rubbing off some rust. So its not really worth selling..and needs a little work..one front spoke, rear wheel is bent, needs seat, tires.

However it is chromo triple butted goodness...so no cracked frame! Has a POS RST fork as well.

I will get a disc rear wheel with vbrake rim to use a sprocket adapter on rear..and convert the bicycle drivechain to Single Speed for simpliticy(who pedals these anyway?)

Engine will recieve a blueprint, and overhaul. So 42 mph or so top end and decent 30-35 cruising.

[haste]

was thinking about a shiftkit...but that adds to complexity. I cant imagine it adding any real power to a ported and tuned motor.

[BarelyAWake]

You're right, shiftkits don't "add" power to any motor nor do they provide a higher top speed - in fact there's a very slight reduction in applied power due to fractional losses from the added friction.

Provided the final gears are the same, you'd see a comparable top speed but with vastly improved acceleration as multiple gears allows you to have the best of both worlds, low for acceleration off the line & tall for cruise w/o redlining.

As with most things it's all about application. If you're interested in raw top speed and don't care how long it takes to get there & don't have any hills to speak of - then a shiftkit isn't for you. If you live in hilly terrain and/or wish for far improved acceleration off the line and a good top speed... you may want to consider one - but they do add complexity & thus more maintenance, the added chain tensioning & wear can be a headache if you're a high mileage/abusive rider.

What I've done is added a shiftkit to my comfy summer cruiser for my daily driving, commuting and light racing - but my winter beater is direct drive for simplicity, geared lower than it could be for max top speed, I pound the heck out of it w/o concern *shrug*