Old Guys Simplex moto-peddle bike

Tom from Rubicon said:

"Passed by young women in spandex pedaling while texting and looking all hipster."
A view worth being passed by for. Hang in there Rick.
Tom

Click to expand...

Though my eyes be dimmed they can still be brightened, Tom!

We received our first measurable snow last evening 3" of very wet snow which is what we pray for out here in our two driest months of the year Jan. and Feb. Stayed in and by the fire quite nice.

Been busy learning things about the interactions of e-motors, controllers and battery setups with a lot of help from knowledgeable builders while jumping from one Youtube video to the next, some of which are very good, still others not much help. I think I'm not quite as clueless as yesterday, but still learning with a long way to go. Kudos to Tony01, Pat and my battery guy for their help and patience with my learning curve on e-setup issues. Things are headed in a very good direction with the e-V twin project, Of course cost overruns will be what they always are on my builds, no need for a budget 'cause I'm always in the red on all my projects and they are never ever completed. I can't not tinker with things.

Rick C.

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Todays emphasis is on dynamic braking direct drive, brushless motors and I had to dig through a pile of regeneration braking info to learn something. It seems that most of the hype is about charging the battery pack with regen & I could care less about one to five percent feedback charge, it's ok but not something that warrants my concern. The dynamic braking benefits however are awesome and really scrub the speed off without using the brakes, like a 4 strokes compression braking when coupled with a gear box and manual clutch and dropping from fourth to second, really dramatic slowdown.

Motors that are geared and with freewheels can't benefit from regen or dynamic braking without modification to eliminate the clutch action of the freewheel.

The drawback is that pedaling is more difficult without a freewheel in the drive line, but really easy as you add e-power assistance to the pedal movement. I can definitely live with that for the braking benefits.

I spoke with a fellow that lives on a huge hill, not a mountain, yet 700 feet & just under 10% grade. He rides a powerful e-bike that can handle the assent, but was replacing brake pads every 45 days on his geared mid-drive. He made the switch to a direct drive motor and he feels safe on his descents now because he can go down this steep grade without using his brakes at all. Dynamic braking; why isn't it touted as the major benefit rather than the miniscule charging of the regeneration circuit? Probably not green enough or buzzy and socially coupled to the environment. I like clean and I also like safety and when they are joined at the hip all benefits should be considered, not just the one that tweets the best to Biff & Mindy.

Rick C.

Thanks to Lewis and Curtis for the photos and links. There is just no end to the inspiration these old bikes bring to the game. Also old threads are gold mines of how it's done and just fun to review. I'm going to dig in and read this 1910 Pierce build thread complete as I've an interest in the Pierce and the Yale bikes & motors.

When you stay busy you're never bored!

Rick C.

Lewis I like the bike, looks great.

Rick C.

Break in the weather so hope to get some work done this weekend. I'm really at a point where I need to clean up some details that I put together for broad visual confirmation and not final fitment, so I'm off by small amounts here and there for any final bolt up in several places 1/16", 1/32" or an 1/8" all easily corrected, but will take some time. These aren't functional areas but cosmetically distracting..

Rick C.

The Schleber like carb is ready for a copper gas line, glass bowl sediment filter and connection to a throttle cable. I don't think I'll attach an air cleaner, race bike and all.

I got a lot of stuff altered to fit; when I assemble the motor case again. Spark plug cups are welded in place and intake stubs securely attached to the cylinders. I also made progress on the OHV drive train and reduction gear sprocket though I still need to extend the internal keyway 5/8" with the broach and drill/tap one key set screw.

All in all another fine day & today is setting up to be yet another!

Rick C.

Bits are starting to fit.

Rick C.

Reality? A posed photo shows some & it was refreshing after looking at more than a hundred shiny "restorations" and "replicas" of 19 teens board track bikes. The kid looks a bit uneasy sitting still & without chain attached I'd think him fairly safe from splinters.

The actual race bikes weren't very shiny and motor cases/cylinders seemed to be mostly painted in black; though this one has a cast finish on the case.

Rick C.

Thanks Pete I woke up and ordered some black with red accent cloth covered spark plug cable, glass sediment bowl (second one) knurled brass lead fasteners and copper ring connectors. I definitely won't add an air cleaner to the carb.

Since I've welded the two motor mounts securely to the case with the much maligned economy flux core (photo) & my miserable vision...doing it the hard way just listening to the sound of fusion cause I can't see the puddle, but I'll clean it up latter. I'm committed to Pat's frame dimensions and I'll be using the Harley tube clamps that I favor for such things. I'll wire brush the mirror finish of these as I've done with the carb manifold & that takes some of the sparkle off polished stainless.

I'll attach both the cylinder heads together with a "bridge" bracket to support the top of the motor via a single frame tube clamp mounted under the fuel (volt/amp) tank. I'm thinking this bracket can also serve as a mount for the sediment bowl.

I'm going to start mounting the case plates on the mag drive/exhaust/ pushrod side of the e-motor case along with brass oil line fitting and oil level sight glass. I've still to decide on whether the OHV pushrod springs should be concealed under the customary tube covers or run exposed springs. Details abound that were, it seems, left to the discretion of each individual HD line worker, anomaly's abound so I'll just wing it!

I'm thinking really short exhaust stubs, black rather than chrome.

Pete time seems to fly. Think I started putting pieces together in Nov. & have devoted some time here and there to it. I've certainly not rushed and added or subtracted as whim led me. I've thought that Spring might find me at work on the frames details and engine completed...so that's not far away. Since I've built one bike on the Sportsman Flyer frame I'm confident of a great platform to work with.

Rick C.




Not too long ago.

I overstated Pete my eyes are open,just see little, my travel speed and standoff are adjusted by ear, direction by sight. I make a chalk line to the side which helps me look ahead to travel straight.

I prefer TIG or MIG on mix, but find many uses for flux wire and of course stick. A few tips about running flux wire that many ignore or don't know. You pull with flux wire and push travel with gas wire. Remove the gas nozzle altogether or get a small flux nozzle, helps you see the puddle. Also most home welders don't have enough wire stick out to pre-heat the wire for welding thicker material. This is especially important on low amp, inexpensive machines. Use less amps & wire stickout for thinner sheet steel. If you have a gas/flux capable MIG remember to change polarity when switching from one to the other wire process. Work clean don't weld through rust, paint or mill scale to get the best welds and a good looking weld. Cut or break the ball off the wire each time for more immediate starts to each weld. Attach your work clamp as close as possible to the area being welded.Very basic stuff...quite a bit more to it of course. Practice some.

I too like the exposed springs. I'll do a mock up.

Rick C.