The perfect project for Deacon!

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deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
8,114
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north carolina
Well to be honest it works remarkably well. It actually is pretty much self contained if they had a wireless on off switch, the thing would be completely self contained. You could toss a box over it and on one would know.
 

fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
7,445
4,888
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British Columbia Canada
What a fast eddy/angry bear peach of a day this turned into.

First the doctor tells me I need the other knee done the end of May.Seems it's holding the other knee up from healing.

We go to the bike shop and I finally get my leg over the step through in the bike and as I go to push off. I fall over.Yep.Right on my new knee.I swear I heard the angels sing.

Then in to Home Depot and the metal prices are a year behind the times.

The time spent with my brother?Well that was priceless.
Steve.
 

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
8,114
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north carolina
Steve, honest to god, I fell of the bike I bought first. I got a whole five feet and then it tossed me on my fat butt. I barely missed hitting my head on the brick house on the other side of my drive way.

It did give my shoulder a terrible whack into the neighbors chimney. I hit it so hard I know it had to have moved some. I scraped my knee leaving a strawberry at least the size of a coffee cup. I tried to ride that darn bike again the next day butt that time I took it to a church parking lot. I got in the corner where there were no houses. The bike and I did not get along. I couldn't pedal the darn thing for some reason.

I was between a rock and a hard place. I knew for sure my automobile driving days were about to end. I knew I did not want to be trapped in the house totally. I knew my walking was helping, but I hated it. So what did I do? Why I bought a bigger bike of course. I bought a twenty year old huffy coaster, a true tank as bikes go.

That sucker was so big a basketball player could have ridden it. That old rusty red huffy taught me a lot about balance and a bit about freedom. I motorized it electric but I had a terrible time getting my leg over it. I was pretty shaky on it but I stayed with it.

All along I was learning more and more about bikes and how each part effected me. For instance I learned that switching out the rear wheel for the wheel of a child's 20" bike make it sooooooo much easier to get on. It also mean my feet could touch the ground easily from the seat. but of course the pedals hit the ground when I leaned into a turn.

Then I discovered that the child's bike I bought for the wheel, had a shorter crank set and was interchangeable with the huffy. And that is the basic setup I used for over a year with different bikes as I experimented.

When I built the bubba I decided to try to dropping the front fork of a twenty inch kids bike down three inches. That made it possible to fit the 26" hub motor into the front fork without having to change anything else. It is remarkable except that it is a little light in the front but still not a problem since I have my balance mojo working these days. I did have to make a seat extension so I could pedal comfortably. I haven't really checked but I bet I could buy a longer seat rod at the bike shop or on line.

On the robo tandem, I switched the front fork from the 20" bike for one from a 27" road bike. I just had it laying around and thought it looked cool. I can kid myself into thinking it looks a little chopperish. but I did put the 20" wheel back on the robo tandem bike. It now has a little bit of a rake to it.

The point is, if the bike they have isn't comfortable, just figure out why and build your own. It would be cheaper anyway.

By the way sorry about the fall. Mine hurt like ****. First I was embarrassed, then I hurt, then I got mad and refused to let that piece of crap bike beat me. So I guess I'm saying stay with it. It can only help in the end.
 

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
8,114
9
0
north carolina
I just looked on ebay... The rear wheel assembly that I used for the pusher is on there again. So is the electric motor from a different source but it's there. If you buy those two items and a household light switch and a little metal you are in business. Just thought I would mention that they are there if anyone is interested.

REAR SCOOTER WHEEL CHROME TUBE TIRE GEAR BRAKE ELECTRIC - eBay (item 230337496797 end time Apr-22-09 20:02:47 PDT)

Currie 350 W 24 volt Bike DC Electric Scooter Motor 24v - eBay (item 110377633933 end time Apr-25-09 13:57:51 PDT)

cheaper than a hub and about the same umph as a 250 to 300 hub motor. Better low end torque less top end speed. Oh yeah you need a chain that is easily available.
 
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fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
7,445
4,888
113
British Columbia Canada
Deacon--Thank you .You have made it all seem better.
I didn't have anywhere the damage you had.Must have taken that bunch a while to heal.

Your last sentence said it all.
Embarassed,hurt, mad enough to get even.

Going to our local version of Harbour Freight and load up on some steel and then up to the plywood place then we'll see if I can put something together so I can get used to riding again.At least till my other knee gets done and by then Pops will have his bikes worked out to his satisfaction and I'll see if we can get something built.

My brothers idea is powered training wheels.
Now I don't feel so bad about the driveway culvert insident though the city road crew and the fire department never really forgave me since they had to get him out.
Steve.
 

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
8,114
9
0
north carolina
Take a look at your local thrift store for bikes. If you go there you can get a couple and mix and match parts to make one that is custom to you. It's how I get all my bikes.

Yeah build something and to be honest I bet the cops won't bother you as long as you are off the main streets. Unless they are different from when I did it down here, they just want to finish the shift without having to set a court date.
 

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
8,114
9
0
north carolina
Today's improvement project is to get the hub bike ready to accept a push trailer. I need some longer bolts to secure the pusher frame, and some wire to get the motor ready. It should be interesting again.

I can ride my pusher bike while I work on the hub bike. That's why I like to hae at least two working bikes.
 

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
8,114
9
0
north carolina
I just got a second scooter wheel and motor in the mail today. I guess that means I have to look for a really cool bike to put it on. Maybe even a new way to mount this one. I really haven't even given it any thought.

I'd kind of like one of those stingray choppers, but I had to screw it up with a pusher motor. Maybe a lightweight road bike with a few gears. That might be cool now that I know how to mount one with very little bike modifications.
 

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
8,114
9
0
north carolina
I built that two wheel trailer. now I have to pick up a bike to use as a test bike. My test bike has the one wheel pusher trailer. I might take it off just for testing. It isn't hard to remove it or put it back. Yeah that's the ticket. The weekend and yard sales are coming. I had a chance to buy a couple of bikes for two dollars each but I didn't think I was going to build again, but I couldn't resist one more pusher.
 

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
8,114
9
0
north carolina
I took the two wheel pusher trailer apart. I went back to a one wheel design. I have it assembled. I need to add a battery rack but that will do it. for a battery rack my plan is one battery on each side of the frame. Two 4" L brackets per battery with five inches between them. I will weld them onto the frame. I might even bolt them on. as well.

A big hose clamps should do to hold the batteries in place. Once I reattach the wiring I will have a second pusher bike ready to go. Then I need to figure out why the heck I built it. I sure as heck don't need it.
 

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
8,114
9
0
north carolina
So it's raining today and I decided that it was a good day to adjust my first pusher so that it will store the same as the newer pusher.

It wasn't much of a job but I didn't get to do the welding reinforcement for the nuts and bolts because it's raining and I have a fear of POD (premature organ donation).