New to Forum, 3rd Build. Doing It RIGHT This Time.

ultralite · Mar 20, 2015

Hello everyone, I have built 2 motorized bikes in the past and loved them but they were short lived and broke beyond (cost effective) repair. This summer I'm going to need transportation and the area I live is VERY busy in the summer. The population goes from a few thousand to over 500k in a matter of weeks. There are too many cars on the road and a bike is totally the way to go. I normally ride my bike in the summer and can get to my destination via bike paths, back roads and secret trails, sometimes faster then the traffic on the main road. HAHAHAHA!

After being dissatisfied with the customer service at Kings MB, twice, I did a bunch of research and decided to spend the money and get a GEBE kit this time. The chain driven Chinese motors always freaked me out, I felt like my bike was just waiting to mess me up/blow up (it was fun thou!). I had the engine seize on me, stop the chain and I got dumped going down a hill. OW!!! Thankfully I know how to fall from riding a dirt bike as a kid, I walked away with a bent peddle and a hurt pride.

Now on to my current project.

I have a mid 90's GT Outpost trail, hard-tail mountain bike that I plan to affix a rear wheel belt driven GEBE motor to.

Day 1, Everything still on bike:

Trashed cogs from rear cassette:

ultralite · Mar 20, 2015

Day 2, stripped bike, painstaking angle grinder work to get off the cranks:

Day 3, Bottom bracket is FD! Have a friend coming over today to try and get it out. Yes that is suppose to be a sealed BB.

Next is stripping and sanding the red paint off. I'm going for a classic home build BMX look, silver frame, colored tires and crank (Red to match my honda motor).

allen standley · Mar 20, 2015

Jees I do like that frame. Take your time. It'll be cool!

MotoMagz · Mar 20, 2015

Always like the look of the GT frame
.good luck on your build.

frank66 · Mar 20, 2015

holy did you have the tool? did you know the tool bolts to the axle?

remove the left side first then the right side wich is reverse thread.

ultralite · Mar 20, 2015

My friend was able to get the bottom bracket out but I now need a rethread before I put a new crankset on.

I had been using this bike as a park bike, its my own fault everything is damaged. Both the crank threads and BB threads were stripped, the puller tools didn't work, hence the grinding and having a tech friend come over and work on it. Now that the bottom bracket is out I'll need a rethread on the BB casing. Steel frame and cro-mo seat-post, everything should be fine.

First I'm converting 21 speed to single, so new BB, crankset, chain and pedals, and a freewheel adapter. I have vertical dropouts so I need the chain tensioner too. It's getting a general over hall before the motor goes on. New breaks, lines, tires, tubes etc.

I also plan on getting a double kickstand, MSR fuel bottles and holders, steering dampener, new grip, mirror and lights.

I'm about 40% done sanding the paint off (I don't sand inside)

ultralite · Mar 20, 2015

Also just found out that I'll need to dish out an extra $100 or so to clear powder coat the bike, if I want to stick with the raw metal look. The fork will be white so that will be an extra $50-ish. All the research I've done says powder coat is the only paint treatment to fully protect against rust.

The investment I'm making into this bike is well worth it in my mind. New parts for the bike are as much as a new motor kit. I budgeted $1,000 for the whole build in case anyone was wondering what to save/spend for a full resto/build like mine.

frank66 · Mar 20, 2015

you should use chemical stripper from a hardware store then just a gentle hand prep with emery paper is all you need.

fiy- a steel frames thats been clear coated dont last long b4 they need to be stripped again as the rust will visibly tunnel long distances to what ends up looking like an ant farm.

ultralite · Mar 20, 2015

I have very sensitive skin so I tend to avoid all chemicals of all sorts. I'm having a good time getting real personal with my bike too.

mapbike · Mar 26, 2015

Ill be watching this build come together, hope you can get everything just how you want it, best wishes all the way around.

ultralite · Mar 26, 2015

I'm buying parts in just a few days!!! So excited

boxcar · Apr 5, 2015

Looks like a good start.

bluegoatwoods · Apr 5, 2015

It is a good start, isn't it?

And it looks as though this'll be a nice bike without very much trouble.

I have no experience with the Golden Eagle. But everything I can gather about it says "Quality".

ultralite · Apr 7, 2015

Just wanted to update my project... I've recently relocated back to NC from IL for my summer job. Things have been busy so my bike hasnt had much work to it, but i did get some more paint off it. It's cleaning up real nice so far. Sadly my Jeeps steering rod head snapped off (in the driveway of all places) and found out the other one was bad too, so im set back $300 so I wont be buying bike parts just yet.

mapbike · Apr 7, 2015

ultralite said:
Just wanted to update my project... I've recently relocated back to NC from IL for my summer job. Things have been busy so my bike hasnt had much work to it, but i did get some more paint off it. It's cleaning up real nice so far. Sadly my Jeeps steering rod head snapped off (in the driveway of all places) and found out the other one was bad too, so im set back $300 so I wont be buying bike parts just yet.

W just do the best you can, thats what man6 of us do, I have to take some time off from my bike projects also, we working peoe can only do so much and only 2hen we have the extra funds to throw at the hobby projects.

Hope the Jeep is good now and you get the finances back in line soon, those unexpected things always come at a bad time..... oh yeah thats the unexpected part of it.....lol!

ultralite · Apr 7, 2015

The Jeep is fine now, just need to get a new TSP sensor soon before if starts effecting the tranny. Other then that id say we are pretty darn lucky the steering didnt go when we were towing the other jeep behind it 1,000 miles from IL. Could have been very, very bad.

mapbike · Apr 7, 2015

ultralite said:
The Jeep is fine now, just need to get a new TSP sensor soon before if starts effecting the tranny. Other then that id say we are pretty darn lucky the steering didnt go when we were towing the other jeep behind it 1,000 miles from IL. Could have been very, very bad.

Yes no doubt you're very blessed that it didnt happen at the worst possible time and become catastrophic.....

Hope you can get back on the bike project asap.

Yall take care and be careful.

ultralite · Apr 8, 2015

Most of the paint is gone, cleaned dropouts.

boxcar · Apr 8, 2015

Nice frame. If you use emery cloth , you will be able to reach all the tight spots that are left.

mapbike · Apr 8, 2015

boxcar said:
Nice frame. If you use emery cloth , you will be able to reach all the tight spots that are left.

Ditto....

They also make a round flexable sanding disc that is similar to a scotchbrite that has a shaft and chucks up in a drill, it will make purdy quick work of getting the paint off and because it flexable can get into a lot on the nooks and crannies.

Parts Stores like AutoZone, Advance and O'Reillys have them over in the area where they sell rattle can paint and sandpaper.

just another option I figured Id throw out there for you.

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