tire tread??

deacon · #1 04-17-2008, 05:37 PM

Does the tread on the tire effect the speed of the bike. I have a reason for asking when I broke the spokes I was running a sorta smooth thread. When I changed out the wheel it had a knobby mountain bike kind of tire so I didn't bother to change it. It seems to have cut my speed by about twenty percent. but i don't know if it is the tread or the wheel is less worn than the old one.

Bikeguy Joe · #2 04-17-2008, 07:12 PM

I know when I went from the Mtb knobbies to smooth road tread, the bike rode smoother and vibrated 90% less. It may make a very small difference with the electric, or pedalling, but I doubt it will reduce your speed more than 1mph on a frame mount.

astronut · #3 04-17-2008, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deacon

Does the tread on the tire effect the speed of the bike. I have a reason for asking when I broke the spokes I was running a sorta smooth thread. When I changed out the wheel it had a knobby mountain bike kind of tire so I didn't bother to change it. It seems to have cut my speed by about twenty percent. but i don't know if it is the tread or the wheel is less worn than the old one.

Yes quite a bit. the smoother and thinner the faster it will go. its less friction because its less contact with the road. also the larger the rim the faster and the smaller the slower, ask deacon.

nothing to do with your question really but interestingly enough, recently alot of people here where I live started riding bicycles, when they first started I remembered seeing 99% riding with mountain bikes with "suspensions". now about a year later a bit more than half of these same folks I see commute, are using road bikes or smoother thiner tires on their mountain bikes.

deacon · #4 04-18-2008, 04:48 AM

Yes the small wheel cuts the bike speed dramatically. but it will climb like a mountain goat. I found out something yesterday. I was climbing a steep hill with the bike and the motor started to race. Instead of trying to push to keep the speed up as I usually do, I just reduced the throttle to where it stopped racing and the bike just kept on climbing at the same rate but didn't seem to be in any strain at all. I would have thought that reducing the throttle would cause the bike to falter but it didn't not at all.

I expect the drop in speed is due to the wheel being newer or maybe just a little tighter. I'm not going to back off on the tension just let it wear in.

Bikeguy Joe · #5 04-18-2008, 07:01 AM

You clutch is slipping.

deacon · #6 04-18-2008, 07:16 AM

Oh no the dreaded slipping clutch. I'll have to find normans clutch directions. Might explain the sudden loss of speed as well. wonder if the jammed chain caused it to start slipping.

Venice Motor Bikes · #7 04-18-2008, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deacon

Oh no the dreaded slipping clutch. I'll have to find normans clutch directions. Might explain the sudden loss of speed as well. wonder if the jammed chain caused it to start slipping.

My clutch in the "Bomber" started slipping... I used some heavy sandpaper to rough up the face of the "pucks" & the pressure plate. That was about a month ago... I haven't had a problem with it since!

Also... knobby tires definitely slow the bike down!

deacon · #8 04-18-2008, 12:26 PM

I went to the auto parts store to buy some sealer for the cover before i took the engine apart. On the way back i climbed not the giant hill just a normal but fairly steep incline and the bike did fine. I'm gonna wait till it gets worse.

Then when i do, I'm going to write clutch adjustment for dummies. I'm just not smart enough to understand Norman's directions. I'm sure it isn't as complicated as it looks on his directions. At least I hope not. I'm to stupid to know till I get into the thing.

Also I had a feeling about that tire thing. From the minute I put the wheel on it felt like it was dragging but it spins freely when off the ground. I figured i was suffering a case of the knobbies. It also have to pedal harder to reach the same speed when starting. And that is with the clutch in.

**Norman** · #9 04-18-2008, 04:56 PM

Deacon
The smoother the tire the better it will ride on pavement, keep the tire inflated to the max that is says to on the sidewall. Grease the wheel bearing with your favorite grease I mix in royal purple 90w gear oil and the bearing love the stuff, my wheels will coast for ever. I'll bet Pablo has some good stuff as well from Amsoil the syn. stuff can't be beat. My 2-cents. for a softer ride a front suspension fork and a good spring seat will do wonders for you. I like a big seat too to fit my big butt.

I'm telling Rufus on you for saying my directions are too hard to follow. The flying monkeys are stirring in their nest ready to do Rufus's bidding and your in trouble.
Let me know if I can help you on what you don't understand on my directions or mp me and I'll call you to help if pm me your phone number.
Maybe Bob and I can do a video.

deacon · #10 04-18-2008, 05:09 PM

Okay lets just walk through it for the dummy in the house me... I do better in writing my memory is really bad.

Lets say the motor has a front and back side. The front side being the clutch lever / magneto side.

So I want to pull the back side where the gears are right?

And when I pull this what will I see. It looks like a large gear on the left smaller gear on the right. There looks to be a cover on the larger gear in the center is that the clutch cover??? Do I have to remove that to find the flower nut????

I want to do as little as possible to the engine as the more I do the more that can go wrong.