I apologise for not having been around life, universe, all that stuff, I'm basically back.
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Old Guys Simplex moto-peddle bike
- Thread starter indian22
- Start date
Pete the weather has been & continues to be unusual here in western Oklahoma we've had a couple of days at or above 120 degrees F. that is 10 to 15 degrees above our normal highs. I don't recall any highs ever approaching these temps. On the other hand it's not been a dry summer & August is and continues to be wet & that's a good thing when you live in grassland/ semi desert country. The temps in Europe are crazy. My neighbor just returned from Scotland, his and my own maternal homeland, and he reported a marvelous stay; as did the wife of a dear friend just returned the previous weak from a visit NW of London. She being a citizen of the U.K. also noted the strange yet welcome weather during her protracted stay.
Bureaucratic meddling or Devine providence delay on your move seems to have been fortunate. I certainly wouldn't relish a move in such heat. I am, however, looking forward to hearing news of your relocation of longitude, latitude & perhaps attitude...though, as always, you continue to present a positive demeanor!
God speed & safe journey....Rick C.
Bureaucratic meddling or Devine providence delay on your move seems to have been fortunate. I certainly wouldn't relish a move in such heat. I am, however, looking forward to hearing news of your relocation of longitude, latitude & perhaps attitude...though, as always, you continue to present a positive demeanor!
God speed & safe journey....Rick C.
Hey Butch. Yeah great little town that one, of course it's been swallowed whole by OKC metro. I lived about a couple of miles S. of Bethany many years ago...good memories. Rick C.
Thanks Mannhammer, The leaf springer for my Simplex was made entirely at home using a new $100. steel Indian style girder fork available on eBay and a chopped utility trailer spring (new less than $50. ) also ebay & scrapes of steel.
The primary tools used were a small drill press and an angle grinder and assorted flap discs, and cutoff discs. Hardly any welding to do on my design. You can farm that out. Actually lack of time can be a plus in building a first time effort as ordering the forks from China takes a couple of weeks and gives time to figure out the steps involved etc.
Ask specific questions as you collect the parts I'll be glad to help guide you through this. The rocker plates I used are basically antiques and may be hard to find, but they are available at ?? cost. Of course most builders of leaf spring forks just use heavy gauge flat steel plate to make their own rockers.
I'd readily agree this is not the ideal first build project to tackle, but with patience it can be done at home and at very low cost (under $300.), but get in a hurry & it might be a nightmare. Rick C.
The primary tools used were a small drill press and an angle grinder and assorted flap discs, and cutoff discs. Hardly any welding to do on my design. You can farm that out. Actually lack of time can be a plus in building a first time effort as ordering the forks from China takes a couple of weeks and gives time to figure out the steps involved etc.
Ask specific questions as you collect the parts I'll be glad to help guide you through this. The rocker plates I used are basically antiques and may be hard to find, but they are available at ?? cost. Of course most builders of leaf spring forks just use heavy gauge flat steel plate to make their own rockers.
I'd readily agree this is not the ideal first build project to tackle, but with patience it can be done at home and at very low cost (under $300.), but get in a hurry & it might be a nightmare. Rick C.
Simplex has quite a few hours on it since leaf fork build & rear disc conversion. Also added lever shift
& mounted the bars on a low stem.
Rick C.
& mounted the bars on a low stem.Rick C.
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I've been riding the Simplex with the pedal chain removed for about a month now & playing with pedal position fixed, with both pedals forward & at times trailing. Not quite level but both high enough above the frame to not catch on cornering. Since I'm shifting with the hand lever now I don't require a "foot peg" rest for shifting. Also the folding pedals allow kick starts without fussing with pedal location. The pedal side chain, which was necessary for coaster brake application, is no longer required for that task since adding the rear disc brake. I've left the pedal sprockets in place so I can install a chain for shows, but the neither the Simplex or my Harley Peashooter will ever fool law enforcement.
I've used a combination brake lever to activate the front and rear calipers in unison, but am now toying with foot pedal rear brake activation. I'll see how that goes as I really like the ability to modulate brakes independently. The foot lever would be for the left foot as the addition of a separate sidecar brake will require a brake pedal operated by the right foot.
The tiny drive cog (24t) is really quite good in the first 4 gears, but 5th is really tall. I may build a reduction gear to drop the ratio to equal about what a 34t rear sprocket would yield, or go to a 200mm rear rotor & a 34t sprocket, but don't like the look of the big rotor. Right now I'm super pleased with the performance of the first four gears and overdrive speeds aren't something I'll require on bicycle tires and wheels... 70 mph plus was easy (and foolish) with the 48t rear cog. I seldom cruise higher than 40 at any rate. I'll post a few photos as I go. Rick C..
I've used a combination brake lever to activate the front and rear calipers in unison, but am now toying with foot pedal rear brake activation. I'll see how that goes as I really like the ability to modulate brakes independently. The foot lever would be for the left foot as the addition of a separate sidecar brake will require a brake pedal operated by the right foot.
The tiny drive cog (24t) is really quite good in the first 4 gears, but 5th is really tall. I may build a reduction gear to drop the ratio to equal about what a 34t rear sprocket would yield, or go to a 200mm rear rotor & a 34t sprocket, but don't like the look of the big rotor. Right now I'm super pleased with the performance of the first four gears and overdrive speeds aren't something I'll require on bicycle tires and wheels... 70 mph plus was easy (and foolish) with the 48t rear cog. I seldom cruise higher than 40 at any rate. I'll post a few photos as I go. Rick C..
Thanks Curtis I've still a few mods to make, but I'm proceeding with much varied riding to test each change as I go. I want the bike to perform adequately before adding the sidecar; that way I'll be mostly concentrating on the hacks performance, knowing the bikes characteristics aren't the main cause of any riding problems. The bike & hack do of course have to work together, but I want the bike to be a solid solo platform to start with.
I'm really quite pleased with the bikes all around performance as a solo, and the appearance as well, yet there are some small improvements to be made also. Riding time tends to show any weaknesses in a design and though the bikes been ridden for a couple of years now, the recent leaf fork and rear disc modifications have needed ride time to convince me that my designs are more than just window dressing and actually perform in the real world and not just on a trailer or stand.
I'm very much motivated by the recent forum posts of builds in progress and completion. Some excellent work being turned out! Rick C.
I'm really quite pleased with the bikes all around performance as a solo, and the appearance as well, yet there are some small improvements to be made also. Riding time tends to show any weaknesses in a design and though the bikes been ridden for a couple of years now, the recent leaf fork and rear disc modifications have needed ride time to convince me that my designs are more than just window dressing and actually perform in the real world and not just on a trailer or stand.
I'm very much motivated by the recent forum posts of builds in progress and completion. Some excellent work being turned out! Rick C.
The center drop stand which I've used on the last seven builds is an extremely robust and relatively inexpensive item from Crow manufacturing located in New Mexico. These have been difficult for me to locate in the past. Does anyone have current contact information for them or a distributor/vendor? My previous vendors are no longer in business & I'm down to my last one with two more bikes planned.
Mods to the Simplex continue & parts scrounged or ordered. The most interesting of these modifications is the rear brake activation lever. I want to try a foot operated lever located on the motor drive side of the bike. The opposite side of the frame (which will eventually, I hope) will hold the sidecar in place. The side car (for braking the outside wheel) will also be equipped with a foot operated brake pedal attached to it's own frame and activated by the bike driver's right foot.
So control layout planned is right hand throttle and front brake lever, left hand clutch lever, right hand shift lever(located left side of fuel tank & motor drive side foot lever, operated by the riders left foot, activating the rear disc brake.That's a lot of controls for this old monkey to play with!
Another change is to install 125 mm, straight pedal levers (children's bike length), replacing the dog leg wide pedal levers, since there will no longer be a need for the levers to clear the motors side cases after the elimination of the coaster bake and it's pedal chain activation link. The short length of the child levers will prevent ground strikes on even aggressive covering as well. The pedals are limited to about 20 degrees of rotation to the rear only (6 to 8 o'clock +-) and with the folding pedals installed the kick lever operation will completely clear for proper operation. Previously kick starts had to be made standing by the bikes side. Straddle starts from the saddle will not be problem after the change and the bikes appearance is narrowed & enhanced as well.
All well enough, for the bike itself & operation solo, but with the proposed addition of a side car these issues had to be addressed. Standing next to the bike for start kicks, with car attached would be quite impractical, so being able to straddle start is mandatory (no electrics on this one) & long/wide dog leg levers would interfere with the car frame attachment as well. Mounting the bikes rear brake lever pedal on the car side of the bike would have eliminated available frame space and the ability to separately modulate rear brake & car brake independently...so yes the changes are absolutely necessary.
My decision to replace the lightweight Monarch springer fork with the leaf style fork was not just cosmetic, nor was the decision to go to disc brake on the rear. Strength and safety, with the additional weight of the sidecar rig were my major concerns. I build so that I can ride a lot, therefore what I ride has to work both dependably & safely; all else, including esthetics, is down the scale value wise. It's then up to me to keep my operation of the bikes well within their individual designs & components limitations. All this and having fun along the way!
Rick C.
Mods to the Simplex continue & parts scrounged or ordered. The most interesting of these modifications is the rear brake activation lever. I want to try a foot operated lever located on the motor drive side of the bike. The opposite side of the frame (which will eventually, I hope) will hold the sidecar in place. The side car (for braking the outside wheel) will also be equipped with a foot operated brake pedal attached to it's own frame and activated by the bike driver's right foot.
So control layout planned is right hand throttle and front brake lever, left hand clutch lever, right hand shift lever(located left side of fuel tank & motor drive side foot lever, operated by the riders left foot, activating the rear disc brake.That's a lot of controls for this old monkey to play with!
Another change is to install 125 mm, straight pedal levers (children's bike length), replacing the dog leg wide pedal levers, since there will no longer be a need for the levers to clear the motors side cases after the elimination of the coaster bake and it's pedal chain activation link. The short length of the child levers will prevent ground strikes on even aggressive covering as well. The pedals are limited to about 20 degrees of rotation to the rear only (6 to 8 o'clock +-) and with the folding pedals installed the kick lever operation will completely clear for proper operation. Previously kick starts had to be made standing by the bikes side. Straddle starts from the saddle will not be problem after the change and the bikes appearance is narrowed & enhanced as well.
All well enough, for the bike itself & operation solo, but with the proposed addition of a side car these issues had to be addressed. Standing next to the bike for start kicks, with car attached would be quite impractical, so being able to straddle start is mandatory (no electrics on this one) & long/wide dog leg levers would interfere with the car frame attachment as well. Mounting the bikes rear brake lever pedal on the car side of the bike would have eliminated available frame space and the ability to separately modulate rear brake & car brake independently...so yes the changes are absolutely necessary.
My decision to replace the lightweight Monarch springer fork with the leaf style fork was not just cosmetic, nor was the decision to go to disc brake on the rear. Strength and safety, with the additional weight of the sidecar rig were my major concerns. I build so that I can ride a lot, therefore what I ride has to work both dependably & safely; all else, including esthetics, is down the scale value wise. It's then up to me to keep my operation of the bikes well within their individual designs & components limitations. All this and having fun along the way!
Rick C.
Forks finally covered in black/oxidized finish. Not painted.
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I found a Crow Wing in Minnesota, but no kickstand.
http://www.crowcycleco.com/bicycle-components/kickstand Is this the Crow!?
