Old Guys Simplex moto-peddle bike
- Thread starter indian22
- Start date
Good idea Curtis I've been focusing on a really rigid & strong, for a kart style live axle to keep the cogs on each end of the shaft parallel to one another through the entire suspension cycle, now I can see that either rigid or flexible would work fine if the design employed a U joint arrangement on the bike side with the cog driving from a fixed position vertically and first driving a moveable joint the shaft then transferring the power to the wheel, half shaft style. The sidecar wheel side also using a similar connection. Sourcing an old axle would be easy, but this way all 3 cogs remain perfectly aligned vertically through the entire wheel suspension movement. A slip joint coupler should follow the relatively short suspension travel of the car and despite the severity of road surface irregularities all the cogs remain vertically positioned.
Keep the ideas flowing.
Rick C.
Keep the ideas flowing.
Rick C.
Hi Rick,
Got up to see what was happening on here and looked at YouTube. The boys with the old racing Briggs and Stratton had a video out where they put in a forward and reverse transmission in a Go Kart. I'll leave a link below. Maybe it will have some information that will help.
Steve.
11:35 Watch later
Got up to see what was happening on here and looked at YouTube. The boys with the old racing Briggs and Stratton had a video out where they put in a forward and reverse transmission in a Go Kart. I'll leave a link below. Maybe it will have some information that will help.
Steve.
11:35 Watch later
Thanks Steve it did help. The insight into the gear reduction both forward & reverse corresponds with the ratio numbers provided by the distributor. I've watched a number of the "Cars & cameras" builds on U tube & they really flog the completed projects from the get go. No break in for them, unlike myself, so by the end of their series the project has been put through the ringer & if it survives then "it I'll be ok".
Rick C.
Rick C.
My back improved a bit & I went bargain shopping. Came home with an excellent, once very pricey, Cannondale full suspension mountain bike. all the high dollar pieces had been replaced with dept. store stuff tires, wheels etc. but the frame shows not a scratch. The down tube is massive 2.75". Then got a few things sorted on the fat bike & it's now rideable. I've always thought these things are ugly and still do, so my aim is to not spend much on it and make it extremely utilitarian while keeping it's ugly intact. Front hub motor or little 100 cc Lifan to be decided, stretching the frame 5'" or so seems a good idea as well. It's really a cramped little beast.
Rick C.
Rick C.
Fat bike to me would look a lot better if it had chrome rims, maybe even some fenders or white walls LOL Be cool stretched, just my thoughts. Nice Cannondale...........Curt
I think you'll go electric on the fatty, it looks hard work squeezing an engine in. The Cannondale, fun and games. Sidewinder down by the left of the back wheel? Engine in the frame dip, reduction drive concentric with pedal sprocket? Hang it on a froward extension of the swing arm?
I went over to Redditch on Thursday, helped Doug do a couple of little jobs. He's a one man band, having to work on customer bikes and still settle in to his unit. It's coming, I now know where in the stack my own project is. There was the most glorious old Rudge racing bicycle there, I didn't have anything to take a picture with, but you know the good stuff, might be 100 years old, but get up close and the pure engineering niceness drips off it. This was pedal porn, 5 sizes too big for my legs, but a man can look.
I went over to Redditch on Thursday, helped Doug do a couple of little jobs. He's a one man band, having to work on customer bikes and still settle in to his unit. It's coming, I now know where in the stack my own project is. There was the most glorious old Rudge racing bicycle there, I didn't have anything to take a picture with, but you know the good stuff, might be 100 years old, but get up close and the pure engineering niceness drips off it. This was pedal porn, 5 sizes too big for my legs, but a man can look.
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Stretch on the fat tired bike because when your knees keep hitting your elbows as you ride along it gets old in a very short time. A sufficiently large rear motored wheel to make sure you can arrive where you going and not wish that you had just a little more motor or battery.
Also as you ride along side a group of Spandex Warriors, who are straining on a nice warm summers afternoon, while pedaling backwards it is comforting to know that you will be able to stay enticingly just ahead of the now howling mod bent on your destruction before opening the throttle so you are nothing but a rapidly distant speck in seconds. I would imagine being bent over the handle bars as you pedal frantically in reverse as you open it up may add to the pleasure.
As for the Cannondale. Large front motor and lots of battery and no one stretches a sports car.
Steve.
Also as you ride along side a group of Spandex Warriors, who are straining on a nice warm summers afternoon, while pedaling backwards it is comforting to know that you will be able to stay enticingly just ahead of the now howling mod bent on your destruction before opening the throttle so you are nothing but a rapidly distant speck in seconds. I would imagine being bent over the handle bars as you pedal frantically in reverse as you open it up may add to the pleasure.
As for the Cannondale. Large front motor and lots of battery and no one stretches a sports car.
Steve.
Thanks guys for the great input & I can't/won't argue the points made all good stuff. Options keep us dreaming & screaming. Some of my initial thoughts go hand in glove with those you've provided. Firstly: The Cannondale won't be cut upon... sacrilege. My thought is a front hub electric and 8 speed only on the pedal side...disc brakes front and rear. I kinda' like the freaky red and yellow paint scheme & over the top "look at me graphics". Guess I don't hate paint on everything.
Curt this old Mongoose frame and everything is just too ugly to mess with. I may O.D. green it and the wheels, with a "gravel" (rougher than pebble) finish. Pearls on a pig doesn't change the fact that it's still pork. No the "fat 'goose" stays ugly duckling. I put an adjustable ahead stem on it and have bars on order, so reach isn't going to be the issue, but the feet and tire clearance is minimal. Height is ok as I put a seat dropper on the saddle which can be adjusted adjust on the fly, for maintaining proper pedal length while riding and low saddle height for easy mounts and dismounts. or reaching the ground at stops. Saddle is off an old bobber build and the seat springs repurposed from an old cruiser saddle. Drive off stand was an extra I'd purchased some time back. I'm mostly using bits I had on hand. I'm thinking front hub motor Ludwig 48v. 1500w simple with ugly wheel, Curt. I like the quiet aspect of the electric. I feature using this to view wildlife from, lot of deer and wild turkey in the area and the cats and coyotes that hunt them.
I'd sure like to treasure hunt in your part of the world Ludwig, I'm sure I could easily part with a few quid and rather quickly as well.
I'm actually planning on cutting some steel for the sidecar today if my back stays in place long enough.
Rick C.
Curt this old Mongoose frame and everything is just too ugly to mess with. I may O.D. green it and the wheels, with a "gravel" (rougher than pebble) finish. Pearls on a pig doesn't change the fact that it's still pork. No the "fat 'goose" stays ugly duckling. I put an adjustable ahead stem on it and have bars on order, so reach isn't going to be the issue, but the feet and tire clearance is minimal. Height is ok as I put a seat dropper on the saddle which can be adjusted adjust on the fly, for maintaining proper pedal length while riding and low saddle height for easy mounts and dismounts. or reaching the ground at stops. Saddle is off an old bobber build and the seat springs repurposed from an old cruiser saddle. Drive off stand was an extra I'd purchased some time back. I'm mostly using bits I had on hand. I'm thinking front hub motor Ludwig 48v. 1500w simple with ugly wheel, Curt. I like the quiet aspect of the electric. I feature using this to view wildlife from, lot of deer and wild turkey in the area and the cats and coyotes that hunt them.
I'd sure like to treasure hunt in your part of the world Ludwig, I'm sure I could easily part with a few quid and rather quickly as well.
I'm actually planning on cutting some steel for the sidecar today if my back stays in place long enough.
Rick C.
Doug is heir to the Pinkerton Collection, hundreds of old bicycles, some historic and rare. He has lots of frames, forks and wheels from various eras in his shop stock. Sometimes a bike is released from the collection as well, it's currently in storage.
In addition there is Yeoman's at Belbroughton not far away, vintage motorcycle spares in 7 sheds. Want a cylindrical tank for a Ladies Model Royal Enfield off the shelf? No probs!
http://www.yeomansmotorcycles.com/
In addition there is Yeoman's at Belbroughton not far away, vintage motorcycle spares in 7 sheds. Want a cylindrical tank for a Ladies Model Royal Enfield off the shelf? No probs!
http://www.yeomansmotorcycles.com/
Ludwig I am some of that in love with the beautiful bike pictured! It's great to have friends with similar interests like Doug who understands your passion for things memorable and perhaps historic, not just transports. I myself like old dogs, fast horses, ancient whisky and younger women (especially when they mature gracefully). I certainly regret not taking the time to search out some of the curiosities of the U.K. when passing through years ago; just always in a rush.
Rick C.
Rick C.
I cut up some 3/16" plate for motor & both the spring leaf & torsion suspension mounts. Also made up a couple of grommets to support & strengthen the side car frame tubes. Slowly developing the design proportions and layout in actual metal seems to verify progress.
Merry Christmas, Rick C.
Merry Christmas, Rick C.
Christmas holiday's can produce tremendous surprises & come in both good and bad varieties of multiple sizes. Yesterday a fellow I'd not seen nor heard from in decades chose to seek me out, in person, with a generous offer to buy me out, which I refused. However he pitched an alternative proposition which I've accepted in concept, pending final paperwork. I'm still not selling my bikes but will instead loan them out for display, marketing and promotional purposes at his corporate offices & at special events. It seems a fine deal for me & includes any "vintage" bikes I might choose to build in the future, with his approval, (he's already greenlighted the sidecar). He'd spotted the Simplex copper gator on social media, which I don't do, but someone posted the photos along with my name, that caught his attention. I'm to be his guest in Dallas after the first of the year, as long as the Harley "pea shooter" comes with me or more correctly the HD is awaited and I can tag along. The Simplex will have to wait until the sidecar frame is completed.
I'm still not a vendor. I of course shared this site with him, so if any of you get an offer I want my commission lol... and credit! The guys for real and really into classic motor sports.
Rick C.
I'm still not a vendor. I of course shared this site with him, so if any of you get an offer I want my commission lol... and credit! The guys for real and really into classic motor sports.
Rick C.
Christmas holiday's can produce tremendous surprises.
Harley "pea shooter"
Congratulations Rick. It's good to see someone outside the group appreciates your visions and fabrication skills as much as we do. Of course who wouldn't like the Pea Shooter. It doesn't get much better than that. Merry Christmas, Bob
He obviously has impeccably good taste in motor bikes and a fine sense of quality builders. It's notable that he chose to reconnect in person so he could talk to you personally and view your excellent work rather than use social media.
Looking forward to seeing you and the Peashooter at the event if photos are allowed to be shared on the forum. High honours indeed and well deserved.
Steve.
Looking forward to seeing you and the Peashooter at the event if photos are allowed to be shared on the forum. High honours indeed and well deserved.
Steve.
