Beginner01's first build..
- Thread starter Tony01
- Start date
Tony01
Well-Known Member
Just want to say THANKS to everybody that helped me out throughout this build, a lot of good advice that has helped me finally finish this project. Msrfan your Briggs builds have inspired me to build a great looking cruiser. If I have time I would like to fabricate a comp-release like you have as well. It's pretty much where I want it to be, runs good, fast enough, hopefully going to be a daily driver soon.
It's true.. two reductions are more efficient but just thinking about it gives me a headache. Would have to move the engine 2", buy more stuff, and delete the pedals.. I think I will save that stuff for my next build. This one is running ok enough and I'm reluctant to make any more major changes.. will just try to make it run the best I can with this setup.
A previous two-reduction setup I had that worked was the manual belt clutch. 30mph with 11.67 ratio. Paired with an IGH? Pros: lighter, efficient, smaller package. Cons: less shift ratio, hard maintenance, not CA legal... hmmm..
After the ride I moved the right side bearing to the left 1.5" for more drive sprocket support. Way it's setup takes a good bit of fiddling to get good bearing alignment. Dished wheel/moved sprocket and ditched the rear tensioner. Eliminated drag significantly and will test tomorrow. Inspiration for this setup comes from scotto's builds.. first time I saw that, I thought.. I wanna build that!
Tomorrow I will convert the last three inches of my exhaust pipe to a homemade can muffer. Will post photos of the mod, should go together easily without spending a dime.
Barely runs and already 10mph over our CA speed limit
Still need the valve work, registration and mounting license plate, and fabrication of a lighting system. Would like to use a sturmey dynohub to charge a batt like Bairdco did. Might even find a day to paint the thing!
Tony01
Well-Known Member
Well I took it on a long ride today. Packed a backpack full of tools - All wrenches, vise grips, even a dead blow hammer. Just in case. Only touched the flathead screwdriver to adjust the idle mixture 1/8 turn.
Last night I custom made a muffler for it:
http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?p=613515#post613515
Just 'cause I could not wait to ride it. The straight pipe was giving me problems... ...with other people.
Well, the first thing I did was test it on a hill. Maybe it's a combination of factors, but the bike did not want to go up the hill. Halfway up, the CVT started smoking. That's when I shut it down.
I don't think the CVT cover helps with cooling very much, but it does help my left leg. I'm not really sure what to do about this. Any holes I cut in it will look very ugly and may compromise the strength of the cover. We'll see.
The bike runs much worse with the crappy muffler. My top speed of 40 is now 35, or maybe 30.
I checked all bolts, wheel nuts, rag joint bolts, JS bolts, EVERYTHING, and it was good, so I continued. Made a stop at the LBS to get a spare tube, and ask them if my brake felt good. The stopping power is there but it takes a good large amount of pressure to stop the bike. I'm considering switching to a front drum. I built a 700c bike with the 90mm sturmey and liked it a lot. The lever pressure to get full lockup was MUCH lighter than this disc brake.
Rode up to the railroad by my local 7-11.. there is this bike path that runs along it.. I've been there a couple times before when I used to be a pothead.. it's probably not legal, but I rode there anyway. MAN WAS THAT NICE!! Riding on dirt trails on a motorized bike is about the best thing ever. I rode around 6 miles on dirt before taking a break. Need a better seat/shock seatpost or SOMETHING. Maybe a front shock fork too but I don't really need it.
The Kenda Quest road tires on there are real good. Great traction on road AND dirt. I was surprised, actually. Did not get much wheel slip on dirt, just a little bit of front end slip on sand when braking lightly. I was going slow, so no accident.
Was coming back home, did a smaller hill and had no problem with that one. My CVT needs adjustment. I would like to install a heavier driver spring to lock up later, let the motor rev higher, and maybe adjust the driven spring, which is currently in the middle position.
Tomorrow I will see about better mufflers. Also, my air intake tube fell off completely - JB weld does not like vibration. So I have to figure that out too.
I really just need custom exhaust and intakes machined and welded. This is getting annoying.
The gas mileage is really good. I believe my tank is a half gallon, I filled up .4 gallon of premium gas, cost me $1.30, and I rode 30 miles with the tank still 1/4 full.. estimating I burned approx .3 or .25 gallon. 100mpg!!
Last night I custom made a muffler for it:
http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?p=613515#post613515
Just 'cause I could not wait to ride it. The straight pipe was giving me problems... ...with other people.
Well, the first thing I did was test it on a hill. Maybe it's a combination of factors, but the bike did not want to go up the hill. Halfway up, the CVT started smoking. That's when I shut it down.
I don't think the CVT cover helps with cooling very much, but it does help my left leg. I'm not really sure what to do about this. Any holes I cut in it will look very ugly and may compromise the strength of the cover. We'll see.
The bike runs much worse with the crappy muffler. My top speed of 40 is now 35, or maybe 30.
I checked all bolts, wheel nuts, rag joint bolts, JS bolts, EVERYTHING, and it was good, so I continued. Made a stop at the LBS to get a spare tube, and ask them if my brake felt good. The stopping power is there but it takes a good large amount of pressure to stop the bike. I'm considering switching to a front drum. I built a 700c bike with the 90mm sturmey and liked it a lot. The lever pressure to get full lockup was MUCH lighter than this disc brake.
Rode up to the railroad by my local 7-11.. there is this bike path that runs along it.. I've been there a couple times before when I used to be a pothead.. it's probably not legal, but I rode there anyway. MAN WAS THAT NICE!! Riding on dirt trails on a motorized bike is about the best thing ever. I rode around 6 miles on dirt before taking a break. Need a better seat/shock seatpost or SOMETHING. Maybe a front shock fork too but I don't really need it.
The Kenda Quest road tires on there are real good. Great traction on road AND dirt. I was surprised, actually. Did not get much wheel slip on dirt, just a little bit of front end slip on sand when braking lightly. I was going slow, so no accident.
Was coming back home, did a smaller hill and had no problem with that one. My CVT needs adjustment. I would like to install a heavier driver spring to lock up later, let the motor rev higher, and maybe adjust the driven spring, which is currently in the middle position.
Tomorrow I will see about better mufflers. Also, my air intake tube fell off completely - JB weld does not like vibration. So I have to figure that out too.
I really just need custom exhaust and intakes machined and welded. This is getting annoying.
The gas mileage is really good. I believe my tank is a half gallon, I filled up .4 gallon of premium gas, cost me $1.30, and I rode 30 miles with the tank still 1/4 full.. estimating I burned approx .3 or .25 gallon. 100mpg!!
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Last edited:
Tony01
Well-Known Member
Well finally got my bike computer and tach in the mail, all the big stuff from staton and BGF took only two business days to arrive, and of course the cheap stuff took a full week and 8 days, respectively.
Tach indicates my valve float rpm is 6200. Much higher than I expected!!
Picked up a valve lapping tool and grinding compound at O'Reilly Auto, $10 total. Popped the valve cover off to find I don't even have .002" valve lash. That's some BS.
Cannot find my 3/8" socket.. will pick one up tomorrow and finish the job.
Probably going to end up drilling holes in the CVT to increase the engagement RPM, along with gearing even lower on the final drive.. e.g. 8.63 overall.
Tach indicates my valve float rpm is 6200. Much higher than I expected!!
Picked up a valve lapping tool and grinding compound at O'Reilly Auto, $10 total. Popped the valve cover off to find I don't even have .002" valve lash. That's some BS.
Cannot find my 3/8" socket.. will pick one up tomorrow and finish the job.
Probably going to end up drilling holes in the CVT to increase the engagement RPM, along with gearing even lower on the final drive.. e.g. 8.63 overall.
Great build Beginner01, can't believe I missed this.
I have not seen these, so they may be junk:
Metal 3 Speed Sprocket Threaded Freewheel for Bicycle Bike
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Metal-3-Spe...849?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4adcac1859
from:
http://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-mechanics/481650-3-speed-freewheel.html#post7758910
"The original bike derailleurs were for 3 speed, and early multispeed 3 speed bikes were referred to as English 3 speeds (internal gear hub) or French 3 speeds (derailleur).
I have a 3 speed with 16/20/24 on a folder. Many of the 3 speed freewheels still around have French thread so careful on the selection. The Chinese are still making 3 speed freewheels.
As they are rare these days, finding one in your selection of ratios is a tall order. Also keep in mind, most 3 speed freewheels use 1/8 inch chain instead of 3/32 inch.
As freehub is an option you are considering, getting a freehub and adding spacers in view of the extra cogs may be a viable option. Or you could get a pre-splined era 5 speed freewheel and remove some threaded cogs."
I have not seen these, so they may be junk:
Metal 3 Speed Sprocket Threaded Freewheel for Bicycle Bike
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Metal-3-Spe...849?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4adcac1859
from:
http://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-mechanics/481650-3-speed-freewheel.html#post7758910
"The original bike derailleurs were for 3 speed, and early multispeed 3 speed bikes were referred to as English 3 speeds (internal gear hub) or French 3 speeds (derailleur).
I have a 3 speed with 16/20/24 on a folder. Many of the 3 speed freewheels still around have French thread so careful on the selection. The Chinese are still making 3 speed freewheels.
As they are rare these days, finding one in your selection of ratios is a tall order. Also keep in mind, most 3 speed freewheels use 1/8 inch chain instead of 3/32 inch.
As freehub is an option you are considering, getting a freehub and adding spacers in view of the extra cogs may be a viable option. Or you could get a pre-splined era 5 speed freewheel and remove some threaded cogs."
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Last edited:
Tony01
Well-Known Member
It's done!
Well, the 1980 Chicago Schwinn with Briggs 3.5hp flathead is DONE.
Did the valve work and put it back together. Since then, have ridden almost 75 miles on it yesterday and today, and most of the problems have been worked out.
This is a big thing for me, because I've got a long history of starting projects that never get finished.
The major parts of the build that have been, or have not been, figured out-
Registration: Mailed the application for the moped plate today. This makes completion official.
Drivetrain: The bike maxes out at 32mph on level ground in 92deg F heat, and 36mph in 70deg F. The Comet knockoff CVT engages at 2100rpm and governs shift and max rpm at 3300. Downhill I managed 43mph in 92deg weather. Within CA law of 30mph on level ground.
Brakes: One brake, a front 203mm disc rotor with Hayes Stroker hydraulic caliper does the job. Disc gets warm after a normal stop from 30mph. Takes a LOT of hand force to stop quickly.
Gauges: Cheap digital tachometer hooked to the kill switch wire and a cheap bicycle computer, which is configured to tell me time, temp, odometer, trip time and distance, instantaneous speed, average speed, and max speed.
Wheels and tires: The cheap setup works. 36 regular size spoke wheels, $25 rear junk wheel with rag joint sprocket, Kenda Kwest 26 x 1.95 tires at 45psi. Good on asphalt, just OK on dirt. Not spectacular. Will do burnouts on pavement.
Comfort: No shock absorption leads to a rough ride. Becomes noticeable after 5mi, need to start taking breaks every hour after 20mi.
Lights, horn: None as of yet. Don't ride at night. Too cold!
Immediate upgrades (commuter status)
BMI karts CVT driver tuning springs/weights. Play around with driver engagement rpm from 2100 to 3300, and adjust driven shift rate by moving or changing spring.
Shock fork and shock seatpost OR larger, more plush seat.
Rear blinker taillight and rechargeable 12V batt for headlight.
Later upgrades:
Drum/dynamo front wheel 48h
rear wheel 48h - Jackshaft disc brake OR band brake, or hub drum brake
Custom exhaust pipe and RLV race muffler
BMX 3" riser bar.
Larger gas tank ~ 1 gallon
Rear fender, maybe front
Frame, fuel tank, fenders, engine paint. Make it pretty.
Thanks to all who helped me along this path. I finally finished a project. It seems bike projects are the only ones I finish. This one REALLY started back in early 2013. It took 30 months to finish!! But it sure as heck doesn't look like anything else out there.
All up cost is $800 for all things currently on the bike including the $20 registration check mailed today. I won't even count all the failed attempts. I will sell all the parts I don't need to try to make up for all the failures.
I would still like to try an internal gear hub as a jackshaft, whilst using the manual belt clutch. It really was a nice simple setup - automatically adjusting belt tension, by design. And far more compact than the CVT. There are other methods out there, and people on this forum have made practically every choice of hardware work somehow. And I would someday like to find a better shifting solution!
Out ridin'
Oh yeah. And gonna get an Easy Rider Old Glory helmet!!!!
Well, the 1980 Chicago Schwinn with Briggs 3.5hp flathead is DONE.
Did the valve work and put it back together. Since then, have ridden almost 75 miles on it yesterday and today, and most of the problems have been worked out.
This is a big thing for me, because I've got a long history of starting projects that never get finished.
The major parts of the build that have been, or have not been, figured out-
Registration: Mailed the application for the moped plate today. This makes completion official.
Drivetrain: The bike maxes out at 32mph on level ground in 92deg F heat, and 36mph in 70deg F. The Comet knockoff CVT engages at 2100rpm and governs shift and max rpm at 3300. Downhill I managed 43mph in 92deg weather. Within CA law of 30mph on level ground.
Brakes: One brake, a front 203mm disc rotor with Hayes Stroker hydraulic caliper does the job. Disc gets warm after a normal stop from 30mph. Takes a LOT of hand force to stop quickly.
Gauges: Cheap digital tachometer hooked to the kill switch wire and a cheap bicycle computer, which is configured to tell me time, temp, odometer, trip time and distance, instantaneous speed, average speed, and max speed.
Wheels and tires: The cheap setup works. 36 regular size spoke wheels, $25 rear junk wheel with rag joint sprocket, Kenda Kwest 26 x 1.95 tires at 45psi. Good on asphalt, just OK on dirt. Not spectacular. Will do burnouts on pavement.
Comfort: No shock absorption leads to a rough ride. Becomes noticeable after 5mi, need to start taking breaks every hour after 20mi.
Lights, horn: None as of yet. Don't ride at night. Too cold!
Immediate upgrades (commuter status)
BMI karts CVT driver tuning springs/weights. Play around with driver engagement rpm from 2100 to 3300, and adjust driven shift rate by moving or changing spring.
Shock fork and shock seatpost OR larger, more plush seat.
Rear blinker taillight and rechargeable 12V batt for headlight.
Later upgrades:
Drum/dynamo front wheel 48h
rear wheel 48h - Jackshaft disc brake OR band brake, or hub drum brake
Custom exhaust pipe and RLV race muffler
BMX 3" riser bar.
Larger gas tank ~ 1 gallon
Rear fender, maybe front
Frame, fuel tank, fenders, engine paint. Make it pretty.
Thanks to all who helped me along this path. I finally finished a project. It seems bike projects are the only ones I finish. This one REALLY started back in early 2013. It took 30 months to finish!! But it sure as heck doesn't look like anything else out there.
All up cost is $800 for all things currently on the bike including the $20 registration check mailed today. I won't even count all the failed attempts. I will sell all the parts I don't need to try to make up for all the failures.
I would still like to try an internal gear hub as a jackshaft, whilst using the manual belt clutch. It really was a nice simple setup - automatically adjusting belt tension, by design. And far more compact than the CVT. There are other methods out there, and people on this forum have made practically every choice of hardware work somehow. And I would someday like to find a better shifting solution!
Out ridin'
Oh yeah. And gonna get an Easy Rider Old Glory helmet!!!!
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scratchbuilder
Member
Hey i like your build. I like low to the ground. I notice you used a freewheel on your js to the crank, and from the js back to the rear drive. That would save me having to buy a crank freewheel set up. I already have the bmx fw's,the fw/5/8adapter and a 16t screw on sprocket,that i got from staton inc. But my js might be too high to run a chain back to the rear. How did it work for you?
wild67
New Member
run a 56 tooth sprocket or 24" wheel