Cooper & Ludwig

[fasteddy]

Looking great Ludwig. Since you started building this one I've seen a couple of worse for wear Motobecane bikes here in B.C. The prices were reasonable and if there was a place to put them I would have bought them for the parts.

Steve.

 

[Ludwig II]

The other bike, the minimoto powered one in Melton Mowbray, received attention yesterday. We now have the petrol tank in place. It was pleasant to realise it's starting to look like engineering now, especially from the back end.

 

[Ludwig II]

We have decided to add a cross brace between the tank support plates, and then the next job after that is to fit the/a silencer assembly. We might use a little box on the exhaust, a little box and a pipe to a secondary box, or go with a header to a box on the right hand side of the bike.

 

[fasteddy]

Looking forward to what you do for an exhaust. Absolutely a fun bike build.

Steve.

 

[Ludwig II]

A bullet I have to bite is that although I am pathologically opposed to grey (it is a miserable symbol of late 1950s/early 60s Britain to me), the only real colour the tank plates can be is light grey, like an industrial machine, and therefore all the engine mountings will have to be as well.

Oh dear, I'm going to have to lie down now, seeing what the world has come to.

 

[cannonball2]

Look on the bright side. My wife tells me there are 50 shades of gray.

 

[Ludwig II]

I still don't think it will be finger lickin' good.

 

[Ludwig II]

On Tuesday I went over to Doug's to do the air filter box for the Gravis et Lento. A few slow hours of thought and drilling in the right places followed by a bit of cleaning up the edges has produced this fine example of Brutish Crapmanship. The resemblance to a 50 year old tobacco tin is entirely coincidental.

View attachment 9566

 

[Otero]

Well. the gas bike, tanaka 40c, GEBE kit= range *80 mi., 33mph, 140 mpg. wt. 56 pds. (aprox.$800)
My new toy. 650 watt, 33 mph(in off road mode) range 180 mi.( at low speed with
hyper extended range battery pack), wt. 56 pds. Street legal,no license, registration, or insurance.
The big difference is in price, features, & being street legal. (sorry Ludwig, the Euro
version is kinda wimpy.)
The electric is the new Juiced Bikes Cross Current S. In terms of features, it's got everything, but an electric @$$wiper. It starts at $1700 & has more & better
capabilities than $5k ebikes. Too much to mention here, Check it out at JuicedBikes; I'm in love.
(it even has a walk/push assist mode to 6 mph.) If you want one expect a 2 mo. wait.
I got in on the pre-order for the 1st shpmnt. which sold out very quickly.

*on 72 oz. tank. View attachment 95667

View attachment 95667

 

[Ludwig II]

I think the Euro regs were based around some ideal, which is based on a pre existing flatland (Dutch) cycle culture, and are a pile of bureaucratic horse manure.

 

[Otero]

I agree completely. Just fine if you're Dutch, nothing's very far away, it's flat.
& there's a great rail system. Different story if you want to cross the alps by bike.

 

[Ludwig II]

Round here the roads go up and down, there are hills which aren't long or steep, but they're still hills, and often surfaced with the kind of high grip tarmac for safety that takes several times as much effort to roll along as normal. Cycle paths are a rarity, so it's on the road with drivers who don't give you room or a footpath and the paths are ill maintained and batter you to death. You may be utterly shocked to learn there are many 1kw motors purchased for "off road use".

 

[Otero]

Where I'm at there's 342 vertical feet in 1 1/2 miles, both ways, to & from town.
Not a mountain, but quite a hill.

 

[Ludwig II]

I went over to Doug's yesterday to help out with a few minor jobs. Cleaned some paint off a frame, sorted some bearing cones out, moved some bikes around. I'm still pursuing the Genuine Vintage Fake, but it's taking time.

 

[Ludwig II]

Sometime in the next couple of weeks I'm off to Doug's again, might be helping him with the jobs in the workshop, or even - even! - working on the bike.

 

[Ludwig II]

Good news for me, Doug is moving from his current unit where there is no space to somewhere bigger and better, so after lending what assistance I can to him moving, progress will resume on the Gravis Et Lento.

 

[fasteddy]

Good news indeed. The build shall continue. Could I possibly reserve a front seat?

Steve.

 

[Ludwig II]

You can have a box, with waitress service, if you can afford it

 

[Otero]

Well, as long as they keep sending me this thread, I like to take this opportunity
to gloat over my latest CL score, a $460 Raleigh hybrid with $350 G.E.B.E. kit &
a $448 Sooby: $245. Sold 'as is' by 2 sweet little old ladies that lived in a gorgeous
mansion. (late hubby's bike). Aired a tire and added some gas. It fired right
up on the second pull. Front derailleur needed minor adjust.

 

[Ludwig II]

I can only apologise for lack of posting, but life in it's various forms has interrupted me. By the end of the month a rogue thickened ligament will have been trimmed, and Doug will be ensconced in his new premeises and I can get on with things. This is good and mentally healthy, as I will be able to do Manly Acivities. Filing lumps of metal and drinking tea.