First build, my plan/your advise?

M

Mgardner1991

New Member
Hello all,

I want to build a bike but need some advise as I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for.

I'm open to any bike, but would like it to be a 21 speed beach cruiser. If there is one from walmart that a lot of people use/recommend? Or even a inexpensive make/model I might find in any local bike shop?

What I had trouble finding, can I run a chain drive motor in the gears so that I can shift the gears with the motor driving them? I want to be able to start in a low gear and shift it as I speed up.
I'd like to be able to pedal also but don't plan on wanting/needing to.

Do I just mount the motor and use a longer chain and run it from motor to rear gears to pedal gears? Or what that cause pedals to always turn?

I don't have a budget, but under 300$ would be great. I have plenty of mechanical knowledge and access to most any tools.

Thanks in advance.
 
Mgardner1991 said:
I'm open to any bike, but would like it to be a 21 speed beach cruiser. If there is one from walmart that a lot of people use/recommend? Or even a inexpensive make/model I might find in any local bike shop?
Click to expand...

Besides a quality bike to start with you won't find for $100 at Wallyworld, forget about the front derailleur, your motor kit adds one lever (clutch) and one twist control (throttle) to your handlebars and it already has one of each on each side so something has to go or you end up with a joke of an unsafe user control mess.
Read this. http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=46843

Personally I like a Macargi Pantera as a solid quality base for direct drive or shifters, about $240.

Direct Drive:
The left sprocket hole fits perfect over the 7-speed hub to make alignment a breeze and no front shift controls to dick with.

PanteraGray.gif


Shifter:
Though the 7-speed gears work fine for pedaling to help for direct drive the tendency for many riders with a strong engine is power shifting through every gear on a shifter and the thin 7-speed chain just gives out.
They work just dandy if you shift easy and skip a couple gears each time but most of my shifter build customers opt for the extra trade in $50 3-speed internal hub wheel replacement so I can use HD 410 chain and 3 gears is plenty.

GrayPanteraShifter.gif


Can I run a chain drive motor in the gears so that I can shift the gears with the motor driving them? I want to be able to start in a low gear and shift it as I speed up to rear gears to pedal gears? Or what that cause pedals to always turn?
Click to expand...
A shift kit costs as much as the motor, far from easy to install right without mechanical skills and the right tools but gears change everything.
To keep your pedals from turning with the motor a freewheel is used between the dual sprockets and the pedals so your pedals just ratchet in place when the motor is powering the dual chainrings to the back wheel.
That freewheel is a crucial power transfer part and a cheap one will fail with over 2HP thrown at it, the HD freewheel is 3 times as much and darn near half the cost of a SBP shift kit but needed for strong motor.
I don't have a budget, but under 300$ would be great. I have plenty of mechanical knowledge and access to most any tools.
Click to expand...
(just smiles) I suggest you decide now what is important, quality or cost, because despite those here that will say their $99 Wallyworld Huffy Carnbrook with a cheap E-bay motor kit is awesome I have a bone yard full of other peoples builds that failed before they even broke them in but they were not hobbyists that wanted to tinker, they simple wanted something reliable and were sorely disappointed.

It's your bike, your build, your budget, your decision. Personally I find the extra $ money on initial parts worth far more than replacement parts that will come up when I factor in the time and aggravation factors ;-}
 
Thanks for the advise. I do now think I will just go with a direct drive and maybe a 7 speed cruiser.

Now that I've decided not to do all that work for a 1st build can I get some options:

This is the motor I ordered, I know no motor is the same with all these china engines but is this a decent motor for my first build?

http://www.kingsmotorbikes.com/product_51_detailed.htm

So if I'm just going with a 7 speed and direct drive is there an affordable bike from walmart or common model found in local shops that is known to be a decent choice?

Thanks in advance.
 
KCvale said:
Besides a quality bike to start with you won't find for $100 at Wallyworld, forget about the front derailleur, your motor kit adds one lever (clutch) and one twist control (throttle) to your handlebars and it already has one of each on each side so something has to go or you end up with a joke of an unsafe user control mess.
Read this. http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=46843

Personally I like a Macargi Pantera as a solid quality base for direct drive or shifters, about $240.

Direct Drive:
The left sprocket hole fits perfect over the 7-speed hub to make alignment a breeze and no front shift controls to dick with.

PanteraGray.gif


Shifter:
Though the 7-speed gears work fine for pedaling to help for direct drive the tendency for many riders with a strong engine is power shifting through every gear on a shifter and the thin 7-speed chain just gives out.
They work just dandy if you shift easy and skip a couple gears each time but most of my shifter build customers opt for the extra trade in $50 3-speed internal hub wheel replacement so I can use HD 410 chain and 3 gears is plenty.

GrayPanteraShifter.gif



A shift kit costs as much as the motor, far from easy to install right without mechanical skills and the right tools but gears change everything.
To keep your pedals from turning with the motor a freewheel is used between the dual sprockets and the pedals so your pedals just ratchet in place when the motor is powering the dual chainrings to the back wheel.
That freewheel is a crucial power transfer part and a cheap one will fail with over 2HP thrown at it, the HD freewheel is 3 times as much and darn near half the cost of a SBP shift kit but needed for strong motor.
(just smiles) I suggest you decide now what is important, quality or cost, because despite those here that will say their $99 Wallyworld Huffy Carnbrook with a cheap E-bay motor kit is awesome I have a bone yard full of other peoples builds that failed before they even broke them in but they were not hobbyists that wanted to tinker, they simple wanted something reliable and were sorely disappointed.

It's your bike, your build, your budget, your decision. Personally I find the extra $ money on initial parts worth far more than replacement parts that will come up when I factor in the time and aggravation factors ;-}
Click to expand...



"(just smiles) I suggest you decide now what is important, quality or cost, because despite those here that will say their $99 Wallyworld Huffy Carnbrook with a cheap E-bay motor kit is awesome I have a bone yard full of other peoples builds that failed before they even broke them in but they were not hobbyists that wanted to tinker, they simple wanted something reliable and were sorely disappointed."

This is pretty much true. I get great results from cheap stuff but I've been doing the two-stroke thing my entire life. Most people won't get anything like the miles I get from proper setup and maintenance. I strongly urge anyone wanting a reliable bike to spend a little more if you don't have a LOT of mechanical knowledge. The better quality the equipment you start with, the better your chances of having a good build. Do some research and find a bike that fits your needs and budget before you jump.
 
if you want qualty and cheap I would say check out craigs list but rember if you go that route most likely you will need at the very least tires and tubes. also Id grease the wheels before I road a used bike with a new motor on it.
 
I appreciate all the input. As I'm getting into this as a hobby I think I'll start at more affordable even if its not as reliable. I just needed a new project to start. I'm stationed here in WA, I don't think I'm even allowed to ride it on public roads. Ill just cruise the neighborhood with it. I think I'm just going to go a bit cheaper and do the cranbrook.
These colors show online but ill see later what they have when I go to walmart after work.
 

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