Friction Drives

Post 220 Is Not My Pic. Will Try Again. NOT WORKING ... LATER RON THATS WHY YOU CAN`T GIVE US POLOCKS ACOFFE BREAK, YOU HAVE TO RETRAIN US AFTERWARDS !!:-{:-{
 
Deacon, I saw on your blog-spot that you are using the tension rods for fence fabric. I thought you would like the way they help, and they are cheep. I bent the ones I used in a vice on edge, you can use a piece of pipe as a lever or just your hands, I did. You can thread them also there is enough thickness for that. Sorry to hear that you don't like the smaller bike after all the work. Another experience to chalk up. I made a angled seat post for the Whizzer today It worked out well, improves the riding position tremendously. I like that bike a lot, but it has put a damper in my fun money for a long time. I need 900.oo bucks to pay it off. I need to get some work done on the friction bike it needs a larger roller, I have a machinist friend I need to see if he will let me use the lathe. Have fun, Dave
 

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I look at the little bike like this. I have a front tire and wheel, arear coaster wheel that I can use on a bigger bike frame to lower the rear and make mounting easier. I have a small crank set, if need to lower the pedals on a full size bike. I have a tall set of handlebars which I like to use, I have a hand brake lever with the straight arm which pulls gravity clutch cables better and I have a brake caliper. for eight bucks..

Plus some metal scraper will get the bike frame. Not a bad deal.
 
I'm thinking about making a second bike that's a friction drive and I have a a question about the whole gravity clutch setup. Do you guys use a spring or anything to hold the drive shaft against the wheel, or is it simply held by the weight of the engine and frame?
 
Excuse Me For Buting In. I Just Want To Try Pic Posting Again. MOST OF MY PICTURES ARE JUST TO BIG. THIS IS A PICTURE OF FRICTION DRIVE THAT SOLD ON EBAY. THE MOTOR IS ON THE WRONG SIDE. THE MOTOR RUNS BACKWARDS. IT THOUGHT THE NEGATIVE MAY HAVE BEEN REVERSED. NOT SO, THE PRINT ON MANUAL IS CORRECT.
 

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A spring and and small turnbuckle is the best thing I have found for tension. Idea of turnbuckle is from comfortable shoes.

All weedeaters I have seen turn counter clockwise. However all the chainsaws i have worked with (two) turn clockwise. Go figure
 
SpiderSpartan said:
I'm thinking about making a second bike that's a friction drive and I have a a question about the whole gravity clutch setup. Do you guys use a spring or anything to hold the drive shaft against the wheel, or is it simply held by the weight of the engine and frame?
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I use a heavy door spring and a turnbuckle, like deacon said it works great. I tried just a door spring and it worked okay, but the turn buckle lets you really dial the tension in perfectly and without tools.
 
A two stroke engine will run both ways it is up to the manufacturer as to the direction they want it to go. Some of the mags on these engines will let them turn in reverse and still spark, if they will you can run ether way. It will just be retarded in reverse, you will need to move the timing with the flywheel. Have fun, Dave
 
I ran one backwards and found that the nut that held the drive wheel on would constantly come loose. I went back to mounting them the way the manufacturer designed them. Knowing they will run backwards was important to me but doing it just wasn't that big a deal the way I do things.
 
NEAT TIMES said:
Egor Thats A Nice Simple Set Up, You Get Ten Atta Boys For That Build.(^) The Zip Cycle I Just Bought Is A Friction Dr. If You Look On The Web Site It Doesn`t Show Small Details, But General Idea. I`m Like A Sailor On Shore Leave, Spending All The Money On Motor Bikes And Parts. Zip Has A Cogged Belt To Jack Shaft With About 2" Or More Rubber Roller . The Motor And All Pivots With Clutch Lever On Handle Bars. It Has Spring Pressure Against Wheel. Has A Small Gas Tank (bottle) By Engine. I Will Put China Bike Gas Tank Where The Fake Tank Is. Will Have To Put The China Bike Type Carb On It With One Fuel Line. Or Can I Plug Return Line ??there Was A Small Rock Wedged In Stopping The Friction Roller From Turning, They Flat Spotted The Roller (badly) Its More Square Than Round. I Bought It For $250. Its In Nice Condition. Its A Keeper, Its Family Now! Now , If I Get Lucky (luckier :)) I Might Find Sume Used Parts. The Web Site Lists A Page Of Dealers All Around The Usa, They Are Gone ! Keep Up The Good Posting Guys ( And Gals=jemma Mite Read This ! Haven`t Heard From Crazy Lately). Still Have Not Received Anything From Viza Motors, Scottsdale Az Pd $206 On June 6. Man I Wish I Had A Zip Roller:( Ron
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Can you show some closeup pics of the engine bracket (both sides) and where it connects to the post. Also the mechanism for the friction drive.
Thanks!
 
Hi Mr Hite, Just Heading To Bed. I Will Try To Get Pictures To You Fairly Soon. The 25cc Motor Mounts In Front Of Seat Tube Withe The Jack Shaft Behind The Seat Tube. Runs A Cogged Belt From Motor To Jackshaft. It Sold For Over $1100. New. Check Out The Web Site (zipcycle) Thats All You Need To Type In. They Are Out Of Business- But Website Still Works. There Is A Whole Page Or More Of Dealers- They Do Not Exist Anymore. I Have Free Long Distance Calling. I Tried Them All. No Parts Available. Later, Ron PS I DID GET THE 43CC MOTOR FROM VIZA OR VISA MOTORS. IT TOOK 3 MONTHS!!
 
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It is so simple to just put the roller on the the end of the crankshaft! but then you have to use a smaller roller. On the kits that use some kind of gearing you get use a larger roller and get the extra grip on the tire. I want to build a friction drive but I need to use it off road. I will use a direct drive, NO CLUTCH, it will have a lever something like the one I have on my Aluminum friction bike so that I can stop and start it as needed (I am getting old) but I want to ride the mountain bike trails as quiet as I can (engine off). I think it will have some kind of gearing to take advantage of the better friction. I need to figure out a best way to do this, and it needs to be simple. Have fun, Dave
 
If I lived somewhere that didnt have these god awful hills I would ride a 25cc WW engine... The hills aren't so big that you need to use a car, just too big for the smallest engines. It would be great to cruise alone at fifteen miles and hour just taking in the urban scenery, then lift the small unobtrusive engine and hit the bike trail.

To get to the bike trail near me it is an all downhill trip from my house but the problem is to get home after a workout it is all UPHILL. things are never as easy as they should be it seems.
 
My VeloSolex will pull any hill and you can ride it motor off but it is heavy and not intended for that. You can assist in moving for the exercise but it is not good for off road trails. I have done it but it is front wheel drive and not suited for that. I love the bike and will never sell it, partly because my Grandfather gave it to me and he is gone now, sentimental I guess. I would like to see Deacon get hold of one, I know you like to build your bikes but I would like to hear what you think of the original friction drive. Have fun, Dave
 
Would adding some kind of "sweeper" or brush/bristles to the tire sweeping refuse off of the tire before objects of flats get caught under the roller work? Please quote me and let me know what you think if that is possible.

One could perhaps even use a vertical engine with a roller/scooter wheel that rolled on the side wall of the wheel never really touching the tread.

Any prototype testers out there? I am broke but full of ideas! the v12 jaguar always broke because there more v's to go wrong. I want to go friction or belt to exclude all those little links getting worn all day. Read my flat tire post by clicking my name or searching "flat".. There are ways of doing this with great success I bet.
 
Roadkill, I Have Been Running A Couple Friction Drives For A Year Now With No Flats. I Use The Heavy Slime Tube And The $6. Thin Tough Tire Liner From Sports Academy. I Use The 49cc Pocket Bike Motors From Ebay. The Have Been Trouble Free. The Rewind Starter Ropes Should Be Replaced With Good Chainsaw Rope. You Need The Proper Size. The Friction Drives Are Mainly Trouble Free If Done Rite. I Have 1.25" Dia Dr Roller, 1.5" Would Be Better With The Large 49cc Engine. Mine Go 36 Mph On The Flat Rd With 180 Rider. Ron
 
There is a side drive out there using a B&S mower engine. I suggested using the side of the rim for the drive, it could be lowered to disengage the drive. It could also be used for an extended period of time and never have any affect on the wear of the tire. Pressure on the tire is what is needed to grip but it also damages the tire. I have never seen a rim drive gut I think it would work well. If done with a gear between connecting the Idler roller it would drive both sides of the rim. Have fun, Dave
 
Hi Egor, I Respect Your Opinions, As I Know You Have Had Much Experience With All Types Of Motor Bicycles And Motor Cycles. You Have A Bunch Of T0ys. Ron
 
Egor said:
There is a side drive out there using a B&S mower engine. I suggested using the side of the rim for the drive, it could be lowered to disengage the drive. It could also be used for an extended period of time and never have any affect on the wear of the tire. Pressure on the tire is what is needed to grip but it also damages the tire. I have never seen a rim drive gut I think it would work well. If done with a gear between connecting the Idler roller it would drive both sides of the rim. Have fun, Dave
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I found a roller from a truck trailer door and it has a 1/2" shaft and a bearing roller made out of hard plastic. I imagine I could change the plastic to or coat with rubber and get that to grab somehow. These rollers look like the track rollers from a garage door for a home minus the plastic part and plus a steel roller.. Any links or pictures of something like that if ever made (rim drive) would be great.. Back to laundry.. Thanks
 
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