GEBE frame-mounting mod that works

[bamabikeguy]

Thanks to two recent customers, Danny Uttke and Jack Shields, who both have years of bike experiences, for the ideas.

I'll describe it here, and am going to modify Rocinante today and tomorrow, so will have pictures.

The first is simple, Jack says a better front strap angle, heavier, taller and longer is available at Lowe's hardware. A 75 cent fix.

Danny bought some rubber washers, larger ones to put between the main engine mount and the steel blank I attach to the frame. I bored holes in the sidewall of an old tire, cut them out and put them over the mounting bolt, between the two pieces of metal.

To make the gas tank angle better, I bolt together a "strap and a half", 6 available holes instead of 4. Danny bought rubber sink washers, bored them out, and sandwiched them between the straps.

Engine vibrations on the 32cc Tanaka is NOTICEABLY reduced.

Here are old frame mount photos so you know the two spots I'm talking about.

Pic #1- There will now be a rectangular piece of rubber cut from the tire sandwiched between that metal mount application.

Pic #2- The new Lowe's bracket angle will supposedly be 1/2" taller and longer than the pictured one GEBE provides.

Pic #3 - The butterfly contraption is to push out the saddlebags, but notice it is two straps bolted together, to push the engine back. There will be sink washers in between the two straps, and maybe another where the strap connects to the Lowe's angle.

Pic #4- Saddlebags used in the space over the front strap, pushed out thanks to the butterfly piece.

 

[bamabikeguy]

I run the standard $12 cruiser tires on my bike, and decided while I was putting on the new rubber washers (and pix would really do no good, you can barely see them), I'd rotate the front/back tires, the back is the only one that shows any wear. Oil the wheel bearings, etc etc etc.

Imagine my surprise, I didn't remember when/where I had put the $10 Pyramid industrial tubes on my bike !?! This whole time I thought I had $7 slimer tubes I put on my customers bikes !

Anyway, inspecting the 3 layers of electric tape over the spoke ends/rubber gasket has proven to really work. And the Mr. Tuffy Tire liners have actually merged/molded/welded with the outside of the tubes.

They have formed into a "single unit", I would have had to peel away the liner, thats how much road heat must have been generated.

Now that I'm typing this, I remember I carried along the industrial tubes to Denver, they weigh a pound at least, so I must have put one of them on in Arkansas. The mind gets fuzzy in dottering old age......

Yep, there's that bulky spare tube, leaving Denver at dawn in pic #1, bungie-corded along the bottom part of the frame, I remember now that was the only place it stayed out of the way. And then it is missing when I revisited Highway 61 in Blues Country Mississippi....

I know I carry a spare slimer in my travel pouch, and an extra belt.

Moral of the story? Pyramid's industrial tubes/Tuffy liners are so reliable, you forget you even have them on the bike.....and there was not a sign of abrasive wear on them at all.

 

[bamabikeguy]

Pyramid Industrial Quality tubes, combined with the tire liners, will now be standard for all my future rear wheels.

Went on a long days ride with the lady who bought the Hot Pink Sun Retro 7, and it may have been a fluke, may have been that Leprechaun who follows me around, but whatever, she had a flat....and like I mentioned, I had forgotten my rear was the $10 heavy tube.

You learn from experiences, slime on fronts, heavy air tube on rears will be the new order of things.