How NOT to ride a motorized bicycle

maniac57

maniac57

Old, Fat, and still faster than you


Had this dropped off this weekend for repair. Again.
Looks like he is having some navigation issues, what with walls and all...
Second time this guy has brought me a wounded warrior to patch up and get running again. He managed to waste the rear wheel bearings again too. (The pics don't show the wobble in the hub)

I really fear for this guy. He seems to be a wreck magnet.
Notice how the bent fork was spun around so it looked rideable, even though the bearings were completely destroyed. I'm planning on a replacement fork and a stern lecture on the dangers of immoveable objects.
 
It's sort of a grisly feeling pondering how some folks ride, isn't it? I've seen a very few in person who were flirting with death and I've seen more on video.

I suppose some do mange to hurt themselves. I don't actually want that, but I guess they've got to learn the hard way. Others somehow get away with it for a long time. With the result of making us others look bad and risk having new ordinances dropped on us like a cartoon anvil.

It's a matter of personal safety. And that's the individual's business. But it's also a matter of good public manners. And that's important. These folks are not our friends.
 
Put them in the "not quite ready for a motor" category. Or the "keeps you workin" one. Whichever. some kids tear bikes up in a hurry. So how much you chargin this guy?
 
Once is an accident, twice is incompetence. I'm afraid you're not doing him any favors by putting him back on the road. Like Blue said, he's no friend of our hobby. How old is this guy?

Tom
 
these pics are part of the reason I refuse to build coaster brake bikes

giving him real brakes will probably stop the crashes, and if you leave the coaster on it, then tell him to never use it and the rear hub will stop coming apart
 
crassius said:
these pics are part of the reason I refuse to build coaster brake bikes

giving him real brakes will probably stop the crashes, and if you leave the coaster on it, then tell him to never use it and the rear hub will stop coming apart
Click to expand...

That fella is gonna get hurt bad some day sounds like, may be the type that can destroy an anvil with a rubber hammer.....! I've known a few like that, and they always jump before they think or look and are typically injury prone.

These types make motorbicycling seem like a dangerous activity and will sooner or later get some bad press and get people thinking they should not be allowed on the road, a few bad apple can easily spoil the whole basket sometime.

Very true, coasters aren't the best brakes, I like the V Brakes best myself, I do have a Huffy with original ( Hi Stop ? I think thats what it is ) coaster rear wheel that has 1000+ hard rough dirt road miles on it now and it has not got wobbly yet...and the braking with it is good along with a front caliper brake, I like the Shimano 110E coatser hub or one of the older american made hubs best if I'm to use a coaster and I give my bikes a good shake back and forth to check to make sure there isn't wobble in the hubs before I ride.

Map
.wee.
 
I live in a canyon - hill here are steep - starting 1/2 way up a hill with motor off & letting it roll at 2mph, my 145lb body standing on the brake can't get me stopped before I run the stop sign at bottom of hill - sometimes if I mash the kill button & let out the clutch I can jake-brake it

meanwhile, the back yard is full of coaster wheels with cracked outer races from heat & one that broke the outer race and part of the hub right off
 
I use a special industrial grease in my coaster hubs made by www.arrowmagnolia.com, its called peak its someof the best grease made for heavy duty applications, it aint cheap though at $30 per tube, the Lucas Tacky Red or Schaeffer Tacky Red grease is pretty good stuff also, plenty of good quality grease and correct bearing tension is key to a coaster hub lasting in my experience, of course the bearings need to be good to begin with also, I've always had good service from Shimano hubs and so far the plain ole Huufy bike hub has served me well for a little over 1000 miles, bit it may go kah-put the next ride.....lol!

Braking is good with it though, I use the front brake first and only apply just enough on the coaster to finish down to a slow roll and then come on down on the front caliper brake.

Amen to that Huffy D..........!

Map
 
Any body can make something break if they want to bad enough. All I can say is please, stay away from my bike, don't even look at it and don't touch it! lollaff
 
I swapped him out for a set of cheap suspension forks with Vbrakes.
This guy is an adult, but he's a bit...slow. "Not differently enabled" slow, but not the sharpest marble in the bag. He tries SO hard but just has no mechanical mojo.
I fix his stuff very cheap or free since he's so earnest and loves his bike so much. I just don't have the heart to tell him he should walk.
He's getting better though, at least he managed to keep it running long enough this last time to wear the tires a bit. This is one of those guys who would go over a cliff with a big s$%t eating grin just because he loves riding so much. He has no idea he is so bad at it.
 
Most of you guys know Im new and in the learning stage, but if coaster brakes are so bad why do some of the finer shops offer the adaptor sprockets for these? I run V-brakes on my first build (that first build should be called 1.5) and plan on a front drum brake on the second build with a coaster in the back for emergency back up. Been thinking about a fred head with compression release for added braking.

Dan.
 
They are okay if you are an experienced rider but adding another brake is never a bad idea.
Outhouses work fine too, but we have better designs now. Why not take advantage?
 
maniac57 said:
They are okay if you are an experienced rider but adding another brake is never a bad idea.
Outhouses work fine too, but we have better designs now. Why not take advantage?
Click to expand...

I live in Wyoming, all we have is outhouses.

What rear brake set up do you use?

Dan.
 
maniac57 said:
I swapped him out for a set of cheap suspension forks with Vbrakes.... ....tries SO hard but just has no mechanical mojo.... .....he's so earnest and loves his bike so much. I just don't have the heart to tell him he should walk... ....This is one of those guys who would go over a cliff with a big s$%t eating grin just because he loves riding so much. He has no idea he is so bad at it.
Click to expand...

Well....the way you describe him it's hard not to have some sympathy for the guy.

So you're helping him at a good price even though he's a klutz because he has a good attitude? That's cool.

And maybe it'll even pay off. Maybe he'll learn. That'd be fine.
 
the GF fell in love with the paint on a coaster bike I bough with a blown out rear wheel - wheel wasn't so bad it couldn't be fixed, so I added two more brakes & told her to never use the coaster - it will stop downhill on just the front brake

still a problem with coming to a stop sign midway up a hill tho, since she can't back the pedals up to get a good start & has to make a right onto level ground, make a u-turn back to the hill & another right to get up the hill
 
I seem to have a soft spot for the earnest, mechanically inept types who try REALLY hard.
Like I said, this guy loves his bike so much I just HAVE to give him a break. Some of you might remember this guy as the one who crashed on his first test ride after I rebuilt his bike after fixing the frame (Drilled for mount)
He's still crashing.
I fear for his health but he simply will not give up, no matter how horrible a rider he really is. Gotta respect that kind of joy in our sport/obsession/hobby.
I do my best to give him a decent tool to use and advice on how not to crash.
Hopefully, time will make him a better rider.
Seeing the smile on his face every time I save his baby is a wonderful feeling.
I'm his hero when he picks up his bike. Makes me happy.


I'm terrified giving him a front brake when he is so bad at riding his bike....
But I cannot MAKE him stop crashing by refusing to fix his bike. All that would do is drive him to someone who might take advantage of him. (Like the guy who assembled his bike the first time)
 
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