It didn't rain today,in my part of england,so..

[fordie]

Hi there everyone! Tell me, do you actually have to be nuts to enjoy these bikes, or do you just become nuts after getting one??

After my escapades with the 2 blowouts miles away from home, the other day, I spent most of today...in the cold sunshine by my shed doors, putting my beloved "silver bullet" back to roadworthyness! Whilst the wheels were off I took the oportunity to replace the wheel bearings, not quite all of them tho, as I couldn't get the rear sprockets (7 speed) off the wheel. I had the right tool, it's just that I couldn't budge it (didn't even know if it was a right or left hand thread!).

I've fitted the 70cc engine on my bike (a very old, first version mountain bike), I must admit it looks really good, especially after the polish I gave it today. Because I'm slight of build (here in England we haven't learnt how to REALLY eat yet!!), I do manage to get an indicated 40mph out of it, but with no suspension, and age, the handling is exciting to say the least.......so is stopping it!!

The engine has now done about 200 miles and is beautifully "run in", the chain and sprocket also seem happy with each other too, although I'd love to do some sort of sound deadening around the clutch housing to deaden the cacophony of noise that oozes from that vicinity! Anyone got any ideas?

I envy those of you that can use yours on the roads etc. We're blighted with far too much legislation about more or less everything, here in England, and these things are not allowed on the roads without first getting the thing registered etc, all of which is more or less geared to make it impossible. We can buy the old Velosolex bikes, tho, which are road legal......just not quite as much fun!

I live in rural Suffolk, near the Norfolk border, and we only see a cop car a few times a month, so I must admit I enjoy taking the "silver bullet" out for a whirl along the narrow country lanes around my village. It's a dissapointment that I can't really take it to our nearest town, the historic Bury St Edmunds, but there's plenty of woodland around locally, to hide me!

Is it also a disease in that I cannot walk past my shed without popping in to give the dear thing a quick clean and polish?.........perhaps there really is a male menopause!

Well, it's dark now, and getting cold, so I think I'll pour myself a scotch and light the log stove, listen to some Syd Barrett and think about the ride I'll have tomorrow morning, before the rest of the village is awake!

 

[Pablo]

Is it safe to ride to the local pub? How far? Do they have any real ale on tap?

I long for England's green and pleasant land.

 

[fordie]

Yes, yes and yes!!! Tho the local pub "The Dun Cow", is only about 1/4 mile away, we tend to walk there......and wobble back!! It's much better to go for a nice long ride in England's green and pleasant land, carefully leave the bike at home, and wander down to the pub, to a blazing fire, decent landlord, and proper real ale!! The pub does mainly Greene King beers, brewed near, in Bury St Edmunds............had a tour round the brewery a few months ago, got a bit pissed on all the free beer!

If you're ever in England, my friend, give us a look....we nearly have a spare bed, and as the cottage was built in 1706 there're several resident ghosts and beams to crack your head on (I'm only 5'7" so miss them!)..........ought to warn you that the roof leaks, and it rains a lot!!

 

[Jemma Hawtrey]

I've been riding round essex for over two years and nary a whine from the police - 'cepting once so they could have a look at it and my legs and cos they were bored... that and I had just done a roundabout at 30mph on a pushbike without a helmet lol...

I shouldnt worry about legality or otherwise - no-one else seems to and as long as you ride sensibly the police tend to cast a blind eye.

On the brakes front - get hold of some kelvar pads for your bike... they make a whole lot of difference. The model I have is Clarks WRC which come in a presentation metal box, and also have the option to replace the pads only when they wear out..

Jemma xx

 

[Dan]

"...do you actually have to be nuts to enjoy these bikes, or do you just become nuts after getting one??" Yes, LOL.

I really, really enjoyed your descriptions Fordie. You should really consider writing. You have a gift.

 

[fordie]

Hiya Jemma!!

Smashing to hear your essex tones!! I was thinking that maybe I was th only one in england on a noisy push bike!!

Honestly, how much do you ride yours on the roads? Maybe I'm just being paranoid! Don't know how you found the bike building, mine went dead easy, it was just the first starting took some time, now starts dead easy!

Where about in Essex are you? Before moving here we used to live in Halstead (near Braintree), but now we just laze about in north suffolk!

Wonder if I wore a short skirt it'd make the police let me go by in peace........or do you think the hairs and my beard might make things a bit awkward!

lol XX

 

[fordie]

Dan,

It's easy to write like that, when you love the area! Don't like getting the two flats 10 miles from home in the dark tho.......a long walk!

 

[Dan]

2 flats at once is not at all fun. 10 miles from home is just wrong. (pronounced; ROOONGGa) LOL, NY accent.

I have been very lucky with the pedaling/walking/pushing home stuff. I have always been close when a motor quit on me. I seem to forget gas a lot. Snork, any one else? Or am I the only one who rode the small bus to school?

 

[fordie]

I'm useless with regard to most things, but I am good with petrol (gaaas to you lot!!).. Unfortunately, when me dear ol' lady wife and I returned to collect my bike from the ditch I'd hidden it in, albeit it in the small hours of the morning!(prior to the "long walk"), I realized it'd been a mistake to brim the tank before the ride...............most of the fuel spilled out into the back of my PT Cruiser!! (see, I just had to drop into conversation that I drive one of your "yank tanks"!)...wish I'd not filled the tank, just filled the tyres with that green slime stuff instead!! See, I really am pretty dumb!.........mind you, I was sooo dumb that it never entered my head that something might go "Wrong"!

 

[Dan]

LOL w/ "yank tanks" Funny part of the gas prices here (close to EU now) Is that the roads are still chuck full of SUVs with the AC running and the windows up. Well this summer when prices spiked. When it went to $4 a gallon, I sold 3 bikes at a gas station I stopped at to have a cup of coffee. Only guy here that was happy with fuel cost. Great fun to see folks faces when you order one gallon. Guy who owns the station always plays along. "Again? You bought a gallon last week"

I think the adversity we bring on our selves with these strange things just adds to the adventure in some perverse way. The challenge of building functional art that can kill us.

 

[Jemma Hawtrey]

Hiya Jemma!!

Smashing to hear your essex tones!! I was thinking that maybe I was th only one in england on a noisy push bike!!

Honestly, how much do you ride yours on the roads? Maybe I'm just being paranoid! Don't know how you found the bike building, mine went dead easy, it was just the first starting took some time, now starts dead easy!

Where about in Essex are you? Before moving here we used to live in Halstead (near Braintree), but now we just laze about in north suffolk!

Wonder if I wore a short skirt it'd make the police let me go by in peace........or do you think the hairs and my beard might make things a bit awkward!

lol XX

Hey,

The bike is at the moment my own form of transport so I ride it quite alot. I think on this machine I am somewhere around the 1000 mile mark. I did about 20 miles or so yesterday.

The longest trip I usually do is Lexden to Mersea which is around a 22 mile round trip depending on the route you take.

Building mine was more challenging than the last one I did mainly because its a bike with a lot of new technology on it for me. I have never before done anything with coaster brakes nor have I had the joys of hub gears but it runs fine now. I had a period after having the pipe welded/fitted where it broke spokes but it seems that it doesnt want to do that any more - although I learned how to replace them (and get them around the joy that is a GEBE sheave) without too much problem.

I know halstead - and my ex partner (a few back) lives in Braintree - so I know it a little... I havent ever ridden up there mainly because I am a little lary of the A120 and the odd maniac that'll try and take you out lol (plus it'd be damn freezing going up there at this time of year). I had the joys of being born and brought up in Layer... talk about boring.

I wouldnt recommend the belt skirt method of police evasion - if the ones out your way are anything like the colchester lot they are a little, how shall I say, behind the times, when it comes to things like that

Have you found the NACC buzzing site yet.... they have a lot of interesting info on the British autocycle scene - would love to see what they would make of mine... its a strange fusion of periods - a retro '40s-50s style bike with belt drive (from the earliest bikes) and a screamer of a modern two stroke. At the moment it does, flat out, more miles per hour than it has cc's and will cruise happily at a smidgen under 30mph. Most of the autocycles had to take 98cc's to get that sort of speed

Although I do wonder what the police would say if they spotted the 750ml screw top wine bottle full of petrol in a holder clamped to the seat stay pipe (and remembering the wine that was in it - the petrol would probably taste better).

How long have you been up suffolk way?

Jemma xx

 

[fordie]

Hey,

The bike is at the moment my own form of transport so I ride it quite alot. I think on this machine I am somewhere around the 1000 mile mark. I did about 20 miles or so yesterday.

The longest trip I usually do is Lexden to Mersea which is around a 22 mile round trip depending on the route you take.

Building mine was more challenging than the last one I did mainly because its a bike with a lot of new technology on it for me. I have never before done anything with coaster brakes nor have I had the joys of hub gears but it runs fine now. I had a period after having the pipe welded/fitted where it broke spokes but it seems that it doesnt want to do that any more - although I learned how to replace them (and get them around the joy that is a GEBE sheave) without too much problem.

I know halstead - and my ex partner (a few back) lives in Braintree - so I know it a little... I havent ever ridden up there mainly because I am a little lary of the A120 and the odd maniac that'll try and take you out lol (plus it'd be damn freezing going up there at this time of year). I had the joys of being born and brought up in Layer... talk about boring.

I wouldnt recommend the belt skirt method of police evasion - if the ones out your way are anything like the colchester lot they are a little, how shall I say, behind the times, when it comes to things like that

Have you found the NACC buzzing site yet.... they have a lot of interesting info on the British autocycle scene - would love to see what they would make of mine... its a strange fusion of periods - a retro '40s-50s style bike with belt drive (from the earliest bikes) and a screamer of a modern two stroke. At the moment it does, flat out, more miles per hour than it has cc's and will cruise happily at a smidgen under 30mph. Most of the autocycles had to take 98cc's to get that sort of speed

Although I do wonder what the police would say if they spotted the 750ml screw top wine bottle full of petrol in a holder clamped to the seat stay pipe (and remembering the wine that was in it - the petrol would probably taste better).

How long have you been up suffolk way?

Jemma xx

Hi Jemma,

Nice to hear from you again, your bike sounds pretty good! I so enjoyed making mine that I sort of want to do another one, you know the scene, I could make a second one miles better than I did the first etc!!

You asked for how long I'd lived in the wilds of suffolk, well I've certainly been around, briefly, I was born in Bedford, then, in order, moved to: Gravesend, Keighley, Gravesend, Bradford, Gravesend, Halstead, Leavenheath, Bury St Edmunds, finally arriving here in Bardwell about 10 years ago. I now have no intentions of ever moving again, I love it here. It's a very small village with just a pub, church and post office, surrounded by fields and only 10mins away from the forests around Thetford etc.

I spent yesterday "fiddling" with my bike. It started off as an old Raleigh mountain bike, which I bought (pretty clapped out) from a mate for twenty quid and then dumped in one of my sheds for a few years. About a month ago I stumbled across this "motorized Bike" lark, by accident, when searching for something else via google! Needless to say I was sold on the idea almost immediately!!

I thought it was a good idea to "re-cycle" the ol' mountain bike in this manner, and I'm bl**dy glad I did, the last time I had as much fun as this was when I set my arm alight whilst trying to re-light the hot bar-b-q with meths last summer!!

With the 50 tooth sprocket I can just get 30mph, which I think is more than enough for my particular donor bike (the lesser toothed sprockets can give me 40mph, but the thing is totally unsafe/insane at those speeds. I took it out for a 27 mile spin on Sun, and it seems hapiest at about 25mph. On the very bumpy lanes around here that speed seems to be about the most my backside can take for any amount of time!

Nowadays I only work 4 mornings a week about 10 miles away in Bury, and am in the process of plucking up enough courage to start using my bike for the journey.........ever tried yours in the snow?

I'm not sure I got the right end of the stick in your message, is your bike belt driven? If so do you mean the engine drive or the pedal drive?

Best get on now, I want to look up the NACC buzzing site. Catch you soon,

Steve xx

 

[Jemma Hawtrey]

Hi,

The bike itself is a usual chain. The motor drive is a belt to a sheave on the back wheel.

I lived up Luton way for a while - not the most pleasant place from what I recall.

The trick with higher speeds is good brakes and a decent suspension. My old bike was a non suspension at first and higher speeds weren't fun. I fitted up an open springer and it improved the ride no end - a sprung seat also helps.

You need to be *very* careful in rain let alone snow - I dont know whether I'd feel safe on the ice/snow. Even with the newer tyres I've fitted.

The motor I have is a 32cc two stroke with a pipe on it. The engine mount is a Golden Eagle which is currently on a #13 gear. I have a #14 gear coming soon. Top speed is around 35mph.

Jemma xx

 

[MrLarkins]

welcome to our humble home!

 

[Pablo]

Yes, yes and yes!!! Tho the local pub "The Dun Cow", is only about 1/4 mile away, we tend to walk there......and wobble back!! It's much better to go for a nice long ride in England's green and pleasant land, carefully leave the bike at home, and wander down to the pub, to a blazing fire, decent landlord, and proper real ale!! The pub does mainly Greene King beers, brewed near, in Bury St Edmunds............had a tour round the brewery a few months ago, got a bit pissed on all the free beer!

If you're ever in England, my friend, give us a look....we nearly have a spare bed, and as the cottage was built in 1706 there're several resident ghosts and beams to crack your head on (I'm only 5'7" so miss them!)..........ought to warn you that the roof leaks, and it rains a lot!!

Wow sudden memories of my time in Bakewell, north of Derby on the river Derwent. It is strange what people thought of a long distance (more than 10 miles!) and what went for mountain peaks. The odd North American and his odd accent. Rabbit or venison for dinner, good ale for lunch! I really enjoyed Greene King's offerings as I recall.

We have pretty good ale here in the Pacific Northwest, but often overhopped for the style. They know nothing of a Mild Ale. But alas it rains quite a lot!!

 

[stevenlfarmer]

Im stevenlfarmer and Im new to all this motor bicycling stuff but i did install one of these kits it works great and im hooked. I selling it off for not alot and am looking forward to building the next one soon. I want to learn all there is to know about techniques and components and suppliers. Any and all pointers that anyone may have please send them my way. I am especially interested in how to adapt a weedeater to a bicycle with optimal preformance.

 

[Dan]

Hi Steven, welcome. Some real artists here.