Its taken a lot longer than the few hour's I was told It was going to take me to put this thing together but it was all fun . I still have a motor issue That I'm trying to get worked out but over all I'm pleased with the out come . Not so bad for a 1st attempted .
Kinda proud of myself for a 1st try
- Thread starter Rusty1
- Start date
MotorBicycleRacing
Well-Known Member
Looks like a clean build but you drilled a hole through your aluminum down tube.
Lots of advice here to make custom over sized mounts.
Lots of advice here to make custom over sized mounts.
wheelbender6
Well-Known Member
Great cruiser. It took me a lot longer than a couple of hours to install my first motor kit. I enjoyed the tinkering.
GearNut
Active Member
Oh wow! I did not notice that front mount before.
All I can say is... Yikes!
Sticky: Motorized Bicycle OVERSIZED TUBING solved
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In this thread, Al.fisherman shows why the "drill a hole through the downtube" mount is a bad idea. Keep in mind that his was a steel frame. Aluminum frames are even more prone to cracking then steel.
Broken Frame ? Poll..Survey
All I can say is... Yikes!
Sticky: Motorized Bicycle OVERSIZED TUBING solved
___________________________________
In this thread, Al.fisherman shows why the "drill a hole through the downtube" mount is a bad idea. Keep in mind that his was a steel frame. Aluminum frames are even more prone to cracking then steel.
Broken Frame ? Poll..Survey
#1 keep in mind I'm disabled and needed to keep things low budget and simple . #2 I don't have access to machines or welder's nor can I afford to have the work done for me . I wasn't aware of problems with the down tube braking until long after I was finished with my build . I do plan to try to re reinforce it some how I just haven't decided how yet . All in all I don't feel i did such a bad job for my 1st try
biknut
Well-Known Member
Hi Rusty. I wouldn't get all paranoid about the front mount. With a little extra attention it probably will never be a problem.
Most experienced builders don't like to drill the frame for the front mount. A couple of good reasons come to mind. It weakens the frame a little, and it can expose the frame to excessive vibration, under certain conditions.
The main worry would be for the bolt to get loose, which would allow a lot of vibration to start transferring directly to the frame in a small area. Metal fatigue would weaken the frame pretty fast. Soon after that the frame cracks in two like an egg shell.
You should be able to avoid this happening if you take a few precautions.
Your bike is made by Kent Bicycles. Kent makes very strong frames at the expense of light weight. Perfect for a MB because we don't care that much about weight. Check my waist line. The frames are pretty beastly, luckily for you. All you need to do is keep a little closer eye on the mounting bolts than you usually might, and you can greatly reduce the chances of having a problem. This also helps you keep tabs on the condition of the frame in that area.
Another thing you can do that will help greatly is, keep your revs down as much as possible. If your motor has a sweet spot in the upper range, try not to rev higher than that. If your top speed isn't fast enough, gear your bike higher.
I think you'll be alright if you just keep a close eye on everything.
i agree a keen eye is your best bet for safety. when time and money happen your best bet is to have a aluminum sleeve welded where the bolt goes through the frame. that said inspections are a vital part of safety be a motorized bicycle, 18 wheeler or a airplane. thanks dennis oh! and don't forget the race's bardco's and neal's see ya there!
Dan
Staff
Looks awesome Rusty!
My very first China Girl build I raced with the instructions and advertising that said "can be assembled in 4 hours" LOL. It could and I came close if I remember correctly. Then promptly put the tensioner threw the spokes.
Now takes me 2 days, and that is if every thing goes smoothly. It never goes smoothly.
Now is a joy to relax and just enjoy the "work"
Again, really beautiful build. Ride safe!
My very first China Girl build I raced with the instructions and advertising that said "can be assembled in 4 hours" LOL. It could and I came close if I remember correctly. Then promptly put the tensioner threw the spokes.
Now takes me 2 days, and that is if every thing goes smoothly. It never goes smoothly.
Now is a joy to relax and just enjoy the "work"
Again, really beautiful build. Ride safe!
LOL BN
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Hey guy's . I think a couple of you took it that I was offended by a few post's . NOT THE CASE AT ALL ! I just felt that you needed to know my situation and reasons for doing things they way I did . I do go threw a pre ride inspection before every ride which in my case being its my only source of transportation can be several times a day . If not for this forum I think I might still be working on the thing instead of riding it ! I thank all you guy's for the help and advise !
nightcruiser
New Member
I see you are running the motor side chain without the tensioner, I do that too and love it. I only wonder, why did you put the tensioner on the pedal side?
ckangaroo70
Active Member
Looks real nice Rusty! Nice job!
Sorry guys . I've been out of town . Drinking to much beer and chasing women I normally wouldn't . It's just a home made brake light actuator I fabricated to save a few bucks . I purchased 1 of the duel cable brake lever handles and it works off of my front brake . Its adjusted so that the brake light comes on long before the brake makes contact with the wheel .
scottyskidoo
New Member
My first build as well! Always get the lovin with this slick set up!