Old Guys Simplex moto-peddle bike

Hi Rick,
Great to hear your still building and riding. I'm back once again to one last cleaning up the garage and digging through the boxes of parts to see what my son can use and what is going to the garbage. Just in time for our postal service to go on strike. Due to problems at the border I've had to cancel this years planned trip to Bike Camp with Silverbear and I'll use the time to work on everything in front of me. Perhaps next year.

Steve.
 
Hi Steve,

Good to hear from you. Our border situation us having a big effect on folks who just want to exist, work and visit with neighbors and I'm sorry to learn that bike camp fell victim this year.

I hope that you can get some bike stuff done over the Summer. I have one bike under build swapping from gas to pure electric...the "Pea shooter" Sportsman Flyer frame with another V twin fake case and a twin mid motor drive. Lot of torque and 50 mph plus speed. I liked the 5 speed 125cc Honda clone but didn't ride it much so decided to make a change.

Photo of a much changed Ol' Crow with top of line Sportsman Flyer fork, 12 volt led lighting (1954 era light can) and 1930's style Flander's bars. Scissor style shock also from Pat's shop. No longer a board bike but an upgraded cruiser style. Tank ard both saddlebags hold 20 amp hr batteries wired in parallel for 60 amp hr total...gives great range with auto switching between the three so seamless operation on the go.

I've a few thousand miles on this bike and ride it more than all the rest combined. 3"x26" (27" diameter actual) Vee tires, pedi cab tires, from Thailand are in my opinion bullet proof tough as heck 60 psi tires. I do however wish they were availible in a vintage street tread pattern

Best to you....

Rick C.
 

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fasteddy said:
Hi Rick,
Great to hear your still building and riding. I'm back once again to one last cleaning up the garage and digging through the boxes of parts to see what my son can use and what is going to the garbage. Just in time for our postal service to go on strike. Due to problems at the border I've had to cancel this years planned trip to Bike Camp with Silverbear and I'll use the time to work on everything in front of me. Perhaps next year.

Steve.
Click to expand...
Hi Steve
I am doing about the same thing, going to sell all my exses stuff I will be 84 soon, about time to, about time to slow down, and finish what I have going and stop colecting, could be stuff. ..........Curt
 
indian22 said:
Hi Steve,

Good to hear from you. Our border situation us having a big effect on folks who just want to exist, work and visit with neighbors and I'm sorry to learn that bike camp fell victim this year.

I hope that you can get some bike stuff done over the Summer. I have one bike under build swapping from gas to pure electric...the "Pea shooter" Sportsman Flyer frame with another V twin fake case and a twin mid motor drive. Lot of torque and 50 mph plus speed. I liked the 5 speed 125cc Honda clone but didn't ride it much so decided to make a change.

Photo of a much changed Ol' Crow with top of line Sportsman Flyer fork, 12 volt led lighting (1954 era light can) and 1930's style Flander's bars. Scissor style shock also from Pat's shop. No longer a board bike but an upgraded cruiser style. Tank ard both saddlebags hold 20 amp hr batteries wired in parallel for 60 amp hr total...gives great range with auto switching between the three so seamless operation on the go.

I've a few thousand miles on this bike and ride it more than all the rest combined. 3"x26" (27" diameter actual) Vee tires, pedi cab tires, from Thailand are in my opinion bullet proof tough as heck 60 psi tires. I do however wish they were availible in a vintage street tread pattern

Best to you....

Rick C.
Click to expand...
Hi Rick
I was wondering how or what you were doing, glad to see you are stil doing, and making progress.......Curt
 
Hi Rick,
Old Crow is proof that they are never finished, they just improve with age. One of the many benefits of electric power is there is nothing to adjust, worry about gas going bad, ect.

As for those of us in Canada who want a powered bike, only electric is allowed and it's capped at 500W and 20 miles or 32 kilometers and hour. Then again my favourite argument is that it's only illegal if they catch you at it.

Steve.
 
Hi Curt,
I'm going to be 82 this year with some luck and I just want to simplify clean up after I'm gone and make my life easier while I'm here. I just set up a card table and put each shelf on it and pick through it while remembering all the plans that didn't happen as I toss things into the garbage. My hands are getting arthritis in them and while they aren't so bad I have to duct tape a can cozy to my hand and just reload it as needed, they are on their way.

Steve.
 
fasteddy said:
Hi Rick,
Old Crow is proof that they are never finished, they just improve with age. One of the many benefits of electric power is there is nothing to adjust, worry about gas going bad, ect.

As for those of us in Canada who want a powered bike, only electric is allowed and it's capped at 500W and 20 miles or 32 kilometers and hour. Then again my favourite argument is that it's only illegal if they catch you at it.

Steve.
Click to expand...
All those things you said Steve and 20 mph isn't a bad speed if your not in a hurry. The Ol' Crow is currently set at 3,000 watts at medium power range. I don't currently have ready access to a dyno anymore, but a similar setup was dynod tested at 100 ft pounds of torque. Bike weighs over 175 lbs so torque is nice to get all that weight rolling properly across traffic intersections.

Rick C.
 
Hi Tom I've planned on a full SF frame, including this heavy duty fork for quite some time as I like the look and as the Ol'Crow grew in weight I was really pushing the limits of that four spring fork with weight. I think Pat's fork is about 15 lbs heavier and way more robust. Also this fork allows wider and taller tires with more clearance. I run 26" wheels 3" wide tires and the height inflated is 27" and there wasn't much clearance height wise. Pat's fork has enough room to mount a front fender with a big tire if I want to at some point. The final point was it was designed to run motorcycle handle bars (two point attachment) versus bicycle style bar mount.

In use Pat's Harley style fork works better with my bikes weight as does the scissor shock rebound. Of course my previous fork had zero shock and felt like a dual spring Monarch fork in actual riding. Quality is first class as I expect from all Pat's products. I figure it's an upgrade to an actual 19 teens Harley fork and shock, that said it rides like one might expect with 1912 replica parts. Better than some late fifties and early 1960's hardtail cycles rode! I used Flanders road bars, but have Pat's board track bars too if I ever want to change back to a racer look.

I can't give an actual report on tuning the scissor shock as I put it on and tightened it a little and it's working fine. I suppose I should experiment a little to refine the rebound, but haven't had the urge. I'd say I'm getting close to 500 miles on it since install.

Brass tail lamp is a Crocker style from 1937.
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I hope your weather allows some riding?

Rick C.
 
Hi Guys,
I always get a kick out of seeing your bike, Rick. I will say from my own experience the Harley style forks clunk around as good as any other 100 plus year old set of forks. A very primitive design for sure. In practice I find I can run the friction shock pretty tight. I tighten the bolt till the fork action starts to lock up, then back off just a bit. Too tight and the action can lock up on compression and not return. Still, tighter is better.
 
Thanks Pat for the compliment. You supplied good "Bones" to build upon...none better. The special "deep dish" frame is the key to making this build possible. The head badge reads "Sportsman Flyer" 'cause it is...with a few drive train and cosmetic changes only.

Patina on saddle is lots of time spent riding. It will take awhile for the saddle bags and tool bags to catch up however. As I ride this bike most of the time it shows character.

Good input on setting up the friction shock. I will increase the pressure at the friction points. I like the realistic ride quality of both frame and forks. The best way to experience the Golden age of bike innovation without speding a $100,000 plus on an original that would be a full time maintenence job to ride on only a few special occasions. This is my everyday ride and dependable fun. Pull a trailer load of groceries or attach a side hack (not yet ready) but I've had the frame attached and it seems to aggrevate law enforcement here a lot.... lol.

Thanks again Pat.

Rick C.
 
Tom from Rubicon said:
Thanks for the reply Rick, always good to hear from you. Not riding and not much excuse other than that the rabbit got chased and caught.

Tom
Click to expand...
Hi Tom our weather here allows close to year round riding if one wants to do so. I do and I think it helps to slow down the aging process and is a real conversation starter in and of itself. Obviously hand made and an original not off a factory line.

Take some time to make time!

Rick C.
 
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