I tested it

I tested it and the bike works fine. I imagine a 250 and 350 watt work work maybe not as well be they would certainly work. I rode the bike and changed the gearing a little but I rode it about seven miles all together so I'm pretty satisfied with it.

I tossed the 250 watt engine because I couldn't attach a drive wheel to it very well. I am going to toss the 350 watt tomorrow I think. I might also junk out the suspension bike. Or I might move everything over to it. I just don't know about that part yet.

the good, the bad and the not so ugly

I got to test the 350 bike. I wasn't bad but left something to be desired. I think the old weak batteries made is seem like a underpowered bike. I know that for sure but I think so.

I built the 500 bike and got to ride it just a little. It is much better than the 350 but it had the new batteries. I should really try the 350 with better batteries. I think I am going to charge them up as best I can and give it another shot later.

I just coated the wheel tonight and I have to set two more controls and it's finished. I need to do an engine lift which is almost ready and to set up a tension control.

test it first

I want to test ride this a few times before I finish the 500 watt drive bike. I want to see if the drive wheel will hold up. That will determine how I build the next one.

The more or less finished 350 watt bike

350 done

I think the 350 watt bike is complete. I will know how it does soon, but I think it is complete. The engine is one it. It has a lift.. it has a drive wheel that seems to work. It has a battery holder for a small set... It had a trailer hit spot. So it it is pretty much a go now. I will have to wait for a dry day to test ride it but it looks pretty good.

so far so good

Today has been a good day so far and its only 830am... I got work up by the dogs so I was out in the shop at seven. I figured out what I am going to do for a battery holder on the 350watt exercise bike.

I still haven't decided how to attach the drive wheel to the 500 watt bike. I want to check to see if My spare sprockets will fit that kind of shaft. Is so I need to make interchangeable drives. If not then I have to worry about screwing up the sprocket.

I need to devise an engine lift for the exercise bike. I want to ride it like a regular bike on the bike trail then drop the motor to get home up some wicked hills. I want power on demand but an engine lock up.

it came and it went

and I'm still messin' with the bikes. I did get the drive on the second 350 watt bike. I am thinking now about how to put one on the 500 watt bike. It has a totally different sprocket set up. I might try to redo one of the other engine and come back to the 500 watt when I have figure out how to build a drive for it.

back to basics

I have been testing and experimenting for a couple of weeks. I have now decided that I'm not mechanical enough for all this detailed work. Best thing I can do is go back to build the basic motorized bike. I need to have something to ride so, I'm going to build a couple of rider bikes. I need to ride. I have a 250 watt bike that I am going to ride a while then Friday I'm going to the thrift store to possibly buy a mountain bike with gears. It will make the friction drive a lot more useful. I am also going to try to make another bike work. I at least will get a couple of coaster bike wheels. I want to make a big time bike. I think I will try that today.

test day and not a pop

I have to test fit the new improved version of the bike motor and drive. Should be interesting.

it held

the bike held together for about a hundred yard test. I know that doesn't sound like much but it was enough to convince me that this might work. I am rebuilding the motor mount for more stability. I need that so the chain won't jump off the pulley. This #25 chain is a pain in the butt. I expect that I will be forced to return to the bicycle chain. But I really wanted to give this a fair shot first.

It's sibling christmas dinner day

My wife and I did the Saturday shopping thing so now it is the brother and sister dinner day. I am looking forward to it actually.

Not much

there isnt much to do today. I still have to get the skateboard wheels to begin work on the drive wheel assembly. I might build a motor mount for the second engine I plan to test. It has the #25 chain and sprocket system. It will be the easiest to convert and build I hope.

If I can get it worked out, it will be the basis of my ebike builds. the bike chain drive is too difficult to convert. It might be useful as a jack shaft type unit. But I think I can accomplish the same thing but using the size of the drive wheel.

One inch to one inch sprokets but the axle with the final sprocket would also have a three inch drive wheel. But if I need more rpms I can certainly use a rear coaster sprocket on a jack shaft with a #25 sprocket. then the large sprocket to a 11 tooth bike chain sprocket. that combination should allow for a really high speed drive wheel. I have no idea what it would be like torque wise.

test complete

I got the test done. In the process I ruined a wheel, which was no big deal. I really am going to have to get this show on the road. If the guy with the skateboard wheels doesn't get a move on I'm going to have to do something else. what I have no idea.

Dude in waiting

I'm stuck till the skateboard wheels I bought arrive. I really can't do much of anything until then. I have a couple of test I want to make then I'm pretty much stuck.

not a bad day

Not a bad day in the shop. I messed with the motor I was trying to save and discovered that i wasn't going to be able to save it without a lot more work than it was worth.

The sprocket arrived from the scooter store so i can get one of my projects done. it is a jackleg one so it probably won't be really effective but I do have another project sprocket on the way and that one should be a killer.

I made a friction drive wheel for the new project. It looks promising.

test test test

I made more tests today. I found that I can not do the chain drive as I planned. If I do it and I still might. I will have to build a rack mount of somekind. the frame on that bike is in the way.

I did some friction drive tests and found that I can change the design a little and be able to better put tension on the chain and adjust the line.

I also removed the sprockets from the test motor and I will try to save it somehow.I don't think I can weld to the motor shaft but I am going to try again. But I am not going to waste one of the good sprockets I just bought on it. I will try with a rear sprocket from a coaster brake bike. They are pretty easy to get and they seem to weld fine.I think it most unlikely to work but I just have to try rather than to toss the motor.

Plan of attack

today I plan to work on the friction drive system again.

what I did

I got the suspension bike ready for the motor. Im waiting for a motor sprocket to arrive that should be any day now. I also need to build a battery rack for the bike.

But things are moving along as they should be.

I also found time to run a couple of tests. I rean the bike with the direct drive from the motor. Just a drive wheel hooked directly to the drive shaft of the motor. It ran well. then I built a one to one chain drive with a small drive wheel. It woked okay but the speed was down. I'm going to try to back off on the axle nuts and see if that helps it do better. that's tomorrow's project if I don't forget.

Rainy monday

If Monday is bad, a rainy Monday is ten times worse. Today I am at least going to put the rear wheel with the bolt on sprocket onto the suspension bike. I can use it to determine where the motor should be located. I do not yet have an acceptable motor mount. Something that wont move around. If I know where it needs to go, I can begin thinking about how to do it.

so today is more head than hand work. If I can't make this work, I will just trash bikes and go back to walking for exercise. I have had a long run of bad luck with bikes. The only problem with just using a pedal bike for exercise it the oxygen factor. I get a pain in my lungs from long or very steep hills. I think I am going to find something to do for exercise if the bike doesn't work.

The bike kits are falling in price but I don't really care about using one as a way to get around. I'm more interested in an exercise bike at the moment. Gas prices are down and I really don't go anywhere except to buy parts for bikes. If I'm not building bikes I wont be going anywhere. Ergo I dont need a bike kit.

lifes a cruel joke

most of the time it seems to be on me. I spent about five days working with an electric motor that had been more or less trashed from the start. I never could get a good weld on it but I was able to get a good weld on the sprocket I bought. I am confident that when the new sprocket I ordered arrives i will be able to use it on a twin of the motor I trashed. How to use it is another question all together.

right now Im planning to use it as a rear wheel drive on the suspension bike that I have. We will see.

Im waiting

Im waiting for the weather to break before I give the bike a fair evaluation. I need to give it a fair test. I'm not sure which way to go next. I'll just have to wait and see what happens next.

plan a again

The sprocket wasn't straight enough on the motor to allow for a long chain run, so It's back to a short friction drive chain run. I have no idea what is going on but the bike's wheel turns slowly. I'm going to test it before I move on, but I am sure it is running far too slow to be useful.

plan c from outter space

well plan be is moving along. I won't know the final verdict until I get the tensioner made and try it out.

But if that doesn't work for some reason Im going to remove the motor and put one on with a factory sprocket. it is for a #25 chain but I have some of that. I also have a number twenty five wheel sprocket but it is one a scooter wheel. I am going to attemp to remove it. If that won't work I'm going to order one. It is a small sprocket so I have no idea what it will do. It's only 8 inches in diameter.

It didn't rain

But the bike was a bust. It happens sometimes. I had a plan b in mind and went to it. Plan be turned out to be pretty easy so far. I attached a sprocket to the front wheel. It is a big one and then I redid the sprocket on the electric motor. Actually it wasn't as hard as I thought but then I'm not finished yet either. I need to make a chain tensioner/chain guide. I don't think that will be a big deal but then I have never made one either.

I made some pictures of the bike so here they are..

If only

If only the rains hold off a while I might get to test the bike today. It is supposed to be cloudy not a good sign but up to 50 which is a good thing. I am dying to test ride this bike.

My friend shoes has made me a cover for the batteries and I'm looking forward to that coming in.

interesting day

It proved to be an interesting day even though I didn't get much done. The batteries came early and then the motor threw the chain off several times. I found that my welding wasn't holding at all.

Then I found that I could use a different chain and engine combination and have it work. How well? only time will tell. i have a couple of more options if necessary.

Anyway the bike is ready to test ride but the weather is not cooperating. Maybe someday soon.

It was a lot more work than it sounds but all is well for the moment.

first thing

First thing after I take care of the pack of dogs that live in my house, two, is to go to the post office and over to home depot. I need an extension cord. I need to move some air out of my bedroom at night. My house is so old the plugs are never where you need them.

Then I will have to find some puttering to do. My hands are all cut up and my energy level is down, so it might not be any real work.

I tried it

I tried the bike in the drive way. It seems to roll nice with the drive freewheeling. I didn't put any power on it yet. I am waiting for the batteries to arrive, I might still test it later with the old batteries.

it's 1:30 pm

I have been cleaning since ten am and Im exhausted. Doesn't take much to wear me out. After some rest I will probably try to do something else. The big assembly area, not that big, is clean. I should go into my smaller tool shop and keep going but I really am exhausted. I might get up the energy to put a coat of JBweld on the drive wheel. Actually I know I will do that. I might even cut a piece of masonite for the bottom of the battery rack. The rack could use it. I would love to take the bike for a quick driveway test to see if the front wheel is out of balance with the motor on it. I might do that.

We will just have to wait and see what I can get done.

so much done

I got so much done yesterday that I am left with cleaning the shop. Miserable job. I have nothing to do on the bikes till the new battery arrives. Well I can and well be adding layers of jbweld and sand to the drive roller hoping to get it fairly even.

But mostly it is clean the shop. I might try to roll the bike out for pictures but I'm not sure just yet. Most important to me is to straighten the big shop and get the junk out of it. Try to get ready for my next adventure.

done for the day

I got the battery rack built and installed on the bike. I got a better set of handlebars on it. I junked out two bikes and I restored the suspension bike to its condition before I mounted the gas engine on the front. It isn't original but It is pretty close. I just cut a brace off to make it compatible with a 26" wheel. It might come apart later but for now it looks just fine.

cold sat morn project

It is cold so the best I can do is work about a half hour at a time in the shop. I did manage so far, in two trips, to get the top frame of the luggage carried welded. Next trip out I'll clean up the welds and slap a coat of paint on that part. Then I have to figure out how I am going to attach it securely to the bike. Should be an interesting project. The wiring is pretty much ready to go just have to customize it to the rack.

I am going to strip and junk out the jungle scout bike. I would make a pretty good ebike I think but I have too many frames and I want to keep the suspension bike for that purpose. I also might dump my old test bike. The three speed I had. I don't really need it for anything once this bike is up and funning. I'll probably keep the wheels and chain at least. I don't really need anymore chain ring and crank sets. I am never going to produce bikes. I will make sure I have one spare chain ring and crank but thats all i need.

all day for a motor mounted

It took me all day to mount and remount this motor. I'm still not sure It will do the job but it is about as good as I can do. I do plan to put some bjweld and sand on it. to help keep the flange stubs off the tire.

Tomorrow I'm going to work on the luggage rack. Building the rack shouldn't be as much trouble as mounting the engine. But we will see. I shot a couple of pictures of the bike so far. I know the shop is a wreck, it is much worse than you see in the picture.

I did test the motor and it works just fine. Pulls the coaster hub just fine and the coaster hub free wheels. the bike is not going to roll backwards though since the coaster arm is still attached. I can lift it or just turn it if I need to back up.m Bikes aren't supposed to go backwards anyway.

the ebike adventure part two

I rebuilt the motor mount for the front wheel. I shortened it and took the platform off. I switched to a coaster wheel hub. I tried to weld some to it so that it wouldn't have the flange hitting the tire. That's when I discovered welding to a wheel is not a good idea. It screws the bearing up.

So instead I cut the flange off with my new black and decker clone of the dremel. It worked fine but it ate up the cutting wheels.I finally got the motor and the sprocket on the coaster wheel in line so now I bolt it on and the motor will be in place. That's a big part of this.

I am going to lose the front hand brake but I don't really have to have it. It would be nice to have a safety break but I don't think the bike is going to go fast enough to be dangerous.

I'm in on a break and to warm up then its back out into the cold to finish the engine at least today.

test results

batteries are ruined too long in storage while I played with gasoline. I found a 24v 12 amh pack I can make for 60bucks so I'm going to do that.

The engine did run at two different speeds which is a good thing. It ran very slow because of the old batteries. It was able to pull itself even so. I want a larger drive wheel and a smoother tire. I have the smooth tires on the front and I have a larger drive wheel almost ready to go so It isn't a big thing.

After the short ride, I decided to more the motor to the front wheel. To do that I will have to remake the frame but that is a minor thing. Then I will build a battery compartment as if it were a luggage rack on over the rear wheel. All the weight except for may fat butt will be over the axles hopefully reducing the stress on the bike frame. I can build the bike before the batteries arrive so it is ready to go when they get here. It looks like clear sailing now till the end. Of course I just jinxed myself.

Anyway tomorrow I am going to redo the engine frame and build the battery carrier. I can even set up the wiring, I think. That will be the last thing so I probably will wait for the batteries.

today is test day

Today I either clean up the shop because I have the bike petty much ready to go, or I clean up the shop and throw everything out in frustration. With this particular drive system, I could also buy a new weed whacker and mount it the same way. I could keep the recoil starter and just attach the front sprocket to the adapter.

If I stay healthy, and this is too slow, or the range is too small, I just might go back and do that.

one more test passed

I hooked up the controller and the throttle and they both work just fine. For a while that is. Then smoke came from the controller so I'm pretty sure it is toast. I don't really mind because I had already decided in the next build I would not use it. I am going with a three way switch. Actually I already have it wired up and it works. I have off, half speed and full speed that is enough for me. I put 12 volts on one leg and 24 on the other.

So Now it is a matter of will the jb weld cure or not. If it doesn't cure by tomorrow, I will roll the bike outside and make some welding marks on the roller. Just to give it a little traction. I expect I will have to do that at least. Possibly even replace the drive mechanism. Anyway tomorrow is test day one way or another. If the jb wears off I will at least know what part of the roller is making contact. That will get some welding blobs.

pictures of the new drive...

I don't want to sound dramatic but this should revolutionize diy friction drive bikes. It is simple inexpensive and solves most of the old problems.

the parts are from a junked out kids bike which are around everywhere. and a couple of hardware items. It's not expensive to do and elegant in it;s simplicity,

progress report

I welded the sprocket onto the front hub of a bicycle wheel. It is now my friction drive wheel. I rigged the engine to the frame and it wasn't too hard to alight the sprockets.

I added a hinge, a couple of frame ties one on each side of the wheel and rigged the electrical circuit. It is pretty much ready to go. I have a few tiny things to do then test it a few times. I expect it to fly apart by the way. I won't be shocked at all. it's just a matter of which parts fly off into space.

got it started

I went to the hardware store. I got the motor drive system started. I got the frame built, the sprocket welded to the front wheel bike hub. Then the drive assembled. Im sure there will be a lot of problems before it is ready to go but so far so good.

cruise ships...

I am waiting for it to warm up a little before I head to the hardware store. I was reading the news while I waited. It seems that a cruise ship outran a pirate boat. Not there were 6 pirates and about 700 passengers. I think that the thing to do is to arm the passengers when a pirate ship is spotted. The could all fire at the pirates just as soon as they are spotted. It would beat shuffleboard for the passengers. I bet if they offered pirate shooting as an activity they would stay full all the time.

should be easier because

Since the engine/drive assembly is really a modular unit. Which will be attached to the bike in one piece, I should be able to build and test it on the work bench. Then when it is ready, just bolt it to the bike. Much easier than trying to fit and motor to a bike and make it work. Which drove me a little mad with the helper bike I tried to build.

So today's project, when it the sun come up to warm up and is to fabricate a prototype frame. Also to see if the motor I have the bike sprocket on will work with a friction wheel. Actually I have to make the friction wheel from a coaster rear wheel first. I just happen to have a few of those laying about. I could actually use a mountain bike rear hub and use the gears to slow it down, but I don't think that will be necessary.

Now it's coffee and kill time till sunup

reassessment

Last night at 4am I took a look at what I can do and what I can't do. It is too dangerous for me to work with gasoline and gasoline engines. Fortunately for me I started with electric engines so I still have a few laying around. I plan to go back to them with the new knowledge I gained from the gasoline bikes.

The plan is to build a 20-20-20 bike. It's a little ambitious for a DIY electric bike. Twenty mpm -twenty mile range - at about twenty pounds.

For my knowledge and skill levels it has to be friction drive. But I have learned enough so that it doesn't have to be direct friction drive. I am pretty sure that I can use a pulley or chain to make the drive a little easier to balance. I am also pretty sure I will go with a trailer for the batteries. That should make it easier to carry the weight without making the bike all crazy.

so what about an motor design. I just happen to have two motors that might work. One for sure will the other is a possibility. Both are going to require some experimentation, but I love that crap.

I also want it to be easily moved from one bike to another. Here is the concept drawing

If I try again

If I try again for the bike I'm working on I will bolt the frame onto the bike. I might secure it by welding but I won't try to just do a weld. My welds aren't nearly good enough.

I seriously doubt that the sprocket I welded will work, but hey I did it so I gotta try it at least. Then I will probably build me agood

welding done

With my welding it isn't is it done? It is will it hold. I got the frame for the 42 bike done but I'm not happy with it. I got the sprocket on the ebike but I don't know it if will work or not.

I might have been spinning my wheels today. Even so it was a learning experience, it always is.

I also tested the homelite gas bike and it runs so I will try to get the carb right then ride it. Probably not today though I'm too tired now.

lots of updates today

The weather is gray and looks like snow. I suppose I will be working a little and drinking coffee a little. While I drink the coffee I might as well update this blog. Such as it is.

This morning I began getting things ready for a massive weldathon.

I have the 42 engine frame pretty well together. I'm going to weld it if the ground drys up. I don't want to weld on a wet patio brick walk. I might be a bad guy but and the state might pull the plug on me one day, I don't think I want to make a DIY ole sparky...

I also reset the broken seat. I put a c clamp on it around the seat post. I am going to weld the thing in place. I don't need to adjust it. I just need for it to be stationary.

So for sure I am going to weld the seat.... and the frame for the 42 engine... I need to stiffen up the 42 frame as well as to put ends on it. I weakened it with the notch I cut in for the wheel adustment.

I hope the postman brings the new sprocket so I can weld it on as well.

too wet to ride

It's too wet to ride the bike but I can try to start the engine again today. I want to try to fix that seat again even though it really is old and pretty worn out. It is still more comfortable than the small mountain bike seat.

I can also start rebuilding the 42cc bike.