- Wheels are industrial bike parts. The spokes are .100 as opposed to the .070 - .080 found on most bikes.
- The tires are Kenda - proven to be an okay tire and the only alternative I could find to more expensive tires. Coker makes a 26" white tire that is a 4-ply clincher and has the period-correct button tread but runs over $200 each...... maybe once I perfect this one. I have yet to decide what to do for brakes. The rear coaster brake is there but will be useless.
- The fork, from a '70s AMF, is too narrow and will need the crowns widened to fit the balloon tires. I'll also have to add trusses and redo the axle slots.
- The frame will be overkill. The tubing is .120 1 1/8" DOM. Heavy! My rationale is that this is basically a bicycle frame, no double downtubes, etc. The oversized tubing will add some rigidity and absorb the cruelty of MIG welding better than say 4130. If I'm wrong, the "before" pic you see might look very similar to the "after" pic.
- The powerplant is as yet up in the air. There are some neat Briggs & Stratton conversions out there but most some look like just that. The Chinese 2-stroke bicycle kits are very affordable but hardly look the part and don't possess the torque to open a twist tie. You have to pedal from each stop before they can pull(and that's with a 30lb. bike) - not sounding like much of an option. Ultinmately, I would like to shoehorn a B&S Vangaurd 22HP 90-degree V-twin in there. Add a torque-a-verter and it could be downright scary. Rumors are of Cushman conversions doing 70mph+, at least in theory. We'll have to see.
1/21/07
Here's how it starts
Well, I tripped and fell and there were these parts in my living room.
This is what I'll start with:
- Wheels are industrial bike parts. The spokes are .100 as opposed to the .070 - .080 found on most bikes.
- The tires are Kenda - proven to be an okay tire and the only alternative I could find to more expensive tires. Coker makes a 26" white tire that is a 4-ply clincher and has the period-correct button tread but runs over $200 each...... maybe once I perfect this one. I have yet to decide what to do for brakes. The rear coaster brake is there but will be useless.
- The fork, from a '70s AMF, is too narrow and will need the crowns widened to fit the balloon tires. I'll also have to add trusses and redo the axle slots.
- The frame will be overkill. The tubing is .120 1 1/8" DOM. Heavy! My rationale is that this is basically a bicycle frame, no double downtubes, etc. The oversized tubing will add some rigidity and absorb the cruelty of MIG welding better than say 4130. If I'm wrong, the "before" pic you see might look very similar to the "after" pic.
- The powerplant is as yet up in the air. There are some neat Briggs & Stratton conversions out there but most some look like just that. The Chinese 2-stroke bicycle kits are very affordable but hardly look the part and don't possess the torque to open a twist tie. You have to pedal from each stop before they can pull(and that's with a 30lb. bike) - not sounding like much of an option. Ultinmately, I would like to shoehorn a B&S Vangaurd 22HP 90-degree V-twin in there. Add a torque-a-verter and it could be downright scary. Rumors are of Cushman conversions doing 70mph+, at least in theory. We'll have to see.
- Wheels are industrial bike parts. The spokes are .100 as opposed to the .070 - .080 found on most bikes.
- The tires are Kenda - proven to be an okay tire and the only alternative I could find to more expensive tires. Coker makes a 26" white tire that is a 4-ply clincher and has the period-correct button tread but runs over $200 each...... maybe once I perfect this one. I have yet to decide what to do for brakes. The rear coaster brake is there but will be useless.
- The fork, from a '70s AMF, is too narrow and will need the crowns widened to fit the balloon tires. I'll also have to add trusses and redo the axle slots.
- The frame will be overkill. The tubing is .120 1 1/8" DOM. Heavy! My rationale is that this is basically a bicycle frame, no double downtubes, etc. The oversized tubing will add some rigidity and absorb the cruelty of MIG welding better than say 4130. If I'm wrong, the "before" pic you see might look very similar to the "after" pic.
- The powerplant is as yet up in the air. There are some neat Briggs & Stratton conversions out there but most some look like just that. The Chinese 2-stroke bicycle kits are very affordable but hardly look the part and don't possess the torque to open a twist tie. You have to pedal from each stop before they can pull(and that's with a 30lb. bike) - not sounding like much of an option. Ultinmately, I would like to shoehorn a B&S Vangaurd 22HP 90-degree V-twin in there. Add a torque-a-verter and it could be downright scary. Rumors are of Cushman conversions doing 70mph+, at least in theory. We'll have to see.
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2 comments:
You say "industrial bicycle wheels". What brand? Worksman, Husky, or???
Thanks!
CSC
These were mockup wheels. They were eventually replaced with Worksman wheels.
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