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Scored this at the skip today, got a bit carried away and parted with a tenner for it, oh well:  It's a fold up bike, but originally had an electric motor assisting it. It's all fairly square, some surface rust but motor nicked. I've always wanted a fold up to keep in the car and such but it is quite tricky to ride, especially to get going, need to almost push and jump on as the gearing makes it tricky to start from a standstill. Loving the alloys:  I got it to either lash a petrol motor to (but then can't ride it anywhere), or a car battery in the box, and a starter motor on the cog.  Anyone know how quickly a starter motor would flatten a car battery, say one from a small car like a smart or mini? Or would an alternator running backwards be less load? Any other ideas? Did consider chopping it about a bit, sitting where the battery box is and binging the handlebars in but worried it might put the centre of gravity over the back wheel! |
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Some More: Folded up - need a quick release for the saddle as it's standard nut and bolt at present:  Pucka alloys:  Front one has two bearings set in it, then run on the axle. There's nothing to stop it sliding to either side and rubbing on the forks though, think I might get a washer either side to assist:  |
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dubscum
Part of things
thats what i do
Posts: 531
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thats ace well worth a 10'er
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whip it, into shape ........ go forward
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Starter motors are series wound motors designed to dump loads of torque into an engine cheaply rather than efficiently so they're not much good for traction applications. What you need is a permanent magnet motor and to be road legal it needs to be 250w or less. Try a windscreen wiper motor and a controller from www.4qd.co.uk , and power it from a great big block of high capacity NiMh D cells or one of those Yuasa cyclic sealed lead acid batteries Maplin sell. |
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"Jeremy Clarkson, a man we motor enthusiasts need on our side like Lewis Hamilton's F1 car needs a towing ball and a Sprite Musketeer" My motor |
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Wow, windscreen wiper motor, there's an idea, pity I just binned a couple. Will keep my eye out. How would Nickel Metal Hydride be better than a car battery - life? Or recharge time?
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Tim
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,340
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What OD is the seatpost? - i have a spare seatclamp that you can have for a couple of quid
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bazzateer
Posted a lot
Imping along sans Vogue
Posts: 3,653
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What about invalid carriage motors?
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1968 Singer Chamois Sport
1972 Sunbeam Imp Sport
1976 Datsun 260Z 2+2
1998 Peugeot Boxer Pilote motorhome
2003 Rover 75 1.8 Club SE (daily)
2006 MG ZT 190+ (another daily)
2007 BMW 530d Touring M Sport (tow car)
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Found some complete examples:   I want the cool flip forward seat! You can just see the chain drive on that one. Weird concept really since the motor and batteries make it damn heavy when the point of fold up is it's portable and light? If you're only after a lazy way of getting about to the station and back a battery stand on scooter thing would almost make more sense? |
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fold ups are easy to store, they don't have to be portable when folded cos the point of a bike is that they are portable when UN folded!
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Volvo back as my main squeeze, more boost and some interior goodies on the way.
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I see the point of full size fold ups as they are exactly like you say, easy to store, and then portable when unfolded, but the ickle ones like this seem more designed so you can take them places folded, like I've seen many carrying onto the train. Done a quick pshop of the possible lightweight unassisted version:  |
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maybe they are for people with chicken legs but arms like Popeye.
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Volvo back as my main squeeze, more boost and some interior goodies on the way.
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Questions for bike people - started the strip down and binned the front brake to clean the lines. I'd still like a back one of course so 3 options:
Re-use the existing hub type brake. Looks a little weird but maybe in a cool way?
Try and fit the front v-brake to the rear.
Try and source a disk brake in budget (eg zero) to grip either the main drive cog for the electric motor, or mount a proper disc there?
So in terms of braking, what's better the v-brake or the hub type thing?
What's the chances of scoring a free disc brake setup from the tip? Annoying I stripped a scooter with disc brake with integral fluid reservoirs in the levers that would have been a laugh!
Also found the brake cables a real pain when folded, so what are the options for hiding them? Was considering sending down the front handlebars, popping out above the main frame (with enough slack to steer) and then into the frame, and popping out near the back wheel?
Any advice appreciated, painted the front forks and wheel arches already, frame to mod and paint next! Tempted to lose that diagonal altogethere and go super lightweight, do you think it would handle it?!
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Ok been using by lunch hour. Removed this:  Cleaned and sprayed to leave this (minimalist and possible fragile, we'll see):  And now stripping down the back wheel. I've got the drum brake casing off the hub as it spins off. Now trying to get the cog off so I get the electric motor drive cog off. Looks like this:  Any idea how to get it off? I've tried force but doesn't seem friction fitted so presume it's threaded. There's possibly a small ring on top that might have to come off first but might be part of the bearing sprocket? Any idea if it might be reverse thread? Opposite side was normal thread? |
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without the rear diagonals, that will fold in no time!.
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1995 Toyota rav-4 1978 Kawasaki Z650B
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I was thinking that but then it's not exactly going to have do any jumps! Will try it and see.
Should be back together today!
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Finished, From this: To this:  Binned the front brake and used the front v-brake on the rear in place of the drum one, ran the cable through the frame to clean the lines.  Painted white as it's the colour I had and matches the MR2, figure it will be funny to pull a fully working bike out the boot! Removed the drive wheel for the motor, chopped off anything not required. Got black grips to go on now and need to adjust the brakes a bit tight, lever is off a kids bike so very short and can't get much leverage. All that's left is a quick release for the seat. It's now far more compact folded (seat not lowered in this shot) but realised I could shorten the seat header further so it drops further when lowered:  Went out on it and it's so light, went to bump up a kerb and nearly took off! But hasn't snapped in two yet! This is my first bike mod and I've loved it, may have to score a few more tip bikes and get creative. |
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Mr K
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,992
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i like the minimalist look with the rear wheel out on its own!
what about putting a cable under tension from the rear brake mount, upto the head set, with a small guide to hold off the bottom bracket to triangulate it all, would probably make it a whole lot stronger!
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Wow, windscreen wiper motor, there's an idea, pity I just binned a couple. Will keep my eye out. How would Nickel Metal Hydride be better than a car battery - life? Or recharge time? Car batteries weigh an awful lot, are full of nasty liquid acid which leaks out if you tip them and most importantly are not designed for cyclic use. Not many charge-discharge cycles and they die. Cars use them because they're cheap to make and in a car with an alternator constantly charging the battery there's no worry about cyclic use. Wheelchair motors are expensive and you're paying for all the gearing. Yes wiper motors have gearing but at least most of us can get hold of them for not a lot. |
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"Jeremy Clarkson, a man we motor enthusiasts need on our side like Lewis Hamilton's F1 car needs a towing ball and a Sprite Musketeer" My motor |
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street
Posted a lot
6.2 ft/lbs of talk
Posts: 4,662
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I love that crazy machine!! Excellent transformation, and practical too. Top marks!  |
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