Bikes

[eDJ_]

This time of year bicycles begin to show up in flea markets and yard sales and there are some real bargains. Around vacation/resort areas a lot of snow bird/seniors sell their his & hers bicycles they rode during the time they were there before returning home.

Unless you know how to work on bicycles (I grew up working on them) I strongly advise buying something that is in bad shape or a basket case. By the time you've restored it you could have bought something new or nearly new. If you have to buy a new one with a credit card, it would be easier to make monthly payments on the card opposed to having to buy tools and parts even if the worn out "deal" was only $25 dollars. You'll likely have $50 dollars or close to it in new tires and inner tubes. If at a yard sale, ask if they have a bicycle they would like to sell. You may find one that is quite usable that only needs to be washed or dusted off. But examine the tires closely to see if they are dry rotted. Schwinn bicycles used to have a slightly different size tire than many other brands....so take this into consideration.

Most women I've known don't care much for the 10 speed bikes. So they just put the chain on the large sprocket of the pedals and leave it there. Then only shift the rear five gears and that works well for them on flat or sloping ground. Similarly the women tend to like the electric front wheel motor conversion as it is easy to install and use. Then it's easier and cleaner to ride an electric bike than to mix 20:1 fuel for a gas motor. (and have their hair & clothing smelling of gasoline motor vapors) I see a lot more women today using battery/electric string trimmers and vacuum blowers when doing their lawn work than in the past. Now that rechargeable battery pack
lawn power equipment is becoming more popular and affordable.

As for motorizing a bicycle....done lots of that too. Check out this link for more info on that:

Bicycle Conversion

 

[jasper]

^^^^^^ That is a wonderful post. China is drowning in new bicycles. We (USA) are awash with good used bicycles. A Facebook Marketplace search is somewhat overwhelming. The two bikes in the picture below were 35 bucks and 40 bucks. Six speed, fixed front sprocket (chainring), both ends with travel suspensions, and one has a seat tube shock absorber. Mountain bike tire sizes do well except for fine, deep sugar sand. The somewhat women's style allows for easier mount/dismount.

In our advanced ages, we could use pedal assist. I went with a mid-drive kit where the motor, sprocket, and its pedals replace the original pedal assembly. If the chain breaks I'm done. The battery attaches to the rear rack. We have ridden 30 miles on a battery charge with power to spare.

A front hub motor kit is much cheaper, easier to install and if the chain breaks, will still go.

 

[bullfrog !]

^^^Something to consider is front wheel hub motors are generally recommend for bikes without front suspension.

 

[eDJ_]

On the subject of electric motors, most of these built into the wheel motors are "3 phase" motors that don't use "brushes". (a good thing) Also some of these motors are 36 to 48 volts where these higher voltage motors run cooler. (cooler running electric is always better)

There are other less expensive designs of electric motors which look like car alternators but these use brushes and are more prone to operating issues requiring more frequent maintenance. Even though they look like an easier installation and are less costly it may be better to avoid them. (again your ability to service things and tools to do it with)

In my old home town the Police Dept experimented with bicycle mounted officers with these cheaper motors that use brushes and they got rid of them before the year was up. They were stealthy and the officers effective, but the inexpensive bolt on motor kits that were used couldn't hold up to the mission. Had they installed bicycle racks on squad cars and carried the bikes and officers closer to deployment sites it may have succeeded. The few bikes they have now are pedal powered.