Playa Trike: second thoughts

[skulltronix]

Does anyone have experience with Golden Motors electric bike conversion kits? Especially the Magic Pie kit...
Thanks

[FIGJAM]

Check these first.

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=HPIC,HPIC:2010-18,HPIC:en&q=electric+friction+drive+motor+kits

[Elorrum]

This is a forum that I spent a lot of time on when I was buying and building my electric bike.
You will probably find some first hand info on Golden Motors here.
http://visforvoltage.org/forums/electri ... d-pedelecs

[Marscrumbs]

My experience with emotors on the playa have been mixed. When they work they are a dream but they also break alot, even in the default world. But then my etrike becomes just a trike. Trikes rock but the are bulky getting to the playa. I usually bring a spare bike for fast potty runs.

[FIGJAM]

Why does it break?

Mine has been out there 2 years and I ride it everywhere.

30 mile range.

[ranger magnum]

Trikes rock!

If you are a single speed, try to order a rear cog as large as possible 18t is the most common, but you can order a 21t. I dont know if they available any larger than that, but you can also add a smaller front chainring

[skippy3k]

Speaking of single speed, I decided to change out the front chainring on our cruiser bike in preparation for more dust this year. Last year it worked fine on the hard packed playa, but I didn't want to take chances of trying to slog through any soft stuff this time around. I went from a 42 tooth sprocket to a 32 tooth sprocket. HUGE difference. Totally glad I made the change and might just keep it this way.

Something I learned about bikes and gears; a tooth difference in the rear gear makes a bigger impact to pedaling than the front one. So dropping ten teeth in the front would be the same as increasing a few in the rear.

[Gunslinger]

My first burn I took a regular bike and manuevering around some unlit Birgins at night (without lights) I hit some soft playa stuff and wrecked so hard I was stumbling and talking like Captain Jack Sparrow the rest of the night. Concussions are two thumbs down during the burn.
Since my folly, I upgraded to a trike and LOVED it.
This year I'm super sad I didn't finish my modded out Surly fat-tire chopper trike in time to bring it. But the playa may have destroyed it anyway.
Yeah they turn weird (you get used to it). Yeah they're hard to walk (grab the front tire and tug along). Yeah chicks will ask you for rides, and yeah they can haul an entire cooler full of beer and ice (rig up a lock on your cooler or you may be a few beers down occassionally). But trikes let you ride tired, drunker than Jack Sparrow, and never spill your ass to the ground floor, and the seat is hugely comfortable! HUGE.

[FIGJAM]

The AC option is Da Bomb........

[gyre]

Gunslinger, we want to see pictures of that bike later.

[Gunslinger]

Gunslinger, we want to see pictures of that bike later.

Holy shirtcocking, I just went through my 2012 pics and not one of them had my trusty bike in it! wtf was I thinking! I have some un-modded photos (during the day) from last years burn but nothing worthy of the 300 LEDs I had working on this years bike. I did get a couple of "Holy shits!" and some "Jesus! What is that!" this year when I rode past so that was a positive sign. If you saw it, I was running 10W blue LED ground effects (lit up a royal blue oval on the ground around the bike) with green LEDs on frame and blue LEDs on bars and basket. Wheels were done with pattern switching lights for optical effect when in motion. 12V deep cell in basket provided the charge. Was pretty fun to cruise in and darktards saw me coming a mile away.

[Martiansky]

I have a tricycle that I got in exchange for putting flooring in a friends parents bathroom.
It has the 3 speed hub and shifter on the grip.
I was going to change out the handlebars so I dont have to hunch over to ride.
I was also going to change the forksout so I can put a mountain bike front wheel on it instead of the skinny one on it now
but I can't find a fork to fit the frame. Its got a weird length headtube.

But I was looking online and found these....
1 and 6 speed
http://www.tricycle-bicycle.com

and this looks awesome but the price on b-bay is way outta my price range! Gotta love the wide rear tires!
http://www.mountaintrikecenter.com

I'm thinking about the conversion kit intead.
Anyone had luck with a conversion kit?

[FIGJAM]

If you post a pic of what you have it may hatch some ideas.

[gyre]

The surly big fork and tire can be fitted to many bikes.

Your frame could be modified too.

[maryanimal]

If you don't care about speed you can gear it lower, because you are going to want it to be easy to peddle, for miles upon miles.

Can you just grab the front tire to lift and tow?

The front of my trike wieghs about 10 pounds.

What a cool trike Figgy! I like it! I want!!

[Elliot]

Martiansky:
For a taller handlebar, you may be able to use a handlebar off a child’s bicycle. Many of these are the “stump jumper” or BMX bicycles that boys perform stunts on. I sometimes buy them for three or four bucks at thrift stores and garage sales, just to get the handlebar. You would need longer cables, which are available as a kit of four cables in the china-mart stores for less than ten bucks.
Handlebars come in two center-diameters and you may need an adapter sleeve. I make them by cutting the center out of the discarded handlebar.

The chinese trike adapter kit looks horribly mickey mouse. Even their English is pathetic. I would expect to weld this kit to the bicycle with additional diagonal bracing to have any hope of decent function. Other re-engineering may also be called for.
For not-much-more money you can buy a trike at chinamart.

The trikes from Utah certainly look good. But not cheap, right.

I have been able to install mountain and cruiser tires/wheels on a couple of old skinny-tire bicycles. Clearance is tight, but so long as the wheel is straight you don’t need much. And you may gain some clearance if the new tire is a shorter diameter than the old, since the fork tapers outward. You may need to mix-and-match brakes to fit the shorter diameter rim, or the existing adjustment may be enough.
By the way, cruiser tires work better on the Playa than knobbies – less rolling resistance and dust.

[Martiansky]

Ok, I will post a picture as soon as I can.
I do have spare bike parts laying about and replaced the handlebars with a taller bmx version.
They will work but indeed you are right Elliot I need a longer brake cable and 3 speed shifter cable.
I have a set of forks off a different bike Im going to try on it.
But I say it sure would be nice to use a conversion kit on a bike for fun!

Oh yeah that "Mt trike" version would be great for sure!
But I dont get why the price is so outrageous?

[Martiansky]

image.jpg

[Martiansky]

image.jpg

Sorry that second picture is blurry.
Definately needs a different seat.
The one on tere isnt very comfortable.

I guess its a work in progress.
Just need to tinker with it some more.


Thats my chopper bike project in the back.

[Martiansky]

Figjam Ive been meaning to ask you where you picked up a second trike basket to use over the top of the exsisting basket?
Very good idea if you wanted to park your trike and lock stuff into the basket while you were away.

[FIGJAM]

I just went online and looked for any wire basket with the same dimentions as the one on the trike.

Turns out it was at walmart for $7.

[Martiansky]

Wow $7 is a way better price then what Ive been looking at on bbay!

Thanks for the info Figjam!

[FIGJAM]

By the way, my tires are 2.125s on the trike and it looks like you could get those on your trike without customizing.

They work fine on the playa.