turbodog
Flashaholic
3kw? Ouch. I'd make sure there's a batt disconnect where I can reach it. That much power will turn pads to mush in maybe 30 seconds if it locks on wide open.
I've had pads melt before, turn to rubber, and be completely useless.
help me how to make a cheap bicycle reliable please
- Thread starter raggie33
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3kw? Ouch. I'd make sure there's a batt disconnect where I can reach it. That much power will turn pads to mush in maybe 30 seconds if it locks on wide open.
I've had pads melt before, turn to rubber, and be completely useless.
+
raggie, can I make a suggestion.
Re-torque all the bolts for your stem.
-the ones for your bars
-- the ones for your fork tube
---the one for your headset
loosen all up ,,, do the headset one first, then the others
...it won't take you much more than 5 minutes
the person who put it together (if not you) probably didn't care that much
& then you'll know it's done right.
raggie, can I make a suggestion.
Re-torque all the bolts for your stem.
-the ones for your bars
-- the ones for your fork tube
---the one for your headset
loosen all up ,,, do the headset one first, then the others
...it won't take you much more than 5 minutes
the person who put it together (if not you) probably didn't care that much
& then you'll know it's done right.
raggie33
*the raggedier*
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wowy my ebikee was just 250 watts and it was crazy i cant imagine 3000. btw i have made many adjustments on bike even tryied to retun it to walmart for one that was better put together . i did a lot of work and got most issues fixed but the brakes are gripy they hold and replase very fast as if the rotors wa warped but there not warped . on a long hill is aggravating
turbodog
Flashaholic
Cables might be too tight.
Clean the rotors w/ soap & water.
Break rotors/pads in... go down some big hills. Get the rotors as hot as you can. Should not hurt them... I've got some that have turned blue from the heat.
raggie33
*the raggedier*
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reminds me of my buddys van the brake hoses was damaged in a way that they acted as a valve it would put presure in calibers but didnt let them relase. he didnt even notice till one night and routers was bright orange glowing lol
My brother used to assemble bikes for a Toys R Us store and had very few returns because he took the time to assemble/reassemble the bikes as necessary. Often he would disassemble portions that arrived preassembled in the box they arrived in to ensure bearing that did not "feel" right had grease or not.
He said he had one boss who said "you have 9 minutes per unit to build them"…… so when he met that criteria the store got a bunch of returns. Mostly for loose stems or handlbars, but not always. Later the boss said "what's with all of the returns?" He told me he retorted "your 9 minute clock, give me 30 minutes and I'll give you zero returns"…… Apparently they reached a compromise and the returns were greatly reduced. But I remember how flustered he'd get because they wouldn't let him stretch and adjust cables or put a dab of grease on the pedal studs for anti-sieze.
So in some cases it is not that the assembler does not care, it is either they don't know how to properly assemble and prepare the bike or they are on some stupid clock. Yet there are those who just don't care as well.
I bought a Schwinn Wayfarer at KMart one year because it was so light weight. Then I saw a photo of a Wright Bros racer. Yes Orville and Wilbur built racing bicycles but they costed nearly as much as a car. Needless to say they did not sell well. Anyway my goal was to convert the 2011 Wayfarer into a 1911 style racer and shave off grams in the process. Actually my initial goal was to own a Wright Bros bicycle and restore it but the 11 known remaining at the time were all in museums. So I opted for the retro-mod thing.
I kept it in my living room for a time.
Eventually it became scary fast after changing some cogs for better top end and adding narrow high pressure tires for less rolling resistance. See, my job at the time had me working near a bicycle shop that outfitted professional racers so the proprietor took interest in my project and sold me some stuff at his cost. Lighter chain, hollow axles, and other minor tweaks shaved off nearly 2 pounds.
One day while in the shop I overheard a lady who had just purchased a $30,000!!! bicycle ask the salesman "do you offer riding lessons?" Turns out she just wanted to spend more time with the young beefcake sales kid. I whispered to the owner "did she really just buy a bicycle without knowing how to ride it?" He chuckled "nah, these middle aged rich ladies are starved for attention, we get that a lot". lol.
I bought my first mountain bike from halfords and the front suspension developed a fault so took it back to have the forks replaced. When i got it back there was play in the forks. So i dropped the forks off to discover their mechanic had fitted the new forks without a crown race.
When I took it back the mechanic did not know what a crown race was, so I took it home and repaired it myself.
When I took it back the mechanic did not know what a crown race was, so I took it home and repaired it myself.
PhotonWrangler
Flashaholic
Man, I'm learning a lot about bikes from this thread! So much good information here. 
raggie33
*the raggedier*
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so ordered a lights front and rear with loud horn when i say loud its way way to loud lol. i thought it would be so quiet. then i ordered a bike computer got both combined for 30 bucks shiped i was amazed at how cheap it was shiped and my mind got more blown when i saw the light was also a speedometer lol. so i i basically have 2 speed meters lol
raggie33
*the raggedier*
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far as front lights would me be wearing a headband light be ok? i have a real nice one
No. Please purchase a dedicated light for the forward direction. How much would you pay to not end up in the emergency room again?
+
raggie, was thinking about this,,
when I said to have tight cables, what I was saying is not have any slack or play in your cables.
This is most important for your derailleurs, they will not work right with ANY slack.
Brakes & how much you pull in the leaver is up to you, just as long as you can get max braking as needed //
pulling in the leaver 50% to get max braking is ok
cheers
raggie, was thinking about this,,
when I said to have tight cables, what I was saying is not have any slack or play in your cables.
This is most important for your derailleurs, they will not work right with ANY slack.
Brakes & how much you pull in the leaver is up to you, just as long as you can get max braking as needed //
pulling in the leaver 50% to get max braking is ok
cheers
How about a moderator make this a general bike thread, Raggie would not mind. Seems like a few of the many fine members here have experience on lightweight 2 wheels.
Thinking those disc brakes are maybe not broken in; why they are gripping too much too quick. Guessing this is the first time raggie has had such powerful stoppage.
By-the-way, TurboD, I still haven't fixed the clincher on the seat post that holds the seat rails; plumb wore out. The post diameter is pretty large and can get a shim but not decided if maybe a suspension seatpost is worth it. Our terrain is absolutely brutal and I do not have enough post height to get one of the longer travel seatpost suspensions. Anyone have any experience or thoughts? I was looking at
Redshift and Canecreek. Thinking a spring might have better feel than polymer cushioning.
After initial research on V-brakes conversion from cantilever, still undecided but feel ok for now. I pulse the brakes whenever practical, and plan on experimenting with upping the e-brake setting.
Anyone who appreciates cantilevers for their thicker brake pads, increased mud gap and clearance from other bike accoutrement, should check this out:
Thinking those disc brakes are maybe not broken in; why they are gripping too much too quick. Guessing this is the first time raggie has had such powerful stoppage.
By-the-way, TurboD, I still haven't fixed the clincher on the seat post that holds the seat rails; plumb wore out. The post diameter is pretty large and can get a shim but not decided if maybe a suspension seatpost is worth it. Our terrain is absolutely brutal and I do not have enough post height to get one of the longer travel seatpost suspensions. Anyone have any experience or thoughts? I was looking at
Redshift and Canecreek. Thinking a spring might have better feel than polymer cushioning.
After initial research on V-brakes conversion from cantilever, still undecided but feel ok for now. I pulse the brakes whenever practical, and plan on experimenting with upping the e-brake setting.
Anyone who appreciates cantilevers for their thicker brake pads, increased mud gap and clearance from other bike accoutrement, should check this out:
A brake designed to work on a tandem bike
What are the best brakes for tandems and touring bicycles?
www.rodbikes.com
+
This is a good general info thread for biking : https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/beginner-road-bike.193881/
Some cheap aaa powered horns are loud enough for closed windowed cars to hear and are much more effective than bells.
PhotonWrangler
Flashaholic
I've been thinking about this and I agree with Chauncey here. While a headlamp might seem safer for you, it could make things much worse for oncoming drivers, as they will see the headlamp darting back and forth and possibly lose track of your forward trajectory. This could result in the driver steering their car in the wrong direction. Imagine how it would look from your perspective if oncoming car headlights were swinging left and right all of the time.
Now when I had a BMX team we'd often ride at night. The idea was to be as reflectorized as possible, or rather practical. And have them located where motion made them easier to understand that something up ahead was in motion. Reflective bands on legs, spokes, peddles, and the like where movement of said reflectorized items were attention grabbers. And no batteries required.
Edit:
How about a bike thread in the getting there section?
www.candlepowerforums.com
Edit:
How about a bike thread in the getting there section?
A bicycle thread.
Here's a thread to talk about bicycles. Two wheel, three, 4, bicycles built for two, recumbant, electric, bikes that fly down mountains at 70mph or tour across Europe. Bicycles for fun, for work, or anything else. Here's a bike that cuts grass. Here's a custom made number I had built in 2012...
www.candlepowerforums.com
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raggie33
*the raggedier*
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looks like there is some kind of walmart bike culture some are amazeing good mine is ok for 223 bucks plus tax
raggie33
*the raggedier*
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wow i was just watching a youtube vid on a 4 hundred dollar carbon fiber bike lol man im haveing buyers remorse
raggie33
*the raggedier*
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i got the wheels turning very free now so free they fall to the wight of the reflector . sadly im geting older and i forgot so many stuff.
