tsl

Addressing this mechanically, it's probably not a good idea. Bicycles are made for human-power, or typically less than a half-horsepower. A three-horse motor would put a lot of stress on it.

Second, you'd have to offset a lawnmower engine by quite a bit in order to get the crankshaft to align with the gears on the bike.

Third, rotation. You'd probably be looking at a roto-tiller engine, made to run upright, rather than a lawnmower engine made to run lying down.

Finally the mount. Unless you're welding to an old gaspipe cruiser, welding a motor mount to a bike is going to be an iffy proposition.

That's not to say it can't be done--there's a guy around here running a chainsaw engine on an MTB. Stinks like hell and sounds like a chainsaw. Annoying thing.

Back in the summer, while stopped at a light on Clover St, I came across an old couple riding their e-assists. When the light changed, I told them to go ahead since I wasn't gong to be able to beat them. They laughed and let me go first.

Tuesday I came across a guy on a BMX with an e-assist on the front wheel, with the battery bouncing around in a paperboy basket on the front. Thing rattled like crazy over every bump.

He was a real engineer too. The bike had no brakes. You should have seen him trying to stop Flintstones-style on the ice and snow we had that day. And he was out in a snowstorm without lights or reflectors. I guess you don't need those things when you're young and have a few hundred watts on tap.

He decided the sidewalk might be a better idea, but didn't have studs, or even knobs, because he couldn't get the bike from the street to the sidewalk without spinning the wheel like crazy. Power without traction is useless.

He went by me climbing Cobbs Hill on Winton, wobbling and weaving in the slush. I said hi as he went by. Surprised him, I guess. He nearly fell off the thing turning to say hi back. But dammit, he was faster than some old guy on a cross bike with studs!