CGRLCDR
09-13-07, 06:11 PM
My buddy knows that I want to convert my Sun EZ Sport to an E-Bike so he gave me an old clunker he picked up at a garage sale as sort of a joke. It is a 1965 vintage Raleigh 26" mens 3 speed bike with a friction "Pedal Power" 24 VDC motor mounted over the front wheel and two tractor 12 volt batteries mounted in cases on either side of the back luggage rack.
http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/7922/dsc0001zr8.th.jpg (http://img263.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc0001zr8.jpg)
The batteries were dead and the bike was a rusty mess when I got it - the wheels didn't even turn. After a couple of days of elbow grease I cleaned it up, lubed and adjusted the drive train and the brakes and finally got it to the point where I could pedal it. The batteries were long dead and I had no intention of buying a new set of tractor batteries so I jury-rigged one of my marine batteries.
What a surprise; the thing actually worked! Although the motor is designed for 24 volts it ran on 12 volts and I was able to drive/pedal the contraption about 1/2 mile. That's the good news. The bad news is that the bike, motor and batteries weigh around 120 pounds. Lifting it onto the bike rack on the back of my Jeep is a major untertaking. Also, it is so top heavy and front heavy it is almost impossible to safely ride. The top heaviness also makes it almost impossible to to leave on the kick stand without it falling over and leaking electrolyte all over the place.
I am severely tempted to leave it out on bulk pickup day. My only concern is some kid might take it and have it fall over on top of him. It was a fun project getting the bike running again, but this E-Bike is dangerous and has no practical value.
Has anyone here ever seen anything like this before? Does it have any value as a vintage collectable or is it (as I suspect) just a piece of junk?
http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/7922/dsc0001zr8.th.jpg (http://img263.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc0001zr8.jpg)
The batteries were dead and the bike was a rusty mess when I got it - the wheels didn't even turn. After a couple of days of elbow grease I cleaned it up, lubed and adjusted the drive train and the brakes and finally got it to the point where I could pedal it. The batteries were long dead and I had no intention of buying a new set of tractor batteries so I jury-rigged one of my marine batteries.
What a surprise; the thing actually worked! Although the motor is designed for 24 volts it ran on 12 volts and I was able to drive/pedal the contraption about 1/2 mile. That's the good news. The bad news is that the bike, motor and batteries weigh around 120 pounds. Lifting it onto the bike rack on the back of my Jeep is a major untertaking. Also, it is so top heavy and front heavy it is almost impossible to safely ride. The top heaviness also makes it almost impossible to to leave on the kick stand without it falling over and leaking electrolyte all over the place.
I am severely tempted to leave it out on bulk pickup day. My only concern is some kid might take it and have it fall over on top of him. It was a fun project getting the bike running again, but this E-Bike is dangerous and has no practical value.
Has anyone here ever seen anything like this before? Does it have any value as a vintage collectable or is it (as I suspect) just a piece of junk?