I recall someone on this forum suggested that we photograph our bikes at night, with the lights on.
I couldn't find the original thread, so I started a new one.
These photo's were taken less than two hours ago, but with the miracle of modern digital photography, I present them now, for your viewing pleasure:
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/photo_0015.jpg
Type 10 in Glen Plaza, Glen Cove, Long Island. Two 50 watt headlights, the left one is halogen , pointed to the left (under the stage).
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/photo_0016.jpg
I turned the bike around.
I'm afraid the flash was too bright, and may have drowned out some of the lights.
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/photo_0019.jpg
The Lafree e-bike has amber lights on the wire mesh basket, and a 50 watt headlight on the bottom of tha same basket.
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/photo_0020.jpg
The farm triangle on the rear of the Lafree is highly reflective. There are red light at the bottom corners of the slow-sign, they have two bulbs each.
hotbike
11-29-07, 05:02 PM
I forgot to mention, the annual Xmas Tree has been erected. It makes a good background by which to judge the effectiveness of the bike lights. Happy Holidays to All!
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/photo_0022.jpg
Headlight of the Lafree, with Xmas tree in background.
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/photo_0024.jpg
The Lafree with the headlight aimed at a DHL Courier Service mail-drop.
Zero_Enigma
11-30-07, 08:17 AM
The bike in the top photo in the yelow. Is that a Ebike or go-ped bike running off petrol? Looks like a motorbike.
hotbike
11-30-07, 11:23 AM
The bike in the top photo in the yelow. Is that a Ebike or go-ped bike running off petrol? Looks like a motorbike.
That's my version of a lowrider. It has a 1982 Suzuki fairing on the front.
Here's a picture taken in daylight:
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/photo020.jpg
This daytime shot was taken in May, the night photo was taken in November. I have added a three speed rear wheel and blinkers (directional signals) in the meantime.
The "Type 10" yellow bike has adequate battery space for a motor. I might convert it to E-bike, but it's not on my list of priorities.
diff_lock2
11-30-07, 05:00 PM
Is this your only bike? Looks very not solid.
ggg300
11-30-07, 05:37 PM
What can I say?
dunno?
diff_lock2
11-30-07, 05:44 PM
What CAN you say? And what don't you know.
DScott
11-30-07, 06:24 PM
How fast can you go on that yellow bike?
ggg300
11-30-07, 06:40 PM
What CAN you say? And what don't you know.
Sorry, I was having a conversation with myself there, Bob. ;)
hotbike
12-01-07, 09:52 AM
Is this your only bike? Looks very not solid.
I posted pictures of TWO different bikes.
The fiberglass? It holds up to my weight. I weigh 270 pounds.
The fiberglass is seven layers thick. Fiberglass has a working strength of 45,000 pounds per square inch.
I'm tired of hearing about "someone else's" fiberglass breaking and giving fiberglass a bad name.
I sit on the fiberglass seat , and it's held up by fiberglass, as are the battery and fairing on the front of the bike.
Fiberglass gains it's strength in layers. Each layer is nominally 0.030 inches thick. Seven layers, as shown here , is 0.21 inches thick.
You can't judge fiberglass by the gloss put on the surface.
diff_lock2
12-01-07, 04:35 PM
Sorry, i was on my phone, and the pics are on really low Q (loads faster).
Anyway, now that i have taken a second look on the home computer, it looks like they are very top heavy (+ heavy in general), and that their handling is being sacrificed for... aesthetics?
I read somewhere else that, these are old designs, but what i see is an incomplete velomobile.
hotbike
12-03-07, 09:28 AM
Sorry, i was on my phone, and the pics are on really low Q (loads faster).
Anyway, now that i have taken a second look on the home computer, it looks like they are very top heavy (+ heavy in general), and that their handling is being sacrificed for... aesthetics?
I read somewhere else that, these are old designs, but what i see is an incomplete velomobile.
I have to point out that I only built the yellow bike. The other bike is a Lafree Sport, made by Giant.
The yellow bike (Type 10) has 20 inch wheels, which keeps the Cg (center of gravity) low. The lead-acid battery is mounted over the front wheel, and I feel it makes the bike handle better. The banana (style) seat also keeps the Cg low, and the way I can sit further aft makes the bike feel a lot safer. (I'm never in danger of being pitched over the handlebars. I can sit over the rear axle.) The weight on the front works synergistically when I'm sitting far back. The banana seat is also low enough, that I can keep my heels on the ground.
I'm curious what you read "somewhere else". These are the newer designs. I will now bring up the pictures of the older designs, Type 5 and Type 6.
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/Type6Velomobile1990.jpg
Type 6 is the "complete" velomobile.
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/Type5withPassenger.jpg
Type 5 is the "incomplete velomobile", on which the front end of the velomobile was used as a partial fairing.
Type 10 uses a fairing from a 1982 Suzuki motorcycle, and has no mounting points for a roof.
Type 10 has the "banana seat", which I built only after several years of experimenting with fiberglass. I did not trust fiberglass to support my weight , at first, but later gained confidence in the material. Fiberglass can support up to 45,000 pounds per square inch.
Again , I would like to know what you read this "somewhere else", and your comments seem more appropriate for the earlier Type 5 and Type 6.
Note: I built these bikes while recumbent biking was in it's infancy(1985 thru 1990). The other builders were building recumbents, and I chose to streamline an upright bicycle, "to avoid duplication of research".