Hello.....

[RacinJasin]

New guy here!

Just wanted to break the ice and this looked like the right place.

I've been lurking around the site for about a year now and finally decided to sign up.

I'm a woodworker from Idaho who caught the bug after finding an old Columbia tank bike at the Restore. Still haven't done anything with that thing... My ride is a pre war Hiawatha bike, I think its a 194?, but not real sure... working on a pre war era JC Higgins tank bike for my wife and a Schwinn chopper (that I bought for the fork) that she decided she thought was pretty swell. Also, refinished a, not so old, huffy cruiser with/for my daughter.

Right now I'm trying to figure out how to get the front wheel from a motorcycle to work in the rear position on my Hiawatha and fit a different seat on the wifes chopper as it came with none. I also have a springer front end idea I'm trying to work out... Not quite as mechanically inclined as some of you guys but I enjoy trying.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Welcome aboard! What size motorcycle wheel are you trying to fit up?

Luke.

 

[RacinJasin]

Haven't Measured but its around 29"~30"x2.5"~3"ish.

You'll have to excuse any ignorance I may be displaying... I'm still learning.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Haven't Measured but its around 29"~30"x2.5"~3"ish.

You'll have to excuse any ignorance I may be displaying... I'm still learning.

That sounds like a 90/90/21?
I am working on a project currently to fit 21" aluminium motorcycle rims to widened discbrake mtb hubs using standard bicycle spokes, still in the planning stage but some of the working out may be of interest to you.

Most M/C rims are 32 spoke, so you will need a 32 spoke steel hub to work with, I have bought a pair of these:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/371148241151?ru=http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=371148241151&_rdc=1

You need steel ones because they can be disassembled and the centre tube can be replaced with a longer one to give you a wider hub, all you need then is a longer standard axle.

Working off the dimensions of that hub, if you widen it to 100mm (4") between the flanges, so your tire will easily clear the chainline, (you will need widen your dropouts to suit a 159mm O.L.D. hub, but will probably do that anyway when lengthening the dropouts to suit the taller and wider tire) you can actually assemble the wheel 4 cross using the very easily found 260mm spokes, you may find the spokes currently on the bike are the right size...

The only hard bit of the conversion is fitting the nipples into the bigger holes on the rim, I am planning to drill out the original M/C nipples and cut them down to use as washers/adapters...

There are other ways to accomplish the same result, but that way should be the lightest. I am currently building a bike for my wife using steel M/C rims welded to square tube spokes that are in turn welded to widened bicycle hubs, but that requires very careful alignment (I use a jig) and will weigh more...

Luke.

Edit, the wide coaster hub from Custom motored bicycle may work too, but you will need a 36 spoke rim:
http://custommotoredbicycles.com/fat_bike_wheel_parts_170mm_hubs_26_x_25_wide_rims

 

[The Renaissance Man]

welcome.

 

[RacinJasin]

I was totally hoping to figure out a way of getting the motorcycle wheel to work and keep it as it is. I'm a little intimidated with the idea of lacing up a new hub, as well. I'm sure I'll be able to find the support and info, on RRBs, to see me through my first time.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

I was totally hoping to figure out a way of getting the motorcycle wheel to work and keep it as it is. I'm a little intimidated with the idea of lacing up a new hub, as well. I'm sure I'll be able to find the support and info, on RRBs, to see me through my first time.

Understand that, have a look through my builds, I have done that to differing extents... This one in particular: http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/blackjack-minivelo-fatbike-build.84272/

Luke.

 

[RacinJasin]

Dang man, you make it look too easy... Cool thread. The stuff you're doing there is where I hope to, eventually, get to. Fabrication turns me on!

I gotta go check out that BikeCad now.

 

[gigmata]

Welcome


- by Gigmata