I've been wanting to build an ebike for sometime, but lacked the inspiration. Then I came across this in a junk pile.
As you can see, it's clearly been neglected. But otherwise all the major parts look to be straight and true. In the short term I want to get this bike going safely as cheap as possible and embrace the Mad Max look.
It's not home yet, but from a quick once over, I think mechanically all it needs is a few spokes, new tires, tubes, brakes, a chain and a full overhaul of its bearings.
The 120mm bottom bracket and fat rear aren't regular standards where I live in Australia. So if I take this project on I'll need some guidance from our North American friends who have more experience on these things before I start ordering parts online.
I don't know if tires are available for this bike. As I understood it, I was told at the bike shop the rims on these Schwinn choppers aren't standard and wont accept regular 20" fat bike tires. Am I better off ordering new wheels with 175mm axles or was the guy at the shop misinformed?
Is there anything I should know about the 120mm bottom bracket? will I be able to drop standard cups and bearings in? will it be possible to drop in a new sealed bottom bracket later? I haven't worked with these old style bearings for over 30 years, are they easy to order?
I'm nomadic, but where I live now, Darwin, Australia. It's all flat and the weather is perennially hot and swings between dry or brutally humid and monsoonal.
My Goal in the short term is to get the bike going and powered as cheaply as possible with a view to upgrade and if I don't like riding the chopper, be able to adapt the electricals to another bike. In the longer term I'd like to move the motor from hub (if I take that route) to mid frame, add an internal geared hub and a torque sensor.
The cheapest kit I can find is available in Australia mail order. A 26" 1000w Voilamart AU$260 front or rear, that could be dropped into the forks or have the rear re-laced with the 20" rim (with a customized 175mm adapter?) . As far as I can tell, other options are twice the price and need to be sourced from abroad.
I would really appreciate any help from the community and I'll endeavor to keep you posted on my progress.
As you can see, it's clearly been neglected. But otherwise all the major parts look to be straight and true. In the short term I want to get this bike going safely as cheap as possible and embrace the Mad Max look.
It's not home yet, but from a quick once over, I think mechanically all it needs is a few spokes, new tires, tubes, brakes, a chain and a full overhaul of its bearings.
The 120mm bottom bracket and fat rear aren't regular standards where I live in Australia. So if I take this project on I'll need some guidance from our North American friends who have more experience on these things before I start ordering parts online.
I don't know if tires are available for this bike. As I understood it, I was told at the bike shop the rims on these Schwinn choppers aren't standard and wont accept regular 20" fat bike tires. Am I better off ordering new wheels with 175mm axles or was the guy at the shop misinformed?
Is there anything I should know about the 120mm bottom bracket? will I be able to drop standard cups and bearings in? will it be possible to drop in a new sealed bottom bracket later? I haven't worked with these old style bearings for over 30 years, are they easy to order?
I'm nomadic, but where I live now, Darwin, Australia. It's all flat and the weather is perennially hot and swings between dry or brutally humid and monsoonal.
My Goal in the short term is to get the bike going and powered as cheaply as possible with a view to upgrade and if I don't like riding the chopper, be able to adapt the electricals to another bike. In the longer term I'd like to move the motor from hub (if I take that route) to mid frame, add an internal geared hub and a torque sensor.
The cheapest kit I can find is available in Australia mail order. A 26" 1000w Voilamart AU$260 front or rear, that could be dropped into the forks or have the rear re-laced with the 20" rim (with a customized 175mm adapter?) . As far as I can tell, other options are twice the price and need to be sourced from abroad.
I would really appreciate any help from the community and I'll endeavor to keep you posted on my progress.