The above are the exact reasons why i like the semi recumbent as a platform. :thumb:
So i tore the bike apart yesterday and tried fitting a suspension fork. No manner of eccentric bottom bracket adjustment gives me the space i need for the 170mm pedals to not hit the forks. And i prefer 175mm pedals due to my long legs so going to shorter pedals is not really an option. ( also, these pedals are custom and reverse threaded since the drive action happens on the left side. I can't just go out and swap these.. )
I'm about half an inch from glory. So aggravating!
I researched this and 'problem solvers' makes an eccentric BB that is both lighter in weight and also allows ~3mm more offset. It also allows me to eliminate the need for the nuts at the bottom of the BB that keep the eccentric adjuster from sliding.
https://problemsolversbike.com/prod...eccentric_lightweight_bottom_bracket_-_j12926
The front bottom bracket is 113mm wide. I could go with a shimano 122.5mm wide and gain another 4.5mm of clearance.
Another confounder is that my fork, a Suntour XCT Jr, has an outward bulge at the top. I would have a dramatically easier time clearing the fork if not for this
Meanwhile, there exist many no-name China forks that taper inwards at the top. I might be able to get away with one of these because this is a lightweight build designed to do around 30mph.
So i have these options, in order of palatability..
1) Better eccentric BB to give me 3mm backwards clearance.
2) Wider bb -4.5mm side to side.
3) Lower headset components that are a couple MM taller. Perhaps a custom taller crown race?
4) Hacking some metal off the end of the cranks. There's quite a bit of extra metal to sacrifice.. and given that this is a semi recumbent and the cranks will never be stood on.. i feel this would be safe to do.
5) Switch to a crappier, but ~4mm narrower fork.
Somewhere in there is the possibility to fit a suspension fork. :thumb:
As far as bolting a hubmotor to the bottom bracket goes..
There are actually limited mounting options for an aesthetically pleasing hub motor mid drive setup, due to the width of even a front motor. The fact that the chain drive is on the opposite side of where it normally is rules out the use of bafang and similar mid drives. A cyclone or GNG type kit would likely work with some modifications. There are lots of bolt holes at the front of the bike to mount some kind if mid-drive motor setup though so i'd like to take advantage of that. Still unsure which way to go here.
A slightly wider bottom bracket, as well as a significantly taller front crank ( +10 teeth ) would allow a 100mm front hub to hide behind the front crank and look aesthetically pleasing though so that's a possibility to make the front hub mid drive work.
Problem solvers also sells these convenient cogs in various sizes that can bolt to a disc brake interface
I did remove the locbuster due to the excessive height handlebars it creates, and found out that the original stem tube is designed to fit a 1.5 or 1.25 inch fork whereas the fork itself is 1.125 inches. I'm assuming on models sold without the locbuster, there's some sort of included shim. To get rid of the locbuster, i used a lower tube i purchased from Rans' parts site, plus a headtube extender to get a really solid grip on the fork. It works for now.
The locbuster and included lower tube are actually heavy as shit.. with the locbuster being over 1lbs itself. Whereas the rans lower tube weighs maybe.. 250g at most.
The bike is set up the way i like it for casual riding, with my favorite hutchinson spherus on the rear for flat protection. The smaller wheel up front has a tube with slime in it to prevent flats. I have less thick pedals installed so that i can slide the front seat forward a bit more to get a more ideal weight balance
Speaking of the seat, it's about an inch higher than the Cannondale, and looks a bit wrong to be elevated that much. The butt pad could go back further too. I feel like this aspect of the bike isn't fully refined and may end up replacing the entire seat or modifying it.
I plan to give the bike another test ride tomorrow to sort out fitment adjustments. Then i need to start thinking about battery mounting and what kind of motor setup i want.