New bike - Schwinn Spoiler

[michaelplogue]

I've always wanted to do a conversion of one of these, and finally broke down and got one before they were completely sold out.... They are getting pretty hard to find.

Yippee!!!

Probably going to go with a front 5304 at 72V. That'll give me a pretty decent speed... :wink:

 

[dirtdad]

My Giant Stiletto is built similar. I have 72V, 5304, and a 24" rear wheel with 4.25" rubber which gives is a radius pretty similar to a 26" wheel+tire. It is good for 42mph, and very comfortable doing it. Enjoy and post pics!

 

[wasp]

sweeeet but front 5304??

 

[HornetB]

Where did you find the Spoiler or did you buy it a while back? I've been looking and I can't find one. Jealous

 

[michaelplogue]

Got it on e-bay - but at a pretty high price. There's another seller that supposedly has a couple more, also at a high price.

 

[64ragtop]

Darn shame Schwinn pulled the plug on their chopper style bikes! I managed to score a Stingray, that will probably become a front wheel drive rig. The springer fork and disk brake on that Spoiler is just too - - - TOO!!! cool! I'm at a loss trying to see how ya can go with a front wheel motor without losing the springer and disk, though. Seems to me like rear wheel is the only option - but I never underestimate the inginuity of my fellow tinkers.

For the rest of "us" that Spoiler frame looks very much like a "low rider stretch limo" that I saw on the Spooky Tooth site, here:

http://www.spookytoothcycles.com/component/page,shop.product_details/flypage,shop.flypage/product_id,233/category_id,44/manufacturer_id,0/option,com_virtuemart/Itemid,1/

If ya want a front wheel drive rig styled like the Spoiler, starting with that bare frame would get ya there.

ATB

BC

 

[ebinary]

Where'd you buy it?

 

[dirtdad]

The mass market Chopper Bicycle thing looks like it is fading. Giant and Scwhinn are not making any right now, and Specialized and Ellsworth only remain with very expensive models. Nirve, Greenline, and a few others still remain. But Choppers US looks like they are in it for the long haul and makes a variety of Chopper frames, forks, saddles, accessories, etc. I picked them up as a brand specifically for the electric bike market.

http://www.comcycle-usa.com/ProductInfo.aspx?id=4830968

They are made in the USA

http://www.choppersus.com

 

[dogman dan]

Somebody needs to talk choppers us into being the guys who make us a bombproof steel suspension front fork.

 

[michaelplogue]

I think that if I had not been able to find a Spoiler, I would have probably gone with one of these from Firebikes....... who knows, I may still do one just cause they look so darn cool....

http://www.prestosell.com/cgi-bin/order.pl?ref=firebikes&fm=1

 

[HornetB]

I love the Basman frames. I think these are hard to go past for the coolness factor. They just look sweet. I'd love to get one of these with a motor in it.

 

[michaelplogue]

The big problem with using a rear hub motor in the Spoiler is that it has an extra-wide rear dropout width. One would have to special order a hub to get one that would fit, and then you would also have to try to work around the wide tire and get a rear derailur adapted to fit as well. I just ordered an extra wide Sturmey-Archer three speed hub that will fit on this bike so I have at least a few gearing options for pedal-power.

The problem with using the 5304 front hub is that though you can get the disc brake adaptor cover plate, it makes it 15mm wider. I'm not sure that the springers can be spread the extra half inch, but it should be possible to have manufactured new rockers to accomodate the extra width. My other option would be to go with the Ezee front hub that already comes with a disc brake adaptor. I got in touch with ebikes.ca, and they told me that they could remount the motor on a 24" wheel - though that would likely cost a bit more for the custom work. Another nice thing about the Ezee controller is that you can use the direct plug-in Cycle Analyst with it. Bad thing is it's only rated for up to 48V - which I could probably live with.

Still got some thinking to do,......... :|

.

 

[dirtdad]

bmc would work in back too

 

[TylerDurden]

One thing about chopper-bikes is the non-tapering wheelstays. That might permit the large-pulley reduction for a small (RC) motor and belt. (al la whizzer)

 

[michaelplogue]

Somebody needs to talk choppers us into being the guys who make us a bombproof steel suspension front fork.

This may be something worth looking in to for a front suspension system. I'd consider making the rockers a much heavier steel, but this particular springer fork design - I think - would be just fine for a front motor setup.