Hey, guys. Check out this bike. Great candidate for Ebike

MikeFairbanks

100 kW
Joined
Mar 9, 2010
Messages
1,385
Location
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
I was in Walmart and found this bike. It's 99 bucks, single speed. The frame is all steel and the front forks are steel (I checked with a magnet). There's plenty of room in the frame.

The wheels are 700mm, but even though they call it a fixie, I was able to rotate the the pedals backward. I think it's a freewheel sprocket. Not sure why it's called a fixie. Horizontal dropouts. Looks like a winner.

Might be a great candidate for an e-bike.

http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_query=0001675112792

0001675112792_500X500.jpg
 
Hi Mike,
Probably just some low paid Wallyworld copy writer who does not know the difference between a single speed and a fixie single speed.
 
A bicycle fit for Ronald McDonald.
 
No, it's actually called a fixie, and has stickers that say fixie on the frame. I read some reviews (mostly positive) and someone mentioned pins in the sprocket, or something like that. I have a feeling it's a freewheel sprocket that can somehow be modified.

You're right about the braking power. Not the best, but definitely good for selling Big Macs.

I'd change the colors right away. It's ugly. But it looks pretty solid.
 
rear hub is a flip flop hub. one side is frewheeling, the other is fixed. walmart assembly techs probably installed the wheel on the free wheeling side.
 
MikeFairbanks said:
...But it looks pretty solid.
Nope, it doesn't look pretty solid to me.
Only good for low power setup, to ride smooth pavement and avoid potholes and curbs at all cost.
It is not even a good pedal bike IMO. It is cheap, that is its only quality.

That one looks pretty solid. :wink:
cf633d2b2ce3c74bfb33166f17f700fe1280740503.jpg


Let's say, you should try to find something in between, reasonably solid.
 
That's the toughest looking frame i have ever seen. who makes that damn thing?
 
You're stucked to material, and can't see structural strenght.

This alu frame can safely ride 80 Mph offroad and take 30 ft drops, that would turn the steel fixie frame into a pretzel. :mrgreen:
 
neptronix said:
That's the toughest looking frame i have ever seen. who makes that damn thing?
One of my favourites. That is an Intense M9, very tough frame with 81 combinations adjustable geometry, but you can find a few that are even better if toughness is the only criteria.
 
The bike I showed is 700mm rims. Why can't I seem to find a bike like that in 26-inch. I want as simple as possible. Single-speed. I'll either put the motor on the front or back. Doesn't matter. But single speed would be ideal, and I don't want to convert vertical dropouts.

Any suggestions?
 
Then make it simple. You don't need it to be simple when you buy it. Chose one for the qualities that make a safe Ebike: Stiff frame, disc brake mounts, slack steer angle, clearance for big tires. When you build it, make it what you want. If you prefer a single freewheel, a fat seat or cruiser handlebar, fine.

Once you have a good frame, and it doesn't have to be new for that matter, you can build and rebuild as you wish. You will find that after a year, some things you will want to improve or mod to make it better.
 
MadRhino said:
You're stucked to material, and can't see structural strenght.

This alu frame can safely ride 80 Mph offroad and take 30 ft drops, that would turn the steel fixie frame into a pretzel. :mrgreen:

+1
People often talk poorly of aluminum.. when aluminum can be just as strong.
It's all in the design, the type of alloy, the thickness, quality of the welds, and other various things.
Some of the most intense builds on this forum are aluminum, having steel dropout sections for extra rear support.
 
MadRhino said:
MikeFairbanks said:
...But it looks pretty solid.
Nope, it doesn't look pretty solid to me.
Only good for low power setup, to ride smooth pavement and avoid potholes and curbs at all cost.
It is not even a good pedal bike IMO. It is cheap, that is its only quality.

That one looks pretty solid. :wink:
cf633d2b2ce3c74bfb33166f17f700fe1280740503.jpg


Let's say, you should try to find something in between, reasonably solid.

Thanks for covering that. :wink:


STAY THE HELL OUT OF WALMART!!!!
 
neptronix said:
Some of the most intense builds on this forum are aluminum
Yeah, which are??

All Stealth bikes - steel
Greyborg frames - steel
Phasor cycles -steel
recumpence yellow trike - steel
Lenk42602's - steel
Dogati - steel
AJ's - steel
PaulD -steel
and of course Luke's - steel

and many, many more..
 
full-throttle said:
neptronix said:
Some of the most intense builds on this forum are aluminum
Yeah, which are??

All Stealth bikes - steel
Greyborg frames - steel
Phasor cycles -steel
recumpence yellow trike - steel
Lenk42602's - steel
Dogati - steel
AJ's - steel
PaulD -steel
and of course Luke's - steel

and many, many more..
Of course, steel is perfect for DIY. It can be modded and soldered with minimal equipment. Many like steel for the stronger dropouts, although they still need torque arms or mod with the power level that is common now. Also, a good steel frame can be sourced for cheap. Those who build their own custom frames, wouldn't want to invest in the hi tech equipment required to make a quality alu frame.

On the other side, a good alu DH frame with modern geometry cost a fair amount of money, and the best DH frames are very expansive. When you build them with high end components, you have spent min 5000 $ already, before starting to buy motor and batteries and controller. Then, building them is more complicated, for they have little or no available space in the frame triangle.
Nevertheless, modern DH racing bikes have all the qualities to build a powerfull Ebike. To make a steel frame that has the same stiffness as the Intense M9, one would have to make it with 30 pounds of Cromo steel tubing. None of the manufactured steel frames have the geometry and suspension qualities to compare with a modern DH racing frame. In fact, the best DH frames have better handling than many motorcycles, and they can be beaten as well.

One short video that I like, to illustrate the abuse that a good DH frame can stand, is a promotional for the Demos with Matt Hunter.
After watching this short, tell me that you don't trust this lightweight alu frame to build a fast Ebike...

[youtube]ajSF8eG0xb0[/youtube]
 
He's so smooth, that bike could be made out of popsickle sticks! :D

Awesome video!
 
MR, I'm not arguing whether Al is inferior to CrMo in terms of chassis material or not, it's just the other post is untrue.

In my opinion the biggest drawback of AL is fatigue. I'm not much over 60kg and yet I cracked 4 Al frames and no steel ones. But hey - I'd like to change bikes every 6 month, so why should I want them to last forever?? I'm convinced that Al will be phased out by composites in near future.

My steel Avanti D8 is actually lighter than a Kona Stab without being flexy BTW

Cheers for the video, do you really think Matt would ride any different if his frames were made from steel?
 
full-throttle said:
MR, I'm not arguing whether Al is inferior to CrMo in terms of chassis material or not, it's just the other post is untrue.

Right, and I explained why steel is used for the vast majority of Ebike builders.

full-throttle said:
In my opinion the biggest drawback of AL is fatigue. I'm not much over 60kg and yet I cracked 4 Al frames and no steel ones. But hey - I'd like to change bikes every 6 month, so why should I want them to last forever?? I'm convinced that Al will be phased out by composites in near future.

Also true, although I bent many steel frames and broke a few bones in early DH riding. I cracked a few alu DH frames, but the later proved much better rides and saved my bones in more than one occasion.

full-throttle said:
My steel Avanti D8 is actually lighter than a Kona Stab without being flexy BTW
The D8 was one of the best DH steel frames ever made and a very durable one, yet 12 pounds is very heavy by todays standard.
Then, I never tried one to confirm, but I recall that many reviews mentioned its weight and flex as downsides.

A rider never ride the same with a different bike. How many times a WC winner was hired by another team, and stopped winning... The opposite is also true, for many started to win after going to another team. Stunt riders and freeriders have their own very precise preferences, and Specialize didn't hire Matt Hunter to make this promo. They assembled clips from his own movies, for he's the best of the freeriders who use the Demos.
 
Paint it another color if your going to convert it.
 
I think I'm going to get this after all. The reviews are strong, and it's like they're giving it away. I'll just eventually add beefier brakes and such. But for my commute (no traffic, just winding paved bike paths) the brakes will suffice.

I will eventually paint the rims and put different tires on it. Those things are stupid-ugly.

Unless I get free Big Macs. Then I'll leave the colors alone.
 
MikeFairbanks said:
The bike I showed is 700mm rims. Why can't I seem to find a bike like that in 26-inch. I want as simple as possible. Single-speed. I'll either put the motor on the front or back. Doesn't matter. But single speed would be ideal, and I don't want to convert vertical dropouts.

Any suggestions?

google search "26" fixie"
I seen these for more "hard core" fixie riders,
for doing tricks... stronger wheels... and usually steel frame..

edit:
http://www.iminusd.com/all-city-airwolf-frame/
 
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