LockH
1 PW
The fingers said:So far Google will not release accident data for theirs.
"Google Self-Driving Car at Fault for Bus Crash"
http://www.livescience.com/53894-google-self-driving-car-crash.html?cmpid=NL_TND_weekly_2016-3-02
In part:
2WD Semi-Recumbent Recycled-Parts Cargo eBike: "CrazyBike2"
- Thread starter amberwolf
- Start date
"Google Self-Driving Car at Fault for Bus Crash"
http://www.livescience.com/53894-google-self-driving-car-crash.html?cmpid=NL_TND_weekly_2016-3-02
In part:
I haven't ridden this bike in some months now, been using the SB Cruiser trike because I've had to take one or the other dog with me so often, or felt bad or tired enough that I dind't trust my balance, that I just always rode the trike anyway.
But I may need it while I do some work on the trike over the next while (days, weeks?) if I end up at any point that I can't just ride off on the trike at some stage of the work. (which will probably happen).
So I pulled it out of storage and it's still aired up, and everything works except the stuff I took off to put on teh trike (like the CA and the battery pack). I've pulled the A123 pack off the trike to reinstall on the bike, though it's not done yet. The EIG pack is still on teh trike as is the CA.
I also pulled out the old RC LiPo ammocan pack and hooked it up just to quick test it, and that still works too, though I don't know how balanced or charged it is. I know it's puffier than before cuz the whole ammocan is swollen. :lol:
But I may need it while I do some work on the trike over the next while (days, weeks?) if I end up at any point that I can't just ride off on the trike at some stage of the work. (which will probably happen).
So I pulled it out of storage and it's still aired up, and everything works except the stuff I took off to put on teh trike (like the CA and the battery pack). I've pulled the A123 pack off the trike to reinstall on the bike, though it's not done yet. The EIG pack is still on teh trike as is the CA.
I also pulled out the old RC LiPo ammocan pack and hooked it up just to quick test it, and that still works too, though I don't know how balanced or charged it is. I know it's puffier than before cuz the whole ammocan is swollen. :lol:
Had a little fire on SB Cruiser on the way to work, cause unknown as of yet.
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=67833&p=1204983#p1204983
So had to hurry and swap over batteries back to CB2 and get it just rideable to do my work commute. There were a number of problems I didn't have time to deal with though, and a couple that developed (or got worse, dunno which) on the way to work.
I gotta head off to work very shortly so no time to type it all up just yet, but I did some work on it today to fix a few things, pics below.
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=67833&p=1204983#p1204983
So had to hurry and swap over batteries back to CB2 and get it just rideable to do my work commute. There were a number of problems I didn't have time to deal with though, and a couple that developed (or got worse, dunno which) on the way to work.
I gotta head off to work very shortly so no time to type it all up just yet, but I did some work on it today to fix a few things, pics below.
Attachments
A little note, prompted by ddk's observation in his solar trike about his trike vs traffic:
CrazyBike2 is big, but not as big as SB Cruiser--mostly SBC is taller, and a little wider but only a very few inches. SBC "looks" a lot bigger than CB2, and that is probably why cars go way around the trike, usually all the way into the next lane, but less of them do that for the bike.
Lighting on each is pretty similar, so that's probably not it.
In either case, they don't pass me nearly as closely as on a "normal" bicycle, where I might get almost run off the road on almost a regular basis, but they are on average considerably closer than on the trike.
CrazyBike2 is big, but not as big as SB Cruiser--mostly SBC is taller, and a little wider but only a very few inches. SBC "looks" a lot bigger than CB2, and that is probably why cars go way around the trike, usually all the way into the next lane, but less of them do that for the bike.
Lighting on each is pretty similar, so that's probably not it.
In either case, they don't pass me nearly as closely as on a "normal" bicycle, where I might get almost run off the road on almost a regular basis, but they are on average considerably closer than on the trike.
I've gotten so used to the powerful EABS on the SB Cruiser trike, that I can't even tell the regen on CrazyBIke2 is even working just by feel, I have to see the wattmeter's negative amps reading to tell! :lol:
So as unpredictable/unreliable as some other things in the SBC's generic controllers are compared to the Grinfineon & Ecrazyman controllers that are on CB2, I definitely like the braking part, though I wish it was analog and not just on/off.
I've also gotten used to the non-limited steering angles of SBC. Since it uses a tiller rather than a remote steering via tie-rod, it doesnt' have any range limiters on it. CB2's tie-rod steering has to have a limiter on it because without one, it's psosbile to turn the wheel so far that the tie-rod/steerer joint gets pulled to the opposite side of the frame and the fork will reverse, flipping hte wheel sideways or backwards, which if it happened while riding could cause a severe crash, possibly tacoing the wheel and flipping the bike endoverend.
So...it has a pretty severe angle limitation on steering, which means that while riding on the road is fine, confined spaces like trying to maneuver it around aisles and corners inside my workplace to get it to/from the breakroom is pretty hard to do, requiring repeated backing up and going forward, which while Im' trying to stand up and push it around is very difficult and often painful. (I can't ride it thru the store unless we are closed with no customers there, and even then it's just as hard to get around corners, just less painful).
SBC can practically do a right-angle turn at such walking speeds....
I am tempted to change CB2 to tiller steering as well, but I like the remote steering itself, other than the necessary limiting of angles. If I could figure out how to redo the remote steering so the limiters weren't necessary, that'd be perfect.
CB2 is also definitely faster acceleration and more efficient--I get about 29-34Wh/mile for my work commute.
So as unpredictable/unreliable as some other things in the SBC's generic controllers are compared to the Grinfineon & Ecrazyman controllers that are on CB2, I definitely like the braking part, though I wish it was analog and not just on/off.
I've also gotten used to the non-limited steering angles of SBC. Since it uses a tiller rather than a remote steering via tie-rod, it doesnt' have any range limiters on it. CB2's tie-rod steering has to have a limiter on it because without one, it's psosbile to turn the wheel so far that the tie-rod/steerer joint gets pulled to the opposite side of the frame and the fork will reverse, flipping hte wheel sideways or backwards, which if it happened while riding could cause a severe crash, possibly tacoing the wheel and flipping the bike endoverend.
So...it has a pretty severe angle limitation on steering, which means that while riding on the road is fine, confined spaces like trying to maneuver it around aisles and corners inside my workplace to get it to/from the breakroom is pretty hard to do, requiring repeated backing up and going forward, which while Im' trying to stand up and push it around is very difficult and often painful. (I can't ride it thru the store unless we are closed with no customers there, and even then it's just as hard to get around corners, just less painful).
SBC can practically do a right-angle turn at such walking speeds....
I am tempted to change CB2 to tiller steering as well, but I like the remote steering itself, other than the necessary limiting of angles. If I could figure out how to redo the remote steering so the limiters weren't necessary, that'd be perfect.
CB2 is also definitely faster acceleration and more efficient--I get about 29-34Wh/mile for my work commute.
The CA(v2.3) has an intermittent problem I haven't even got much of a guess for. The problem started when it was still on the trike, perhaps a few weeks ago, and happens perhaps once every few days.
What happens is that the backlight at least doubles or triples in brightness, and the voltage readout drops to perhaps 2/3 of the actual system voltage at the time.
There is no actual voltage drop, as dropping down to 38-39V would probably cause a cutout on the controller, and would definitely cause a noticeable issue with speed or acceleration (vs the 50+V it is actually at at the time).
It's not a problem in the shunt, as that's a separate unit that is not moved from SBC to CB2, each has their own. It could be a problem in the wire from the CA to the shunt, as that does move with the CA, but I don't see how that could cuase the brightness increase.
I would guess it must be internal to the CA itself. Perhaps a bit of solder that is vibrating around inside there or something?
I'll have to open it up to check, at some point. Not right now as I am not very well and don't think I could safely do it, but perhaps in the next week or so.
What happens is that the backlight at least doubles or triples in brightness, and the voltage readout drops to perhaps 2/3 of the actual system voltage at the time.
There is no actual voltage drop, as dropping down to 38-39V would probably cause a cutout on the controller, and would definitely cause a noticeable issue with speed or acceleration (vs the 50+V it is actually at at the time).
It's not a problem in the shunt, as that's a separate unit that is not moved from SBC to CB2, each has their own. It could be a problem in the wire from the CA to the shunt, as that does move with the CA, but I don't see how that could cuase the brightness increase.
I would guess it must be internal to the CA itself. Perhaps a bit of solder that is vibrating around inside there or something?
I'll have to open it up to check, at some point. Not right now as I am not very well and don't think I could safely do it, but perhaps in the next week or so.
Had to help a friend with his computer this weekend, didn't get anything else done, but durinig the ride back on the first trip, the seat supports in front came loose (I forget but I think Ihad just tackwelded them back when Dogman was here in 2015 to ehlp me build the SBCruiser trike).
I hit a pothole and sudenly the seat was leaning back at more than 45 degrees, and Ihad ot ride the front edge of the seat until I could slo and stop to check it. Ipulled it back upright and found no damage other than that, but when it happened I thought the frame had broken.
Didnt' have anything to fix it with me (didnt' think of cargo strap till later), but when Igot home (after having ti happen again several times during ride), I ran a hose clamp on each side around the front seat frame tube down under the horizonotal square tubes that secure the rear frame to the bike frames and the seat. This will hold it down until Iget teh chance to reweld it, probably not ill this weekend or someetime next week when I will be on vacation from work a few days to use up PTO before it expires.
I hit a pothole and sudenly the seat was leaning back at more than 45 degrees, and Ihad ot ride the front edge of the seat until I could slo and stop to check it. Ipulled it back upright and found no damage other than that, but when it happened I thought the frame had broken.
Didnt' have anything to fix it with me (didnt' think of cargo strap till later), but when Igot home (after having ti happen again several times during ride), I ran a hose clamp on each side around the front seat frame tube down under the horizonotal square tubes that secure the rear frame to the bike frames and the seat. This will hold it down until Iget teh chance to reweld it, probably not ill this weekend or someetime next week when I will be on vacation from work a few days to use up PTO before it expires.
Survived the drizzly ride home last night fine, thanks to mirrors, paying attention, reflexive defenses, 2WD and lots of power to acclerate quickly, all combining to save me from a collision and a crash.
A car had been approaching in the next lane to the left, on a two lane road (metro parkway, heading toward Cheryl) at probably 60MPH, nearly twice the speed limit there. They tried to do a quick lanechange to the next lane to the left (away from me) to make their left turn, but at the speed they were going they'd wiated too long to begin braking to do it and slammed on brakes so they wouldn't just rocket past the intersection (which I had just passed), and they locked up and spun around and around skidding down the lane they were in, but heading toward my lane since t he road curves in an huge oval around metrocenter.
There was no way that braking was going to keep me from getting hit cuz of the wet road so as soon as I saw them rocketing up and moving lanes I had already started heading left out of my lane toward the farthest part of the middle of the road, where the median is (has a high curb so Icouldn't jump it but even if Ihad to crash into it and roll myself over inot the opposing lanes it'd hirt less than being hit by a car going 40mph faster than me).
I also had hit the throttles hard and was probably already at 30+MPH by the time they pased just behind me and began to regain contorl of their car just before they would've hit the curb on the righthand lane, about where I would have been if I hadn't already gotten out of the way.
Thankfully there's not much traqffic that time of night right there, so at least I had somewhere to go--it was deserted except for me and htem at that time.
Also, they did have good driving skills, vs what msot drivers would've been able to do--they diddn't crash and they did recover well, but:
Even dumber...after they regained control they didn't just slow and stop and recover, they just sped past me on my right (I was beginning to slow down again and signalling a right turn so I could return to the r ight lane, but was till in the lft lane then, a bit past the turnoff to the apartments past what used to be best buy). Then they slammed on brakes again and swerved left in front of me into the next median-crosover lane, U-turned, and sped even faster than before back to where they had tried to make a left t urn, and almos did the same lossof--control again, trying to make the right turn there. Good thing there werent' any busses waitinig to turn in o rout of there at the time.
Let's hope tonights ride is more boring.
A car had been approaching in the next lane to the left, on a two lane road (metro parkway, heading toward Cheryl) at probably 60MPH, nearly twice the speed limit there. They tried to do a quick lanechange to the next lane to the left (away from me) to make their left turn, but at the speed they were going they'd wiated too long to begin braking to do it and slammed on brakes so they wouldn't just rocket past the intersection (which I had just passed), and they locked up and spun around and around skidding down the lane they were in, but heading toward my lane since t he road curves in an huge oval around metrocenter.
There was no way that braking was going to keep me from getting hit cuz of the wet road so as soon as I saw them rocketing up and moving lanes I had already started heading left out of my lane toward the farthest part of the middle of the road, where the median is (has a high curb so Icouldn't jump it but even if Ihad to crash into it and roll myself over inot the opposing lanes it'd hirt less than being hit by a car going 40mph faster than me).
I also had hit the throttles hard and was probably already at 30+MPH by the time they pased just behind me and began to regain contorl of their car just before they would've hit the curb on the righthand lane, about where I would have been if I hadn't already gotten out of the way.
Thankfully there's not much traqffic that time of night right there, so at least I had somewhere to go--it was deserted except for me and htem at that time.
Also, they did have good driving skills, vs what msot drivers would've been able to do--they diddn't crash and they did recover well, but:
Even dumber...after they regained control they didn't just slow and stop and recover, they just sped past me on my right (I was beginning to slow down again and signalling a right turn so I could return to the r ight lane, but was till in the lft lane then, a bit past the turnoff to the apartments past what used to be best buy). Then they slammed on brakes again and swerved left in front of me into the next median-crosover lane, U-turned, and sped even faster than before back to where they had tried to make a left t urn, and almos did the same lossof--control again, trying to make the right turn there. Good thing there werent' any busses waitinig to turn in o rout of there at the time.
Let's hope tonights ride is more boring.
Since the heat will continue for some more weeks, and I ride in the middle of the day to work, most of the time, sun right overhead or nearly so, I finally got a canopy rigged up (after some years of intending to try it out 
).
I'ts just half an aluminun cot frame, hoseclamped it's center leg/stand to the back of t he seat frame, end leg/stand bolted to a 1/2" square tube that's clamped to the front triangle in two places to keep it upright and out of the way of hte steering/bars. This is a temporary (haha) version to see if it even does it's job, and to see how much interefernce, if any, it has with normal riding.
It's several inches above my head when seated, with the front bar of teh leg/stand just above my eyeline ot the road/horizon. Unfortunatley the center bar to secure it ot the frame is right in the cneter of my view, but I can ignore it and it's e asy to see around. Eventually Imight make that a triangle from the corners of the leg/stand to the frame, if Ihave wiggle problelms, but so far it's fine evne in gusty winds from different directions.
The top itself is made from a "Snuggy" or whatever they're called, fuzzy blue with the "BIG DOG" logo all over it, which is a St Bbernard. Was planning on cutting and sew-edging up some white curtain cloth but that was more work than I can spare time/energy for at present, and I wanted to try the idea.
So I also put a layer of insulation under that, which is some fiberglass 1" thick that comes in plastic bags, which come in our shipments of frozen aquatic and reptile food where I work, and is always just tossed out. I've been saving it whenever possible for use in my solar water heater projecct to wrap the pipes in, but used two "sheets" of it for this. Works pretty well, can't feel the heat from the sun beating down on the canopy, on my head, evven without my wet floppy hat.
Since the cloth of the Snuggy is more absorbent than the curtain cloth I would've used, this will probably get heavy and soaked in any rain, adding at least several pounds to the top of the bike when wet. But since that won't happen very often, it's not a big deal, most likely, and the plastic-wrapped insulation will probabgly keep most of the wter from dripping down on my head/shoulders, even if I don't have rain gear on.
The assembly does add drag, but not a huge amount vs the rest of the bike. Normally it takes me about 29-30-ish wh/mile for trips I don't have to stop much on, when riding just under 20MPH. The longer the trip the lower the wh/mile will be, vs my work commute that is usualy 30-35wh/mile. With the winds today, a 5.5 mile trip with only a handful of stops took only 33wh/mile, which is very little different from what it probaly would've been without the canopy.
Handling is not any different, evne in the gusty winds. Might be differetn in higher winds. I suspect the cnopy wouldn't like high winds in the 30+mph range, especially as head or sidewinds while I'm already near 20MPH myself.
I got a couple of "cool bike" compliments on the way here, one specifically for the canopy, and a couple of just thumbsup signs from a pedestrian and a bike rider.
PIcs will come later, as I forgot to take the card reader with me.
).I'ts just half an aluminun cot frame, hoseclamped it's center leg/stand to the back of t he seat frame, end leg/stand bolted to a 1/2" square tube that's clamped to the front triangle in two places to keep it upright and out of the way of hte steering/bars. This is a temporary (haha) version to see if it even does it's job, and to see how much interefernce, if any, it has with normal riding.
It's several inches above my head when seated, with the front bar of teh leg/stand just above my eyeline ot the road/horizon. Unfortunatley the center bar to secure it ot the frame is right in the cneter of my view, but I can ignore it and it's e asy to see around. Eventually Imight make that a triangle from the corners of the leg/stand to the frame, if Ihave wiggle problelms, but so far it's fine evne in gusty winds from different directions.
The top itself is made from a "Snuggy" or whatever they're called, fuzzy blue with the "BIG DOG" logo all over it, which is a St Bbernard. Was planning on cutting and sew-edging up some white curtain cloth but that was more work than I can spare time/energy for at present, and I wanted to try the idea.
So I also put a layer of insulation under that, which is some fiberglass 1" thick that comes in plastic bags, which come in our shipments of frozen aquatic and reptile food where I work, and is always just tossed out. I've been saving it whenever possible for use in my solar water heater projecct to wrap the pipes in, but used two "sheets" of it for this. Works pretty well, can't feel the heat from the sun beating down on the canopy, on my head, evven without my wet floppy hat.
Since the cloth of the Snuggy is more absorbent than the curtain cloth I would've used, this will probably get heavy and soaked in any rain, adding at least several pounds to the top of the bike when wet.
But since that won't happen very often, it's not a big deal, most likely, and the plastic-wrapped insulation will probabgly keep most of the wter from dripping down on my head/shoulders, even if I don't have rain gear on. The assembly does add drag, but not a huge amount vs the rest of the bike. Normally it takes me about 29-30-ish wh/mile for trips I don't have to stop much on, when riding just under 20MPH. The longer the trip the lower the wh/mile will be, vs my work commute that is usualy 30-35wh/mile. With the winds today, a 5.5 mile trip with only a handful of stops took only 33wh/mile, which is very little different from what it probaly would've been without the canopy.
Handling is not any different, evne in the gusty winds. Might be differetn in higher winds. I suspect the cnopy wouldn't like high winds in the 30+mph range, especially as head or sidewinds while I'm already near 20MPH myself.
I got a couple of "cool bike" compliments on the way here, one specifically for the canopy, and a couple of just thumbsup signs from a pedestrian and a bike rider.
PIcs will come later, as I forgot to take the card reader with me.
I just remembered I needed to add the pics, so here they are:
Parked at the destination:
At home before I left to test it and go get stuff:
Teddy and Yogi in the taillights:
Parked at the destination:
At home before I left to test it and go get stuff:
Teddy and Yogi in the taillights:
8 mile trip today, lots of complete stops and starts and traffic, all around Metrocenter area, about 37wh/mile--about the same as it would've been anyway, though a bit more; I'd guesstimate it would've been 35wh/mile or more anyway. Not a lot of wind today either.
Got quite a few thumbs up, "cool bike", etc., comments, but also got one "Go frock yourself" from a guy in a big black truck passing me to the right as I was in the left turn lane of Peoria at a red light, waiting for the green arrow. I dunno what his problem was; I was never in his lane while he was in it, or blocking or slowing traffic ahead of him, etc. I guess he was just jealous of my fun, low-cost, unique transportation. :lol:
Also got more than a few wierd looks, mostly from pedestrians as I was getting on or off the bike at my destinations, oddly enough especially at Goodwill, my last stop. :?
Got quite a few thumbs up, "cool bike", etc., comments, but also got one "Go frock yourself" from a guy in a big black truck passing me to the right as I was in the left turn lane of Peoria at a red light, waiting for the green arrow. I dunno what his problem was; I was never in his lane while he was in it, or blocking or slowing traffic ahead of him, etc. I guess he was just jealous of my fun, low-cost, unique transportation. :lol:
Also got more than a few wierd looks, mostly from pedestrians as I was getting on or off the bike at my destinations, oddly enough especially at Goodwill, my last stop. :?
izeman
1 GW
Now you officially are the 'master of zip ties and hose clamps'.
:lol: you should see some of the stuff in older posts/builds that's held together by them....I even used a hose clamp on a clutch for a geared hub on DayGlo Avenger to get me home when the clutch failed as I started home from work (2012? I forget).
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=15570&p=576368&hilit=hose+clamp+clutch+dayglo+avenger#p550415
In today's news, though...I ran into the issue I expected to at some point in this sometimes-stormy season: gusty winds conflicting with my new sun-canopy. :/
On my way home from work, the winds were high and gusty (probably >30mph gusts, at least 20MPH more or less constant from the north/northwest, most of the gusts came from the west, but stronger ones from the north.
Mostly, this wasnt' an issue as I headed south, but there are places I had to go east (or west), especially the southpart of Metro Parkway where it curves around. During the southerly part the wind just pushed me hard enough to lower my power usage at just under 20MPH to less than 200W, when normally it would be closer to 450-500W (probably more now with the canopy, though I havent' done testng to specifically note that down yet). I actually had trouble slowing down at the Cheryl intersection stoplight, before it turned green as I passed over the sensor.
But as I turned east I knew the winds would be harder to deal with, so I moved to the middle of the lane rather than the right half, so that I'd have room to maneuver if hit by gusts. Good thing I did,a nd that I was anticipating gusts as I passed differnet structures/etc., and as vehilces passed me in the left lane (blocking and unblocking the wind), or I would have crashed into the curb of the right lane (in at least two spots, possibly a couple of others).
Thankfully none of the cars/etc passing me seemed interested in challenging me for the lane. Probably they were afraid of me crashing into them as I tilted into the wind and then upright again, as I anticipated various gusts--since they probably couldn't more than barely feel the winds in their much heavier enclosed vehicles, they probably had no idea why I was moving within the lane, despite the trees blowing about near the road. :/
The good news is that the canopy is doing it's job wonderfully--keeps me shaded and cool on the ride to work without me having to wet my clothes down (so the evaporation would cool me). On a longer ride I'd still need to do that in the 105F+ temps, but on short ones like this, it's fine.
It also hasn't had anything fail or come loose, even though I'm using it's frame as grips to manipulate the bike as I walk it thru the store when I get to work, to get from front door to the breakroom all the way in the back, and to push it thru the front door in the house when I get home, etc.
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=15570&p=576368&hilit=hose+clamp+clutch+dayglo+avenger#p550415
In today's news, though...I ran into the issue I expected to at some point in this sometimes-stormy season: gusty winds conflicting with my new sun-canopy. :/
On my way home from work, the winds were high and gusty (probably >30mph gusts, at least 20MPH more or less constant from the north/northwest, most of the gusts came from the west, but stronger ones from the north.
Mostly, this wasnt' an issue as I headed south, but there are places I had to go east (or west), especially the southpart of Metro Parkway where it curves around. During the southerly part the wind just pushed me hard enough to lower my power usage at just under 20MPH to less than 200W, when normally it would be closer to 450-500W (probably more now with the canopy, though I havent' done testng to specifically note that down yet). I actually had trouble slowing down at the Cheryl intersection stoplight, before it turned green as I passed over the sensor.
But as I turned east I knew the winds would be harder to deal with, so I moved to the middle of the lane rather than the right half, so that I'd have room to maneuver if hit by gusts. Good thing I did,a nd that I was anticipating gusts as I passed differnet structures/etc., and as vehilces passed me in the left lane (blocking and unblocking the wind), or I would have crashed into the curb of the right lane (in at least two spots, possibly a couple of others).
Thankfully none of the cars/etc passing me seemed interested in challenging me for the lane. Probably they were afraid of me crashing into them as I tilted into the wind and then upright again, as I anticipated various gusts--since they probably couldn't more than barely feel the winds in their much heavier enclosed vehicles, they probably had no idea why I was moving within the lane, despite the trees blowing about near the road. :/
The good news is that the canopy is doing it's job wonderfully--keeps me shaded and cool on the ride to work without me having to wet my clothes down (so the evaporation would cool me). On a longer ride I'd still need to do that in the 105F+ temps, but on short ones like this, it's fine.
It also hasn't had anything fail or come loose, even though I'm using it's frame as grips to manipulate the bike as I walk it thru the store when I get to work, to get from front door to the breakroom all the way in the back, and to push it thru the front door in the house when I get home, etc.
Had steady winds like those frm the other night that were gusty, bu tthis time were againstme oon the way to work, bringing wh/mile on that leg up to almost 50wh/mile. :/
Crrossposted from the most recent "what does your bike weigh" thread by recumpence:
I hadn't actually weighed CrazyBike2 in a long while, so last night while I had to get stuff out to air up the back tire a bit, I put it on the scale one wheel at a time (not the most accurate way, so not sure how close this is to reality).
Front wheel shows 80lbs, and rear shows 180lbs. That's with all the stuff in it I carry normally for work, including about 10lbs of icepacks, lunch bag, drink bottle, etc., plus another severarl pounds of work clothes and whatnot. There are also about 20lbs of tools, couple pounds of air compressor & spare tubes. So the "optional" weight takes perhaps 35-40lbs off of that.
Still leaves (assuming simple addition of rear+front, which is probably not the case) 220lbs of bike. Before I added all the frame stiffening in the rear (basically building a new rear end fo rit) a couple years or more ago, I had guesstimated around 170lbs; I know there isn't 50lbbs of stuff in the frame, so I must've mis--esitmated the weigght of the motor/etc.
Front to rear:
--9c 2806 in 26" rim (from a bionx), CST City tire & thick tube with second (circumferentially slit) tube ovver it for a liner.
--Suntour XCT fork w/mounts on steerer for car headlight and MC turn signals and car horns
--custom built semirecumbent frame for bike itself (unknown weight--not light, but very sturdy), LED downlighting / frame lighting ffor nightime visivbility, mounted along frame and remote steering rod.
--Sugino alloy cranks w/steel triple chainring, steel derailer, steel pedals.
--THUN BB (not presently working as CAv3 blew up from short from speedo to Batt+ in CA-standalone-shunt wire harness at the shunt, IIRC)
--Cruiser bars mounted vertically, coroplast "dash" with CAv2/etc., MC mirrors, thumb throttle on each side for independent motor control, etc
--spare 6fet Grinfineon
--50cal ammocan with 14s EIG NMC 20Ah pack (~20+lbs)
--12fet Grinfineon 40A for front wheel
--~1 cubic foot aluminum cargo pod on left side under seat, spot for spare 50cal ammocan pack on right side under seat (not normally mounted)
--15v wallwart for DC-DC to run "12v" lighting system.
--4s EIG 20ah pack for headlight (overloads any DC-DC I've tried) and car horns
--semirecumbent seat and overhead canopy for shade on midday commute
--12FET ecrazyman (I think) 40A for rear wheel
--HSR3548 in 20" ex-Zero rim w/sapim 13/14 radial spokes, Maxxiss ringworm and thick tube w/circumferentially-slit tube as liner
--MC taillight/turn signals, car led 3rd brake light, LED rods on pods outer rear edges, aquarium LED ligth as downlighting on pods and back of bike and road
--~4-cubic-foot aluminum cargo pods on either side, double as kickstands.
--1-7/8" ball hitch for trailers on frame behind pods/rear wheel
I guess there is a lot of stuff on there.....
Crrossposted from the most recent "what does your bike weigh" thread by recumpence:
I hadn't actually weighed CrazyBike2 in a long while, so last night while I had to get stuff out to air up the back tire a bit, I put it on the scale one wheel at a time (not the most accurate way, so not sure how close this is to reality).
Front wheel shows 80lbs, and rear shows 180lbs. That's with all the stuff in it I carry normally for work, including about 10lbs of icepacks, lunch bag, drink bottle, etc., plus another severarl pounds of work clothes and whatnot. There are also about 20lbs of tools, couple pounds of air compressor & spare tubes. So the "optional" weight takes perhaps 35-40lbs off of that.
Still leaves (assuming simple addition of rear+front, which is probably not the case) 220lbs of bike. Before I added all the frame stiffening in the rear (basically building a new rear end fo rit) a couple years or more ago, I had guesstimated around 170lbs; I know there isn't 50lbbs of stuff in the frame, so I must've mis--esitmated the weigght of the motor/etc.
Front to rear:
--9c 2806 in 26" rim (from a bionx), CST City tire & thick tube with second (circumferentially slit) tube ovver it for a liner.
--Suntour XCT fork w/mounts on steerer for car headlight and MC turn signals and car horns
--custom built semirecumbent frame for bike itself (unknown weight--not light, but very sturdy), LED downlighting / frame lighting ffor nightime visivbility, mounted along frame and remote steering rod.
--Sugino alloy cranks w/steel triple chainring, steel derailer, steel pedals.
--THUN BB (not presently working as CAv3 blew up from short from speedo to Batt+ in CA-standalone-shunt wire harness at the shunt, IIRC)
--Cruiser bars mounted vertically, coroplast "dash" with CAv2/etc., MC mirrors, thumb throttle on each side for independent motor control, etc
--spare 6fet Grinfineon
--50cal ammocan with 14s EIG NMC 20Ah pack (~20+lbs)
--12fet Grinfineon 40A for front wheel
--~1 cubic foot aluminum cargo pod on left side under seat, spot for spare 50cal ammocan pack on right side under seat (not normally mounted)
--15v wallwart for DC-DC to run "12v" lighting system.
--4s EIG 20ah pack for headlight (overloads any DC-DC I've tried) and car horns
--semirecumbent seat and overhead canopy for shade on midday commute
--12FET ecrazyman (I think) 40A for rear wheel
--HSR3548 in 20" ex-Zero rim w/sapim 13/14 radial spokes, Maxxiss ringworm and thick tube w/circumferentially-slit tube as liner
--MC taillight/turn signals, car led 3rd brake light, LED rods on pods outer rear edges, aquarium LED ligth as downlighting on pods and back of bike and road
--~4-cubic-foot aluminum cargo pods on either side, double as kickstands.
--1-7/8" ball hitch for trailers on frame behind pods/rear wheel
I guess there is a lot of stuff on there.....
Rear tire slow leaking again, mighjt be the valve as I found no leaks in tube. Aired it back up to 55psi and now getting back to the 32wh/mile range again, even witih the canopy. (unless there is a fair bit of wind, then it's more with headwindsa nd less with tailwinds)
Canopy attracts a lot more attention than jjust the bike, so far almost all positive, though a couple of "get that thing off the road" kind of people (one in a giant SUV wandering around between three lanes, and the other in a junky little car that looks like it is actually made from mroe diffferent things than this bike is :lol.
Still gotta finish fixing up SB Cruiser's wiring and stuff, and then try the canopy on that.
I wonder if it being a trike will make the canopy issues better or wrose, with sidewinds/etc. ?
Canopy attracts a lot more attention than jjust the bike, so far almost all positive, though a couple of "get that thing off the road" kind of people (one in a giant SUV wandering around between three lanes, and the other in a junky little car that looks like it is actually made from mroe diffferent things than this bike is :lol
.Still gotta finish fixing up SB Cruiser's wiring and stuff, and then try the canopy on that.
I wonder if it being a trike will make the canopy issues better or wrose, with sidewinds/etc. ?
Chalo
100 TW
amberwolf said:Canopy attracts a lot more attention than jjust the bike, so far almost all positive, though a couple of "get that thing off the road" kind of people (one in a giant SUV wandering around between three lanes, and the other in a junky little car that looks like it is actually made from mroe diffferent things than this bike is :lol
I've been wanting to get one of these signs for my bike:
Used the bike with the big trailer to haul a cabinet home, and hten a grocery run,
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=76539&p=1226133#p1226133
Power usage was pretty high due to low tires on the cabinet trip, but fixed that for the grocery run.
Didnt' get any haters today, though some people thougth I was crazy for hauling such big things on this contraption.
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=76539&p=1226133#p1226133
Power usage was pretty high due to low tires on the cabinet trip, but fixed that for the grocery run.
Didnt' get any haters today, though some people thougth I was crazy for hauling such big things on this contraption.
Attachments
So that rim problem here:
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=12500&start=1100#p1205150
has gotten much worse, suddenly, on the ride to work today.
(pics to follow when it's light enough outside to get good pics; the ones by flash/etc don't seem to be very good).
Flash pics at night:
View attachment 5
Daylight pics the next day:
Maybe halfway to work or so, suddenly the ibike slowed down and power usage nearly doubled, almost as if the tires had gone flat, but there was no squirelliness. I pulled over to see what might be wrong, and found the rear brake dragging...but not on the pad--on the arm, because the tire was bulging out where the rim is cracked.
Only way to fix this is to replace the rim; thankfully I have a spare, though I had originally intended that rim to go on the front of SB Cruiser, on a geared rear hub built into a custom-designed suspension "fork" built out of the rear end of a different bike. But seeing as I havent' gotten around to that yet, I'll have to put it off a bit longer until I can get another good rim to try out on it. (mgiht still do it with a bigger rim...but the smaller one would give better startup torque, which is all I want it for).
Anyway: For the rest of the ride, I had to undo the brake cable to let the arms pull to the sides away from the rim and tire, and remove the right brake pad, because as bulgy as the rim and tire are, it was rubbing on there at the angle it was at.
So far it's survived without getting any worse on the rest of the ride there or home, but I have to do something about it VERY soon as I can't predict if or when it will split enough to let the tire pop off the rim, or let the tube herniate out and blow out. That would suck, as I couldn't do anything about it other than just ride home on it as-is, which would be slow and not very safe, on what would amount to the bare rim (as the tire and tube would probably be destroyed pretty quickly).
If I had the Shinko SR241 moped tire on there, I don't think I'd be worreid about it, as the bead is a LOT thicker and probably wouldn't bend out to allow the rim to do what it is doing, and even with the split rim edge it would probably still contain teh tube just fine.
But all I have on there is the Maxxis Ringworm bicycle tire, so.... :/
I do have that spare rim, but not enough time to lace it, or to get the SB Cruiser ready to ride, by the time I have to leave for work tomorrow. So the present plan is to swap out the present damaged wheel with the Crystalyte HSR3548 motor in it for the similar wheel (but with shinko on it) and X5304 motor in it that's on the SB Cruiser's right rear.
Catch is, the bike is now setup for a rear motor and can't secure the front-sized x5304 in it's dropouts. The only way to mount it on there is to put it in part of a frame off another bike, squeezed to fit it, then clamp or weld that onto this bikes' frame under/inside the existing ones.
I might have to swap the cotnroller over too, as I don't remember if the hall sensors work, and I know the old Ecrazyman that's running the HSR3548 doesn't work sensorless. It's probably easier just to go ahead and swap over the controller anyway, since the phases are soldered on both the motors and controllers, IIRC.
This is a lot of stuff to get done in too short a time.
If I can't get it done for sure by the time I need to head off for work I'll have to get the orignal wheel/etc back on and working, broken rim or not.
Or dig out a regular BMX rear wheel, and use that.
So I guess what I'll have to do first is get that out and make it ready, just in case I can't do the other, and live iwth the much less acceleration of the front motor alone. :/
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=12500&start=1100#p1205150
has gotten much worse, suddenly, on the ride to work today.
(pics to follow when it's light enough outside to get good pics; the ones by flash/etc don't seem to be very good).
Flash pics at night:
View attachment 5
Daylight pics the next day:
Maybe halfway to work or so, suddenly the ibike slowed down and power usage nearly doubled, almost as if the tires had gone flat, but there was no squirelliness. I pulled over to see what might be wrong, and found the rear brake dragging...but not on the pad--on the arm, because the tire was bulging out where the rim is cracked.
Only way to fix this is to replace the rim; thankfully I have a spare, though I had originally intended that rim to go on the front of SB Cruiser, on a geared rear hub built into a custom-designed suspension "fork" built out of the rear end of a different bike. But seeing as I havent' gotten around to that yet, I'll have to put it off a bit longer until I can get another good rim to try out on it. (mgiht still do it with a bigger rim...but the smaller one would give better startup torque, which is all I want it for).
Anyway: For the rest of the ride, I had to undo the brake cable to let the arms pull to the sides away from the rim and tire, and remove the right brake pad, because as bulgy as the rim and tire are, it was rubbing on there at the angle it was at.
So far it's survived without getting any worse on the rest of the ride there or home, but I have to do something about it VERY soon as I can't predict if or when it will split enough to let the tire pop off the rim, or let the tube herniate out and blow out. That would suck, as I couldn't do anything about it other than just ride home on it as-is, which would be slow and not very safe, on what would amount to the bare rim (as the tire and tube would probably be destroyed pretty quickly).
If I had the Shinko SR241 moped tire on there, I don't think I'd be worreid about it, as the bead is a LOT thicker and probably wouldn't bend out to allow the rim to do what it is doing, and even with the split rim edge it would probably still contain teh tube just fine.
But all I have on there is the Maxxis Ringworm bicycle tire, so.... :/
I do have that spare rim, but not enough time to lace it, or to get the SB Cruiser ready to ride, by the time I have to leave for work tomorrow. So the present plan is to swap out the present damaged wheel with the Crystalyte HSR3548 motor in it for the similar wheel (but with shinko on it) and X5304 motor in it that's on the SB Cruiser's right rear.
Catch is, the bike is now setup for a rear motor and can't secure the front-sized x5304 in it's dropouts. The only way to mount it on there is to put it in part of a frame off another bike, squeezed to fit it, then clamp or weld that onto this bikes' frame under/inside the existing ones.
I might have to swap the cotnroller over too, as I don't remember if the hall sensors work, and I know the old Ecrazyman that's running the HSR3548 doesn't work sensorless. It's probably easier just to go ahead and swap over the controller anyway, since the phases are soldered on both the motors and controllers, IIRC.
This is a lot of stuff to get done in too short a time.
If I can't get it done for sure by the time I need to head off for work I'll have to get the orignal wheel/etc back on and working, broken rim or not.
Or dig out a regular BMX rear wheel, and use that.
So I guess what I'll have to do first is get that out and make it ready, just in case I can't do the other, and live iwth the much less acceleration of the front motor alone. :/
The crack has grown worse over the last two days, but has not yet broken the rim off and let the tire and tube escape.
I have been carrying the BMX wheel with me to work just in case of failure,
but my hands have ached so much (especially the left one, and my left shin) that I haven't wanted to try to swap the wheels preventively , just in case I could not continue for some reason. If I couldn't finish I wouldn't have a way to work, so....I gambled, and didn't lose.
This weekend I'll be taking the wheel off and replacing hte rim; will have some other pics I havent' gotten off the camera yet to upload.
These are the wheels I had available without much digging into sheds. This one isnt' a very good wheel, despite all teh spokes, I used it and it's mate off a BMX on the back of the trike and broke a few spokes in the front wheel. This rear wheel is still intact but needs retensioning, which I don't have time to do. It's axle is also too short to fit properly, and would just barely go in the droputs at all. I'd have to actually use nuts pressing from the *inside* of the dropouts to secure it! Aluminum rim with flat braking surfaces should work ok with the rim brake though.
View attachment 4
I can of course swap out the axle with one from a regular bike's rear wheel, but...more time used up.
This one is a much better wheel, but also has a short axle...same problem. Is off the small trailer (MkIII). Should work at least a little with the rim brakes, has flat sides even though I think the rim is steel (cant' remember).
This one has a coaster brake, and the axle length cant' be fixecd but again might be made t o work if I had to.
This one already has the right axle, and should just bolt right into the dropouts, though it's not as good a wheel as the above (and is slick chromed steel so wont' work with the rim brakes well, if at all). BUt I ended up going with this because it was the best compromise for time vs usability.
View attachment 2
Teddy didnt' think much of me using up time I could be rubbing her tummy, though.
I have been carrying the BMX wheel with me to work just in case of failure,
but my hands have ached so much (especially the left one, and my left shin) that I haven't wanted to try to swap the wheels preventively , just in case I could not continue for some reason. If I couldn't finish I wouldn't have a way to work, so....I gambled, and didn't lose.
This weekend I'll be taking the wheel off and replacing hte rim; will have some other pics I havent' gotten off the camera yet to upload.
These are the wheels I had available without much digging into sheds. This one isnt' a very good wheel, despite all teh spokes, I used it and it's mate off a BMX on the back of the trike and broke a few spokes in the front wheel. This rear wheel is still intact but needs retensioning, which I don't have time to do. It's axle is also too short to fit properly, and would just barely go in the droputs at all. I'd have to actually use nuts pressing from the *inside* of the dropouts to secure it! Aluminum rim with flat braking surfaces should work ok with the rim brake though.
View attachment 4
I can of course swap out the axle with one from a regular bike's rear wheel, but...more time used up.
This one is a much better wheel, but also has a short axle...same problem. Is off the small trailer (MkIII). Should work at least a little with the rim brakes, has flat sides even though I think the rim is steel (cant' remember).
This one has a coaster brake, and the axle length cant' be fixecd but again might be made t o work if I had to.
This one already has the right axle, and should just bolt right into the dropouts, though it's not as good a wheel as the above (and is slick chromed steel so wont' work with the rim brakes well, if at all). BUt I ended up going with this because it was the best compromise for time vs usability.
View attachment 2
Teddy didnt' think much of me using up time I could be rubbing her tummy, though.
Alrighty, so yesterday I finally got the rim replaced on the rear wheel. It's still been getting worse, and I figured if I didnt' do it then it'd almost certainly fail on me during a work commute.
View attachment 15
I borrowed Yogi's dinner bowl and the cat litter bucket it sits on for his height, to hold the wheel up while I delaced it. (a regular wheel I'd just lay in my lap, but these hubmotors are too heavy for that, and I'd have bruises on my legs).
View attachment 14
With it in the kitchen, off the bike, I took some hopefully better pics of the damage:
And with the tire deflated, and then removed, you can see just the rim itself sticking out:
So on to changing otu the rim:
Because of the way I trimmed the too-long spokes, with an angle grinder after lacing, it had left flashing of metal at the ends of each one, which meant that as I remvoed each nipple it would damage the threads a little, so I kept each nipple with the spoke it came from, and I left them in the flange holes they started in as I went around, in case any of them were "used to" that one, shaped to it, to reduce stress on them when relaced/tensioned in the new rim. If I could use new spokes I probably would, but I don't have the money for that.
Because my hands ache, especially with the rainy weather we started with changing to sunny toward midday, it took most of the day to unlace the old rim and relace the new one and tension it.
Also, before I put the nipples back on each spoke, I used the sanding drum on the dremel to carefully removve any flashing left on the ends of the spoke, to make it much eaiser to get the nipples back on than they were to get off.
Truing it was easy, as the rim is so wide for it's small circumference that it was mostly true to start with, once all the spokes were at about the same tension. I set it up in my Nishiki's frame, as the easiest one to get to and setup, since it was still hot outside (and humid), and nearly dark out there too. (with mosquitos, to make it worse). Zipties cut to same length on the chainstays at the outer edge of the rim let me center and true it without gauges. It's within about half a millimeter round and side to side.
I also sanded the edges of the valve hole, to ensure it won't damage the stem, before I taped around the rim's nipple holes.
I got it back onto the bike after quite a struggle (again because of my achey hands, for the msot part, and that sometimes hwen I grip things harder one or the othe hand will just go numb and I can't hold on to whatever it was, and stuff falls).
Then, using the motor as a "lathe", I scraped off and then lightly sanded the rim walls, so they can be used as braking surfaces. Since they were painted, not anodized, I can't use them to brake with unless that's done first.
I test rode it around the block a few times, for about a mile, and hit every pothole and bump I could see in the dark with just the headlight, some an inch deep or more, and didn't break anything or have any change in trueness, so it's as good as it gets now until I ride it and test it out.
I looked around for my spare spokes I orignally ordered from Grin with this set, but can't find them right now. Would like to carry them with me for a while just in case; there's only a few but they might get me home if I have a problem.
This whole thing has taught me one lesson for sure--if you have a dented aluminum rim, like this was (from a pothole I think, cant' remember), DON'T try to bend it back straight--just use it like it is.
If I had left it alone, it probably wouldn't have failed like this. :/
View attachment 15
I borrowed Yogi's dinner bowl and the cat litter bucket it sits on for his height, to hold the wheel up while I delaced it. (a regular wheel I'd just lay in my lap, but these hubmotors are too heavy for that, and I'd have bruises on my legs).
View attachment 14
With it in the kitchen, off the bike, I took some hopefully better pics of the damage:
And with the tire deflated, and then removed, you can see just the rim itself sticking out:
So on to changing otu the rim:
Because of the way I trimmed the too-long spokes, with an angle grinder after lacing, it had left flashing of metal at the ends of each one, which meant that as I remvoed each nipple it would damage the threads a little, so I kept each nipple with the spoke it came from, and I left them in the flange holes they started in as I went around, in case any of them were "used to" that one, shaped to it, to reduce stress on them when relaced/tensioned in the new rim. If I could use new spokes I probably would, but I don't have the money for that.
Because my hands ache, especially with the rainy weather we started with changing to sunny toward midday, it took most of the day to unlace the old rim and relace the new one and tension it.
Also, before I put the nipples back on each spoke, I used the sanding drum on the dremel to carefully removve any flashing left on the ends of the spoke, to make it much eaiser to get the nipples back on than they were to get off.
Truing it was easy, as the rim is so wide for it's small circumference that it was mostly true to start with, once all the spokes were at about the same tension. I set it up in my Nishiki's frame, as the easiest one to get to and setup, since it was still hot outside (and humid), and nearly dark out there too. (with mosquitos, to make it worse). Zipties cut to same length on the chainstays at the outer edge of the rim let me center and true it without gauges. It's within about half a millimeter round and side to side.
I also sanded the edges of the valve hole, to ensure it won't damage the stem, before I taped around the rim's nipple holes.
I got it back onto the bike after quite a struggle (again because of my achey hands, for the msot part, and that sometimes hwen I grip things harder one or the othe hand will just go numb and I can't hold on to whatever it was, and stuff falls).
Then, using the motor as a "lathe", I scraped off and then lightly sanded the rim walls, so they can be used as braking surfaces. Since they were painted, not anodized, I can't use them to brake with unless that's done first.
I test rode it around the block a few times, for about a mile, and hit every pothole and bump I could see in the dark with just the headlight, some an inch deep or more, and didn't break anything or have any change in trueness, so it's as good as it gets now until I ride it and test it out.
I looked around for my spare spokes I orignally ordered from Grin with this set, but can't find them right now. Would like to carry them with me for a while just in case; there's only a few but they might get me home if I have a problem.
This whole thing has taught me one lesson for sure--if you have a dented aluminum rim, like this was (from a pothole I think, cant' remember), DON'T try to bend it back straight--just use it like it is.
If I had left it alone, it probably wouldn't have failed like this. :/
Nothing broke yet.
I find this wheel rides smoother than the old one; I'd ridden SBC for so long before going back to CB2 that I dont' recall if the non-smoothness of the old rim was something that was always there or if it started after the original dent in it happened and then I "fixed" it by bending it back out (later cracking it), or if it was a problme with out-of-roundness from the tensioning/truing.
Either way, the new wheel is smoother by quite a lot.
Someday I'd like to be able to go get another of the Shinkos I've got on SBC for the rear wheel of CB2; I've a feeling it'll make it ride even better.
I find this wheel rides smoother than the old one; I'd ridden SBC for so long before going back to CB2 that I dont' recall if the non-smoothness of the old rim was something that was always there or if it started after the original dent in it happened and then I "fixed" it by bending it back out (later cracking it), or if it was a problme with out-of-roundness from the tensioning/truing.
Either way, the new wheel is smoother by quite a lot.
Someday I'd like to be able to go get another of the Shinkos I've got on SBC for the rear wheel of CB2; I've a feeling it'll make it ride even better.
wheel still ok, brake pads/surfaces are breaking in again, slowly, but they work (not well enough to totally stop me but they don't need to--the regen and the front brake can do that wihtout the rear anyway).
Predictions for rain have been fluctuating from 70-90% chance of heavy rain sunday/monday here, and a bit of chance before and after that (10-30% depending on when I check the forecast).
So I'll find out how the canopy works out when soaking wet--since it's made from a fabric that's kinda like lightweigth felt, it should soak up the rain pretty well, and that could cause problems (since otherwise it's a very lightwieght canopy, and other than wind-buffeting doesnt' normally affect the ride handling much...but soaked with water it might weigh many pounds more. Even just a couple gallons of water in it would make it close to 20 pounds more topheavy than without the canopy.
I am going to try to remember to cover it in some clear plastic bags I've got, to minimize the water that gets into it. (not worried about me getting wet, as I have MC rain gear, just the bike's handling if it's that top heavy).
It's been actually cold at night here last couple nights; is about 45F out there right now, still dropping (only 130am right now, probably will get down to at least 40F, maybe lower, before dawn, so I have been taking the bike inside so the battery can be fully charged without worry about temperatures.
HAs been about ideal weather for working on outside projects like the SB Cruiser trike, but whenever I go out to work on it I start to remember Teddy coming over to "help", which she isn't around to do anymore, and Tiny riding in it, and I get depressed and sometimes can't help but cry, and just can't bring msyelf to stay out there and work on it.
Someitmes I'll stay out there and play with Yogi and Kirin (the newest one), but they aren't always interested in doing that, sometimes already wore themselves out playing with each other and just lay in the sun or the shade, or have gone inside themselves, leaving me without much motivation to stay out there, and I end up going inside and puttering around with stuff that has less dog-related memories to it (like computers/music), or just going back to bed, until it is time to go to work on workdays, or wasting whole days off that way.
Kirin is adorable, but she isn't Tiny (or Teddy), and I miss both of them terribly; Yogi does too though he certainly likes Kirin a lot, and they play as much as he and Tiny did when she was still able to roughhouse, but he also sometimes just avoids her and goes to whatever room she's not in to lay down in his depressed pose. He improves a bit when I follow him and give him his elbow and rib rubs, but sometimes he doesn't want those either, and I guess I don't blame him; I feel like that too sometimes, having lost two in just half a year, both of them in sudden tragedies.
Kirin sticks with me like glue when I'm home unless she is out playing with Yogi or distracted by sounds or something, as long as I am paying any attention to her at all (and often when I am not), which Teddy often did too. Tiny was more independent, but she checked on me and might stay in the same room even if not right there with me, except in nice weather when she would tend to be outside somewhere.
Kirin is very Hachi-like, puppyish, so the reminders are even harder, though I definitely am glad she's here.
I'm just nowhere near past the loss of Tiny or Teddy (though I had not realized how un-past Tiny's loss I am until I lost Teddy too).
random pictures of Kirin and Yogi
So I'll find out how the canopy works out when soaking wet--since it's made from a fabric that's kinda like lightweigth felt, it should soak up the rain pretty well, and that could cause problems (since otherwise it's a very lightwieght canopy, and other than wind-buffeting doesnt' normally affect the ride handling much...but soaked with water it might weigh many pounds more. Even just a couple gallons of water in it would make it close to 20 pounds more topheavy than without the canopy.
I am going to try to remember to cover it in some clear plastic bags I've got, to minimize the water that gets into it. (not worried about me getting wet, as I have MC rain gear, just the bike's handling if it's that top heavy).
It's been actually cold at night here last couple nights; is about 45F out there right now, still dropping (only 130am right now, probably will get down to at least 40F, maybe lower, before dawn, so I have been taking the bike inside so the battery can be fully charged without worry about temperatures.
HAs been about ideal weather for working on outside projects like the SB Cruiser trike, but whenever I go out to work on it I start to remember Teddy coming over to "help", which she isn't around to do anymore, and Tiny riding in it, and I get depressed and sometimes can't help but cry, and just can't bring msyelf to stay out there and work on it.
Someitmes I'll stay out there and play with Yogi and Kirin (the newest one), but they aren't always interested in doing that, sometimes already wore themselves out playing with each other and just lay in the sun or the shade, or have gone inside themselves, leaving me without much motivation to stay out there, and I end up going inside and puttering around with stuff that has less dog-related memories to it (like computers/music), or just going back to bed, until it is time to go to work on workdays, or wasting whole days off that way.
Kirin is adorable, but she isn't Tiny (or Teddy), and I miss both of them terribly; Yogi does too though he certainly likes Kirin a lot, and they play as much as he and Tiny did when she was still able to roughhouse, but he also sometimes just avoids her and goes to whatever room she's not in to lay down in his depressed pose. He improves a bit when I follow him and give him his elbow and rib rubs, but sometimes he doesn't want those either, and I guess I don't blame him; I feel like that too sometimes, having lost two in just half a year, both of them in sudden tragedies.
Kirin sticks with me like glue when I'm home unless she is out playing with Yogi or distracted by sounds or something, as long as I am paying any attention to her at all (and often when I am not), which Teddy often did too. Tiny was more independent, but she checked on me and might stay in the same room even if not right there with me, except in nice weather when she would tend to be outside somewhere.
Kirin is very Hachi-like, puppyish, so the reminders are even harder, though I definitely am glad she's here.
I'm just nowhere near past the loss of Tiny or Teddy (though I had not realized how un-past Tiny's loss I am until I lost Teddy too).
random pictures of Kirin and Yogi
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The cheap plastic ebrake lever I've been using for hte rear brake and the brake light switch has begun sticking due to the colder weather, so the light remains on after releasing the brake lever until I push it forward that last teensy bit with the tip of a finger from behind the lever; annoying to have to remember to do every time I let go of it.
More than annoying is that the metal Honda brake lever I've been using just to engage the regen braking (which also cuts off motor ability) is *also* sticking in the engaged position, just by a teensy bit, so I have to do the same thing to that one when I brake so I can startup again afterward. :/ The lever is like 30 years old, so I'm not surprised at the problems I have with it.
I can probalby just tighten the spring on the Honda lever to fix that, but the other one I will have to try lubricating the plastic to see if it helps. Maybe some bar soap, as everything else I have will either dissolve the plastic over time or get sticky or gummy as it gets even colder.
Someday I'm hoping to run across a bunch of sets of metal MC cable-brake levers (with all the switches for brakes and turn signals and stuff too), and replace all the bicycle stuff with it. The bike cable brakes wont' work direclty with them, and I'd also then have to use some sort of pulley (like the Problem Solvers stuff) to fix the mechanical advantage issues, but at least the levers would be more reliable.
More than annoying is that the metal Honda brake lever I've been using just to engage the regen braking (which also cuts off motor ability) is *also* sticking in the engaged position, just by a teensy bit, so I have to do the same thing to that one when I brake so I can startup again afterward. :/ The lever is like 30 years old, so I'm not surprised at the problems I have with it.
I can probalby just tighten the spring on the Honda lever to fix that, but the other one I will have to try lubricating the plastic to see if it helps. Maybe some bar soap, as everything else I have will either dissolve the plastic over time or get sticky or gummy as it gets even colder.
Someday I'm hoping to run across a bunch of sets of metal MC cable-brake levers (with all the switches for brakes and turn signals and stuff too), and replace all the bicycle stuff with it. The bike cable brakes wont' work direclty with them, and I'd also then have to use some sort of pulley (like the Problem Solvers stuff) to fix the mechanical advantage issues, but at least the levers would be more reliable.
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