Beach cruisers anyone?

[dogman dan]

Always popular with the new adopters who may not be real pedalheads, the simplicity of a coaster brake and a front hub on a steel fork has it's definite appeal.

For those about to build one, I was in the Walmart this morning looking for a tube and saw two nice new frame styles on display. One a huffy, the other a schwinn. Both very inexpensive coaster brake bikes. I think they are near perfect for many peoples first bike. Not real long distance commuters, but the kind that just want 5-6 miles of easy ride.

What made me look, was the very much improved sturdy rear racks on them. Particularly the huffy, it's rack is actually a welded in part of the frame. 8) Carry the girlfriend on it strong, it would be perfect for a ping on top and some panniers. It seems to me, that the introduction of new frame styles that feature racks able to carry lead bricks means somebody is paying attention somewhere.

Link to the huffy. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Huffy-Panama-Jack-26-Men-s-Cruiser-Bike/16775667

Of course, if you are smart, you'd still carry the battery in the frame center. But noobs carry lead on a rear rack at least for a while, and this bike looks perfect for that.

 

[Drunkskunk]

That Huffy Panama Jack looks like a good start, was it a steel frame?

But what would scare me is turning a noob loose on an Ebike, loaded with lead, with all that new found power and speed, and only a coaster brake to stop it.

 

[dogman dan]

True that. I was pretty much thinkng in terms of the guys that start out with a lil bafang or muxus and 350w.

Would work good with the slow motors I like so much too. 20 mph top speed stuff. But no, not a HS clyte running an 18s 40 amp.

My beach cruiser has two rim brakes, but crappy calipers that work a lot worse than a coaster brake. Put a 35 mph motor on it, and it was fun, but you better be looking ahead quite a ways.

I really was impressed though, that a cheap beach cruiser had a rack strong enough for a lead pack. Traditionally, if a rack came with one, it was mosty decorative.

Alloy frame I think, but steel front fork of course. I didn't hunt it down, but maybe the same bike can be had with v brakes and 7 speeds.

 

[boppinbob]

The great thing about beach cruisers is the abundance of steel frame cruisers, and big triangles. I used to wonder why, in my months of lurking here before my first ebike why weight distribution was harped on so much. I know now it's about safety. If all your added weight is in the back there is little traction for turning (the front wants to slide out from under you in a moderate turn.) not to mention funky steering behavior. Beach cruisers have lots of room to put components up front if you want a rear motor. Braking components are another story since most beach cruisers only have a rear coaster brake.(Like what your Schwinn Stingray had when you were a kid) Luckily they make what they call wrap around calipers so you can mount a linear pull system on. Hell even disc brakes if you can weld.

 

[Ykick]

They got kind of a Pedego thing going on with welded rack, eh?

My Nirve B1 is a good beach cruiser with steel frame and while I prefer the braking effectiveness of coaster brakes (power slides anyone?) I still cringe remembering when my chain hopped off and had it not been for a pitiful front caliper brake I would've suffered a fairly serious accident.

Most steel beach cruiser forks can accommodate single pivot caliper brake though. They're not great but better than nothing.

I like beach cruisers because they're very comfortable IMO sitting long periods of time in a tractor pan seat.

EDIT - ahh, what the heck, ran across an old photo of the B1 assembled from off the shelf kit stuff early 2010? Still ride it mostly for grocery, shopping or crazy wet weather. Now sporting a removal front rack and deeper dish tractor seat.

Rack and battery would fall apart with daily commuter use, I believe. It's on there pretty good but NYC roads and solid suspension very hard on things. Plenty of room in the triangle though and almost "Workman" solid frame.

btw, that's a now extinct eBikeKit Lifepo4 10Ah prismatic pack. Measured a month ago and still delivers honest 9Ah.

 

[chisixer6]

On my last build, I considered the Huffy and schwein, mainly for the nice paint job and look price, instead I rebuild my 1st bike from 1958. using a chrome springer fork with sturmey archer drum brake up front and a sturmey archer 2 speed kickback hub with coaster brake in the rear. this is the rear rack that I used.

http://www.chubbyscruisers.com/shop/retro-rear-carrier-p-310.html?cPath=9_41

 

[amberwolf]

Slime is running a contest in which they are giving away one of three bikes, and one is a beach cruiser type similar to these. If anyone from ES wins it, it'll be interesting to see the ebike built from it.

 

[maydaverave]

Amazon sells a rear wheel with a hi stop coaster brake hub, 12 gauge spokes, and a massive weinman down hill rim for about thirty bucks. Mount a giant 2.5 inch tire for grip and it doesnt stop to bad also maintenance free. That said good front brakes are still a must have. The stock wheel and tires wont last a month at 20 mph. I have been running the above wheel for three years and its still perfectly trued.

 

[maydaverave]

On my last build, I considered the Huffy and schwein, mainly for the nice paint job and look price, instead I rebuild my 1st bike from 1958. using a chrome springer fork with sturmey archer drum brake up front and a sturmey archer 2 speed kickback hub with coaster brake in the rear. this is the rear rack that I used.

http://www.chubbyscruisers.com/shop/retro-rear-carrier-p-310.html?cPath=9_41

I really want to build a super simple commuter with a 2 speed kickback hub coaster brake wheel set. How easy is the shifting?

 

[olemetry]

I ran a Schwinn Clairmont from Wal-Mart before it got stolen. Check it out. Steel, black, and cheap. Great first e-bike. Hand-brakes & 7-speed.

Did 26mph on 1000W Golden Motor DD with 12s all day long. Check it out. Steel, black, and cheap. She was a real geo-caching machine.

 

[The fingers]

I got my Fiore for FREE! Too ugly to post a photo in the Slime contest or here though. Five speed, chrome steel fork, hand brakes, step through frame (girls bike) and comfy Schwinn No Pressure seat. Save-A-Battery 36 volt charger/maintainer. Converted to electric July 2011, gas savings recoup cost in 4 months. Tall, fat Electra Hotster 26x2.50 tires allow appx. 25 mph WOT top speed with no pedaling. Commute 3-4 times a week, 7-12 miles each way, well within range of SLA pack on rear rack. I pedal on hills and in strong headwinds at about 1/2-3/4 throttle in high gear.

 

[boppinbob]

I ran a Schwinn Clairmont from Wal-Mart before it got stolen.

A person that would steal another person's ebike should be hung from the nearest tree.

 

[wineboyrider]

That's what I'm riding now a beach cruiser on 36v with coaster brakes and regen......

 

[chisixer6]

Maydaverave; I just recently rebuilt my 1st bike, using a kickback hub, for last 40 plus years it been either freewheel or cassettes, so I got to change habits, such as can't back pedal. to change gears is a similar motion to using coaster brake.