My next first build: Schwinn spoiler stingray

M

manitu

100 W
Joined
Apr 15, 2011
Messages
123
Location
Norway , Scandinavia.
Hi guys! As some of you may have noticed , I'm not exactly finished with my first build , the Giant DH-Team, but that project involves some machine-work , and my spare time during bike season just wont cut it.

Ive started thinking about a simple chopper build , or converting a cheap steel frame for simplicity.

But.. I mentioned this to the guys at work , and they told me there were custom bikes in a room at the storage wich I should take alook at . They've been there since before I started working there , so I did'nt know about themA Schwinn spoiler stingray with red flames , a Pacific bikes Kustom Kruiser , and a special edition of our main (norwegian) brand, Hard Rocx.
chopper.jpg

kustomkruiser.jpg

keywest.jpg


I've secured the stingray for myself , and I'm thinking about converting the other two too.

I think I'll use a HS35 for this one , Lyen controller and a lipo pack in a leather bag , strapped inside the frame. The controller behind the seatpost , maybe..

I just have this one photo of the bike , but here is a album of a identical bike. http://community.webshots.com/album/234080811AFFqcR

.manitu
 
NB: these photos are not of my bike , but a identical one , I will change the photos when I take new ones.

The rear wheel is 4 inches wide , and have the spoke holes on two lines , centimeters apart. I'm atfaid that the wheel will be wiggly when laced to the crystalyte hub , with its narrow spoke flange width. anyone done something similar? maybe another rim?



Another thing I'm not too fond of is the springer fork. It may look the part but has no damping , only springs.

Not shure it can handle a 8 inch brake disk either , and the design makes the fork ekstend when braking. What I want to do is to mount a marzocchi tripple eight on it , but I think I'll need a offset crown to get the proper trail with that one. It will get a tripple eight eventually , it's such a sweet fork , I got a coupple of them, and I can modify them from about 160mm to 200mm travel.
Just have to make a custom crown for it first. By the way , here is a listing of axle to crown length on different forks http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=470024

I think I'll go to the saddle-maker at the horse-track an get him to make me a custom fit leather bag for the batteries. having this much space in the frame , I should be able to cram in 20 Ah at 66V or more. The controller and wiring should fit between the seatpost and rear wheel, making the wires neat and short, and the bike looking clean.

.manitu
 
There are a couple of threads on converting the schwinn spoiler if you want to look those up. One difficulty is getting a hub motor with an axle that will fit the 165mm dropout spacing and lacing it to the extra-wide rim. It can be done, though. I've been meaning to convert mine, but too many things going on and I never have the time. I just put my spoiler up for sale on craigslist.
 
Yeah , I've noticed the rear rim. Wich hubmotor have the best spoke flange spacing?
I know some people have used other rims with the spoke holes on the rim center, and others using motorcycle rims.
I understand that motorcycle rims are measured different than bike rims?

.manitu
 
I have a stingray chopper with a X5304 laced to a 3inch rim, from what I see in my wheel, I think a 4 inch rim could fit.

here is my chopper, there you could see the laced X5304, it seems you could go an extra inch wide and dont loose wheel integrity.
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=29025
 
Hello Manitu, and welcome to the special needs section of the asylum! :lol: 9C, or 9 Continent rear hubmotors come factory with a 9 inch axle, and thus are perfect fit, but they are skinney and change the brake caliper location. The frame is Aluminum, so I consider it to be a weak point and refuse to drill into it at all. The rear wheel rims are junhardtail hog.k, and should be replaced with higher quality pieces. Another forum member to get to know is John Rob Holmes, from Holmeshobies. He can build you a special wheel/hub combo at a good price that will be nearly as wide as the stock tire without the weaknesses. We have another member who posted on my thread about makeing custom axles for X5 hubs so you might get lucky there too. You may want to reconsider the triple eight forkes, unless the rebound and preload are both adjustable, as I have read from other full suspension riders that less travel on the road is better tthan too much for high speed work. The long travel bikes wallow arround like a old station wagon, compared to a sports car. If you are not lookingt to run at highway speeds there may be no cause for alarm. Since the Spoiler is a hardtail I will be building mine for average cycleing speeds, 20 to 30 mph. I live in a city with five roads that have a 20 % grade on them, and a river bisecting the town. My build will have a definite hill climbing potential built into it. With all this in mind, feel free to visit my thread and post there to your hearts content, as I show off my Rube Goldberg attempt at a poor boys hardtail hog. It's the closest I'll ever get to owning a real Harley Sportster. You should be proud, that's one of only two thousand Spoilers sent to the US. The going price for them is $1000. They sold new for $650. Anyway, welcome aboard the small bus, school is always in session, the curiculum is dificult, homework is mandatory, and potentially dangerous, and the reward for completion is quite likely to get you sent to the nearest sanitarium. At least the ride will not be boreing. :lol: You will not be alone in the rubber room either, but the crapper is MINE! :D :twisted: :mrgreen:
Brian L.
 
Great input!

I will contact John Rob Holmes for a quote on his wheel build.

I've put the tripple eight on the bike already , picture will follow. This gave me a few problems that hass to be fixed.

1:Head tube length on the Spoiler. I'll cut down the head-tube as muct as possible , but there is less than one inch to remove.. This puts the lower crown too low on upper legs , so I'll have to add a bottom out spacer to keep the lower leg arch from hitting the lower crown.

2:Wheel/pedal interference. This is the one I'm worried about.. It's possible to hit the front wheel with the pedals. The obvious solution isto make a custom ofset crown wich allso would correct any trail issues, but this will cost money. I can't see any cheap solutions to this problem (exept a smaller front wheel..)

The Springer is not going back on the bike unless I sell it. Springers are only good for reducing trail , and are rubbish as suspension. they extend under braking , has only springs/no shock , and the Schwinn one is not exactly top quality. No , I'll make the 888 work , I just love these forks. Even the simplest one cand be tuned to a great degree with oil weight / oil height tuning , just like a proper old-school enduro/MX fork. They came in 6.5 and 8 inch travel , but with the right parts , they canbe used at any length from 5 to 8 inches,


Rear wheel. A X5 would be great , but dooes it fit in a 20 inch rim?? I've looked at axle lenght and spoke flange width on a few motors , but not decided on motor yet. I'm on looking for highway speeds , but it should do 35-40 Mph.

Another thing.. the Spoiler would be one nice bike with a two-speed RC motor setup , if I could make it reliable.

.manitu
 
I asked Recompence once about his mid drive setup, he said the Spoiler tubes are too thick for his stuff. You might get a better answer now. Your bigest problem with hub motors will be the nine inch axle length needed to fit the bike. Crystalite X5 or X5 motors as we call them are very amp hungry, heavy, and need longer axles. I believe Magudaman was working on longer axles for the x5 motors. Any good local machine shop can carve you out a new set of triple clamps, but you may end up coughing up a lung to get them! I like those 888 forks, I may look into getting a set for my OCC bike. Good luck.
Brian L.
 
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