Schwinn chopper ebike buildup questions

[AussieJester]

If you need some custom dropouts, check in with Endless Sphere member Valy, he
has been knocking out some neat custom torque arms ...

Can see his work in this thread

Has done them in both steel and ali...very very nice quality finish, i'm sure if you waived
a lil green in front of him he would be happy to knock you up a set? Can't hurt to ask anywayz...

Re: the 4.25X20in rim quality, 100% agree with John, they aint flash, i wrapped 6 layers of kevlar tape around mine for a lil extra insurance haha...

KiM

 

[RallySTX]

Thanks Ausie Jester, I will get ahold of Valy, and see what he says. A pic or two of the rear dropouts and chain tensioner.

Also, a pic of the chain tensioner that will have the axle hole elongated, or replaced with steel of similar size.

Can I drill a hole near the dropout for a tourqe arm without weakening the frame?

 

[AussieJester]

Also, a pic of the chain tensioner that will have the axle hole elongated, or replaced with steel of similar size.

Can I drill a hole near the dropout for a tourqe arm without weakening the frame?

Seeing you want to keep the bike "original" i wouldn't be boring holes in it, but no, a hole or two in the dropouts wont weaken
the framr dramatically to answer your question, I'm sure Valy could make torque arm that utilized the chain guard bolt hole..

KiM

 

[RallySTX]

Thanks Kim, I was worried about that. I have PMed Valy about the tourqe arms.

 

[valy]

hello guys can I come with a ideea

will be a torque arm and chain tensioner and look goood
I will build one for you and I will put some picture for you to se if you like it
kindly Valy

 

[RallySTX]

Not sure what was here so I'll post the crude paper mock up of the tourqe arm for the Spoiler. Possibly for an outsized pic I wrote. Your ideas are always welcome. Just remember to keep your images sized 640x480 or smaller, or they will be too big and we will not be able to see all of it.

 

[AussieJester]

Your ideas are always welcome. Just remember to keep your images sized 640x480 or smaller, or they will be too big and we will not be able to see all of it.

Right click "save image as" save it too your hard drive then look at it with what ever 'photo viewer' is on your pc..

KiM

 

[RallySTX]

I just cut and pasted in into the address bar in explorer and it worked. But thanks Kim!

 

[oldpiper]

Brian, I just (read: last night) finished a conversion of an OCC Stingray. Today I rode it in to work, it rides like a dream. Here's the specs: front motor, AmpedBikes 24", 12 ga. spokes (heavy-duty); 36V SLA batteries set on the rack they provide mounted in back, and the controller fit just fine under the saddle, just open up the screw hole on top a bit for the fender screw. The front dropouts are the most substantial I've ever seen, but I'm going to put a torque arm on the axle, anyway.

I don't have a speedometer on it, but it "runs like the wind" to me. There's no problem riding in gravel with the front motor at all (road construction around here), like a FWD car.

The only things I had to do different from the "standard" install on the AmpedBikes website were to fit a washer over the axle on the inside of the front fork, motor side (the extra wide fork first customized my motor by adding a silver pen-stripe circle about 1/3 of the way out) and to put the rack for the batteries on backward and shorten the front support for it about an inch (there's no accessible seat post here). The battery pack for now is just bungee-corded down.

Here are a couple of pix from my phone (not framing quality, but WTHeck, it's a phone):

Hope this helps encourage you.

Cameron

 

[RallySTX]

Cameron, you rule. That bike is beautiful! I only found two XL choppers for sale since you posted your pix. One sits at a hog shop in SD. Update, sold as of Dec 28th when I called Fargo to ask about it! The other is in the Phillipeans! owned aparently by someone who has forgotten how to respond to emails, or delete the add, Hello Fargo, that means you too! Us Echopper guys gotta stick together! Thanks for proving that Ebikes are cool, but Echoppers RULE!
Brian L.

 

[TopCat]

Hi Brian,

I only just found this post while doing another search on Spoilers on the fourms. I see that Kim/Aussiejester has posted! I thought he'd have at least given me the heads up to this post as he knows that I too have a Spoiler that I am doing up.
I bought my Spoiler a few months ago for £100 + £20 P&P of ebay. It seems were both in the same boat! We both need a job to get our bikes to where we want them. Im doing mine up a little at a time - when funds allow.

When I got my Spoiler I spent weeks (still do the odd one) looking at web pages about spoilers, Iv'e saved off tons of pictures just to drool over :lol:

My long term plan is to have my bike all Black with Gold rims and of course electric. So far I have taken the 36V 500Watt motor off my push trailer and attached it to a frame (I had my mate weld up) over the back wheel.

PUSH TRAILER.

I built this in June of this year. I'd not long finished it when the Spoiler showed up on ebay.

BUILD.... http://motorbicycling.com/f9/bosscats-push-trailer-16616.html#post162318

SCHWINN SPOILER.
When I got my spoiler it was in much need of some TLC, the forks were rusted to hell - odd nuts and bolts holding bits on. The rear mudguard/fender had been bobbed and the front mudguard/fender missing.
I have since had my mate clean up the forks as best he can but the still look shabby and it will cost an arm and aleg to have them rechromed so I was thinking of stripping them down and painting them black and the springs gold. A guy at the end of my street gave me a gold pair of motorbike handlebars for free. other stuff I have for the bike....
Gold braided brake cable. I got one length thinking it would be enough but no. Im now awaitng delivery of a 25ft roll.
2 Gold 203 disc rotors for the front. Im at present making up an adaptor to fit a caliper on the lower left front. I already had one made to fit the 180 rotors but have since got 203 rotors so I now have to make a new bracket/adaptor.
Added a BMX gyro cable splitter. This allows both front brakes to be applied with the pull of one lever.
A new rear mudguard/fender. This took a bit of finding and took a wander around the USA before it got to me as the ebay seller (USA) didnt ship internationally! So I had to get someone to buy it for me - ship it to his house - then he shipped it to me. Cheap fender $20 or so but cost a small fotune to get to me. Saving fitting this until bike has been painted.
A new fancy seat. I'll be ordering this some time this week.
Backrest. I have missed out on many a lambretta/Vespa type backrest that i'd like to add to the bike but my search goes on I may get my mate to make me one up?
Cree led front light - Rear led lights/brake lights/indicators. I still have to fit some of the lights and hook wire them up to a Lights/Horn/Indicator switch that I bought.

This is how my Spoiler looked about a month or so ago. I'll need to get some newer pics taken.

When it arrived.

A couple of months ago.

I have since moved the batteries into a box on the back of the bike. With this setup I dont get far as these SLA batteries are old and past there best plus there bloody heavy. My next buy is some of these Turnigy 5000mAh 5S 25C Lipo Packs and a charger.

This will hopefully power me along for a while until I can afford an RC motor and all the gubbings that go with it. Need to start saving the pennys.

Here are a couple of links on electric spoilers that you may find interesting?

http://fotki.lv/lv/cameras/Panasonic/DMC-FZ4/

http://visforvoltage.org/vehicle-maker/schwinn-stingray-spoiler

I'll now be keeping an eye on this thread to see how you get on with your Spoiler build. I wish you the best of luck with it.

Regards
Tom

 

[RallySTX]

Hello Tom, and thanks for posting all the nice pix of your bike. I actually read your buildup and marveled over that push trailer. That was a sweet piece of work. I am actually considering doing something similar here, but I am limited in what I can get away with here. I live in an apartment building on the second floor. So whatever I make, has to be light enough and small enough for me to carry it up and down the stairs. When I build up the Spoiler, I'll have to use a battery pack in a frame bag I can remove after each ride. I can barely get it up the stairs now! Another developement is in the works. I got a email from a fellow on Craigslist, says he will deliver the Schwinn OCC Chopper I offered to buy next Friday, after 5 P.M. for $150. That bike has a steel frame, and monotube forks with steel dropouts. A much better starting point for a Echopper. I have actually considered wrapping my Spoiler in plastic and saving it for posterity. It's in such good shape, and is rare as Guiness served by Playboy bunnies here! Like you I am a pensioner, and must rub pennies for luck, so progress is slow. That just gives me time to learn more about the hobby, and meet wonderfull people like yourself. I think Spoiled Spoiler must have blown himself up, as he hasn't replied to my post on his thread yet. I'm interested in those Turnigy cells, are you going to daisychain them into packs, for high voltage? How much are they? Where do you get them? What are the specs for volts? Show me your solution for rear indicators, and switching. I really like the LED tail lights on the Spoiler with the fringes on the bars. That looks like it would work for me too. We'll have to get together on the Isle of Man, and have an Echopper TT event sometime eh! Drop us a line anytime mate.
Brian L. KC9DAK.

 

[TopCat]

Hello Tom, and thanks for posting all the nice pix of your bike. I actually read your buildup and marveled over that push trailer. That was a sweet piece of work. I am actually considering doing something similar here, but I am limited in what I can get away with here. I live in an apartment building on the second floor. So whatever I make, has to be light enough and small enough for me to carry it up and down the stairs. When I build up the Spoiler, I'll have to use a battery pack in a frame bag I can remove after each ride. I can barely get it up the stairs now! Another developement is in the works. I got a email from a fellow on Craigslist, says he will deliver the Schwinn OCC Chopper I offered to buy next Friday, after 5 P.M. for $150. That bike has a steel frame, and monotube forks with steel dropouts. A much better starting point for a Echopper. I have actually considered wrapping my Spoiler in plastic and saving it for posterity. It's in such good shape, and is rare as Guiness served by Playboy bunnies here! :lol: Like you I am a pensioner, and must rub pennies for luck, so progress is slow. That just gives me time to learn more about the hobby, and meet wonderfull people like yourself. 8) I think Spoiled Spoiler must have blown himself up, as he hasn't replied to my post on his thread yet. :? I'm interested in those Turnigy cells, are you going to daisychain them into packs, for high voltage? How much are they? Where do you get them? What are the specs for volts? Show me your solution for rear indicators, and switching. I really like the LED tail lights on the Spoiler with the fringes on the bars. That looks like it would work for me too. We'll have to get together on the Isle of Man, and have an Echopper TT event sometime eh! Drop us a line anytime mate.
Brian L. KC9DAK.

Hi Brian,

How it all started. .... One mans journey From trailer addiction to electric bikes.

A couple of years ago (Aug 2008) a mate of mine got one of those trailer tents and we headed of to Skye to test it out for 4 days. It was a great 4 days, the weather! Well while the rest of the UK was getting flooded with torrential downpours Skye was getting hit by a heatwave

Rather than post a long winded story I'll just link to the trailer page of a forums and you can read it at you leisure.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?326435-The-post-your-trailer-thread./page8

The link above has some great trailers, bought and homemade. I never cease to be amazed by some of the contraptions that guys come up with.

Of course after I built my first trailer I stood back looking at it thinking thats the bees knees. Its when I now look back at my first attempt at a trailer and compare it with something like these...

Right click and View image to see full pic.

Mine doesnt seem the bees knees any more but just a cobbled together pile of junk with wheels :lol:

I had plans to build a camping/fishing/touring type trailer similar to the ones above Iv'e just never gotten around to finishing it....

Having researched trailers of all shapes n' sizes I saw a picture on a forums of a trailer with a motor attached!!! This got me thinking. Hummm I could fit a motor to my trailer. I then started looking at push trailers, pretty soon I had all the bitsI needed and had myself a push trailer. The reason behind the push trailer was I didn't want to hack up/drill holes etc in my new mountian bike, the towing frame I made up just bolts on and I can take it off leaving my bike untouched. I had thought about putting the motor on my bike but it looked a complicated afair. I then saw the Spoiler on ebay and as soon as I seen the gap behind the seatpost and back wheel I was sold - in ideal place to stick a motor. Sadly the motor I have is just to big to fit in that gap, to line it up with the sprocket (sprocket in place of rear disc rotor) it interferes with the peddle chain :x So I had to put it where it is now. I may try it in that gap again and see if I can get it to fit.
As with my mountian bike I really didnt want to drill holes or hack it up in any way, the motor frame I had my mate weld up bolts onto the rear axle, I only had to drill two holes in the aluminium dropouts to stop the tow/motor frame from moving....

I have since added two struts that bolt onto where the Mudguard/Fender attaches to further strengthen my tow frame/Motor mount. Towing my trailer is fine....

Of course while reseaching ebikes and motors etc you eventually end up here at ES. A great bunch of guys with some nice builds. Its here you learn all the in's and out's of building an electric bike.

Note... All pics of Spoiler - Trailer are in various states of build.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BATTERIES.

First off I must tell you that when it comes to Volts/Watts/Amps, what I know you could probably write on a grain of sand and still have room for an encyclopedia
Im only just starting to learn about these lippo batteries and all the gubbings that are involved. They look complicated with all the boards/wiring thats needed. It was only a few weeks ago while reading a thread on another forums that I asked about these type of batteries. Thud (a member here also) pointed me in the right direction. See this post....

http://motorbicycling.com/f55/feedback-request-these-blue-lipo-batteries-23402.html


LIGHTS - INDICATORS.

While building my trailer(s) I thought it best to have lights etc, so I went looking for something cheap and simple. I got a few of these of ebay to use as rear lights and indicators...

For back of bike box. Rear lights n' indicators. Red N' Orange.

For back of trailer - Indicators Orange.

I also have dismatled one of these and drilled holes in my bike box for the leds to poke through, (I bust 2 sets before I got it right) Red used as a brake light strip. I also have a long led strip along the bottom of my trailer that acts as a brake light. The busted set(s) I used the 3 working led's inside the scooter rear light and fixed it to my bike box as a rear light.

Bike box on rear of my mountian bike. Note the white tape holding in the brake lever working the lights so I could take the pic.

Rear of Trailer.

The cheapest you'll find them...
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/lckh2010/m.h...=nc&_ipg=25&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14.l1513&_pgn=1



I did at one time have all these lights working but with jumping from one project to the spoiler project there in various states at the moment. To controle the Lights - Horn (need to get a horn) - Indicators I used a handle of an old electric scooter I slavaged...

Sadly the scooter switch handle has stopped working for some unknown reason? So I ended up buying one of these of ebay...

Lights Turn Signal Horn Switch for Scooters Bikes.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Lights-Turn-S...87?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item53e45b338b

I also had a guy build me a flasher unit to work the indictors but it didn't work right, he built me another one free of charge. This resides in a box along with all the other new stuff planed to fit on the spoiler.

Once I get the spoiler all mocked up and working i'll strip it all back down for painting. Then its a case of fitting it all together and the headache of all the wiring ......Do you have any asprin :lol:

I leave you with a link to another forums on Schwinn bikes, Stingrays - Spoilers - XL's - XXL's etc

Rebirth Of The Cool. For some cracking looking spoilers.

http://www.schwinnbike.com/usa/eng/forums/

All that lot should jeep you reading for a while. Till next time take care and ride safe :wink:
Regards
Tom

PS.... Just remembered about a guy with a Spoiler with a front hub, he made or had made a battery box that looked real cool. Im thinking of copying it for my batt box. I'll see if I can find pics of it.

 

[RallySTX]

Hello again all,
The shorty arrived yesterday, as planned.
Guess what, the forks are bent, the front wheel is sprung, and the previous owner is two hours away by car. I'm stuck with a potentially ruined bike, sold by a teen, [who knew.] Plans for a front mount 24 inch Clyte hub install are in the toilet until the fork issue is resolved. Hope remains that the frame is still straight. That's what happens when ya buy from someone that misrepresents themselves on CL.

Looks like another bike purchase is in order. A New In Box, NIB, Stingray XL with deraileur is the plan. Trouble is, those bikes are even more rare than the shorty! Oh well, nobody ever said this would be easy.
Brian L.

 

[TopCat]

Hello again all,
The shorty arrived yesterday, as planned.
Guess what, the forks are bent, the front wheel is sprung, and the previous owner is two hours away by car. :x I'm stuck with a potentially ruined bike, sold by a teen, [who knew.] Plans for a front mount 24 inch Clyte hub install are in the toilet until the fork issue is resolved. Hope remains that the frame is still straight. That's what happens when ya buy from someone that misrepresents themselves on CL.

Looks like another bike purchase is in order. A New In Box, NIB, Stingray XL with deraileur is the plan. Trouble is, those bikes are even more rare than the shorty! Oh well, nobody ever said this would be easy.
Brian L.

Hi Brian,

I almost bought a Stingray until I did a little research and found that they were kids bikes - Adult bikes are the Spoiler & XL's etc.
I wouldn't go to the expense of buying another bike - you'll end up with more bikes than you know what to do with/have room for. Money spent on another bike is money that could be spent on doing up one of your bikes. I'd stick with doing up the spoiler or the shorty stingray. Mind you the very day after I bought my Spoiler I saw a young kid riding a Stingray and was glad of buying the Spoiler as the Stingray looked way to small for me to ride and im only 5ft 8".
If your determind to buy an XL keep an eye out on the forums http://www.schwinnbike.com/usa/eng/forums/ Iv'e seen the odd one popup there now and again. As to the XXL's, finding one of them! Well lets say Dracula has more chance of geting a suntan :lol:

STINGRAY FORKS.
If your forks are are beyond repair? again look on the above schwinn forums or ebay, Iv'e seen stingray forks there.

Whatever you decide I wish you the best of luck with it :wink:

Regards
Tom

 

[RallySTX]

TTopcat, you write more like Topdog! You are absolutely correct about wasting money. I would still get an XL if I could find one. I'm only 5ft 6in, and 210lbs. And after riding the Runt, I must report that it actually feels stiffer than the Spoiler. The frame is very robust. The only weak area seems to be the wheels and spokes. An issue easilly remedied with a little help from JRH! :lol: Seems like the forks aren't that bad after all. Witha disk brake upgrade the Runt could really rock.
The Runt.

 

[RallySTX]

Another pic of the Runt.

 

[johnrobholmes]

I do have plenty of 16 and 17" chrome rims here that accept 12ga spokes readily.

 

[itchynackers]

Brian,
Good to see another fellow Janesvillean ebiker on here. I thought I was the only one! Good luck with your choppers. I have delusions of electrifiying my son's. His just sits in the shed. If you see a red MTB streaking through town, thats me! I look forward to your finished product.

Adam

 

[RallySTX]

Hello there Itchy, I live by Riverside Park. You may have seen me walking with jeans, sneakers, a Packer hat, and a Maglite in my left hand. I used to drive arround in a blue diesel van.

 

[itchynackers]

I worked at Riverside for years as a greens mower. I hear you may need that maglite for stray lizards too.

 

[RallySTX]

Nah, he got pinched for licking peoples windows, now he taste tests plates for the DMV upstate! :lol:

RallySTX wrote:
Gotta love a guy that can do stuff like this for a bicycle!

I'm gonna see if JRH can give me two of these, and two in 24 inch for the fronts.
I just hope it is available and fits my dropouts. FYI HolmesHobbies is the builder of this masterpiece in chrome and rubber.
I wonder if I can get the hub side covers chromed!
Brian L.

 

[oldpiper]

Cool rear wheel, Brian!

If you want another, there are plenty listed on eBay, under "Schwinn [chopper or OCC or stingray]". Some pretty cheap, too. Do I understand you're eventually planning an AWD cruiser? Real kewl!

BTW, I finally got a chance to put a couple of pics of mine up under the "Photos and video" folder, looks better this way. You know, it seems like if the XLs were sold at Sam's Clubs (that's where I got mine a few years back), there must be a bunch gathering dust in garages everywhere. Perhaps a classified ad in the local paper (or one of those freebee "Thrifty whatever"s that you can find at groceries) might be able to flush one out. I can't believe that Sam's Club ever sold anything they thought they couldn't sell a gazillion of, and Sam Walton (when he was still in charge) wasn't wrong too often.

Best on your build, keep us posted.

Cameron

 

[RallySTX]

Well said Oldpiper. Nobody ever accused Sam of being low wattage! They only made the XL choppers for one year though. Just 2000 were made. The Spoiler was made for two years but saw the same number built.

 

[drewjet]

Good luck on your chopper build. Here are a few pics of mine. It is a factory electric rear hub motor stingray. It is a blast to dive around on. It does about 24 MPH on 48 volts.