Studebiker's Next (last?) Bike E.........

[markz]

Wish I had suspension too.

Yeah me too! It would save the daily nut-sack massage, even just a front suspension fork would be nice. I doubt a 350+ lb person that theres a bicycle out there suitable for that weight until about 200-260lbs. I have good intentions, but the rows of Oreo's at night aint cutting it. Its all about whats in front of you, and sad to say I dont do the grocery shopping so its pasta's, chips, cookies, jams, bread up the ying yang.

I actually say a similar recumbent to the Bike E today, I dont think I could ride with confidence a bike like that.

 

[Cowardlyduck]

Yeah Maxxis Hookworm. I tried one and it made me crash while cornering. Now it's on one of my kids bikes.

 

[donn]

I actually saw a similar recumbent to the Bike E today, I dont think I could ride with confidence a bike like that.

That's interesting - there are few enough BikeEs to be seen riding around, let alone anything similar. Except the Maxarya, which would be a Canadian company if I remember right.

But Maxarya puts 20" wheels on the front.

I see some talk earlier in the thread about major surgery on a BikeE to give it a new front end. I guess it's kind of a fantasy anyway, if that frame beam is aluminum, but two words on that: indirect steering. Once you give up on the traditional bicycle picture of fork sprouting out of the end of a steering tube with handlebars on it, you can set the forks at a normal angle and say goodbye to the "chopper" look. Wherever the steering ends up - sticking up from the frame somewhere, under the seat, doesn't matter - it's connected to the fork by a horizontal rod. Works fine, and really should be done for any design where the front wheel is far enough out to make room for it.

 

[amberwolf]

LIke this?
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=12500&p=956008&hilit=tie+rod#p956012
Tie rod as a whole seen better in the first pic here, of the whole bike--it's the threaded rod with the white/black-striped LED rod taped to it, above the toptube.
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=12500&p=956008&hilit=tie+rod#p956008

 

[donn]

Like that, though the details will of course vary. The rod end bearing looks familiar anyway, and in the end there you are, without the "wheel flop" steering that you'd have to deal with if the forks were aimed at your handlebars back there.

The one I had to work with is factory in the front, and I just swapped in a longer rod (aluminum tubing), and clamped it to the handlebar itself, which is now below my seat. My Ryan Vanguard has a two piece telescoping rod, to allow for fore-and-aft adjustment of the handlebar mount. Both of them connect to the fork crown at the front, but it's also fairly common to connect to the steering tube above the frame.

 

[Balmorhea]

Yeah Maxxis Hookworm. I tried one and it made me crash while cornering. Now it's on one of my kids bikes.

Made you crash while cornering. I guess that’s why all race cars and motorcycles have knobbies, right?

I use Hookworm on the front wheel of a 1500W front hub motor bike. Works fine for me.

 

[amberwolf]

I"m confused--the Hookworm is a "slick", not a knobbie. (though it actually has a kind of "fingerprint" ribby line pattern all over it, except where the water-grooves are, that wears off quickly leaving just a regular slick surface other than those grooves).

Like that, though the details will of course vary. The rod end bearing looks familiar anyway, and in the end there you are, without the "wheel flop" steering that you'd have to deal with if the forks were aimed at your handlebars back there.

FWIW, once you have remote steering, you can *also* make it so it is not 1:1. The bars can turn a small amount, to prevent kneestrike, etc, while turning the front wheel the full amount needed for steering. Lockouts can also be added (as I did) to prevent turning too far, as well, if that's necessary for a specific system/reason.

 

[Cowardlyduck]

Made you crash while cornering. I guess that’s why all race cars and motorcycles have knobbies, right?

I use Hookworm on the front wheel of a 1500W front hub motor bike. Works fine for me.

I'm sure it would be a great tire where the roads are always completely clear of any debris or other loose surface, but the reality for me is that many area's have dirt, pine needles and other crap across the path, often on corners. I also regularly content with wet, or slightly icy surfaces and also the front tire of the BikeE normally has barely any weight on it. The Hookworm is not a good choice for these conditions IMO.

I think with more weight on it the Hookworm would probably be ok, but that's not the case on the BikeE.

Cheers