Two Wheel Electric

 

Bike Talk v.001 🚲

Cruiser Build

Desire to Ride

In December 2016, I quit my job in the service industry to become a gig economy worker. At the time, it was a happy but not so smooth transition. With all the hype behind becoming an independent contractor, the gigs never added up to be worth the trouble. You see, the gig industry continues to advertise independence and self-employment but, this gig economy is far from that.

What I found while working in this industry is that I traded even more time for less money. As an employee, I trade time for money as well. However, as a gig worker, I feel like I traded much more time for money. Especially as my time progressed with all the gigs; I was working. It seemed I could never have a set schedule, especially if I needed to make a certain amount of money per week or day. It was a continual loop of chasing work and dollars. 

I started driving in the gig economy because I hated having a boss. I wanted to make my own schedule and be in control of how much income I made each day and month. To some extent, I was able to achieve that. For the most part, I had total control over how much I worked. From April – October, I had the most control over the income I earned. Through it all, I did not have to answer to any manager or supervisor. This all worked well for about two years. By the end of 2018, I began to notice I was becoming agitated. I was growing less patient on the road, I was dozing off behind the wheel, and I was getting tired of chasing the dollar. 

Why I stopped driving

By January of 2019, I had enough. I begin having daydreams that I was riding a motorized bike to the train station where I was boarding the commuter to get to work. I was dreaming of leaving my car parked, better yet getting rid of my car, and allowing a public transporter to do all the driving for me. The thought of that made me smile from ear to ear, just the same way as I did when dreaming of leaving my service job. 

One thing I've come to learn about me is, "When the feelings are strong, it's time to move on." So, I had a great challenge for 2019. I was tasked with creating an opportunity for myself, no longer wishing to drive in the gig economy; or cook in the service industry, it was time to acquire new skills. By mid-2019, I started looking into a new business model, and it led me into tech. I started coding in November 2019 and was due to be certified by March of 2020. 

When Covid-19 hit the US in March of 2020, my time in the gig economy came to an end. I started the process of eliminating my vehicle and began to think more consciously about a motorized bicycle. Although, I've never really been a fan of motorcycles because they are too fast, fuel combustion, and you can't legally drive them on all pavements. I can say that I have an appreciation for the 1920's Café Racer and Cruiser motorcycle frame. 

As I became more interested in bicycles, I started to notice the many Café Racer and Cruiser bike styles manufactured around the world. Discovering all the many manufactures and designers in the market excited me. I began to visualize bike riding in a whole new light and much more. The fact that many of these designers and manufacturers are building with electricity in mind made me a believer.   

Electric vs. Combustion

Bike enthusiasts have been attaching motors to frames for more than 100 years. Clearly, there's nothing new about this hobby. What's more exciting about these motorized bikes in 2020 is the motor. In the last five years, North America has been making great strides toward leaping into electric technology. Tesla has done a tremendous job at getting other industries to shift toward renewable energy in the US. However, the US is showing to be miles behind other developed countries in the electric transportation industry. 

I found this to be an issue when looking for a Café Racer and Cruiser electric bicycle. The US bikes are less appealing and much more expensive. There are also not many manufactures that are producing the type of designs I wish to buy.

I wanted an electric bike because bike theft is just as relevant as car theft, and I would not dare leave my bike unattended for more than 5 minutes. With that said, I would never store my bike outside. I want to store my bike in my apartment when at home; or indoors when away from home; without being choked by gas fumes. An electric motor is smooth and quiet, much like a gas motor. The engine may get hot, but I won't burn my legs. 

My build idea

I wanted a cruiser. The problem I ran into, the cruisers I wanted were out of my price range. Not only that, the cruisers I could afford lacked the style and accessories that I desired. So, I decided to build my own. I found out quickly the decision was much easier than the actual task.

I had my heart set on a cruiser, one that was a resemblance of a 1920's German BMW motorcycle and a 1930's Brougham Superior. Like I said easier to think about than to actually piece together! So, here's how it all went down. I looked for a bike frame that would have the aesthetic of the two bikes I wanted to mimic. 

The first bike I fell for was the Nel Lasso Beach Cruiser manufactured by Huffy. I had an appreciation for the sleek look of this bike frame. I bought the bike from Walmart for $120, followed by the purchase of a Voilamart 1000w rear wheel hub motor for $200 and a 48V 12.5Ah HaiLong lithium battery for $245, both bought on eBay. 

My first lesson in the electric bike building came along with my first choice for a bike frame. I discovered the Nel Lasso is only a pretty bike. The performance is everything but pretty. Overall, it was just a bad choice for a bike conversion. The Lasso has a coaster braking system. While a coaster brake works well for a BMX, it was very inefficient on the Nel Lasso Beach Cruiser. 

What I understand is Walmart bikes are dirt cheap in price and materials. The brakes didn't brake well. The hub motor required a bike that had a 7-speed gear shift and or brake calipers, V-brake, cantilever brake, disc brake system. The Nel Lasso met none of the two requirements, so that meant my first attempt was a total strikeout. I had to return the Nel Lasso and begin looking for the near-perfect frame all over again.

I looked diligently for a cruiser frame that could effectively handle the power and size of the rear hub motor I'd purchased for the Nel Lasso. I began to get discouraged when I could not find a cruiser with a frame to fit the rear hub motor. It was through more research that I found the Chinese rear hub motors are made for mountain bikes specifically. So, my choices were to buy a mountain bike with another hub motor but this time for the front fork. 

Once again, I had my mindset on a cruiser. So, I bought another motor. There was no mountain bike on the market that had the aesthetic of a cruiser, maybe a café racer, maybe. But none the less it was not what I had in mind. I finally decided on the Kent Bayside 2600. The bike has a caliper brake system and a 7-speed gear shift. The Kent Bayside 2600 worked out but, there are still many imperfections about the frame. However, for my first build, I was satisfied with the overall outcome.