And I restart again.

Stage 1

Going back to an older frame the bike batter never really fit correctly, so I am attempting something a little different.  Trying to put the batter way out in the back area.  The rack is "free floating" but that's another story...  So I've started.  

Stage 1: Install the battery.

Stage 2: Move all the mess of wires from one bike to another.  

Stage 2

Stage 3: Because I moved the batter to the back, the wire to the controllers now don't reach, so the controller is now going to be in the middle of this frame.

Replaced the kick stand, since the one I purchased doesn't fit and I added in some rear rods to support the "free" floating carrier in the back.

Stage 3

And crack!

After I really was starting to get into the swing and felt that my bike was near perfect for me.  My frame cracked while I was hauling up a hill around 20km with pedal power only.  I thought my back tire blew, the bike wobbled like crazy but I since I was going up hill, the bike stopped the moment I stopped peddling.  So, ya.  I am now dead in the water... Where do I go from here?

Do I make another electric fat bike?

Do I use a normal fat bike and forget the electric motor part?

Do I just flip to a road bike cold turkey?

Do I go recumbent since I've been diagnosed with scoliosis?

Over time, slowly morphing

I've recently starting to think about how my bike has changed over time and the bike is starting to be come more and more of what I want it to be.  Things change.

Stage 1: First year, running rear motor, straight handle bars and controller is still in a rear metal box.  Bike still looks mint and at this point both tires are default and still have tubes.

Stage 2: Moved the motor to the front, still have straight handlebars but now lifted up a little bit.  Took the controller out of the rear and moved it to a re-purposed electrical box.  Added bag to the front and the rear rack is now functional and has mud fender on the back end.  Replaced gel cover with an actual gel seat.  Rear tire is tubeless, front still has a tube.

Stage 3:  Removed side bars for rear rack, added large capacity bag to the rear, replaced entire rear tire with a Surly Rolling Daryl with a Salsa quick release hub.  Tire is now is also tubeless. Front rubber and rear rubber has been replaced due to being worn out. Controller moved out to the right side / front to get it out of my way.  Bike is faster and smoother than ever.

Endurance Building

Most of my bike riding has all been leading up to building up my endurance for riding long period of time with out taking a break. Keep peddling no matter what happens, just keep peddling. 

With that said, I've had some major success with building my legs up and in taking air.  I can almost do my entire ride with out my legs going weak on me.  I feel as though in the next few months my motor may actually become a hindrance than support my bike ride in.  I'm not going to push myself to hard so I am thinking spring next year, I'll look into buying myself a road bike.

I GOT Screwed!

I decided to take a different path then I normally take and go along some side streets to change up the view a little.  Little spice to the trip, which I knew would of made the trip longer.  But I found myself in a zone that was just a construction zone, so chunks of metal, rocks, random debris were all over the side of the road.  

Then it I heard it.. Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick.  I stopped and found that my front tire was hit with a screw.  The tire still had air but I could feel it starting to loose some pressure.  I decided to continue driving for another 15min before the tire finally gave up and down the front tire went.  I was about 10min ride left to go!

I just removed my spare tube, pump, etc.. from my bag.  So I was left with just calling my wife to come pick me up.  As she reminded me, "Murphys law!" I've decided to continue with the lack of spare tube at this time and tell Murphy to go away!  In this case, Murphy law should dictate that if I start carring a spare tube, nothing will happen...

To much of a lock system?

So my kids bike was stolen from him while he was at the bike, about 1 meter away.. and then his friend got his stolen from his backyard.  Then I heard of the neigbour who had their bike stolen.. and I would cry if my bike got stolen.  I've put so much time and effort... 

So I found a really lock locking cable, which allows me to wrap up the rear tire and then through the frame and then through the front tire and back to the U-lock.

Front tire has the electric motor and the back is worth just about as much as the front.  As long as I am willing to carry it, I guess it doesn't matter... but I'm really starting to think I need to shave a bit of weight off the bike.

I am normally carring a spare tube, two multi-tools, one patch kit, small hand pump, vice grips, long cable lock, ulock, spare sun glasses, spare clear glasses for night driving, few nuts and bolts.  Most of this fits in the front pouch and the rear I keep available for when I need to peel off a coat, or put another layer on (if I packed it) and I keep a rain coat in there too!  

Maybe it's to much...  I'll have to re-evaluate my daily gear.

Quest for the perfect kickstand

Found it!

But first I just want to mention that when I asked in a facebook group if anyone had any ideas of what kind of kickstand a fatbike could/should be using, all I found were trolls.  I mean, lot and lots of trolls mocking at the question.  So with zero help from forums and groups, I ditched them all.  So if anyone knows of a forum or group that is actually willing to help, offer ideas and have no trolls conversations about topics, let me know. 

The Internet. It good and bad all rolled up into one and zeros.

With that said, I went to a few bike shops and they had nothing that was even close to what I was looking for and looking the last store I found this little gem hidden with no price tag.  From a manufacturer called Massload according to ebay these go for $45 - $80 each but the store gave it to me for $25!

It holds my bike up nicely and added 1lb to the bike weight but now I don't have to look to hard for a place to put it against.  I can't tell you how happy I am with this little find.  If they had more, I would of bought one for each of my kids bikes.. they seem strong and sturdy.

Fat Bike Tire Bite

Driving on fat bike tires has its up and downs. 

Pros:

Penny Farthing

• They take pot hole hits really well and don't pop under weight;
• They take my weight (300 lbs);
• They can be deflated to take snow and mud easier;
• Drive through rain and feel like your one dry pavement;
• When you start going, then they don't want to stop going.  I think this has to do with the extra 4" that are added onto the already 26" rim.  Larger circumference = more momentum. Imagine a Penny Farthing.
• Just fun.

Cons: 

• They are big, so you need a special frame (duh!);
• They can be expensive to replace (the one shown here wasn't);
• When you take a corner, they over steer (bite) onto the pavement and want to turn more than a normal road bike would want, which requires more effort to turn when going under 20km, over 20km it just glides around the corner;
• You get stopped once in a while and asked a bunch of questions (which I always take the time to discuss)

Beach Time

So I took some time off and my wife convinced me to bring my fat bike with me on vacation.  I was a bit reluctant at first, as the bike is fairly large and cumbersome.  But putting the bike in the back, I took the rear wheel off (quick release) and then spun the seat 180 and walla, it fit like a glove!

So with all that said, I was driving on sand like it was on pavement.  Rode smooth!  I kept getting looks from other campers, with confused looks as anyone with a mountain bike style of bike had to get off and walk the bike around.

There was a lot of people puttering around on golf carts, some with jacked up wheels like it was a 4x4 truck!  But I was able to get around on my own.  Over all in a week, I had about 5 people stop me and ask me questions about it.  Some asked me if I make/sell them (which I don't).  But someone pointed out to me, which I never gave much thought too...  

"Not only are you driving around a fat bike that has an electric motor on it but it's also the first front wheel drive bike I've ever seen..."

The guy has a point but I never thought of my bike being a front wheel drive.  Either way I think of it as all wheel drive, motor on the front and pedal power on the back.