Gas Bicycle Project

29 January::  Time for an update of what whas been going on.  Post pictures on the web and was informed I screwed up the freewheel and chain ring order of assembly. I had the ring behind the freewhell and it should have been in front.  So I  had to spend some time fixing that.  Ended up buying the crank arm tool $10 at Exhale and since I was there I endup getting a lock for this bike so I don't have to swap them back and forth between bikes, but I did get a clip that goes on the other bike so this lock can be swapped between bikes in a flash.  I also got an end of the handlebar mirror, they are easy to work with when riding you can move it around with out taking your hand off the grip.  .First things first I fixed the screw up.  Taking off the crank arm and bottom end as well as the drive gear made this a quick task.  I just slid every thing back into place.  I did not have any issues getting the drive chain back on since everything was  in the right place.  Check ride and all was fine.  Ordered a tail light and kickstand from Amazon.  Tail light is an interim thing until I work out the real lighting solution.  I want to ride at night so I needed a tail light.  They will come on the 4th.

03 Februray:  Denny's was giving away "Grand Slam Breakfasts" so I took a ride to see how bad the lines would be.  OUT THE DOOR.  So I just went into Fry's Marketplace, making the trip have some sort of destination.  The bike stuff was on sale so I picked up a seat and a speedometer.  This way I can give Mark back his loaner seat.  Got home turned off the gas and was going in the house when I realized I did not have any smokes.  Hopped back on the bike and headed up to Circle K.  On the way back I was almost home when the engine misfired a couple times and then died.  Funny thing, if you shut the gas off you can't go very far.  It's about a mile round trip to CircleK. So the fuel line and filter hold enough gas to make it to CircleK.  Good thing to know.  Just another case of me forgetting shit. 

04 February:  Installed seat and speedometer.  Read a book while waiting for UPS truck.  Got the kickstand and tail light.  Installed them.  I attached the tail light to one of the struts for luggage carrier.  Talk about a cheap bracket.  The tail light uses what is basically a plastic hose clamp.  I can tell that is not going to last, but I want some sort of tail light.  So it will work for now.  

I have been overly tired lately and had some trouble eating so have been staying very close to home, but I need to get out.  I have been trying to eat earlier in the day and then again later if I can.  My teeth are bothering me.  I hope that the doc will give me someone to work with soon.

31 March:  I have been fighting with some strange things.  The fuel mix locking up the engine and the bottom bracket coming loose.  At 16:1 mix the engine locks up and won't start.  I don't know whether it is the oil used or the gas.  Switching to 32:1 mix with Castrol 2T oil seems to have resolved the issue.  I tried putting the fuel mix back in and it locked the engine up agiain.  So the fuel mix became weed killer.  The bottom bracket keeps working itself loose.  I took it all apart again yesterday.  One thing I am not going to do again is put loctite on it, as the tightening ring can't be moved to adjust it.  It is just going to be a wait and see on the bottom bracket..  

One thing that is way cool  was a find at  Goodwill.  $4 got me a laptop bag that is now a pannier.  It only took a couple pieces of aluminum, some wing nuts and a thick wire to hold the shape when mounted on the bike.  Collapsed down the bag holds my leather jacket. without problems.  Expanded it will easily hold a grocery bag..  Since only 3 wing nuts hold the bag on to the bike it is easy to remove the bag from the bike for those times when I don't want to lose what is in the bag.