Bicycle Engine Review

The bicycle is the most common form of transportation in the world and recently won an online BBC vote for the most useful invention in the last 200 years.

The option of bicycle commuting can be extended to more people with the help of an assisting gas or electric engine.

Some features of motor assisted bicycles:

>A motorized bicycle can get up to 200 miles per gallon of gas.

>They can go up to 40 miles per hour.

>The rider can pedal at any point using the engine to assist whenever needed.

>Bicycle assist engines are legal in most states and do not require a license, registration or insurance.

>They are relatively inexpensive- $150-$1200.

In summary a bicycle assisted engine is a good transportation alternative for it offers the following benefits to users:

-Exercise
-Recreation
-Saves Money
-Saves Time
-Earth Friendly
-Visually Appealing
-Useful In Emergencies
-Compact

I got a second Golden Eagle Bicycle Engine Kit. The Tanaka Engine is great. Better than the Subaru in my opinion except that you can not fill up directly at the pump without mixing oil and gas. Also, I discovered that having a bicycle with good shocks in front and back is an essential.

The way a friction Drive engine works is that a roller touches the rear wheel. When the driver applies throttle the roller rolls the wheel.

Pros:
Easy Installation, Easy Maintenance, Safe (no belts or chains to break or get stuck)

Cons:
less power, affected by wet weather, best with smoothe tire

A chain drive kit uses a chain like the one that you have on your bicycle now. It goes from the motor to another sprocket. There are REAR MOUNT chain drive kits and V FRAME MOUNTED chain drive bicycle engine kits.

Pros:
power, all weather, durable

Cons:
weighty, more complicated installation and maintenance

The belt drive kit is similar to the rear mount chain drive kit. The difference is, it uses a geared belt just like Harley Davidson which is Kevlar reinforced. Instead of going around a sprocket a drive ring is securely attached to the spokes of the wheel and the belt goes around that.

Pros:
Installation is easier and it rudes quieter and is lighter than a chain drive, better in wet weather and more powerful than a friction drive, quiet

Cons:
belts break at some point, belts also slip.

available at http://www.bikeengines.com for $529 and up

In my experience I think it is important to consider the type of riding you are going to do, but realize that aside from the bike, the body will be experiencing lots of extra wear with a motor pushing it. I would only use a bicycle with front and rear shocks unless for some reason like if it were a tandem and that were not an option, and then I would want at least front shocks.

It is important to remember that your new bicycle engine will need to be broken in for 2,000 miles. This means you should take it especially easy (15 mph) in the beginning.

Remember not to over do it at any time if you don't want to cause injury to your engine or yourself. These things are not indestructable but with proper care can last a long time.

Some of these supliers such as Dimension's Edge and Staton offer a referral program.

When others see the kit and you show them it's capabilities and tell them it's merits and then they go out and purchase one for themselves, these suppliers will give you a money reward in appreciation for bringing them a new customer.

So finally I got an engine for our Santana tandem.
It is a great Boost for us to travel in the hilly Prescott Arizona. It gets us around town in less time but we still get a decent workout. The engine carries us both on level ground and with our assistance we make it up pretty steep inclines with relative ease.

It is possible to convert this engine to ethanol by changing the carburator size. Check http://www.journeytoforever.org to find out how to do it.

Recently, I brought our bike out into the desert in the back of a pikup. When the pickup hit a bump, the bike jumped off the back and the ebngine busted.
It was only a plastic piece though and I was able to find the parts with the online parts manual at

http://www.robinamerica.com/series.aspx?sid=21.

I was able to pull the broken art out and replace it with the good part with only pliers and a screwdriver. Now the engine is working fine.

I chose Golden Eagle because of its reputation for being light weight, quiet, and easy of instal and remove.