Something You Don't See Everyday...

[Eccentric]

I was driving through town yesterday and saw some greasy vagrant-lookin' dude (we have more than a few) shuffling along the sidewalk on his pack and bag laden bicycle. As he got past me he lifted his feet and the bike took off. I heard a deep throaty two stroke growl (that didn't sound like the weekwacker scooters the yutes around here run). I looked in the right side mirror and saw that had he had an 041 Stihl mounted on the back, and it was driving the rear wheel with a chain!!!

I couldn't look long enough to see the details of the conversion. From what I saw the powerhead looked complete. I couldn't tell what kind of chain/sprocket setup he had either. I've seen conversions like this before, but it's always involved a hacked up weedwacker, Homelite Super-2, or little old poulan/craftsman saw. Hopefully I can see him again so I can flag him down and buy him lunch and examine his ride. Got to keep the beater digital camera in the pickup...

 

[joatmon]

Ask around!

I was driving through town yesterday and saw some greasy vagrant-lookin' dude (we have more than a few) shuffling along the sidewalk on his pack and bag laden bicycle. As he got past me he lifted his feet and the bike took off. I heard a deep throaty two stroke growl (that didn't sound like the weekwacker scooters the yutes around here run). I looked in the right side mirror and saw that had he had an 041 Stihl mounted on the back, and it was driving the rear wheel with a chain!!!

I couldn't look long enough to see the details of the conversion. From what I saw the powerhead looked complete. I couldn't tell what kind of chain/sprocket setup he had either. I've seen conversions like this before, but it's always involved a hacked up weedwacker, Homelite Super-2, or little old poulan/craftsman saw. Hopefully I can see him again so I can flag him down and buy him lunch and examine his ride. Got to keep the beater digital camera in the pickup...

Odds are pretty good he's a member of this site. :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[ShoerFast]

Some would be surprised with some of the life stories from some of the greaseballs. Just my guess, but would say that most are were they are out of choice. Some are social dropouts, just trusted with more life - load then they thought they could bare.

When I worked in aviation , getting off work mid-morning , Denver's old airport drew a lot of transients. Giving a few of them rides, (I drove about 90 miles of inner-state everyday) I would have to say that my life is richer for having meet a few, very interesting , some brilliant people.

 

[ericjeeper]

Thats funny

Odds are pretty good he's a member of this site. :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

I don't care who you are.. Thats funny

 

[taplinhill]

I attemted something similar when I was about 10 with a old Homelite and a Huffy. Too bad I didn't have the knowledge or skill back then. Hmmmmmm.........Husky...Huffy...:monkey:

 

[Sprig]

I don't care who you are.. Thats funny

Yesh! +1 (no doubt it'd be modded, bar and chain packed in da bags for those 'quick removal' situations, cuttin' new tent poles, chasin' dinner down, )

 

[huskydave]

I have tried when I was younger hahaha. To get the best results with this type of project you need to figure out how many rpms the foot power can produce and try to match that in your final drive. I would have to say a gear reducer is almost mandatory because of the high rpms of the crank on the chainsaw. I don't know the exact math but I would say you could maybe pedal 3-400rpms (estimate) in a middle gear so your chainsaws final drive would need to be reduced to about 300rpm and that is to the front of let's say a 12 speed bike with that setup you would have the 12 speeds to get everything moving properly and keep the engine in the right rpm range to get the most torque and horsepower from the engine but after all the work it would take, I would say maybe a couple of weeks of fabrication and trial and error you could buy a used motorcycle for pretty darn close to the same price and have 10 times the performance, but I am up to the challenge only if someone else wants to try too. I think if you get the parts from the dump and get the chainsaw engine running cheap you could pull it off for about say 1-300 bucks. I am just going on what I think is right at the moment but I think a chainsaw powered bike could be very fast and efficient if done right.

 

[PWB]

Saw one once that was a small mac running a roller that rode on the top of the back tire. Bike was still pedal operated, kick into gear at speed, really flew........

 

[spacemule]

Saw one once that was a small mac running a roller that rode on the top of the back tire. Bike was still pedal operated, kick into gear at speed, really flew........

That would have to be the simplest and most reliable set up. Just have a lever that raises or lowers the motor carriage on to the wheel.

 

[oakman]

with a chain drive i think yould need a very large rear sprocket to get the motor up on the pipe , or a jack shaft setup with the right gearing. thats why they use the friction drive. small rubber spindle driving a large bicycle tire.

 

[Bill G]

Some would be surprised with some of the life stories from some of the greaseballs. Just my guess, but would say that most are were they are out of choice. Some are social dropouts, just trusted with more life - load then they thought they could bare..................

The smartest man I ever knew was a "grease ball" He was a true tool and die maker that worked for free. He saw no need for wealth. If someone paid him that was fine but he never charged a penny. He was taken advantage of by some but most appeciated his wisdom. I grew up listening to his stories and trying to learn as much as I could. The truly sad part is he died quietly a few years. His death passed by quietly as he had not been able to help anyone in a few years. It went along with the old saying "what have you done for me lately". After he passed on the final kick in the shorts was his machine shop sits unused and falling apart while his fathers art work that he saved for 85 years sold for over $500,000. The profits went to another "grease ball" that lived with him the last few years. Please remember not to judge a book by it's cover

Bill

 

[TimberMcPherson]

Behind every bum in this world is a stihl chainsaw.

I must be a big bum.

 

[Al Smith]

Please remember not to judge a book by it's cover

Bill

Truer words have never been spoken.


That friction drive contraption that ran a bicycle was called "Chicken power".I think it was made by McCulloch and was advertised as having the equivalent power of a mildly excited hen ,flapping her wings.

A 4 HP chainsaw engine would make a bicycle fly.I had a 2.5HP Briggs on a bicycle frame with go kart tires that would cruise all day at 24 miles per hour,getting roughly 100 miles per gallon.In 1963 it took 7 cents worth of regular or 9 cents worth of high test to fill it up.:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Lakeside53]

When I was a kid all we ever wanted was the SOLEX engine on the back or front of the bike... has an abrasive type wheel that contacted the tire rubber - could get about 15 mph on a good day...

If you were really rich (as a kid) you could buy the entire VeloSolex motorized Bicycle...


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solex

 

[Fish]

I am throwing this contraption up on E-Bazy, as soon as I can figure out
what category to put it under....

 

[wood rat]

Figures , a bum with a Stihl, we all know he won't be going very far.

Should have had a Husky on it ...

 

[RiverRat2]

I am throwing this contraption up on E-Bazy, as soon as I can figure out
what category to put it under....

You Go Fish!!!!!!!!!

 

[Eccentric]

Figures , a bum with a Stihl, we all know he won't be going very far.

Should have had a Husky on it ...

LOL. That's a 30+ year old saw. It's gone pretty far already. Now if it was a 2100 or 3120 that would be interesting...