Rollerbyke

[Rollerbyke]

Hi,

I am learning a lot, while I wait delivery... One thing I learned, which may be of interest... is that when looking for a cover, for the 36.1 cm battery... there are few that fit...

I do not want a big trunk bag... So, I looked around...

Golf shoe bags... or shoe bags in general... have many sizes close to 14.2 inches... and bigger...

The bigger ones are needed... and have a minimalist look...

These are good when rain and water is not an issue... as in Southern California...

I found quality leather shoe bags on EBay... and will be using either a black or brown leather shoe bag... These do not cost too much... and any modifications will not be so dear...

This will give a refined look and the battery... which I am mounting on the back rack will not look so big and out of place... hopefully...

I will post pics of my ROLLERBYKE ... once I am on a computer that allows attachments... iPad seems to not want to...

Rollerbykes were made, in Germany... from 1998-1999... and few are to be found...

I think once I get this modification finished... more folks may be looking to find a Rollerbyke, to convert...

That's all for now...

[Rollerbyke]

Ok... here you can see something, of what Rollerbykes are...
Mine is the copper one... I will be replacing the front basket with a lower sitting stainless steel front rack...
I will be adding stainless fenders...
The fenders allow for mounting a rear trunk rack... where I will mount the battery... over the Magic III...
All the weight of the conversion will be on the rear wheel... leaving the front wheel and steering as it is... and not directly adding weight to steering handling...
As I said in my first post... I will be covering the battery in either a black or brown, leather golf shoe bag...
I probably will be attaching the battery mounting plate, inside the bag... with attachments to the rack going through holes in the bag... So, the bag will be semi permanent ... until I change it out...

If, I do not use the battery attachment plate... I will use match colored round braided leather reigns , from the horse folks... to tie the battery down... Or maybe even with the plate... for style effect add the reigns as well... Tighten up the leather bag around the battery...
I will be leaving the battery on most all times and charging in the garage...

As for use... of the Byke... It is for walking / running my new White long haired..German Shepherd I am getting soon....

I will be using a special dog walking attachment, that mounts at the rear hub... where and pulling or lunging by the 80lb dog... will not pull me over...

The reason I got the Byke, in the first place is so I can just walk off the Byke... if ever I need to deal with some disagreement from the dog...

So... stainless steel racks... front and back... soft leather black battery cover... and new brakes... once I know how I am going to attach everything... as this Byke does not have all the usual features for mounting things...

All for now...

[Morgen 3Eman]

Hi, Rollerbike,

I like your bike design! 

In the US, there are charity run shops like Good Will and Salvation Army that often have women's handbags for really low costs,  and they come in a myriad of sizes.  You might look there for a battery bag.

TTFN,
Dennis

[truly_bent]

Too bad they don't make them anymore.

I've been looking at "kick bikes" for a bit, with the intention of someday electrifying one: http://www.kickbike.com/index.php?mid=460. This is not a new idea (see attached pic). You can rent these in California.

I can see this form of transport becoming very popular in urban areas. People don't object to kick-bikes (and Rollerbykes) on public pathways the way they did the Segway http://www.segway.com/. Perhaps it's the narrower footprint or the close resemblance to a bicycle. The control system is an order of magnitude less complex, too.

Anyway, I thought i'd put the MP in the front (26") wheel. Living in The Great White as I do, I'm considering the handling characteristics of front-wheel drive on snow (studded tires are available). Driving the 20" rear wheel would be a letdown in speed, but perhaps acceptable for this.

Do you consider the larger rear wheel of your Rollerbyke worth any additional weight? I'm sure it handles the bumps better.

Jeff

[Morgen 3Eman]

Hi Jeff,

I'm afraid we disagree once again! As a total driving package, I don't think front wheel drive is any better on snow than rear wheel drive. 

I grew up in Sunny North Dakota, and over the years I have had the pleasure of  owning  a couple of Mini Coopers,  a  1991 Lotus Elan, a Honda Civic and an Acura Legend. I have driven all of them in the winter, on snow, with snow tires, without chains.  (I did carry them, tho)   They were all really good examples of front wheel drive. And some of them were really fun to drive.    But my RWD '72 Volvo was at least as good on snow as any of them, and I truly believe it was  better overall because it was more balanced front to rear.  FWD on snow is soooo easy to spin when braking, that it more than outweighs the benefits FWD has only when accelerating.   FWD makes a very attractive package for cutting manufacturing costs, but over all it sucks to own.    But all that is just my opinion, based on my experience.   

I can't imagine a FWD bike being appealing to ride under any circumstances.  Again, just my opinion.  What about FWD appeals to you? 

My favorite car to drive to go skiing on Mt Hood was my 1969 RWD Lotus Elan.  What a hoot!   

Oh, my father taught me to do hand brake turns on snowy gravel roads when I was 14 or 15....I still miss him.

TTFN,
Dennis

[truly_bent]

I envy you your collection of cars.

I've owned two Thunderbird SC's (http://www.sccoa.com/), both with 5 speed manual transmissions, so i'm a proponent of rear wheel drive. And yes, I did drive them year-round.

But, you've given me pause to reconsider. I'll take it under advisement.
Thanks for the input.

Jeff

P.S. One was midnight blue and the other jet black.
P.P.S. I want to go on record that I'll never do that to the environment again.

[Morgen 3Eman]

Hi Jeff,

Hey, Super Coupes were great!  A friend let me drive his a couple of times, and I was really surprised how quick and nimble it was.  I just didn't expect it from a Ford!   None of my Fords were that fun to drive....

I wish I could call it a collection of cars,  but it was actually more of a sequence of cars that I was lucky enough to own over many, many years.  The only one I  wish I still had is the 69 Lotus Elan that my wife talked me into buying as a 12? 13?  year old used car.    But, hey, I still have that great wife, so that makes me a pretty lucky guy.

I kind of think my Merc diesel is quicker, faster, and  definitely has better braking, but damn that car was just so nimble.
400 ft-lbs of torque is pretty nice, tho.

Anyway, may I suggest that during the coming winter you take note of how many FWD cars you see in the ditch that appear to have been going backwards when they left the pavement? 

TTFN,
Dennis