Bicycles of our childhood

[dimlight65]

On 1/7/2023 at 6:09 PM, dimlight65 said:

Ok, so I did a little spread sheeting to finger out what gears I think I want.

 

 

Stock gearing was the far right column: 44 tooth front, 19 tooth rear, giving a 1:2.32 ratio at the wheel.

 

What I have now is the far left column: 44t front, 18t rear, yielding 1:1.78 low, 1:2.44 mid, and 1:3.33 hi ratios at the wheel.

 

I believe these numbers to be accurate based on how the thing rode.  Low was easier than before, mid was a little harder than before, and hi was nigh impossible to use at parking lot speed.

 

So, looking at the sprockets I have ordered (yes, I know I should have done this spreadsheet before buying gears), I think I am going to go with the 36 tooth front cog until I get into a little better shape.  Once I'm able to pull third with that gear, I'll swap over to the 42 tooth, and maybe eventually back to the 44.

 

 

Ok, having ridden it a few more times, I think I'm ready for a gear change.  I realized I'm not even fit enough to pull the 36 tooth front cog just yet (and the stroker cranks make it worse), so I'm going to install the 32 tooth gear.  I'm going to hate that it is silver, but it's what it's.  

[dimlight65]

Popped on the 32 tooth sprocket today.  

 

 

I knew I would hate that it is silver, but since John won't let me near the spray paint, I'm just going to have to live with it.

 

I guess it's not too bad from a distance though.

 

 

And from the other side...

 

 

... you can't even tell.

Edited April 9, 2023 by dimlight65

[dimlight65]

Rolled the bike out for a ride today...

 

 

Then I remembered I just finished eating a big plate of sauerkraut and sausage...

 

 

So I rolled it right back into the garage...

 

 

...and took a nap instead.

[dimlight65]

"So Tim, why aren't you riding your bike?"

 

 

Because Karen, it's hot as balls here!

[dimlight65]

On 8/20/2023 at 3:43 PM, dimlight65 said:

"So Tim, why aren't you riding your bike?"

 

 

Because Karen, it's hot as balls here!

 

Because Karen, I'm a lazy fatass!  There, happy now?

[dimlight65]

I had every intention of taking the bike out for a ride, but my sister put some stuff in the way...

 

 

So I "can't."  Oh well...

 

 

Waddayagonnado?

[datzenmike]

 

Forget-abat-it

[Duncan]

Damn. I actually rode my bicycle today.  First time in a really long time.  I had my '40 Ford in for new tires, and as soon as my wife picked me up at the shop, she burned rubber outta here for a weekend with some of her relatives.  The store was close enough to ride to, but it really kicked my ass.  My legs were all rubbery for an hour or two..

 

Is it really 130 degrees, or is that in a closed car or building that's been in the sun?  I think Death Valley is the hottest place on earth, and I don't it's ever hit 130 there..

 

 

[dimlight65]

12 hours ago, Duncan said:

Is it really 130 degrees, or is that in a closed car or building that's been in the sun?

 

I believe the OAT sensor is under some black bodywork.  It always reads about 10-20 (or probably more sometimes) degrees higher than the actual air temp until I get rolling.

 

Checking the Googles shows:

 

What was the high temperature in Dallas in August 2023?

 

The high of 110 degrees on Aug. 25 and 26 

[dimlight65]

I did a better bike rack for the Dajiban and posted it over there.  It should be at the bottom of this page... because that first link has about a 37.286519% chance of working, LOL.

 

Hell, either link has a low probability of working, since I inserted them!

[datsunfreak]

13 hours ago, dimlight65 said:

I did a better bike rack for the Dajiban and posted it over there.  It should be at the bottom of this page... because that first link has about a 37.286519% chance of working, LOL.

 

Hell, either link has a low probability of working, since I inserted them!

 

In the top right corner of your post, click on the 3 dots. Choose "share", and it will give you a link directly to that post.

 

 

[ggzilla]

My Yota sitting in the Sun always read about 10 degrees hotter than actual, but after it gets moving for a few minutes starts reading correctly. More accurate than any storefront temp display

On 12/9/2023 at 5:19 PM, Duncan said:

Is it really 130 degrees, or is that in a closed car or building that's been in the sun?  I think Death Valley is the hottest place on earth, and I don't it's ever hit 130 there..

Death Valley has gotten to 134 degrees in 1913, and 129.9 degrees in 2020 and 2021

[Duncan]

2 hours ago, ggzilla said:

My Yota sitting in the Sun always read about 10 degrees hotter than actual, but after it gets moving for a few minutes starts reading correctly. More accurate than any storefront temp display

Death Valley has gotten to 134 degrees in 1913, and 129.9 degrees in 2020 and 2021

 

Funny, as I've noticed a LOT of these heat records were set in the 20's and 30's.  Our local news station occasionally mentions when one is broken locally, and they all seem to be at least a few decades old.  Global warming??

[datzenmike]

Car temperature readings are from the throttle body sensor so the EFI can compute the mixture. Under hood temps, specially heat soak will read higher just for a while on start up. 

[ggzilla]

On our 2006 Subaru and 2010 Yota, the exterior temp sensor is behind the bumper, and not used by the engine ECU

 

I wouldn't be surprised if GM re-uses the engine air inlet temp sensor for same purpose, and in that case I wonder how accurate it would be for external air temperature

1 hour ago, datzenmike said:

Car temperature readings are from the throttle body sensor so the EFI can compute the mixture. Under hood temps, specially heat soak will read higher just for a while on start up. 

 

[dimlight65]

I took the bike around the block today!  Oh, I didn't ride it, it rode on the back of the Dajiban!

 

See, today I drove the Dajiban home and fitted the bike to the rack.  First attempt, on the "Outside"...

 

 

 

 

which was a lot easier to load and unload, but was sketchy as hell!

 

So I reconfigured it to ride on the "Inside"...

 

 

 

 

which I like much better, even if it is a bit fiddly to load and unload.   We're ready for car shows now!

 

And before you comment, it does not stick out on the sides.  Yes, it looks like it does, but it does not.

 

Edited September 20, 2025 by dimlight65

[dimlight65]

I took the bike back to the shop so I could make a modification to the rack... but then forgot to take pictures of that modification.  Next time.

 

Then, I was sitting there looking at the bike and lamenting how un-rideable it is due to (tee hee... doo doo!) the seat being too low.  I was trying to think of how I could extend the sissy bar to raise the seat and decided that another bracket otter do the trick.  So I bunged a couple out and bolted them on...

 

 

thus raising the seat 2"...

 

 

I rolled it out and had a quick ride around the parking lot...

 

 

before taking a beauty shot and parking it inside...

 

 

It seemed like the extra 2" helped, but I won't know for sure until I get it back home and see how far I can ride it.