Look Ma, No Pedals!

While discussing the pedal chain problem with someone else, it suddenly occured to me that it could actually be the frame twisting, which was not really possible before due to the multiple triangles of the center frame, which no longer exist. A tensioner should still fix that, but there can't be *much* twisting happening, as I can't feel or see it, so that tells me the chain is on the edge of coming off all the time even *without* this problem. :-(


Speaking of chains, I just tied the chain up out of the way for all of my riding to and from work today, and it worked ok. However, I don't get nearly the speeds I think I should be getting; I think the 12A shunt analog ammeter might be restricting the current flow, or I might have a poor connection somewhere (probably with the wires from the battery pack to the meter, quite possibly in the crimp connections to the spades for plugging into the back of the meter).

That's easy to check, by bypassing the meter at the pack, just bolting the two wires back together again.


Now, I know it'll be slower with the 24" vs 26" for the same gear, but this is more drastic than that. Maybe 3-4MPH less than before. According to this calculator:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/
it shouldn't be more than at most 1.5MPH difference, not even that, for top speed in highest gears.

Also, I think the rear brakes might be flopping back and forth touching the wheel, slowing it down in bursts, because when cruising I can watch the ammeter fluctuate by a couple of amps or more, with a period of less than a second, which I think is about what a wheel rev ought to be, especially since as I slow down I can watch the oscillation slow as well. It doesn't always happen, but there's enough noise on the road including the motor noise that I can't really hear sounds well enough from the back of the bike to hear if something is rubbing.

So between those possible problems, both of which are still awaiting confirmation, I guess it could be robbing me of enough power to cause this.


A completely random thought regarding the name and looks of the bike:
I am seriously considering a mutation of the CrazyBike into the Junkyard Wolf, with "fairing" that would look like a wolf leaping/running, with it's legs over the front wheel in a kind of pounce position, rear legs astride the rear wheel as if having just leapt into the air. Head would be right where the lighting is now. Then my seat would end up just over the curved back.

I think a prototype version of this look is in order first, and then when I rebuild the bike "from scratch" to improve all the many things that need it from this prototype, I can make a better more permanent version of the "wolf fairing".