Save Gas and Get Exercise - Put an Engine on Your Bike!

Lets face it: gas is just too darn expensive. When gas hit $4.00 a gallon in my town, I decided it was time I did something. No, I couldn't bring the price of gas back down, at least not directly. However one thing I could do was decrease the demand by not using so much of it. I thought, "I should find a much more fuel efficient way of getting around town." I decided that I wanted a Vespa!

However, after a quick price check I no longer wanted a Vespa. At least not if I was going to have to shell out a few thousand dollars for it. New plan. It was time to break out my old bicycle. I started doing a lot of riding for my short trips. However, I forgot how much hard work biking is, especially when hills are involved. Don't get me wrong, I love riding my bike now, but I just wish I could make it a little easier on the legs, and thus allow me to ride further distances. That's when I got the idea to put a small engine on the bike. I don't want to turn it into a motorcycle or anything, but just to give me a little extra power and speed to make it easier to use my bike as a daily commuting vehicle.

I've done some research on the web for methods and full kits to retrofit bicycles with small engines. A company called Golden Eagle Bike Engines appears to be the best of the best. Sort of the Cadillac of motorized bicycles. However, to purchase their kits will run you between $500 and $700, not including the bike. That's still out of my budget. But hey, if you can afford it, a kit from GEBE is the way to go. Currently they have suspended orders for entire kits until the company can meet the high demand (I guess everyone had the same idea, but more money than me), but they are still taking orders for replacement parts. I ordered three individual replacement parts as if I was replacing them on my kit. They never asked what I needed with three random parts, and I never told. For someone like me with a slightly smaller budget but still a lot of technical know-how, this is definitely the way to go. Here is what I am planning: I have purchased from their site the only parts from the kit that I can't make myself. Those parts are:

1. Drive Ring

2. Drive Belt

3. Drive Gear

Everything else can be done by yourself. These parts all together cost me $108, with shipping. In addition, I needed to get an engine. If you or someone you know has an old string trimmer, leaf blower, chain saw or any other lawn tool with a horizontal crank shaft engine, try using that. However, I needed my string trimmer for the lawn, so I went to Lowes and picked up a Troy-Bilt 25 cc string trimmer for $100 (I'm also selling the left over shaft after I remove the engine on eBay to recoup some costs). Just make sure that the engine you use has a centrifugal clutch. If you don't know for sure, try spinning the end of the string trimmer. If it spins freely and you don't hear the engine turn over, then it has a clutch.

Now I have everything I need (plus some parts laying around in the garage) to add this engine to my bike. Total estimated cost: $208 dollars. Estimated mileage: 200 mpg (based on GEBE kit mpg estimates).

I will be working on this project over the next couple of days. I'll update my steps along the way so anyone can follow along, and include pictures as I go. Have a great day.