April 20, 2015

            Today was fun. We have officially created two functional motorized bicycles. I cannot express the feeling of success and accomplishment after riding the two bikes next to each other. We had another full day, but the research done today could not have been ore fun. Patrick has helped us out a ton during this project and it felt sad to leave his garage knowing that I will not be there the next morning to work on a bike or help him out with a car.

            Our day began at Patrick’s garage to mix the fuel and oil and to get the gas bike running. The process took a little longer than I anticipated. I was expecting us to poor in the oil and gas, turn it on, and then leave for Piedmont Park. Campbell and I did fill up the tank and have the oil, but that was not our only step to the process. After we finally poured in the mixture, we fired her up. I took the first ride. It was rough. I peddled the bike up to the appropriate speed and released the clutch. It jolted, but I am not sure if the motor was on. I peddled faster to help out the engine and it began working. The throttle was not giving it more gas so we had to adjust the idle speed. The second run done by Campbell was much smoother. We were able to adjust the carburetor and adjusted everything we needed to. It kicks.

            Campbell and I made our way over to the park to learn that the bikes cannot be ridden in the park. The electric could get away with it, but the gas powered motor is simply too loud.  We decided to ride on the sidewalk, street, and in some neighborhoods. It was a ton of fun. I was riding the gas-powered motor and it flew. The bike vibrates intensely, but does not throw me off. As fun as it is, it is hard to handle the clutch, being able to react when you should pull it in, lock it, and/or release it. This makes it a little bit dangerous. Our effort, blood, sweat, and tears have all paid off. They purr. Tomorrow we will be running more test, trying to clock speeds and running other efficiency tests. Hopefully it will be as fun as today was.

April 19, 2015

            Today, Campbell and I met at Caribou to complete all of our hours. During this time we planed out our final week so that we are not wasting time planning on what to do next. Our first step is simply getting the gas powered bike running. This requires the oil and gas mixture, along with a gallon container, which I got after Campbell and I’s meeting. We will then use that day to ride and compare the gas and electric bike. With a lot of options for tests we have had to narrow them down, as we do not have the time that we thought we would. The first thing we will test is the mph and mpc (miles per charge) that each bike is getting. We will also be able to observe how well each bike does on an incline. The next day we will be tacking the bikes to the track to out the top speed they can each reach. To wrap up the week, Campbell and I will work on the commercial for another two days, and preparation for our presentation. Thursday is also the day Campbell and I present in the Green Team Cook Out. We have a busy week ahead of us, but after today I feel prepares.

April 18, 2015

            Without any wifi on the airplane I decided it would simply be best to put in my hours for the project on my way back. I first began research on the gas oil mixture that we will need to purchase for this gas powered bike. We will pretty much just use the oil you put in leaf blowers and chain saws. I then began looking over all the logs and organizing our process through this project. I realized how many times we have struggled in this project and overcame it by mangling or calling an audible. We have a lot to talk about and present. I created a brief overview of what our presentation will look like and then came up with a few ideas for the commercial. We are on our way to the finish line.

April 15, 2015

            Campbell and I powered through today. It was all about getting the gas powered bike done, and we were successful. All the parts have been assembled. However, we have yet to put any fuel in it to run. I believe the reason it took Campbell and I so long to finish the first bike was simply due to our lack of experience. After going through the process once we were much more familiar with working together,  how to work on a bike, and how to efficiently make modifications to the bike for parts. Hopefully Campbell and I are able to fire her up Sunday or Monday.

            Our first project for the day was getting a new screw for the stripped one Campbell and I tore up like Taz. Due to our last experience with the Home Depot screw aisle, we decided to see what Pep Boys had to offer instead. We grabbed the screw and a new brake wire for the bike at Atlanta Cycling on the way back. With the correct materials, it was not hard to whip up something nice in Patrick’s garage. To some things up in minor detail, we replaced the brake line, took off the gear changers, installed the throttle and throttle cables, put on the carburetor, adjusted clutch, attached chain guard, installed gas tank, connected electrical wires, cut the extra brake lines, and install the muffler. It was a lot. To be honest, I am very surprised Campbell and I were so efficient with the installation.  We learned how to work together and how to multitask to be more productive with our time.

            This project is going great, and to have two tangible objects to present is very exciting. We have had many scares and not one has actually prevented us from attaining out goals. I am very excited to hop on the gas powered bike, but am a little worried about how comfortable it is going to be. No matter what happens, however, I know it is going to be cooler than ice cold.  This is going to be a fun project to present.

April 14, 2015

            The gas powered bike is now on its way to completion. This time, Campbell and I have embraced that this kind of project is new to us both and therefore will not underestimate the time it will take us. As there is no manual that came with this kit, we have been following instructional videos from various websites. Though it can be very frustrating, I really do enjoy figuring things out through common sense and intuition.  Having no manual has prolonged the process, but has given Campbell and I a genuine experience in engineering. We have to bend original parts and sometimes create our own parts to make things work. It isn’t just following instructions.

            In the morning, we picked up what seemed to be a useless scrap of metal that had a small chance of holding our motorbike together. However, with some spray nine, water, and a lot a lot a lot of wd-40, hope was restored. Jumping right into our second project, Campbell and I disassembled the rear wheel and began installing the sprocket. It was very difficult to bolt the sprocket to the wheel without bending any spokes and keeping the sprocket in the center of the wheel.  The spokes are also thinner than what is suggested, but Campbell and I can only hope that it will not fall apart.

            The engine was easy to install. The only modification that we had to make was shaving off a bump on the bike’s frame that was in the way. The motor is mounted directly on the frame so I am very curious to find out whether or not that will vibrate the bike excessively or if it has no affect. Next, Campbell and I installed the clutch handle onto the bike and connected the wire to the engine so you may disconnect the chain from the engine immediately if necessary. Mr. Hwang then visited the garage to see how things were going. Campbell and I were able to witness Mr. Hwang in total euphoria as he squealed with joy when he tested the electric bike. It was adorable to say the least.

            Problems arouse when Campbell and I attempted to install the chain on the motor. A video illustrated that we must remove covers on a side that had nothing to do with the chain. We naturally followed these instructions, which resulted in no results and a million questions. We decided to ditch the video for a second and took off the parts that made since. After figuring out how to attach the chain to the gear inside of the engine, we were left puzzled about how to break the chain and thread it through. After some mangling and a lot of hammering we broke the chain, threaded it through, and then reattached it. The chain tension part is a whole other story, but it all worked out.

            These past two days have been very long, and have required a lot of labor. The gas powered bike is on its way, but as Patrick said, “assembling the bike is one thing, but getting it to run is the other”. We are crossing our fingers. Tomorrow should be a lot like the past two days. If we re lucky we will be able to finish the gas powered bike and test it over the weekend. Things are going great and I said before, all the bumps we have run into we have been able to get over. Let’s hope the pattern continues.

April 13, 2015

            We finally got the chance to ride it today. It has taken us much longer than we originally anticipated, but the result was worth it. Turning the throttle I was gently taken on the journey of a lifetime up and down the street of Auto Repairs by Patrick. This was sadly not the only thing that Campbell and I did today though. We had to complete some final touches to our now completed electric bike.

            Campbell and I arrived at Patrick’s ready to finish our first project. Even though it feels like it should have been done a week ago, there have been so many small additions we have had to make that just build up. This time it was the Pedal Assist System. In order to put this on we had to take off the pedal and remove the axel, a much lengthier job than we expected. Campbell and I definitely needed help so we rushed over to Atlanta Cycling to ask some questions. We were finally able to get the PAS on, but immediately regretted it when we realized its function. When peddling the bike while the power is on, the PAS system will kick in once you get the bike going by peddling. Essentially, right when begin to burn calories the power takes over so you are forced to be lazy. I believe it is unnecessary. The man at Atlanta Cycling also mentioned that the PAS will wear out the axel and decrease the bikes lifespan. Patrick and I both disagree with this assessment and find it hard to believe that this plastic piece will tear up the metal axel.

            The rest of the day Campbell and I touched up the bike, tapping wires together and tip tying them to the bike. We also had to tighten the battery box for it was too close to the tire and would move when we hit a bump, sometime knocking into the tire. We hen began the gas powered pike and quickly realized that our bike does work. We were installing the sprocket when we discovered that the axel on the wheel is about an inch and a half to large. Campbell and I had our moment for a panic attack and are now on search for a new bike.  We have run into a lot of bumps during this project, but have been able to get through all of them. Hopefully this will not hold us back. I can say that I am truly enjoying this project. Completing the electric bike was extremely exciting and helped me remind myself why I enjoy this. I am looking forward to a great day tomorrow.