Bike Mechanics

I’ve done more mechanical bike work in the last two days than I have in the last two years.

I got the electric cargo bike fixed with a new hub motor, new controller, and new color computer interface. I had to jury-rig a wood platform mount for the controller, but it looks OK.  The new motor and controller provide a *LOT* of power and speed.  Actually a bit *too* much.  I thought I had program-limited the bike’s speed at 22 mph, but I’m quite certain I was going well over 30 uphill when I tried it out this evening. All the loose electronic cables (there are 5) are now zip-tied to the frame. All that’s left is to tweak the programming a bit more. I’m a bit amazed it all works. 

I blew out a rear tire on the Surly Ogre pedal bike yesterday. The good news was my wife was biking with me, and she biked back to the car and picked me up in front of John Brown’s last stand at Harpers Ferry.  I changed the Surly tire tube out when I got home; luckily I had two 29” presta valve tubes at the ready; 29” presta tubes are not regular stock at most bike shops. The old blown tube is easily reparable — a thorn was the culprit, so I should still have two good tubes when I get that repaired.