Took the truck for a 21 mile ride yesterday with mini bikes

[dw1973]

I took my son and daughter for a ride on my truck that Rick built on a 21 mile
ride yesterday.   We attended the Last Chance mini bike ride and swap meet in Osseo,
MI.   The event organizer worked it out with local law enforcement to use the
secondary roads for the ride.  There was approximately 100 mini bikes total in the ride that stretched out over a mile.

Got lots of thumbs up, compliments and questions about the truck such as did you build this bike,etc.  Guys over 50 loved it and most of the younger crowd thought it was a cool completely home made bike.  Easily the best looking bike there - hats off to Rick.  It held its own running on average around 30-35mph (me at 275lbs and 95lbs for my kids combined) and finished the ride with only some tightening required of the rear wheel axle nuts on a break.  

Dave

[pd]

Sounds like you had some fun and did your part of forwarding a bit of interest in these little bikes .

Pete .

[OnaWingandaPrayer]

 Glad to hear you are having some enjoyment with the truck and your children are along with you . It's always nice when we can have family fun time to enjoy our hobby.

[Ricks]

That's awesome!  Did you build a seat in the back?

[dw1973]

Still have some things to do - finish up wiring the headlight, mount tail light, build a padded bench seat for the box and add a license plate bracket for my 1949 Michigan cycle plate.   Would like to convert to a front brake hub someday also for better stopping power.

[pd]

" Would like to convert to a front brake hub someday also for better stopping power."

I see thick soled boots are pretty cheap at Kmart .

On the serious side , I saw a very nice ( clean and lean ) front disc brake set up , but I don't recall right off just where . I'll do a bit of research and get back .

Pete .

[pd]

Found it . I saw it on YouTube . Here's the link :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNSedVnGHok

He shows the set up at about 10:12 minutes for a short time .

There are also kits on ebay : http://www.ebay.com/bhp/bicycle-disc-brake-kit

Just something to consider .

Pete .

[illMATTic]

Found it . I saw it on YouTube . Here's the link :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNSedVnGHok

He shows the set up at about 10:12 minutes for a short time .

There are also kits on ebay : http://www.ebay.com/bhp/bicycle-disc-brake-kit

Just something to consider .

Pete .

You need a hub that will accept the rotor. You may find an adapter that will bolt to the tall flange of the Simplex hub.

Either way it may fail. The caliper will be in a fixed position and the rotor will travel with the fork.

OR you can lace in a Worksman drum brake hub like I did. 

[pd]

Why couldn't you fab a floating caliper ?

[Ricks]

I like the worksman brakes.  They stop very well and adapt easily.

[pd]

Do they stop as well as a disc set up , Rick ?

[Ricks]

Do they stop as well as a disc set up , Rick ?

I'm not sure, but they look a lot more authentic than a disc brake.

[pd]

More authentic , that's true .

But , if it's not an OEM restore and maybe running a newer type motor ...

[illMATTic]

I think the disc brakes stop better from what I have read. If I was going for more function than looks I would def use one.

If you could come up with a bracket to keep the caliper with the disc as it traveled up and down it would work. 

[pd]

"If you could come up with a bracket to keep the caliper with the disc as it traveled up and down it would work."

That shouldn't be very difficult to design and fabricate . And , with a bit of creativity , the whole deal could be made to 'look' antique .