Recent content by spokewrench

I'm critical of my Radrunner, but I remember something I loved about it. With 3.3" tires at the recommended 30 PSI, steering was neutral. That is, it felt the same whether the bike was going straight or turning. When you lean, the front contact patch moves to that side. The drag steers the wheel...

When i got into e-bikes, I noticed how slow and cumbersome it is to stop at a stop sign. This was particularly true for my first two e-bikes. They were single speed, and for safety, their controllers provided little torque from a stop. It was not only inconvenient but dangerous because getting...

Produced from 1967 to 1971. The powerhead weighed 18 pounds, so 20+ sounds like a good estimate. Before 1959, a chainsaw weighed more than 25 pounds. Before 1950, a chainsaw required 2 men. Speaking of fast sawing, how about the New England coastal natives of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode...

The manufacturer of my $300 Silky pole saw recommends WD40 when putting it away. That's not very good for stopping rust and doesn't hold up in sawing. I keep 5 W motor oil in a brush-top bottle for it, my pruning saw, my bow saw, my electric hedge trimmer, my hedge shears, my grass shears, my...

For more than 10 years, I used a gas saw for the cords of wood to heat a large house. When I moved to town, I went back to the 36" bow saw I 'd bought in the 70s. One day I took it across the street to help the mayor. I made some cuts, and he asked to use it. Quick as a wink, he sawed into dirt...

Mine's a Worx. One user said that after 9 years, his quit delivering oil. He opened it up and found brittle plastic at the pump. Another said his chain quit spinning. He opened his up and found that the plastic drive gear had worn smooth. Worx still produces these saws, but gears are not...

Nine years ago I bought a 14 A electric chainsaw. It still cuts fast. A couple of years ago, a neighbor wasn't making headway with his gas saw. The teeth were very dull. I brought mine over. Because of a design flaw, it would leak until the oil tank was empty while sitting on a shelf. So I'd...

Why, that's a 1951 Deluxe Spitfire. Fully streamlined frame and tank. Powerful torpedo headlight. Removable seat post clamp. Felt-padded seat. Coaster brake. Schwinn-approved pedals. Only 61 pounds!

See if all spokes feel equally taut. A loose spoke can allow lateral movement when the hub is hanging by it, and that can make a click. After checking by feel, I make finer adjustments by tapping each spoke with my spoke wrench to be sure all sound similarly tight.

Nice bike!

I think the bill proposes what can be manufactured or sold in California. Hmmm... if it passes, and I lived there, I wonder if I could order a hotter bike or controller from out of state...

I read the bill the other day. It starts by saying 750 watts peak for cargo bikes. "Peak" still sounds bad. That's one approach, though. Cargo bikes are longer and heavier, making them less appealing to juveniles. I've read that 250 watts is a motor manufacturer's rating, certifying that it...

In 2022 I bought a Six Three Zero e-bike, advertised as Class 3, 28 mph. On some streets around here, that would be closer to the limit than Class 2. I thought that would be safer. On a hill, I found that it put 500 watts on the wheel as advertised. However, where I regularly rode, I had to...

I extended the visor on my helmet and use sock-like liners. I also minimize exposure when the sun is high. When it's at 45 degrees (shadow equals height), UVB is only 10% what it is when the sun is directly overhead. At that point, I'm not concerned. Years ago I worked out the math and marked...

My CC statements are complicated enough without 4 more bills!