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to the Archive indexIn the February 2004 Buzzing, I read the article by Frank Auton, about his belt drive Eagle cyclemotor on a mountain bike.
Two years ago I made more or less the same combination, but much easier: the complete rear wheel of a Spartamet into a mountain bike. The advantage of that combination is that you have a low centre of gravity, no friction at all when you cycle without using the engine (only the weight of the engine to carry). Moreover it is just a matter of taking out the standard rear wheel and mount the Spartamet wheel.
There is space for a 5-sprocket free wheel on the rear wheel, and together with a 3-sprocket chainwheel on the crank axle that is more than enough to ride nice and gently. The engine doesn't help you to go much faster. This makes a difference of only 5 kilometres per hour, though it helps a lot uphill and with a strong adverse wind.
I have used my bike in the Alps and in the Pyrennees. I crossed Mont Cenis with that little monster for example, more than 2,000 metres high. That was rather hard, but after all we came to the top.
I had no registration problems because we still don't need a numberplate in Holland. But because of the European legislation, we will get them also in Holland within a few years, and than I'll have the same problems as Frank had with his bike, I expect.
First published, April 2004