GEBE axle mount- modifications and additions

bamabikeguy

Active Member
Local time
2:45 AM
Joined
Sep 30, 2006
Messages
1,894
Location
Alabama Holly Pond
Sam and I have been discussing a thread dealing with any "drilling and/or cutting" the GEBE axle mount. Last week, when I was looking into the "flipping Starr's gas tank/getting him out of that tree", clicking through GEBEs testimonials, I saw 2 "conversions to frame mount" similar to Sam's, a few hitches like Loco's, an some "saddle bag extentions" like Hive's.

I've heard, but haven't seen, folks drilling on both sides and adding turn signals/blinking lights/reflectors.

As time allows, I'm going to go back through the testimonials, post the pix I can capture, and we can make this thread stictly "adaptations/modifications".

I've never drilled a hole in one yet, but the trailer hitch and blinking lights seem like a worthy improvement.

Please bear with me, this might take 10 "editings" to get the pix posted, but if you've ever drilled or cut the axle mount, jump in and post a pic/link/whatever to describe the "why's and how's".

Give me a half hour, and I'll get the first few thumbnails under this intro, I'm starting at the top of the GEBE page, may get halfway through before sunrise.
 
This will be where the thumbnails go

Construction zone: compuIdiot at work - Pardon my dust...

Update 1 : Heres the first six - more to follow- (triplets born yesterday, gotta walk the pasture...)

Update 2: Beast's "disguising the engine as a milk crate" qualifies in this thread, a unique idea worthy of expansion when you get to looking at it...

1. Bill in Calif - saddlebags

http://www.bikeengines.com/billtest2.htm

2. Bill from South Carolina - saddlebags

http://www.bikeengines.com/billtest.htm

3. Edd from UK - saddlebags

http://www.bikeengines.com/eddbike.htm

4. Ed in VA - saddlebags

http://www.bikeengines.com/flyerpower.htm

5. Mark from VA frame mounting

http://www.bikeengines.com/markbike.htm


6. Pat from Alberta - I dunno WHAT that is :rolleyes:

http://www.bikeengines.com/pattest.htm
 

Attachments

  • billcalif.jpg
    billcalif.jpg
    11 KB · Views: 530
  • billfromsc.jpg
    billfromsc.jpg
    27 KB · Views: 485
  • eddfromuk.jpg
    eddfromuk.jpg
    28.9 KB · Views: 502
  • edva.jpg
    edva.jpg
    36.4 KB · Views: 478
  • markva.jpg
    markva.jpg
    7.1 KB · Views: 509
  • patalberta.jpg
    patalberta.jpg
    30.4 KB · Views: 546
Last edited:
9 more pix- more to come later

1. Darryl in Colo- gas canister
http://www.bikeengines.com/darryltest.htm

2. David in Colo - mounting block on bottom of axle mount
http://www.bikeengines.com/davidtest.htm

3. Fred in Alberta - saddlebag
http://www.bikeengines.com/fredtest.htm

4. Richard in Indiana - gas canister
http://www.bikeengines.com/richardtest.htm

5. Jay in Ohio- rack behind seat with brace
http://www.bikeengines.com/jaytest.htm

6. Joe in NY - double gas canisters
http://www.bikeengines.com/joebike55.htm

7. Bill in Delray FL - convert to frame mount
http://www.bikeengines.com/billtest4.htm

8. Jose in Mich- saddlebag & carrier support
http://www.bikeengines.com/josetest.htm

9. Tim in NC- something weird on a recumbent
http://www.bikeengines.com/timtest.htm
 

Attachments

  • darryl3.jpg
    darryl3.jpg
    33.4 KB · Views: 515
  • davidbike3.jpg
    davidbike3.jpg
    16.2 KB · Views: 468
  • fred5.jpg
    fred5.jpg
    29.7 KB · Views: 448
  • richardbike3.jpg
    richardbike3.jpg
    27.1 KB · Views: 467
  • jaybike2.jpg
    jaybike2.jpg
    57.2 KB · Views: 478
  • joebike55.jpg
    joebike55.jpg
    64.4 KB · Views: 464
  • billbike4.jpg
    billbike4.jpg
    32.7 KB · Views: 474
  • josebike1.jpg
    josebike1.jpg
    32.8 KB · Views: 469
  • timbike55.jpg
    timbike55.jpg
    23.6 KB · Views: 510

Attachments

  • wesbike.jpg
    wesbike.jpg
    43.4 KB · Views: 470
  • williebike.jpg
    williebike.jpg
    77.3 KB · Views: 465
  • keithmissouri.jpg
    keithmissouri.jpg
    24.8 KB · Views: 499
In Axle H*&^ again!

Bama, I checked out Willies creation & I have one of those exact bottles
SO IF I KEEP the Robin, this looks like the most practical way to go!
Pretty simple, but smart alternative to the unfortunate placement of the Robins fuel tank.

But I digress.....
I have purchased a new bike & the axle I got from GEBE is crossthreaded (after many on & off's/reassemblys etc) & I guess, useless.

So I went & purchased a new axle that is 7 & 1/4
(the GEBE measured out to that but I might have been a little off going through the spokes etc.)
& it is BARELY long enough to bolt everything up nice & snug right now.
So if this NEW axle is even a hair shorter, it will not work.

So I saw the "Bill in Delray FLA" convert to frame mount.
This seems logical all the way around for fixing flats, changing tires etc.

So I ask all of you HOW CRUCIAL are the measurements before you go & hack part of the mount off?

& how would you go about doing so & feeling confident that the mount is in the exact position it would be (bolted to the frame) as it would be sitting on the axle?

The GEBE mount looks like it was designed to sit on the axle & the belt tension align perfectly!
I am interested in doing this mod but want any & all input before doing so!
BTW, somebody MUST make an 8 inch axle.

That should be & come standard along with the GEBE kit since so many people are having trouble in this area.

Any & all input Greatly appreciated!!

Starrman15
 
Sam has a detailed description of how he did it, but offhand in my opinion, you can have a quarter inch of "play", taken care of by the tension arm.

With a bit of planning, you should be able to hit it exactly in the first shot.

If I were doing it, I'd measure the existing gap from the top of the tire to the bottom of the engine mount/arc of the axle mount, it's about the width of a 2 X 4, but measure and find something to "hold that gap" steady while you measure and finagle.

Main thing is to get the axle mount angled correctly.

Then you can take the engine mount off, and move the axle mount to where you are going to drill the holes, clamping it all together, with that "gapper" insuring proper placement, then taking the rear wheel off while you work.

The important side is the spokering side, and whatever you do to that side can be duplicated on the sprocket side.
 
Went with the "Stock Wheel" & a few GEBE "rants"

Well Bama, the Stock wheel turned out to be 14 gauge spokes.
So I went ahead with it & saved alot of time in (not having to) switch the cassette.
(The new bike had an extra gear on the cassette than the former bike)

The conversion with the 7 1/4 axle went very well.
My Dad again did an excellent job re-packing the bearings & this bicycle pedals better than it did off the showroom!

Plenty of extra room for the mount also.
More than the axle I got from GEBE even, so all is well in that area.

BUT.... I STILL THINK GEBE SHOULD PROVIDE AN AXLE WITH THE KITS!!
90% of people purchasing a GEBE kit have to go & switch out the axle!!
What is the PROBLEM here?

This is an aspect to their company that really irritates me.
They seem "obtuse" to some of the most obvious things they could do to "improve" their company & their customers sanity!
To my way of thinking, this is just selfish, being tight, or plain stupid IMO.

90% of bicycles have the "flip mechanism"
Even in the Popular mechanics article they had to go to a bike shop & switch to a straight axle.

As much as their kit costs, why not include an axle?
Good Lord, How hard is that??

But they WILL include a silly "KIll Switch"
What in the world would anyone need That Thing for???
On a Bicycle??
I'd rather have had an axle included.
(BTW, I have NEVER USED THE KILL SWITCH & ANYONE IS WELCOME TO IT....but you pay shipping)

BTW, I purchased an axle yesterday at a very "high dollar" bike shop for around $10 dollars.
(I purchased a few other things so I am not exact on the amount of the axle....but I KNOW it did not exceed 10 dollars)

Now I will digress a bit farther & ask anyone who is "in the know"
WHAT IS THE POINT IN QUICK RELEASE WHEELS???

You CANNOT GET THEM OFF WITHOUT re-moving the brake pads to allow the wheel & tire to be freed.
At least not on tires as big as I have.
Now....those little "skinny tires" maybe....but not on a mountain or hybrid.
This WILL NOT happen without completely deflating the tires.

So...what is the point???
Why would a company put these "flippy things" on a mountain bike wheel??
Any answers would be greatly appreciated!
What a stupid & irritating engineering mistake!

Back to my bike.
For the belt to clear the brake I am going to have to tilt the engine way back again like the Rossy.

It IS a smaller Bicycle though.
I really wanted to be able to mount the engine perfectly "straight up"
Not only for "re-fueling" but for checking the oil.

But that is not to be had.
All in all, a good day though as problems were worked through thanks to a very bad experience last year & the help of this fine SITE!
& the extra spokering came in handy!
Will mount the Robin tomorrow or so depending on my schedule.

Thanks again Bama', Ol' Pete, & everyone for your insight & help!

Starrman 15
 
I'm hoping this thread sticks with axle mounts and modifications, add-ons like saddlebags and auxillery gas tanks, blinkers, framemounting tips and such, so will make a comment on bikes/wheels over in the GEBE dooz and don't dooz.
 
GEBE dooz and don't dooz

Again Bama' this is a great thread also.

Sorry for the "minor" rant.
I realized I should have went back to my own initial thread for it after hitting "submit"
I vented the rest in a pm to sam.

BTW, Your air compressor idea is exactly what my Dad started using last year!
& for the exact same reason!
Being a mechainic, he had one around.

I know your just a nice/helpful guy but GEBE ought to be cutting you a check every month!

Starrman15
 
Thinking about framemounting more and more.....

I have an Avalon sitting around, and there are 4 holes sitting there idle above the axle slot.... (pic 1) . And the only sized machine bolts on hand are the right size, wrong thread pattern. (pic 2)

And since I have the camera/bolt, might as well check a Sun (pic 3) Schwinn (pic 4) and Huffy (pic 5).

VERDICT? No one size fits all in this modification.

Likewise, two R/S 35ers have done it in different ways, I have to choose between Sam's "3 Peice" and Lars "Get 'er Dun/drill a hole" designs....

Sam's design
http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?p=71646#post71646

Lar's design
http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?p=74164#post74164

Looking at the YellowSun and Rocinante (pics 6 7 8 ) it is obvious the two holes won't fit on the axle mount width....

Measuring the gap from the tire to the bottom of the engine mount might be deceiving, but on both Yellow and Rocin. the back is 1 inch, front is 1 1/4"... (pix 9 & 10) We'll check back on those measurements on the Avalon.

Now, I'm not in any hurry to convert the Sun's, and Sam's design requires one very critical measurement when putting the thing together, but I'm leaning to that "3 Peice" method, which could be "mass produced" if I continue concentrating on Sun Retro 7's.....

Just posting this to stress that YOUR bike will be different, Lars easier method might work for you, but I like the "detachability" of Sam's method.
 

Attachments

  • framemount113637.JPG
    framemount113637.JPG
    94.4 KB · Views: 447
  • framemount113709.JPG
    framemount113709.JPG
    61.1 KB · Views: 472
  • framemount113746.JPG
    framemount113746.JPG
    63.3 KB · Views: 477
  • framemount113808.JPG
    framemount113808.JPG
    86.8 KB · Views: 448
  • framemount113821.JPG
    framemount113821.JPG
    66.7 KB · Views: 486
  • framemount113849.JPG
    framemount113849.JPG
    50.4 KB · Views: 444
  • framemount113858.JPG
    framemount113858.JPG
    53.3 KB · Views: 458
  • framemount113925.JPG
    framemount113925.JPG
    48.2 KB · Views: 432
  • framemount114205.JPG
    framemount114205.JPG
    54.5 KB · Views: 449
  • framemount114228.JPG
    framemount114228.JPG
    54 KB · Views: 445
Back
Top