Final mods

 

Well the deadline has come, and I think the bike is done. I made a simple spring-loaded chain tensioner for the captain, which really helps keep the chain from popping off, vs. the fixed version. This also lined up the chain better, further increasing our chain reliability situation.

 

I also reconfigured the captain's freewheel, to make it lighter and simpler. By cutting a piece of large PVC pipe and using as a spacer, I saved a lot of hassle with steel washers and cogs to get everything tightened down onto the freewheel body. Plus being PVC, it was easy to cut on a chop saw to the exact thickness needed. Being the type who saves scrap material, this PVC really came in handy, being the exact diameter needed to fit onto the freewheel body. Karma!

 

Here's the second version of the replacement for the captain's transfer gear. After working on it late last night with David and Ming, I'm afraid to say it's not going to make it on for the Napa ride. In order to fit a freewheel body low on this thread, we had to shave down the removal threads from the square tapered crank. This makes it very difficult to remove the crank from the bottom bracket axle. I tried rapping on the axle from the top to get the axle out, and ended up loosening the chainrings from the crank body. This cheap Shimano stamped-steel crankset features pressed-in chainrings, which I guess are great for the company, but not so cool for a customizer. Dead part.

Thankfully, my contingency plan of not messing with the existing transfer gear will allow us to ride the bike still as-is. Although it is wobbly, I think the spring chain tensioner will address this issue and allow for the chain to go slack and tight as the freewheel is turned. This can be witnessed when I backpedal the captain's crank: the chain tensioner moves up and down a bit. So I think I killed two birds with one stone by making this simple gizmo.