Sears Spyder 24"

[wheelbender6]

I've taken some long spins after adding the lay back seat post. Pedaling is much more comfortable now, but it makes the grip shifter look a little obscene.
-I also added an ell bracket to the rat trap fork that does a good job of limiting the front wheel travel.
-I have ordered a stick shifter from fleabay but it hasn't arrived. Maybe this weekend.

 

[wheelbender6]

I swapped the front wheel for a 20". The bike is a 24/20 now. It still looked a like a cruiser when the 24" wheel was on the front.
I had a shipping problem with my stick shifter so I haven't received it. I started fooling with converting the grip shift to a stick shifter again.

 

[Jaxon]

24 x 20 is a cool set up.

 

[wheelbender6]

I finally got the stick shifter installed. Since I have two top tubes, it was pretty simple to make a shifter mount from ell brackets.
I don't know how old this shifter is, but it works surprisingly well. The weather is perfect for a ride, but my allergies are keeping me indoors.

 

[wheelbender6]

Some updated pics. The Simplex shifter works far better than a grip shifter modified to a stick shifter. I do enjoy the creative aspect of modifying a grip shifter, though.

 

[wheelbender6]

I have come up with a temporary solution to the weak fork spring problem. I had tried adding helper springs and such, but they have a tendancy to fall off without drilling new holes in the hardened steel.
-I replaced the short bolt that connects the struts to the spring bracket with a long hollow bolt. The hollow, or sleeve bolt is long enough and strong enough to prevent the spring assembly from pivoting as far.
-Now I can veer off the paved path without worrying about the fork jamming in the fully compressed position.
-I am still working on a helper spring solution that will allow more fork travel without bottoming out.

 

[wheelbender6]

I took my Spyder clone out after work with a fresh set of tires installed. Unfortunately, my hang-on derailleur unhung itself and wound up jammed in my spokes.
-The retaining screw and plate had come loose and the derailleur began to spin like hands on a clock around the axle.
-I have one bent spoke but none are broken. The spoke protector looks like a dog chewed on it. The derailleur is quite mangled. It was just a cheap mountain bike piece. The rear dropout was fairly bent too.
-I was able to remove the derailleur and pedal most of the way home. The chain was just too bent to allow me to pedal the entire way home.​

 

[wheelbender6]

Ditched the clamp-on kick stand for the proper weld-on one. Removed the Simplex stick shifter in favor of a Spyder 5 spd stick,

 

[wheelbender6]

I found a Spyder chain guard at a not-so-outrageous price and added it. I also added a pic of it with the old hockey stick on it.
-Mounting the full circle chainguards requires a good bit of tinkering when you do not have original brackets. I also had tp space it over to make room for my old triple chain ring. I can't wait to ditch the triple chain ring when I find a suitable single.
-The Spyder chain guard is pretty banged up. That's OK since I am mounting it on a Flightliner.

 

[wheelbender6]

I bought a 24" Spyder rear fender. Its not installed. Just laying on the tire in the pic.
-The fender was designed for a 24x1.75 tire. Mounting it on my 2.125" wide tire is quite a squeeze. (the front tire in the pic is 20x1.75)
-I really like the way the fender makes the rear tire look even fatter, but I may have to buy the 24x1.75 tire to make it work.

 

[wheelbender6]

I was able to come up with a sort of "lift kit" for the fender, so that I could continue to use the 24x2+ read tire.
-On the front of the fender, I used a bracket I had laying around to make an extender.
-I bolted the struts to the second hole in the sissy bar, rather than the usual mounting holes. I have enough clearance now for tire changes and other maintenance.

 

[wheelbender6]

I have been doing some muscle bike maintenance on it.
-The Sissy bar cracked (err, severed), so I installed a new one that clamps on, rather than bolts on. Spirited pedaling produces side forces that can quickly wear out the sissy bar.
I replaced the seat post too, as I was never really happy with the other. Maybe it will help control the lateral movement.
-I also replaced the crankset with a single chain wheel set. I had bent a crank arm on the other crankset during cornering. Its not good to pedal through the corners on a bike with 24" wheels.

 

[OZZY1972]

Pretty sweet bike , like it a lot !!!! , nice job !