2015-03-08 - Brief Ride on Dumpster Bike

Bike: Land Rider Auto Shift
Miles: 2.3
Start Time 2:09
Moving Time: 0:15:12
Elevation: 0
Avg Spd: 9.0
Max Spd: 12.8
Temp Out: 79
Temp In: 79

Bike: Vilano 3 Speed
Miles: 6.3
Start Time 5:43
Moving Time: 0:36:25
Elevation: 118
Avg Spd: 10.4
Max Spd: 17.9
Temp Out:
Temp In: 68

A short ride to try the restored Land Rider Auto Shift bike salvaged from park dumpster. I originally put a rear wheel from another bike on this which made it a two speed (chain ring shifting only) affair. After trying it and seeing how bad it was I decided to put a tire on the original rear wheel which has the pulley and belt necessary to run the "auto shift" feature and put it back on the bike. How does it all work?

In the first photo below the pulley that drives the shift mechanism can be seen on the rear wheel inside the largest cog, next to the spokes. The small belt sitting on the cogs in the photo goes from this pulley to the very small pulley visible at the bottom inside of the derailleur in the second photo. This pulley turns the shaft with the chrome weight at the far end visible to the right of the small pulley, also in the second photo. The installed wheel and belt can be seen in the third photo below. As the pedals are turned and the pulley drives the shaft the chrome weight which is split opens like butterfly and pulls the derailleur and chain to the next smaller gear. Conversely when one slows down the weight gradually closes and allows the springs in the derailleur mechanism to pull the chain back the bigger cogs (lower gears). The last picture shows the weight open and the chain on a high gear.

After consulting the Internet I adjusted the spring tension so the bike shifts at a lower speed. I do not want to give myself a heart attack getting enough speed to up shift. All in all it is not a bad bike. I was going to give it away but I think I will keep it a my outside bike to jump on to go to the mail box, etc.

At about 5:45 I went out and rode around the area on the 3 sped just for fun and to get my weeks mileage over 100 (Warning!! Ego at work).