Emily VelascoMLE_online
Jul 4, 2025, 1:24 AMOther than a few minor loose ends I need to take care of, i think my homemade ebike is, as they say, d-u-n-n, done
Replies
- Emily VelascoMLE_onlineJul 4, 2025, 1:26 AM
Things left to do: print out a slightly redesigned chain tensioner, shorten the headlight cable and pedal assist sensor cable, find a front basket
- Emily VelascoMLE_onlineJul 4, 2025, 1:33 AM
The chain tensioner is an annoying necessary evil. I didn't realize until I had built everything that the rear part of the frame flexes a lot when you sit down on the bike. It's enough flex that makes the chain loose. Tightening the chain enough so that it stays tight while you sit on the bike means the chain has to be really really tight when you're not on the bike.
This tensioner adjusts so the chain is tight, but not too tight, in either case
CharlieGCharles@gascoigne.socialJul 4, 2025, 1:26 AM@MLE_online It looks amazing. Nicely done.
- Emily VelascoMLE_onlineJul 4, 2025, 1:27 AM
@Charles thank you!
Jon Gilbertjgilbert@mastodon.socialJul 4, 2025, 1:26 AM@MLE_online that looks so cooooooool 😃
- Emily VelascoMLE_onlineJul 4, 2025, 1:27 AM
@jgilbert thanks!
StellaFoxxie :netkitty:StellaFoxxie@oldbytes.spaceJul 4, 2025, 1:36 AM@MLE_online it's so cute! nice work!
merlin / alex glowalexglow@chaos.socialJul 4, 2025, 1:43 AM@MLE_online GORGEOUS! Omg, that little light on the front!! And is that an Oskitone sticker? Incredible aesthetic ✨
- merlin / alex glowalexglow@chaos.socialJul 4, 2025, 1:43 AM
@MLE_online I really like how you used the truck bed sealant spray (iirc)
- Emily VelascoMLE_onlineJul 4, 2025, 1:49 AM
@alexglow yes! That is an oskitone sticker. You have a very good eye.
- merlin / alex glowalexglow@chaos.socialJul 4, 2025, 1:59 AM
@MLE_online That cool-ass tank thingy demanded close inspection!
Greg Bellferrix@mastodon.onlineJul 4, 2025, 2:17 AM@alexglow @MLE_online Emily's life has like all the elements of a casual bike-crafting game
- Emily VelascoMLE_onlineJul 4, 2025, 2:24 AM
- Greg Bellferrix@mastodon.onlineJul 4, 2025, 2:36 AM
@MLE_online @alexglow avoid weird people bugging you as you ride
- Emily VelascoMLE_onlineJul 4, 2025, 3:12 AM
Jul 4, 2025, 1:46 AM@MLE_online This is gorgeous
amdamd@gts.amd.imJul 4, 2025, 1:47 AM@MLE_online I love it!
- amdamd@gts.amd.imJul 4, 2025, 1:47 AM
@MLE_online what is the battery design?
- Emily VelascoMLE_onlineJul 4, 2025, 1:51 AM
@amd it's a battery from a rental scooter that a friend found broken on the street. I found a YouTube video that explained how to bypass the hardware that only unlocks it when it's connected to the scooter and I just stuffed it inside an abs drain pipe
- Greg Bellferrix@mastodon.onlineJul 4, 2025, 2:03 AM
@MLE_online I did not appreciate how neat this would be when all done up pretty
- Emily VelascoMLE_onlineJul 4, 2025, 2:12 AM
@ferrix well it really did look like hell for a while there
Jul 4, 2025, 2:19 AM@MLE_online gorgeous! what size tires? Where did you get your hub motor wheels?
- Emily VelascoMLE_onlineJul 4, 2025, 2:29 AM
@rmond those are 20 in wheels. The rear rim was from a wheel I found by the river. The front room was something I bartered with my bike shop guy for. He knows I work as a writer so he asked if I could write a letter of recommendation for his friend to be let out on parole in exchange for bicycle parts. The hub motor itself also came from the river. It was laced into a 27-in rim when I got it.
- Jul 4, 2025, 2:38 PM
@MLE_online now I remember you posting about all that. I had forgotten.
Rachelrachel@transitory.socialJul 4, 2025, 2:39 AM@MLE_online@social.afront.org omg that is amazing
James AkersJamesAkers@expressional.socialJul 4, 2025, 2:39 AM@MLE_online That thing looks way fun! The truck bed liner is really neat, and I like the battery tube in back.
Your chain mechanism is interesting
- Emily VelascoMLE_onlineJul 4, 2025, 3:56 AM
@JamesAkers i love the truck bed liner. It was kind of a pain to put on, but it was worth it
Pepperpepper@hachyderm.ioJul 4, 2025, 4:16 AM@MLE_online @JamesAkers what was a pain? Just thick and having to use a brush for the fine stuff?
- Emily VelascoMLE_onlineJul 4, 2025, 2:15 PM
@pepper @JamesAkers it's thick and goopy and you have to consider the texture you're creating. It would be easy on bigger, flatter surfaces, but all the nooks and crannies of the bike made it challenging
FeloniousPunkFeloniousPunk@beige.partyJul 4, 2025, 3:15 AM@MLE_online This. Is RAD.
Jul 4, 2025, 3:17 AM@MLE_online That's a really unusual drive chain setup! Is it a consequence of adapting scooter mechanisms? Does it do torque detection? I've never seen anything like that, although my experience is limited with full-custom builds like this.
Congratulations on getting a working bike together from salvage like this!
- Emily VelascoMLE_onlineJul 4, 2025, 3:24 AM
@moira no it's a consequence of using an ebike motor meant for front wheel drive on the rear wheel. The hub motor was not set up to accept a free wheel, so if I wanted to be able to pedal and coast, this was the only way I could figure out how to do it
- Jul 4, 2025, 4:52 AM
@MLE_online OOOOOOH THAT'S WHY okay I get it now. great project :D
- Emily VelascoMLE_onlineJul 4, 2025, 5:07 AM
@moira thank you!
Zack Sternzackstern@hachyderm.ioJul 4, 2025, 3:19 AM@MLE_online yay pretty great
- FeloniousPunkFeloniousPunk@beige.partyJul 4, 2025, 3:21 AM
@MLE_online Jenkies, does it only have a front brake?!?
- Emily VelascoMLE_onlineJul 4, 2025, 3:22 AM
@FeloniousPunk yeah, only a front brake
- FeloniousPunkFeloniousPunk@beige.partyJul 4, 2025, 3:25 AM
@MLE_online you are fearless. I respect that. 🫡
- Emily VelascoMLE_onlineJul 4, 2025, 3:39 AM
@FeloniousPunk more like lazy. There was no place to mount a brake on the rear because the bike originally had a coaster break in the back, and this is a folding bike so if I added a brake cable from front to back, that would interfere with the splitting of the bike
- FeloniousPunkFeloniousPunk@beige.partyJul 4, 2025, 3:50 AM
@MLE_online Yeah that’s more than a little tricky for sure. About the only thing I could think of would be maybe some rigged one-arm actuator to move a rim brake off the chain stay. Doubt it would work.
Jul 4, 2025, 8:50 AM@FeloniousPunk @MLE_online I noticed that too. I find your lack of rear brake disturbing, especially considering how tail-heavy your cute little beast likely is...
:mastoflushed:
- Emily VelascoMLE_onlineJul 4, 2025, 2:13 PM
@xChaos @FeloniousPunk disturbing is quite a strong word
Chris White finds this vexingstoneymonster@stoney.monsterJul 4, 2025, 3:31 AM@MLE_online whoa! I’m especially impressed by that chain routing.
- Emily VelascoMLE_onlineJul 4, 2025, 3:44 AM
@stoneymonster it might be overly complicated, but it was the only way I could make this work the way I wanted to and it was a fun engineering exercise
- Chris White finds this vexingstoneymonster@stoney.monsterJul 4, 2025, 5:26 AM
@MLE_online it’s cool!
- Emily VelascoMLE_onlineJul 4, 2025, 5:32 AM
@stoneymonster I do like it, but only because it works, lol. If it had failed, i would have hated it
- Pepperpepper@hachyderm.ioJul 4, 2025, 4:18 AM
@MLE_online she's so pretty!
Panda San🇵🇷danielsan256@mastodon.socialJul 4, 2025, 4:31 AM@MLE_online
Dope🤟🏽
Jul 4, 2025, 5:25 AM@MLE_online you need a bottle holder also, and a tail light. Very cool tho. Way cooler than the scooter- Emily VelascoMLE_onlineJul 4, 2025, 5:26 AM
@piggo The bottle can go in the basket I'm going to put on it. I do need a tail light though.
Jul 4, 2025, 5:44 AM@MLE_online Looks great! You're a very capable e-bike engineer.
Jul 4, 2025, 6:24 AM@MLE_online Cool!
LocalLocal@tabletop.socialJul 4, 2025, 7:53 AM@MLE_online That is so cool 😎
mattdawhitmattdawhit@mastodon.iow.socialJul 4, 2025, 9:00 AM@MLE_online
Love it, top work
NEPŘÁTELSKÉ EMOCE 🇺🇦🇨🇿lkundrak@metalhead.clubJul 4, 2025, 9:09 AM@MLE_online this is simultaneously awesome and horrible
fancybonefancybone@hachyderm.ioJul 4, 2025, 1:30 PM@MLE_online this looks like something from a live-action TMNT adaptation that would start with two episodes on YouTube, and then get picked up by a major studio for $500 million dollars.