Published: September 17, 2007 05:57 pm      

AROUND TOWN: Medina man invents motorized mountain bicycle

With a Weed Eater gas line trimmer motor and a little bit of ingenuity, Medina resident Thomas Rowland set about motorizing his Huffy mountain bike this summer. Not only is it safer for the environment than a car or motorcycle, it makes for one cool ride.

Complete with a basket and trailer, the invention carries Rowland all around town — with a helmet, of course. He says it cost him very little and has helped make pedaling easier.

The Journal-Register was curious to see what it was all about.

Question: Why did you decide to motorize your bike?

Answer: Normally just the motorizing kits run from $400 to $900. I realized I could build my own in my shop. I found all of the parts on the side of the road, which is the neat part of it. It’s very simple to do. It’s the kind of thing that any handyman could do with a minimal amount of tools.

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Q: When did you make the bike?

A: This summer, I put it all together. I had all of the parts, so I just started working on it. After a few trial and errors I finally got everything working. All I did was I kind of built a special mounting for the bike, using just a common line trimming motor, to power the bike. It’s a little two-cycle gas engine. Valu sells them; Wal-Mart sells them. Eventually I’d like to go to a little bit stronger motor.

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Q: What are some of the bike’s special features?

A: It was a half Huffy mountain bike that I’ve customized for my own use. The handlebars are all from a vintage bike, probably from the ’60s. It has an extra wide seat. I have an extra large basket and a trailer and a stabilizer wheel. This way, I won’t tip over. The idea was to have something that was really high mileage and really economical.

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Q: Where do you ride it?

A: I ride it around town by just pedaling, but once I get out of town, I start the motor. The motor really helps. I run back and forth to my shop in Jeddo regularly. On a hill, I actually help pedal, but the motor is still doing 90 percent of the work. With the motor running, the speed runs between 15 and 20 miles an hour.

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Q: How many miles do you get to the gallon?

A: I’m getting about 100 miles to the gallon, which is pretty good mileage. The little tank doesn’t even hold a quart.

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Q: It sounds like a neat little invention. What will you be doing with it next?

A: You have to kind of see it to appreciate it. Eventually, it’s something I would like to possibly market as a small kit.

Contact reporter Nicole Coleman at 798-1400, ext. 2227.