Biking and Ebiking

[marco_1978_spyder]

Haven't posted much lately. Haven't done much with the H body's, since I've been in the peak of our local 'off season' for hot-rodding.

I got my 4 new 13' tires mounted on the snowflake and now just waiting for a warm day to mount them up..

Without the focus on my car I turned to another hobby to pour some money into, but at least this stands the chance to recoup all the costs over time.

E-biking as it's being called. ie, either buying an electric bike or converting an existing bike to electric assist. (not gas).

Nothing against gas, I just went electric.

I got the bug to do the project after being initially enticed to part with my tax refund on an ebike being offered on one of those 'crowd-source' fund sites. I wasn't convinced on it's specifications or if it would even be real. So I missed the special early buy-in pledge of $500. Later it was $650 soon to go up to a more market typical $1,100.

I did some research on converting my current aging mountain bike and found that for nearly the same price I could actually have a more powerful bike, with spec's I could sure of. And like always, the pleasure of assembling it myself.

I dont get disc brakes or fat inefficient tires ( you can look up "storm ebike"), but I have more power...36v 350watt hub Vs. 48volt 1000watt hub

The trouble and big expense of ebike's is the battery. Low tech + low cost, lead acid is heavy and has low range. High tech is high cost but is much lighter and has better range, but lithium technology is finicky and care has to be taken when charging. Another thing is most of these battery packs are over sea's. These may include extra duty fee's once en-route.
So I found a US retailer and plunked down $500 kahonies for the best battery I could afford that would work with my hub. Matching component's is tricky with custom kit's. I did a ton of reading.


Right about now is a burning question... why not just pedal your bike, where's the exercise in electric? Understanding an ebike is knowing that an ebike is not a moped.
The kit gives a superman type of boost. But you have to use it sensibly, or you wont get any range. And when you do pedal on your own, the bike is a noticeable bit heavier and requires bit more human power to ride. Also heat kills these thing's. You can not use it to take off from a stand still w/o pedaling at every start-up, or to freewheel up big hill's. You have to assist or toast your gear. So there's a ton of exercise to be had, + the fun factor of a turbo boost when-needed which is the encouragement to ride the thing wherever possible. (not raining of course). Plus saving gas. and polluting a little less, and the deep breath's of fresh air...and the increased heart rate (which I'm keen to since I mostly sit for my job all day long) Many years ago now, I was an avid biker. Just an amateur, but I rode everywhere. (In the age before helmet's)

In pure dollars and sense will I be raking in the cash I saved on gas? Not quite. I drive a gas sipping aveo so that doesn't help. If I drive my bike 75% of the time..
I could trim $50 off my monthly fuel bill. That would equate to 10 month's or about 2 summers worth of commuting with my bike. During which time, provided nothing fails, and I don't wipe out. That battery will have paid for itself, however it will be nearing the end of it's life span.. what ever I get after saving $500 worth of gas is saving's. Considering wear and tear on the vehicle, the numbers get a bit more promising. We'll have to see.

I think the fuel companies have already spearheaded this type of activity, by adding in this ethanol that evaporates quickly. So even days my car sits still I'm still using up gas. I would imagine not that much.

My bike calculator/ speedometer arrives this week and I'll know my top speed. I would say I was able to get to 20mph pretty easily on full throttle. The looks you get are the best, when you lay into the throttle going by people walking their dog's...it looks like your super human.

"Storm Ebike" $650 + $155 shipping... = $805 and people still waiting on May delivery, no guarantee that it all isn't one big scam, though it looks like its going to get made.
My Ebike.. $760 to my door. Battery arrived yesterday. Had smiles last night and all this morning.

If I can ride this thing the 26 miles to my storage area (bike path a lot of the way). All slightly down hill one way, uphill the way back. Then I'll really be saving. Not sure if it will have the range for the full trip. But I can re-charge it once I'm there.

Oh yeah, and it has something in common with H bodies... It uses a torque arm to manage the power!

[zeke]

Is there enough room behind the rear upright to mount the control box? I'd paint it black too.

[marco_1978_spyder]

Hey Zeke, thanks for the suggestion, nope... there's a derailleur cable in the way. Going to get a rear bike rack for it.

[283vega]

Marco hows the e bike conversion working. Ive thought of doing the same on an old road bike and build it for speed.Let me know who you bought your stuff from so I can research it some for myself .Brian

[Monza Harry]

Marco I am surprised that you let the H-Body connection slip by! Especially when you are a little short of "Buick Power" There was a guy selling these kits near Bryans place a few years ago (Monza'Que) Sadly they aren't emissions friendly for Canada now (so the guy told another board member) Harry http://www.motorizedbicycle.ca/bicycle-engine-kits.html http://quinteskyhawk.ca/ This is the site that I seen them at from the vendor near the 'Que. I am sure these are still available in the US Harry

SkyHawk.jpg

Whole thing.jpg

[marco_1978_spyder]

My ebike kit is for the most part complete. And the bugs have been mostly worked out.

What you see in the pictures above is it. Simple. Unassuming.

I bought 3 things to make this happen.. in order by cost...

#1. small Bike LCD handlebar mount computer $2.50 Shipping from China, 1 month. (Mapmyride.com app does the same thing but also gives altitude, and helps plan rides)

#2 48v 1000watt Hub Ebike kit (Wheel, controller, wiring, throttle, and brake levers) Cheapest one on ebay...3 day shipping from New Jersey. $205.00
Eventually had to replace the freewheel, the cheap chineese one was bad...seller credited me the cost of replacing it. (had the removal tool, but had to have it machined to fit over the larger ebike style axle).
Now I have a way better Shimano freewheel on there (old twist on type), with less teeth on the 7th gear than the original, which means I can now keep up pedaling with the motor at full speed.
Selecting a kit takes some thought....... Front wheel kit's are easy to install, but can handle funny and like to break forks.
Rear wheel kit's are somewhat better, There's choice of hub types, geared and direct drive.. there are also Mid drive kit's.
More to think about than I can list! Here are links you should know about to get into this, tons of help and info...

http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=21

https://www.electricbike.com/commuter/

https://www.electricbike.com/commuter/

#3 Battery . $550.. Here's where I spent a tonnnnnnnnnnn of time researching my options, and learning about the battery choices available, and the cautionary things about Lipo, and the latest "Lifepo4" batteries. Once you decide on a battery TYPE, (pro's and con's include; Price Vs. Weight,Vs. Lifespan and reliability).. you have to match the voltage and amphour's up to the kit you bought.
There's a TON of Hype in the ad's. Prices are everywhere. Shipping from China was a big hold up for most of the deals... My choice came from California and took a just a week to get here with no duty fee's. I liked the bag (center triangle) as neat solution to get it all going quick. But I have some work to do to get it Theft Proof and water proof.

The Vendor was in California, hence the name Calibike. Despite it's professional appearance...these battery makers are pretty much still garage operation's. They offer small warranties. And the batteries will only last for maybe 2 years or so.

If you have good electrical background... and can wire up and safely solder together Lipo batteries (see cautionary videos) , then you could get a powerful kit wired up for much less money.

Range... Still testing. Got 10 miles and 45 minutes so far and battery was down some but still kicking.
I assist the bike as much as I can. But I also just rely on the throttle to propel me forward once in a while.

Performance:
I'm 235lbs. on a level surface, just using the throttle, I can propel along at a steady 28 mph. 33mph with a little downhill and some furious pedaling. I did 35mph down a big hill the other day. That was WHIPPING along, and definitely out driving my old brakes. (starting with a disc brake bike would be beneficial).

Huge steep hill's will quickly drain the battery. And repeated and or prolonged strain, will overheat the motor resulting in a burnt up hub.

I rode up a huge steep hill once, rode 5 more miles and second time the motor was definitely down on power, and I was doing all the work pedaling. On gentle rolling hill's I can keep the bike huming along with quick but easy pedaling from 16 to 20 mph.. My average trip speed was 13.1 mph (helped by the quick 35mph downhill run).

My latest test run also included some trail's. They were rocky and I went easy. I don't want to bend a spoke just yet. The kit took some of the mountain bike-ness out of the bike, and has it somewhat limited to being a road bike. But it's a good road bike, and it's getting me back into bicycling for sure.

Was bummed I couldn't take it out today, it was raining steady.

[zeke]

Cool electric assisted bicycle with massive tires I seen while at the auto parts store today. 

[marco_1978_spyder]

Hey cool. These thing's are going to catch on man... I just got back from another inter urban trek. I found a whole lot of cool things in the city I never new existed.. (I rent just outside the center of this small city). There's an over look to a waterfall, just behind the Genesee beer brewery.. Very senic, old historical structures still exist from the 1800's, and a huge train trestle carries Freight and Passenger trains across the top of it.

I found an entrance way to the old abandoned Subway tunnels which were built in the 1920's over and into what used to be the Erie Canal before it was re-routed south of the city. Very interesting graphiti over everything , but isn't perfectly safe especially alone..

My bike is a decent getaway vehicle from a foot chase. Tonight It was freezing but I really wanted to ride. I went on a nice little ride I found...all the way through the 'Park Ave' neighborhood... to whats called the Mcardel pedestrian bridge - google it. A series of back and forth ramps rise up 3 stories to a pedestrian bridge over the 490 expressway, which was also built over the old canal bed. It's like a giant lego creation. From there I can get to a ritsy upscale village, getting there just as fast as by car, via an old railroad trail. It's 7 miles and @ 35 minutes away, to some tasty frozen yogurt. (gotta replensish those lost calories!)

So far my range has been about 24 miles per full charge.

That bike pictured is a good example. Those tires are good for a nice ride, and better puncture resistance out in the wild. but the trade off is more rolling resistance / less battery life. There probably better on the spokes though. These hubs are about 16lbs. I'm 235 lbs. and I can get the spokes to creak from time to time. I have smaller regular mountain bike knobby's) Looks like a "magic pie" brushless gearless hub. (gearless vs. geared is a whole subject). A little back heavy with the battery mounted where it is, but its a convenient place. cool post..

[zeke]

I've seen a few of them but this model was the nicest so far. Buddy said about 40kms range so that is close to your 24 miles.