Lawrence Rhodes via EV wrote:
A bike E which I think is a brand had recalls.
I bought mine used; so never had any recalls. It has worked flawlessly for me.
My only changes were to add a rearview mirror, and upgrade the skinny racing
tires to something with more traction and a better ride.
I think Lee's idea might be best but it will be unusual. On standard bikes a
mid drive is an easy addition with coasting ability while the motor runs the
bike...
For me, it's still a bike, not a motorcycle. I pedal all the time, and only use
the motor occasionally to climb hills (I live at the top of a hill).
My wife has a Giant "LaFree" Ebike. I really like its setup. It has a mid-drive
setup, with the motor mounted between the crank and rear wheel, driving the
one-and-only chain with a little sprocket and freewheel. The rear wheel has a
5-speed hub.
When the motor is off, the freewheel on its shaft just spins. A tensioner pulley
detects when the chain is tight (i.e. you're pedaling). You have an off/low/high
switch on the handlebar. The motor adds force (low or high) proportional to how
much force you are applying to the pedals, so it turns on/off automatically.
My other E-bike is a conventional 26" bike with a hub motor in the front wheel.
It can run like a motorcycle (no pedaling) if you like. It is much more
powerful; but much heavier and also kills the battery much faster. It tends to
spin the front tire in low-traction conditions, which can cause dangerous
spills! I don't like this setup much.
I really like Roger Stockton / Rob Cameron's setup! I just have to find a good
gearmotor, and figure out a way to make that adapter to put a freewheel cassette
on its shaft. The gearmotor is going to need really good bearing to withstand
the force from pedaling.
> but it seems efficiency is not a concern with most of these hub
> motors or mid drives.
That's probably true for casual use. The difference in efficiency from 90% to
95% is probably not noticeable except by the discerning cyclist; but adds
significantly to the cost.
--
Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more
violent. It takes a touch of genius, and a lot of courage, to move
in the opposite direction. -- Albert Einstein
--
Lee Hart, 814 8th Ave N, Sartell MN 56377, www.sunrise-ev.com
_______________________________________________
UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub
http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org
Read EVAngel's EV News at http://evdl.org/evln/
Please discuss EV drag racing at NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
