24V Alien installation

[BGElect]

A few photos of my bike:

Bike and installed kit
Pedal sensor
Front fork widening

 

[flecc]

That looks very neat, smart and professional BGElect, the motor appearance blending perfectly with the bike. You've every reason to be proud of it.
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[The Maestro]

I would describe your bike as cute

The battery and controller look very neat (I assume they are close together at the back), it doesn't actually look like the alien kit I've got at all.

 

[Leonardo]

That's a very fine conversion! Please do allow me some questions. Where is the controller, under the battery? Does the battery bother the folding? Would you describe the fork widening as an easy job?

(And a more general question: pictures etc. on this forum are copyleft? I'd like to post this photos on the Italian forum, since some of our members are looking for a light conversion for their folding bicycles: can I do that? Posting just the links doesn't work since you have to be registered to see them)

 

[BGElect]

Flecc thanks for the comments it did turn out rather well..

This is the 24 volt kit that comes with a battery and battery bracket that attaches, in my case, to the seat post. The bottom of the battery bracket forms a small box when the supplied side panels are attached and this is where the controller is located.

The battery does limit the distance the seat post can be dropped for folding but apart from that the bike still folds OK, the bike does, however, now weight in at 20Kg

An earlier post on this forum explained how to widen the forks and I just did what was advised. I took them to 125mm and they sprung back to just under 100mm and the motor fitted without any issues (note, these are steel forks not fibre or alloy or suspension).

Leonardo thanks for asking and I have no problem with you using the photos.

 

[flecc]

Leonardo, one way is to capture the photos from your own screen and then upload them to your Italian website in whatever way you normally do that.

To capture, click the photo link above to display the photo on your screen, then press Alt and PrintScrn buttons at the same time on your keyboard.

Then open a photo editor like IrfanView or whatever you have, click Edit, Paste, and the photo will appear in your editor. Trim the edges if wished and then save the photo to your hard drive.

If you haven't got a photo editor, IrfanView is simple, small and free from this link, and installs in moments:

IrfanView download
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[Leonardo]

Many thanks BGElect

Hello Flecc, thanks for the good piece of advice.

 

[Tsnafu]

Leonardo, one way is to capture the photos from your own screen and then upload them to your Italian website in whatever way you normally do that.

To capture, click the photo link above to display the photo on your screen, then press Alt and PrintScrn buttons at the same time on your keyboard.

What's wrong with "right click > save picture as" ?

 

[Leonardo]

Hello, is there any feedback about this installation? Some times ago I've posted BGElect's conversion on the Italian forum and now there is a couple of our members who would like to imitate him.
By the way, how long does it take to widen the forks?

 

[eddieo]

A very nice looking job. I guess I could fit this on my Dahon jetspeed folder. it has front suspension forks though, short SR Suntours.......Could these be spaced as in picture? I would never of thought of using a bit of stud! lol

I thought the alien kits were for 26inch wheels....do they do a 36v kit for a 20inch wheel?

Just wondering why battery unit fixed so high...would it not have a better centre of gravity if fixed much lower? or is this because of length of cables? Duhh......so you can fold it! lol

 

[rodesimo]

Flecc thanks for the comments it did turn out rather well..

This is the 24 volt kit that comes with a battery and battery bracket that attaches, in my case, to the seat post. The bottom of the battery bracket forms a small box when the supplied side panels are attached and this is where the controller is located.
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The wonderful pictures you posted prompted me to follow you in this experience. But yust before I start to widen the fork (not so happy about it...) please confirm me that the operation is safe and that your creature is still - how do you say... - alive and kicking! many thanks and greetings from hylls and slopes of naples, italy.

 

[The Maestro]

The wonderful pictures you posted prompted me to follow you in this experience. But yust before I start to widen the fork (not so happy about it...) please confirm me that the operation is safe and that your creature is still - how do you say... - alive and kicking! many thanks and greetings from hylls and slopes of naples, italy.

I thought Alien standardised on 100mm width motors several months ago? So shouldn't have to widen forks.

 

[maca44]

I thought Alien standardised on 100mm width motors several months ago? So shouldn't have to widen forks.

On the Alien website the 36v kits says it's 110mm & it says that the picture showing 100mm is incorrect.

The 24v kit is 100mm

 

[rooel]

Alien Dahon II

Here's another one, this time the Speed TR. All steel frame and forks, therefore no danger in widening them by the same means as was used by BG elect, and all the benefits of a cromo frame (springier, less brittle, ride?). The rack is the Dahon tourer with a Klickfix platform on which to clip an Arturo pannier. Tyres are Marathon Plus of course, and, as always, a bar mirror, rather than a helmet, constitutes the safety equipment.

Originally I had an Sram Sparc kit fitted on the rear wheel, but decided to remove that so as to use the original splendid 24 gear system, (3 speed hub, combined with 8 speed derailleur). As there was no pedelec in my kit, it has a lever throttle only, fitted to the left bar, leaving the right bar to accommodate the two gear levers, and my right hand free, without loss of power, to signal right hand turns.

 

[Danny-K]

You're so right about leaving the Tr's gears unaffected Rooel, as compromising on the 21inch to 108 inch spread Dahon provide as standard would be almost criminal. I like the finished product on your folder. Well done! Can't imagine me ever doing that to my TR though. But I am interested in possibly fitting an 36v Alien or Nano motor to my Thorn Audax though.

Do you find the Alien motor has any dragging effect when the battery is exhausted? Most reckon the Nano the better motor as regards the freewheeling aspect being superior to all others, once the battery is exhausted and you're left to pedal home unassisted. Still, the Alien motor kit does provide for the owner to turn the 15mph restriction to 20mph potential at the turn of a screw. Hmmm... which way to go?

 

[rooel]

If I turn the bike upside down and spin the front wheel it does show some drag perhaps rather more than you would get from a good hub dynamo with the lights on. However with power off, or battery dead, pedalling does not seem to encounter much resistance. Of course with all those gear ratios one automatically adjusts down to a ratio that suits not only the drag on the wheels but the terrain, wind resistance etc.

 

[cogs]

You're so right about leaving the Tr's gears unaffected Rooel, as compromising on the 21inch to 108 inch spread Dahon provide as standard would be almost criminal. I like the finished product on your folder. Well done! Can't imagine me ever doing that to my TR though. But I am interested in possibly fitting an 36v Alien or Nano motor to my Thorn Audax though.

Do you find the Alien motor has any dragging effect when the battery is exhausted? Most reckon the Nano the better motor as regards the freewheeling aspect being superior to all others, once the battery is exhausted and you're left to pedal home unassisted. Still, the Alien motor kit does provide for the owner to turn the 15mph restriction to 20mph potential at the turn of a screw. Hmmm... which way to go?

i reached 35 mph freewheeling downhill today on my Thorn Alien 36v.

 

[Footie]

Just got myself a kit (not Alien) and I was wondering if anyone knows where the thread is that details how to widen forks.
Is it done with a bolt? I seem to remember comeing across something about that but can't seem to locate it know.
Going to also have a go at building my own battery should be fun.

Edit: Never mind, just found the image.
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[rooel]

If you look at BGelect's photos at the beginning of this thread you will see what to do. You need a screwed rod (plenty on eBay) of about 10mm diameter, some nuts and washers to fit. Remove the front wheel and insert the screwed rod with a washer and nut bearing against each fork drop-out, then tighten each nut a few turns alternately until the forks start to widen. You will have to stretch the gap to around 120/130mm as it will spring back to 90/100mm when you remove the rod. If you do this with the bike upside down, beware self-ejection of the rod: it is a good idea to put a thick towel over it and the forks when tightening the nuts.

 

[Footie]

.... If you look at BGelect's photos at the beginning of this thread you will see what to do .... beware self-ejection of the rod: it is a good idea to put a thick towel over it and the forks when tightening the nuts ....

Thanks for the write up of what to do.
I had a feeling it was something like that.
I knew there was an image somewhere but they are not included when one uses the forum text search. As it was I decided to re-read the thread and found it immediately. "Beware crying wolf" - as the saying goes

Thanks also for the warning about springing rods - could take an eye out
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