A rare piece of history - Swizzbee

[Deleted member 128]

Here are some pics of the bike, it's a Swizzbee 50C and looks fantastic. The button on the RHS of the handlebars is the "Cycle over Button" which gives an extra boost.
The paperwork includes a document in German containing 4 digit "vehicle key" and "vendor key", I've no idea what these are. There are 2 keys for removing the battery and 2 for the integral cycle lock.

 

[Nealh]

Looking fantastic John, my one is of the same age and practically identical nearly. Look like NiCad cells in the battery am I right.
1.Mine doesn't have the over drive.
2. The gates drive sprocket is anodised red.
3 . Was powered by li -polymer pouch cells.

 

[Nealh]

I have been in contact with John aka Electrifly to arrange a viewing in the next couple of weeks, could be looking at a brace of Swizzbee's at home.

 

[EddiePJ]

Well done Nealh, I had been trying to talk my self out of doing the same.

 

[anotherkiwi]

Damnation! Things are looking up here too but too early for me to bite the Eurostar bullet...

 

[Deleted member 128]

Looking fantastic John, my one is of the same age and practically identical nearly. Look like NiCad cells in the battery am I right.
1.Mine doesn't have the over drive.
2. The gates drive sprocket is anodised red.
3 . Was powered by li -polymer pouch cells.

Hi Neal, the cells are NiMH. 1.2V, 9000mAh and there are 20 of them in total. The complete battery pack has part number GP900DH20Y1H. As I mentioned before, several of them are leaking and I think they've died.

It will be interesting to compare the weight of the battery pack with yours.

I've found some notes I made when I was using the bike (rarely) between 2007 and 2009, the battery range was around 15 miles, average speed was around 9mph (it's a bit hilly around here) and in total I cycled just 177.82 miles!!!

So, very low mileage with one careful owner....

 

[Nealh]

My one isn't overly high miles has about 1500 on the odo.
On the old tired li-poly 10ah, 9 - 15 miles was the range but now have 28.4ah of li-on cells giving about 70 -80 amps. I have done a few 65-70 miles runs usually down to Brighton and Shoreham and back, though do try and use no assist if possible but on a few occasions have come unstuck with some kind of mechanical failure so this one is a little tired and in need of some TLC every now and then.



14 miles ride out at lunch time to check mechanical operation following cassette hub pawl failure, all appeared ticktyboo. I won't say how fast I went today but needless to say no issues.
The pawl failure I have since learnt is/was due to the pawl retaining spring having snapped so obviously wear and tear.

The brushes I replaced don't I think have a strong enough spring so at low speed <13/ 14mph there is a bad contact noise like a bad phase wire connection, once travelling faster it goes away. Power delivery isn't affected but think carbon brush to armature isn't a very solid contact, it might be the carbon brush end hasn't yet formed the arc to match the armature curve and may settle down in time. Finding a carbon brush of the correct size with end fitting seems nice on impossible but the ones I have from Aliexpress seller is better then none at all,

 

[anotherkiwi]

That seems quite low mileage for the kind of problems you have been having does it not? Swiss quality manufacturing? Or cheap bits from Taiwan failing because not up to the *ahem* speeds and load.

 

[Nealh]

The bike previously lived on the South coast so some minor corrosion/pitting here and there, the filament for the rear light that runs through SKS mudguard must be corroded or has a break in it as the rear light didn't work. However I ran some fine silicone wire on the under side of the mudguard and through the small contact holes front and rear to get the light working properly, wiring held in place with Gorilla tape. In the past the original owner has had a new rear rim fitted as it is a different make to the original Airline one on the front and front brake isn't original, the Magura is now a Shimano hdb.

 

[Nealh]

That seems quite low mileage for the kind of problems you have been having does it not? Swiss quality manufacturing? Or cheap bits from Taiwan failing because not up to the *ahem* speeds and load.

Might be just bad components or bad luck.
Rear rim is not original.
Front brake not original.
Light filament failed.

The mechanical issues might be that I am using it on too rough trails and the old bumpy/lumpy railway lines are not good for the intended use, maybe future riding will have to be for the road or better cycle ways.
More likely down to poor set up/maintenance carried out previously, first thing I noticed when I got it home was the hub rear bearing play was terrible about 6mm side ways play. The Magura rear brake pads pushing rim on to pads from one side, most likely why the internal cassette hub bearing retainer ring was out of shape and the balls a bit loose etc,etc.
That said reading a few forums it does appear that the Sram leisure hub drive isn't a dependable strong unit.

 

[Nealh]

Both Swizzbee's were suppied via Vita Electric in London, yet there are difference's between two bikes of a very similar age.
One has a boost button.
Differing Gates drive sprocket colour.
Battery box decals only on one bike.
Mine has a Sigma cycle computer, could be OEM fitted ?
Battery power source.

 

[georgehenry]

They are cool looking bikes but as this thread illustrates definitely for a mechanically adept enthusiastic owner.

Could see one parked in the corner of a yuppie (do they still exist?) flat as a display object but that would be a shame and much better to be owned by someone who wants to ride them.

It reminds me of my own ownership of several old British motorbikes over the years and the trails and tribulations of riding them. At the Amberley museum they have an early police electric bike on display.

 

[Nealh]

My one has obviously had a prior service/operational issue as explained by the 5/6mm bearing play in the hub, which over time has exasperated any issue with wear to internal/operating hub surfaces.
Hopefully I have got on top of my Swizzbee's issues now and if todays 14 mile ride is anything to go by, I can leave the spanners alone.

 

[Deleted member 128]

Both Swizzbee's were suppied via Vita Electric in London, yet there are difference's between two bikes of a very similar age.
One has a boost button.
Differing Gates drive sprocket colour.
Battery box decals only on one bike.
Mine has a Sigma cycle computer, could be OEM fitted ?
Battery power source.

Hi Neal, the boost button was an option when when I bought my Swizzbee and there was no cycle computer fitted.
According to my old notes I was told that it had Li Polymer batteries when I ordered it, I've only recently realised that that wasn't the case. Hmmm.

 

[Nealh]

Now happier that the hub mechanical gremlins have been overcome, I went for a 38 mile return ride in to the Surrey hills. I had bought some DT Swiss pawls as spares for replacement as they exactly matched the profile barring they were a bout 1 -2 mm wider so rode to my brothers place of work where he had machined them to width to match the originals.

2 new minor issues to sort out .
The rear Magura HDB rim brake keeps rubbing on the right side, I have tried adjusting this before so will have to give it another go. I do find the rear a pita to adjust and set up.
My 100a HE2 cell pack I made is cutting out to early and isn't discharging much lower then 3.67v per cell. Back home I notice some small melt holes in the shrink wrap and foam insulation, unwrapping the pack I notice an issue straight away.
Two of the series buss bars have come off of cells#1, arcing has caused the melt holes, on further careful inspection the v- battery connection joint isn't healthy so needs re-soldering.
First job of the day before I inspect my bees is to get the 3s lipo/ Boss spot welder out and the soldering iron warmed up.

 

[Nealh]

Over the last 3 afternoons I have started raking out my drives crazy paving pointing and removing weeds and roots that have started to take over for re-pointing as I go along, these type of jobs I find relaxing and therapeutic for my mind and inner self. So this morning was in a chilled patient mode to work on the Swizzbee.

Rectified the rear Magura HS33 HDB, probably spent about 45 mins adjusting positioning brakes, tightening and loosening etc.etc until I was happy with the brake block position/spacing and operation. With the rear bespoke rack and top bag in place it was a bit fiddlier.

Next was straight in to the Heinzman motor to strip out the brushes and removed the housing, from AliEx I had previously got some 7mm x 4mm brushes with strong springs and slightly longer. 30 - 40 mins or so spent rubbing them on my flat file to get them to nicely slide in to the brush housing, using a wooden 5mm pointed kebab skewer I was able to get the spring to remain compressed with enough inner copper braid free so I could remove the end fitting and re-solder the original Swizzbee fitting on. This process and refitting took another hour so then, then it started to drizzle so a test ride to check for electrical noise will have to wait now for next week. I did fir it up and all worked fine but with no drive load I'm not able to tell if the fix has worked but am hopeful.

 

[Nealh]

A pair of Swizzbee's now residing at home.
Kind regards to John aka Electrifly who I visited today to pick up #2.

Seeing the pic now reminds me I must visit the tip tomorrow to get rid of bagged green garden waste.

 

[KirstinS]

How brilliant is that !

You own the pedelec version of a pair of Purdeys !


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Nealh]

There must be more out there somewhere Kirstin as John seems to remember all those years ago that Vita were selling them weekly it appears.

#1 has frame/chassis #00261
#2 from John is #00281.
Both cams via Vita and have the same ignition code.

 

[anotherkiwi]

There must be more out there somewhere Kirstin as John seems to remember all those years ago that Vita were selling them weekly it appears.

#1 has frame/chassis #00261
#2 from John is #00281.
Both cams via Vita and have the same ignition code.

I have a sneaking suspicion they all might have the same ignition code, that is how things were done back in olden times.

Oh and you lucky bastard!