currie motor derestricting

[okmate]

Hi guys after my first experience with a powerbyke i started having a chat with my dad and low and behold he said he had a currie electric motor attached to a mountain bike he said you can have it for £40 so i snapped his hand off its really great just purchased 2 new 12v 10ah lucas batterys but wondered if the motor can be derestricted
i'm about to change all the electric equipment to a 27 speed cluad butler
pictures will be along soon

 

[flecc]

I hope your Claud Butler has a 36 spoke, 3 cross build, rear wheel, that's the only type the spoke attachment block fits.

They aren't derestrictable as such, but usually run beyond 15 mph, especially on 700C wheels. They can be made quicker with go-faster parts, the expert in this being Scott at US company evdeals.com

 

[kitchenman]

I hope your Claud Butler has a 36 spoke, 3 cross build, rear wheel, that's the only type the spoke attachment block fits.

evdeals.com

What does the spoke attachment block look like? Do you have a url or photo? - thanks ...

 

[flecc]

What does the spoke attachment block look like? Do you have a url or photo? - thanks ...

I can't find a clear photo of it, most are taken from the wrong side to show the detail.

Basically it's a circular alloy block with a slot pattern identical to the spoke layout just outside the hub flange, That's placed over the spokes and plates bolt onto the other side of the spokes inside the build to clamp the block in place. This takes the chain drive via sprockets and chain from the outboard mounted motor. There have been a few 32 spoke blocks made at one time but they are very difficult to locate.

The blocks only fit normal hubs, they wont fit onto hub gears.

 

[kitchenman]

I can't find a clear photo of it, most are taken from the wrong side to show the detail.

Basically it's a circular alloy block with a slot pattern identical to the spoke layout just outside the hub flange, That's placed over the spokes and plates bolt onto the other side of the spokes inside the build to clamp the block in place. This takes the chain drive via sprockets and chain from the outboard mounted motor. There have been a few 32 spoke blocks made at one time but they are very difficult to locate.

The blocks only fit normal hubs, they wont fit onto hub gears.

Thanks Flecc. Thats interesting as I am messing about with a spoke hole adapter plate design at the moment ...

 

[Orraman]

Alan,

Still some glare after 3 tries but might suffice, check that ~ 4, file too big.
2 clamp plates removed to show structure.
Can confirm that the original Currie moves and climbs well but the throttle appears to got from 3/4 to max in one move.

Would you like measurements?

Dave

 

[okmate]

thanks for that flecc i did already realise that just havent got round to having a look yet hopefully over the weekend
the motor is already attached to a 5 geared hub mountain bike wheel so could just leave it and swap the wheel

I hope your Claud Butler has a 36 spoke, 3 cross build, rear wheel, that's the only type the spoke attachment block fits.

They aren't derestrictable as such, but usually run beyond 15 mph, especially on 700C wheels. They can be made quicker with go-faster parts, the expert in this being Scott at US company evdeals.com

 

[flecc]

the motor is already attached to a 5 geared hub mountain bike wheel so could just leave it and swap the wheel

That could be a smart move, 5 gears could well be sufficient when the 450 watts peak power of the Currie motor is added.

Not as scary as the original one though, that was 900 watts of insanity, until the motor burned out!

 

[scarrabri]

Hi can i add a little weight to this post ,because i had one of these units for 12 months ,and yes it bolts on to the spokes on the rear wheel i used to have all the details on this unit ,and i am not sure if i still have them ,it cost me£299 off the net ,it was really really powerful ,im sure it cant have been restricted ,and when you pulled off i could hear the back wheel like straining ,in one year i bought three wheels ,and one of then was a reinforced one ,and that went the same way ,they all broke where the centre spindle was ,an amazing powerful motor ,i think really ,you need to peddle the bike to get it going ,and then use the motor ,and i didnt ,probbaly why i ruined three wheels ,,power cycle used to sell the motors i think ,any way best wishes Brian.

 

[flecc]

As Brian says, spoke and wheel damage is far from unknown on these, but it's usually not a problem if the wheel build is good enough in the first place, even spoke tensions being particularly important.

If you are swapping in the existing wheel as you are thinking of, problem solved of course if that's still ok.

 

[okmate]

this post has been really interesting i'm not sure what the power of the currie motor is on my bike is there a way of telling ?

 

[flecc]

Only the very earliest were more than 450 watts peak, and that was very many years ago, all long since burnt out. At first the power was dropped a little to make them last better, but they still failed so a small heat sink was added. Still no good, so a huge radial finned heatsink was added onto the motor, still problems so eventually they decided the traditional US approach of brute power wasn't on and settled for sanity. They've used various motors around 450 watts peak, but in recent years most have been the "Unite" one made in China.

Plenty of torque and generally good performance, but a bit noisy in a "buzzy" kind of way, unlike most of today's fairly quiet e-bikes.

The design arose out of General Motors research into alternatives after the early 1970s Arab oil crisis, and went independent when Dr Edwin Currie left them and set up on his own.

 

[kitchenman]

Alan,

Still some glare after 3 tries but might suffice, check that ~ 4, file too big.
2 clamp plates removed to show structure.
Can confirm that the original Currie moves and climbs well but the throttle appears to got from 3/4 to max in one move.

Would you like measurements?

Dave

Thanks for the photo Dave. Dont need the dimensions. Just wanted to see it! .. you never know what creative thinking it may spark! ...

 

[scarrabri]

As Brian says, spoke and wheel damage is far from unknown on these, but it's usually not a problem if the wheel build is good enough in the first place, even spoke tensions being particularly important.

If you are swapping in the existing wheel as you are thinking of, problem solved of course if that's still ok.

Hi ,i have to agree with flecc ,about the quality of the wheel ,as it does matter ,i bought the best one i could afford,and it was much better than the original one as it was thicker where the centre spindle was
but i also noticed if the motor was not perfectly lined up it put pressure on the wheel ,and i could see this ,as even the motor was moving ,up and down just a little ,when i bought the unit it had a lever throttle and i changed this for a twist grip one ,which cost very little and was much better to use ,
Now as for hill climbing ,i hate to say this but it would leave the Tonaro for dead ,and i mean dead ,oh if only i could have found a wheel to match the power of this ,wonderful motor,it was stolen in the end ,which was sad ,but the bike it was fitted to was a Halfords one ,and not a dear one ,the bike was not good enough for this motor ,if only i had known some one like flecc who had the knowledge ,im sure we could have built a bike around this amazing motor ,very best wishes Brian.

 

[okmate]

Hi guys i managed to swap my currie motor to my cluad butler today heres a few pics