New designs

[Miles]

Anyone else interested in designing ebikes from scratch?

Miles

 

[flecc]

I want it to have single side leading link front suspension with dual disc front brakes, single side swing arm rear suspension, Ohlins shocks, weigh 12 kilos with battery, do 30 mph and able to climb 1 in 4 without pedal assistance, and have a minimum of a 100 mile assisting range in any conditions.

Oh alright. I'll go back to taking the tablets.

 

[Miles]

That's fine, I never said anything about actually building them

 

[flecc]

True!

I've always been attracted to exploring ways of getting two jobs per part to keep weight down. For example, it always strikes me as wasteful the way the lower frame on the Twist is duplicated by the strong alloy casting of the bottom bracket/drive unit. Not a good example, but illustrating the principle.

Integrating the bottom bracket internals with epicyclic gears is another possibility, rather than possible duplication of some weight with a hub gear at the rear. The integrated frame and seat tube pumps are a good example of these techniques already, and the rubber spring front hub (forgotten it's name) is a very good weight saving on suspension forks.

 

[Miles]

..... and the rubber spring front hub (forgotten it's name) is a very good weight saving on suspension forks.

Pantour..... I've got one on the front of my Brompton - works well.

 

[Miles]

There was a company in Australia that was developing elastomer in torsion suspension units a while back. Eclipse or something... not heard anything about them recently, though.

 

[flecc]

Pantour, that's it Miles, thanks. I'd toyed with the idea of putting one on the Twist but let it slip at the time and forgotten.

Don't think the Torq's spindle would appreciated sitting in rubber bungs in the forks though, that would make it a "twist" too!

 

[Miles]

Hehe..

Unfortunately, they are a bit pricey - otherwise it would be a no-brainer, as they say...

 

[Miles]

It's a pity that the only kit available, apart from hub-motors, is the Cyclone - which I can't say raises any enthusiasm, from me....

 

[flecc]

Yes. I've got some reservations about it too. If ever a publicity video did the opposite of what was intended, that noisy and irrregular St Pauls Bristol hill climb was it.

That noise and the wide crank shaft are both very off-putting, but I'd still like to try a 350 watt version to feel what it's like.

If my Twist ever gives up the ghost, I wouldn't hesitate to buy the Cyclone to create a heavy-trailer towing bike where refinement wouldn't matter too much.

And Cyclone Taiwan seem to be nice people too, always helps.

 

[Miles]

I'll bet you didn't know that Alex Moulton developed a design for a power-assist unit - driving the chain, as the Cyclone does...

 

[allotmenteer]

Cyclone type kit

I have found this Australian site which sells a similar kit to the cyclone.

eLation - Home to Next Generation eBikes

They have a UK site but no prices on it yet. The Australian site will ship to Europe though.

Paul

 

[flecc]

Looks interesting and prices not too bad, but it has the wide set cranks like the Cyclone to allow for the motor width. Not sure how comfortable that would be for riding. It's also like the English TGA electrobike which once had a kit but now is bike only, in the way it drives the crank.

 

[Miles]

Looks interesting and prices not too bad, but it has the wide set cranks like the Cyclone to allow for the motor width. Not sure how comfortable that would be for riding.

Yes, they should use a pancake motor. Looks like a single spur gear reduction. Anyway, good to see others are trying.