Who likes Crank-drives?

[Deleted member 4366]

I can't see 8-Fun winning that battle.

If you see what's happening at Wuxing (throttles, switches, levers, etc), you can see that it won't be long before the other Chinese companies become world leaders in quality and technology.

Statements like yous were very common about Japanese stuff in the late '60s, and within about five years, they decimated the European manufacturing of many products. The same will happen from China.

 

[trex]

The issue is not quality.
Most European middle classes would not buy Chinese unless it's less than half price.
You can't build an e-bike with that 8-Fun crank drive and sell it for half the price of a comparable Bosch kit as Woosh does with an 8-Fun BPM or a TCM motor.

 

[flecc]

The issue is not quality.
Most European middle classes would not buy Chinese unless it's less than half price.

That used to be the case with Japanese products like Toyota, Datsun (Nissan) and Honda cars at one time. But before long they wiped out the weaker French and German cars, left FIAT in dire trouble seeking government rescue and completely destroyed the UK's car industry.

Remember, the French government had to rescue Renault and Audi was formed by the German government in a panic over it's car industry after Borgward were wiped out and NSU and DKW were on their knees.

I too think the Chinese will get there.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I can't, but I'm sure the Chines can. Europeans will buy the Chinese one in preference to European ones when the quality and performance are better, which I estimate will be within 5 years.

 

[Arbol]

... or there will be a new wave of protectionism (I fear).

 

[shemozzle999]

The Western world is in decline and it would be wise if they embrace the rising East and pick up any scraps they may throw our way.

 

[amigafan2003]

FYI - I've just managed to program my Bafang BBS02 unit - this alone for me makes it one of the most appealing aftermarket crank drive units on the market.

If anyone wants to know how to do it:-

http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=58780

 

[NZgeek]

The programming appeals... we're only supposed to have "300W" of assist, but I think buying the 500W Bafang and altering it to suit, gives me options in the future


I've only just rebuilt my "Frankentraption" Bike... yet just ordered a Nuvinci Developer kit (US$125! from Utah Trikes) and am SERIOUSLY considering ordering a Bafang 36V BB drive and building a cargo bike from an old mountain frame.

I'm thinking about selling a car to fund my new electric bike addition

 

[Arbol]

This sort of frame (Tonaro Bighit) but with BB centred pivot would allow the fold separation at one point above the spring/shock unit.

A days old, but an interesting comment. There are many (non electric) full suspension bikes similar to that one, and they are very cheap. Of course, components are low quality. But interestingly, most of them (all?) have the pivot point just after (towards the front) the BB. Something like:

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Double-disc-26-ye117-full-suspension-mountain-bike-ye110-ye113-disc/981745178.html

(ninth picture after Product Description, where the bike is shown right to left).

As a consequence, if one could accomplish the separation point just before the rear shock, the BB itself would rotate. This would be good because tension would be held, but the disadvantage is the folding would occupy more space.

Probably the ideal would be a pivot point behind the BB, if one wants a compact fold and the idea of the belt is not so essential.

 

[cwah]

My thought is that the simplest way to get started is to use a second hand mezzo bike:

And find a way to do the following:
- Add 20" wheel
- Add front suspension
- Add disc brake



Frame coud be updated to add 20kg batteries

 

[Arbol]

Today I have briefly spoken with a guy that has been working with bikes for many years, and he has told me most (or all) rear suspension bikes cannot fully rotate the rear triangle. So, when the rear triangle is separated from the rear shock, the rear triangle remains more or less parallel to ground, it does not fall (as it would do if it could freely rotate).

He does not know if it would be possible to allow the rear triangle to freely rotate around the pivot, or if the mechanism that keeps the rear triangle parallel to ground is not replaceable.

The only full suspension bike that allows full rotation are the bikes flecc described, the Tonaros type, but he says the pivot is very low quality, and the bike gets misaligned very easily.

Does anybody know if it possible to allow the rear frame to fully rotate in a suspension bike?

 

[Arbol]

My thought is that the simplest way to get started is to use a second hand mezzo bike:

And find a way to do the following:
- Add 20" wheel
- Add front suspension
- Add disc brake



Frame coud be updated to add 20kg batteries

I see where you are going

But my future e-bike will not be under cwah-method (despite my huge respect for your amazing bikes, and I am serious).

 

[cwah]

My dahon jetstream could potentially fully rotate. But my wiring didn't allow me to do that. When I say wiring it's not just the controller wiring, it's also for the brakes and gear cables. So I just show you the "potential":

We could potentially have a quick release to allow rotation like the air animal. Re-inserting it back is definitely not a quick job. So it would need some sort of clamping back like the mezzo or the Brompton to be practical.