Aurora videos

Blew it

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 8, 2008
1,472
97
Swindon, Wiltshire
Wow!, that's the sort of trails I like riding in my own area. I get no enjoyment riding on roads, too much concentration needed just to stay alive. I have to ride through a large town to get to open countryside, but it's always worth it once I reach the parish boundary.

The real value of any electric bike, no matter how it is perceived by others, is where it can take the owner, often to places inaccessible by car or a three-wheeled scooter with a lop-sided seat.

When driving a car, the best we can expect regarding social interaction is eye-contact with other road users, not so with a bike. When riding on remote country trails, the interaction with others sharing the route is much more intimate, often resulting in the machines we ride being the catalyst for a natter. At the very least, we will have our "good morning" returned with a cheery smile.

Enjoy riding your bike Streethawk, and thanks for sharing your videos with us.

Regards
Bob
 

banbury frank

Banned
Jan 13, 2011
1,565
5
Video

Hi Brilliant video Just a well meant comment If you had somebody follow you and take the video we would get a much better view Also very good to be off road so no problems posting on you tube


GOOD JOB ALL ROUND


Frank
 

jerrysimon

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 27, 2009
3,292
112
Cambridge, UK
Yes I liked the music (loop) too :p

That bike seems perfect in that application/environment.

Nice to see up close of Holcombe Hill from the other posted picture you uploaded here. Stunning views from the top too.

Regards

Jerry
 
Last edited:

Streethawk

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 12, 2011
634
15
Blew it

Thanks, its just a shame i have limited battery once i get that far out! Second battery required perhaps ;)

Frank

That would mean finding someone who could keep up with the Aurora though...

Oisaeaux & Jerry

Thanks, thats just the standard iMovie for iPhone "travel" music.
 

CeeGee

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 4, 2009
328
0
Weybridge, UK
I know some people have asked to see these videos i took on Saturday. Sorry about the shaky camera work, riding one handed while filming isnt easy! :D :

Both off-road some people will be glad to see
So this was private land?
You had the owner's permission?
Or were you just breaking the law on an illegal bike?

Colin
 

Xcytronex

Pedelecer
Jul 23, 2009
139
0
So this was private land?
You had the owner's permission?
Or were you just breaking the law on an illegal bike?

Colin
You really seem to have a problem grasping the concept regarding the illegality of e-bikes.None are illegal----only in their application . Do you still illegaly ride your legal Wisper ???
 

jbond

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jul 29, 2010
411
2
Ware, Herts
www.voidstar.com
So this was private land?
You had the owner's permission?
Or were you just breaking the law on an illegal bike?
First reaction was FFS, you sound like my Dad! Those photos look like bridlepaths or just possibly RUPPs or BOATs but of course that means that on-road regulations still apply. An illegally fast E-Bike is still an illegally fast E-Bike when ridden on public access paths.

And as discussed at length in the other thread, the fact that this is exactly the environment in which the Aurora excels doesn't make it any less illegal. While at the same time this is exactly the environment where it's least likely to upset anyone or get caught.

Back OT. Streethawk, that's very much the same sort of paths I ride a lot. I haven't yet found a hillclimb that the Aurora won't just power up. I've ridden on both loose gravel and rocks and on grass where the front wheel was skipping off the ground and the backwheel spinning and jumping but the bike still got to the top. I am finding though that off-road, steep hills and mud really use up the electric power. Several times now I would quite happily have been out for another 10 miles or so, but had to pedal with no assistance for the last mile home. I feel like 15AHr instead of 10AHr would probably be enough. I'd also like to have an Economy mode on road to limit the assist but still assist above 10-15-20mph rather than cutting off to get more tarmac range. I still haven't decided the best way of doing either. Old Timer's "Cheap LiFePo" 36v15AHr battery is one option but it's got some side effects and needs mounting and hiding some how.
 
Last edited:

CeeGee

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 4, 2009
328
0
Weybridge, UK
Was I asking you? NO I WASN'T. Colin
 

Streethawk

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 12, 2011
634
15
jbond

I think i'll invest in another battery from Alien in April, as i'd like to do longer ride in Summer, perhaps even tour on the Aurora. I know there are cheaper options, as you've pointed out, but they all introduce other problems. 15ah wold be great, i'd happily have paid £100 more for the bike with 50% more range.

I have found the wheelspin in mud to be tricky, its those situations where i'm really glad of the throttle only mode, so you can sort of feather it on and off as the grip under tyre requires. I too havent yet found a gradient it wont climb, but some of the steepest have put it below 5mph.

CeeGee

Given your attitude i dont think anything you've said merits a response.
 

jbond

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jul 29, 2010
411
2
Ware, Herts
www.voidstar.com
I think i'll invest in another battery from Alien in April, as i'd like to do longer ride in Summer, perhaps even tour on the Aurora. I know there are cheaper options, as you've pointed out, but they all introduce other problems. 15ah wold be great, i'd happily have paid £100 more for the bike with 50% more range.
It's really difficult to know what to do about this. So many options, and most of them seriously expensive. Old Timer's approach of the cheapest LiFePo you can find has it's downsides as you get a duct tape battery that has to be strapped on the bike somehow and the controller-display isn't set up for the slightly different voltage. The packaged commercial batteries are a very different shape and expensive. No matter what you do, you'll have to get the soldering iron out and mess with different connectors. Getting a spare identical battery from Alien is the simplest but it's not cheap. And you still have to work out how to carry the considerable extra weight. Going down the RC LiPo route is attractive except it's full of warnings of DANGER and complication. You can't just pull the battery out, shove it on the charger and forget about it, you have to work out for yourself balancers, chargers, battery protection circuitry. The baby A123 LiFePo High-C batteries are also an option but don't come packaged in the sort of 36v-15AHr we want. And again, they're aimed at RC.

I'm following a battery thread on ES where the person bought a LiFePo battery from conhismotor on ebay (very similar and possibly identical to the ones from Goldenmotor/BMSBattery). It looks very likely that it's not LiFePo at all and actually LiNiCoMn. So if you go for a cheap option off eBay you may be lucky or you may not. And you may get a workable warranty or you may not.

I've been advised by at least one person to just swallow the cost and buy the cheapest-lightest battery you can and ignore LiFePo because by the time the battery is dead, the tech will have moved on.

BTW. If you think our batteries are expensive, the latest accessory for sports motorcycles is LiFePo replacements for the bike's battery. They're typically 12v-2.3AHr for £130. They are tiny and about 0.80 Kg though. That's just 4 A123 cells in a plastic case.
 

jerrysimon

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 27, 2009
3,292
112
Cambridge, UK
They're typically 12v-2.3AHr for £130. They are tiny and about 0.80 Kg though. That's just 4 A123 cells in a plastic case.
They could get those off ebay ready connected up in series with spot welded tabs for £23

4 A123 systems battery lifepo4 cell 26650 2300mah power - eBay (item 190459815991 end time Feb-20-11 01:25:31 PST)

Just a case of adding leads and a balancing tap.

I know probably less applicable to you guys with larger batteries in proper cases, but I built my own 2.3Ah battery here.

I have just ordered another set to build a second pack (cost around £60-70) so I can carry two with me, should I decide to go further than my usual 10 mile round commute.



This weighs just under 1kg, 43v 12s1p (2*6s1p), 2.3Ah. They need balancing the first time you use them but after that they remain in balance, at least mine have for the last year and over 250 cycles :p

Regards

Jerry
 
Last edited:

Streethawk

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 12, 2011
634
15
A potential minefield then, as I expected. I think the spare 10ah battery at £350 becomes a more attractive option all the time.
 

vhfman

Pedelecer
Oct 5, 2008
144
0
They could get those off ebay ready connected up in series with spot welded tabs for £23

4 A123 systems battery lifepo4 cell 26650 2300mah power - eBay (item 190459815991 end time Feb-20-11 01:25:31 PST)
Jerry, is the ebay link you showed shipping to the UK? I was hoping to use the OMG supplier but it now shows that this seller does not ship to United Kingdom. I would be interested if you getting you A123 batteries from this ebay supplier.
Chris
 

jerrysimon

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 27, 2009
3,292
112
Cambridge, UK
Chris,

Yes he does, I just received some sells from him the other day.

They are closed for Chinese New Year at the moment but will open up again soon. He stopped shipping to the UK during our bad weather spell because he could not guarantee delivery, but I told him it is all ok and he should be posting again now.

Email him to confirm.

Regards

Jerry
 
Last edited:

overthehill

Pedelecer
Nov 1, 2010
32
0
grumblers

Get over it, its a great bike,it does what the people want and I thought we lived in a democracy,more power to the alien