E Bike problems, suggestion to resolve

[aab1]

I got an e bike last year from Novawheels Electric Assist Bicycles, the Nova-I model, but the computer/controller recently blew, the company seems to have gone bankrupt. I asked in another thread about where I could get a replacement controller with pedal assist feature and got no reply. I found a basic controller on ebay for $25, it clearly does not have pedal assist sensor wires but I think the board may have the feature but just not the wires comming out, and if not I can always learn to ride it with a manual throttle control, but I'd really miss the auto pedal assist, that was why I chose that bike in the first place.

If I can't get pedal assist back (which would be simply by finding a bike controller with this feature which seems impossible) I'll probably sell this bike and get a new one with built in pedal assist, and try not to blow the controller on that one (I have no idea how it happened on mine).

Also, my current lead acid batteries are dead (I get about 1/4 the original distance due to serious abuse on the batteries) and I want to switch to NiMh which would cost me $400-500 with the new charger. The new bike is $900, would it be worth just getting the new bike instead and be over with my problems? One thing I like of the one I'm considering is an anti theft system which locks the breaks on so the wheels are locked.

This is the one I'm considering, does anyone know anything about it?
Canadian Tire

It also looks like that bike's manufacturer has gone bankrupt, is there any ebike manufacturer that's actually still in business? Each one I find has gone bankrupt.

I'd really like to get a new controller with pedal assist for my bike, I was sure I'd get a reply here but if no one knows anything about pedal assist controllers here then it really looks like my bike is due for the trash, which is really sad since I haven't even had it a year!

Thanks

 

[aab1]

By the way, I've made a simple circuit with a relay and push button so I still have basic on/off functionality and simply pulse the button to simulate slower speeds (3 seconds down, 1 up, repeat, to simulate 75% power). I also must manually accelerate to 15 kph before pressing the button at any time or the relay melts into a blob of molten metal due to the too high amerage for the relay.

It beats no electric at all though, but my acceleration is terrible, when I'm waiting at a red light, it's then like an intense workout to get nearly 300 pounds rolling on muscle power, even putting all my weight on the pedals barely gets me from 0 to 2 before I crossed the street, and only once I reach 15kph can I engage the motor.

I'm sure you can understand I'm anxious to get a properly working bike again, after a ride I'm not tired of pedaling, I'm tired of sending "morse code" with my thumb for hours to regulate the motor speed by pulsing the button at different rates. At least when I don't go far and don't care abou battery life like going to the grocery store I just hold the button down continiously other than to stop, but that kills the battery too fast for longer rides.

 

[flecc]

I saw your original request but didn't know of a bike like your one aab1.

If your pedelec senses from a magnet ring on the bottom bracket one of our UK bike controllers might work, but I think you said something previously about the pedelec sensor being in the motor. If so, I don't know of any bike on our market like that.

I can't get anywhere on that link you gave, it just leads me through two portals with no bike shown. Have a you another link to the bike?

We do have a number of Canadian members who will be more familiar with that market so perhaps an answer will come from one of them.

As your current bike only has the old SLA batteries, a new bike with NiMh battery would be quite an improvement if chosen carefully. There's still some very poor models on the market everywhere, so try to get some user opinions in your market on all the available suitable models.

If you have any links to bikes that you like, post them and if they are on the UK market as well, members can usually give verdicts on them based on experience.
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[aab1]

I'm not sure why you can't see the photos, they show up fine here, here's a direct link:
Novawheels

The one I'm considering is the Strong GT-S210 but it looks like they've gone bankrupt also (their website is non-existant). I noticed another thread talking about the Strong GT-S210 here.

That bike also comes with lead acid batteries.

About my pedal assit sensor, why would it matter where it is on the bike? Don't they all send a standard signal regardless of where they are installed? Mine is inside the rear hub motor, detecting the torque applied to the gear cassette by the chain, the sensor is not visible as it is inside the motor hub. I'm pretty sure it sends out a hall effect signal like the throttle as it's a 3 wire cable coming out along with the 2 wire cable to power the brushed motor.

 

[flecc]

It doesn't necessarily make a difference where the pickup is, but they use differing numbers of magnets in the rotor, so I assume that you can't see how many yours has on the rotor. That could make matching to a possible alternative controller difficult. I've no idea if the number of magnets and subsequent pulse frequency will always make a difference, though I know it does affect some controllers in the way in which they deliver power in differing proportions throughout the range of speeds. It seems to count on yours judging by your "morse code" indications.

Many of ours don't have torque sensors, just sensing rotation only to comply with European pedelec only regulations which require pedalling all the time for power delivery.

That Nova link works fine, but those bikes aren't on our market so I can't offer opinions. Sometimes bikes have been here under different names so someone might recognise a model and be able to offer an opinion.

Sorry I can't be more helpful.

P.S. It was the Canadian Tire link that didn't work. I bypassed the postcode entry as UK ones won't work, and that just took me to portals.
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[aab1]

I think you may be confusing brushless motor sensor cables with the pedal assist sensor cable I'm talking about. The sensor on my bike doesn't count magnets on the rotors or anything like that, it only monitors the tension on the chain, that's all, not the wheel speed or rotor magnets or anything like that. I's basically a 2nd throttle control that's mecanically controlled by the tension on the chain (no tension = no throttle, medium tension = medium throttle, high tension = full throttle). That's why I'm wondering if I can simply plug in the pedal assist sensor into the controller's throttle input, if it sends the same signal as a throttle control then it would work, but I'm not sure what kind of signal comes out.

 

[flecc]

That explains it, we're at cross purposes. I did wonder what you meant about feeding into the throttle. Our bikes are usually different as you'll have gathered, probably because of the European requirements. Many don't have torque sensors, and they're not usually in the motors, most of ours being eight wire brushless hall effect ones. Those controllers wouldn't be any good to you.

I don't know about the type of signal that torque sensor sends, so can't advise on that.
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