Ezee Powered T W Bents Recumbent Trike

C

Cyclezee

Guest
Firstly, I apologise if I repeat some content from my recent thread here http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/6670-recumbent-e-trikes.html, but I wanted to be more specific about this project or build.

To start with, I have not actually built anything, just added a readily available electric kit to a readily available trike. Non of it is rocket science, but I am very pleased with the result.

My first decision was to buy a trike then source a kit. I read quite a lot about recumbent trikes and decided on a 'tadpole', configuration i.e. 2 wheels in front and one at the rear, this has the obvious advantage of 2 wheel steering . The other option would have been a 'delta', i.e. 2 rear wheels and 1 front wheel, this would have meant either driving both back wheels through a drive shaft or a motorised front wheel doing the steering as well. This just didn't appeal to me and I felt it would have been less stable than a tadpole.

Next, do I buy a used trike or go for new one. Recumbents are not cheap, even second hand. I eventually chose a T W Bents Artifice model, a steel framed tadpole made in Taiwan ¡¹Recumbent bike. A top quality trike from I.C.E. or HP Velotechnik could have easily cost double and more than the whole project. I set myself a budget which I have managed to keep to, the Artifice cost £1150 and that was a special deal with Recumbent Trikes Tricycles Bikes | London Recumbent Trike, thanks for your help Zena. Originally I wanted a yellow frame, thank goodness they were out of stock, it would have looked awful with all the black cabling and components.

OK, I assembled the trike from the box of bits in an afternoon, no more difficult than putting Ikea furniture together, thinking about it, the trike was probably easier and whole lot more fun. Then I went for a 10 minute test ride to see if everything worked and parked it in the garage feeling even more excited about the project.

Now more choices to be made, which kit to go for? Bionx was ruled out immediately due to cost and although my PL350 powered MTB was both fast and powerful, I reckon that very expensive 10Ah battery would limit range and there is no way of adding a backup or parallel battery with the Bionx system.

I did consider a direct drive Magic Pie kit by Goldenmotor, but poor reliability and performance meant I wasn't taking that route either.

An 8 Fun Bafang 350w motor was a consideration, but sourcing all the parts proved fruitless and it would not have been possible to fit a 9 speed freewheel along with other considerations.

Finally after much research, I took the Ezee route. I have owned several Ezee bikes and they are hard to beat in my opinion. It had been in my mind all along to choose an Ezee kit, everything about it was just right, a US spec 350 watt 250 RPM rear motor kit built into a 26" wheel with Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyre and delivering all the torque I would need, the latest Ezee controller, pedelec sensor, Ezee Assist Factor control, a Dual Battery Extension Rack together with an Ezee 8Ah LiFePO4 battery, an 11 to 32 tooth 9 speed freewheel sprocket and a Cycle Analyst V2.2.

The support and advice from Wai Won Ching (Chief Ezee Power) was invaluable, a true gentleman, I can't thank him enough for taking the time to respond to a string of emails. Originally, I wanted a throttle, but he advised against it and recommended the EAF instead, how right he was. He also recommended the LiFePO4 battery to run in parallel with my 14Ah, right again.

When I had all the parts, I sat down and planned the installation, the sequence to do it in and position of the components.
First the rear wheel and motor, it fitted first time exactly, no stretching or compressing of the dropouts and very snug tight fit with no filling necessary.
Then came the positioning of the controller and I think I found the right spot as can see (link to photos at the end of this thread), all cables lead to the controller, so it's position is crucial, next was the Cycle Analyst, followed by the EAF and the rear battery rack.
Next I connected all the cables and tied them in place, by the way you can't get the connections wrong as each connecting plug is different, fitted the LiFePO4 battery and the moment of truth had arrived, would it all work?
I could see no reason why not, but I am never 100% sure about anything, pessimists are never disappointed.
Anyhow, I switched the battery on and grinned from ear to ear when the Cycle Analyst lit up and without hesitating jumped on, or rather sat in a went for a spin, my grin got bigger and bigger, it was brilliant after I was sure everything was working, I went home and disconnected all the cables to make a neater job of the wiring and setup the my 14Ah second battery, borrowed from my Forza, in parallel. This is currently fitted in an Ezee battery bag and as a semi permanent measure I have connected an MCB as an on/off switch. This arrangement works perfectly too.

Yesterday, I went for my first long ride, about an hour and a half and would have stayed out longer, but it was starting to get dark and I don't have proper lighting yet.

I got quite few stares from adults, but on at least 3 occasions, little kids shouted "Wow, that's a cool bike mister", kids know a thing or two and aren't afraid to say it:D

Cick here for a slideshow Ezee Powered T W Bents Artifice Recumbent Trike

J:) hn
 
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AndyOfTheSouth

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 15, 2009
347
4
Thanks for taking the trouble to write about the project in detail - it is most impressive.

Where do you expect to do most of your riding? Cross country, paths, roads, etc?

Whichever, it will interesting to read about your trips.
 
C

Cyclezee

Guest
Thanks for taking the trouble to write about the project in detail - it is most impressive.

Where do you expect to do most of your riding? Cross country, paths, roads, etc?

Whichever, it will interesting to read about your trips.
Hi Andy,
Thank you for your comments.

I expect most of my trips will be in and around Milton Keynes on Redways (paved cycle routes), roads and out of town cycle routes. I regularly ride with non electric cycling groups on organised rides and will hopefully be joining them with trike provided the routes are suitable.

One of the leaders has a non electric recumbent trike, so I reckon I can go where he can go;)

J:) hn
 

trickletreat

Pedelecer
Jan 22, 2010
122
0
Nice report John.

A few triklists get together, but as yet I am the only assisted one, so if you are interested I will let you know the next time we plan to meet.


Nigel
 

ronipozn

Pedelecer
Jul 16, 2010
34
0
The support and advice from Wai Won Ching (Chief Ezee Power) was invaluable, a true gentleman, I can't thank him enough for taking the time to respond to a string of emails. Originally, I wanted a throttle, but he advised against it and recommended the EAF instead, how right he was. He also recommended the LiFePO4 battery to run in parallel with my 14Ah, right again.
Very very nice electric recumbent!

Just a little question, why does the guy from Ezee recommended the EAF? and why was he right?
 
C

Cyclezee

Guest
Very very nice electric recumbent!

Just a little question, why does the guy from Ezee recommended the EAF? and why was he right?
Thank you for your comments Roni.

Wai Won recommended the EAF because of safety concerns, when used over rough and bumpy terrain the throttle would not give the same level of control. My concern is a throttle on a trike being mounted vertically is not so controllable as on 2 wheels due to way you steer a trike there could be a tendency to twist it inadvertently when cornering. There is also the possibility of accidentally operating the throttle whilst getting in and out of the seat.

I like the EAF because it operates like a cruise control i.e. you can seamlessly dial in the exact amount of power that you want and when you stop pedalling the power stops.

I am sure some will disagree with that, but for now I am sticking with the EAF.

Incidentally Roni, would you like to be on the Pedelec Map? We don't have anyone in Israel yet http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/1573-where-do-you-live-v2-0-a.html

J:) hn
 
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trickletreat

Pedelecer
Jan 22, 2010
122
0

piotrmacheta

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 23, 2009
316
0
Glad you got it all sorted in the end. In the end I upgraded to a Scorpion fs (full suspension) so I can take it off-road. The ezee kit it is perfect and I have gone up really steep hills. Last weekend I went on the Ridgeway which is all off-road stuff and had 30 miles of fun and with all that mud about I didn't fall off once! And when you stop for lunch you have a ready-made seat wherever you are.
I have a throttle and it's true that you have to be careful with it when turning but I am now used to it.
Do you find your hub a bit noisy in a whiny/squarky sort of way?
 

trickletreat

Pedelecer
Jan 22, 2010
122
0
Glad you got it all sorted in the end. In the end I upgraded to a Scorpion fs (full suspension) so I can take it off-road. The ezee kit it is perfect and I have gone up really steep hills. Last weekend I went on the Ridgeway which is all off-road stuff and had 30 miles of fun and with all that mud about I didn't fall off once! And when you stop for lunch you have a ready-made seat wherever you are.
I have a throttle and it's true that you have to be careful with it when turning but I am now used to it.
Do you find your hub a bit noisy in a whiny/squarky sort of way?
Sounds like you had a lot of fun. I have a different kit to you, fitted to a bike and trike. They both squeal or squark, especially when I reach the limit of their assistance owing to my speed, or I am only turning the throttle slightly. It is a lot more noticeable when on the trike as my head is closer to the hub motor.
I agree with the possible dangers from applying throttle when steering, but once you have been on two wheels and your head, a different hand position is quickly found:D I find my left hand now rests on the twist gripshift casing below the throttle, with minimal grip on the throttle.
 
C

Cyclezee

Guest
In the end I upgraded to a Scorpion fs (full suspension) so I can take it off-road. Do you find your hub a bit noisy in a whiny/squarky sort of way?
Hi Peter,
Scorpion fs, lucky you:p The Ezee motor is certainly not silent, but I don't find it too obtrusive.

Do you have any photos you could post? Love to see them;)

J:) hn
 

piotrmacheta

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 23, 2009
316
0
I loved the normal Scorpion but as my trip to work is mostly on rough tracks it was a very rough ride so I decided to invest in the fs. I am delighted with it and electric cycling has replaced my car and motorbike for all local trips - so far I've done about 3000 miles since the begining of the year.

I'll try to post a few pictures soon (still finding it hard to sort) to show off all the mods I have done. I have adapted a Topeak RX rack mount and have my short range batteries neatly in a clip on/off bag and also had to be creative with mounting the Cycle-analyst.

I read another post recently where someone was saying that a 100 mile range on a bike was not needed as they wouldn't want to sit on the bike for that long due to boredom and pain but I can honestly say that I could ride all day on the fs and next year hope to do a grand tour to see how far I can get.
 

piotrmacheta

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 23, 2009
316
0
More pics to follow.
As for the gearing, I originally had a Rohloff hub on the trike and with a 52 teeth front and 15 teeth rear I had loads of low gears for hills and enough to get to about 20mph.
Fitting the ezee hub means I lost the Rohloff so getting the gearing right took 2 attempts. I used the 52 teeth front and fitted a 13-28 8 speed freewheel and it resulted in a 20mph top but the lowest gear was just comfortable enough to move off from rest on the flat but hills were only possible with electric assist.
I then ordered an 11-32 from ebikes.ca and this is about right. Pedal ability to 23mph and the lowest gear can get me up most hills while using electric. This is for 48v.
I have tried a 46 teeth front and this is perfect for 36v use.
As you're low down the trike feels pretty fast whatever speed you go.
 

trickletreat

Pedelecer
Jan 22, 2010
122
0
More pics to follow.
As for the gearing, I originally had a Rohloff hub on the trike and with a 52 teeth front and 15 teeth rear I had loads of low gears for hills and enough to get to about 20mph.
Fitting the ezee hub means I lost the Rohloff so getting the gearing right took 2 attempts. I used the 52 teeth front and fitted a 13-28 8 speed freewheel and it resulted in a 20mph top but the lowest gear was just comfortable enough to move off from rest on the flat but hills were only possible with electric assist.
I then ordered an 11-32 from ebikes.ca and this is about right. Pedal ability to 23mph and the lowest gear can get me up most hills while using electric. This is for 48v.
I have tried a 46 teeth front and this is perfect for 36v use.
As you're low down the trike feels pretty fast whatever speed you go.
Thanks for the details, I was wandering how you got along with the single up front. Did you consider a Schlumpf mountain drive? Or is it not compatible with the hub drive? Just wandering as it was something I had thought about, but never seen.
Nigel