Hi all. I am Jasper I am an ebike bike designer, I grew up in UK now living in Singapore

[JasperG]

I hope you all are coping well - what with one thing and another...

I have worked on building a few different electric bikes over the last few years. And had lost of fun doing it! I had a stand at fullycharged live last year, and was hopping to come back this year. But with Covid all that is changed, So I am stuck in my flat in Singapore instead. So thought I would try and connect with people into ebikes back in the UK online instead.

What am I looking for?
Chat about bikes, building bikes, complaining about regulations that change during the design process, programming motor controllers, welding??

 

[Woosh]

welcome to the site.
so what's your idea how the best folding bike should look like?

 

[Ocsid]

welcome to the site.
so what's your idea how the best folding bike should look like?

Wrong starting point IMO there, that's a "stylist" job, a bike "designer" should put function way over "looks", the stylist just tidying it up finally.

Sadly, though that's not the way of the world these days, from buyer reflecting right back to the producer. Sorry Woosh, just a very raw point, having had a lifetime career leading product design teams.

Welcome Jasper.

 

[Atlav4]

Hi welcome JasperG , please chip in with comments, feelings, findings and advice on the topics that move you to do so. Very informative forum, possibly not for yourself but to us laymen its great.

 

[Scorpio]

Hi Jasper and welcome, there is a lot of variety here so I'm sure you will find some interesting discussions.

Programming motor controllers is something I know very little about but am trying to learn. I have a C500 lcd display made by Lishui, manual

http://ionelectricbicycles.com/manuals/ION_C500B_Manual.pdf

- page14 I can turn on USB on the display but can't find any matching USB socket. Do I also need a USB wire made up to match their diagram?

- the display has some options (eg Range to go) marked as "this needs user customisation". Is this something I can do or is it a dealer only task?

The manufacturer website has USB articles but I think they need to install on a PC and I only have access to Android/iPad. Website

Search - Lishui Controller-Search|Lishui Controller

Nanjing Lishui Electronics Research Institute Co., Ltd

www.lsdzs.com

Do you have any suggestions about how I could program the controller I have?

You also mention welding, I find lots of interesting things here

MIG Welding Forum

www.mig-welding.co.uk

 

[sjpt]

Wrong starting point IMO there, that's a "stylist" job, a bike "designer" should put function way over "looks", the stylist just tidying it up finally.

Sadly, though that's not the way of the world these days, from buyer reflecting right back to the producer. Sorry Woosh, just a very raw point, having had a lifetime career leading product design teams.

Welcome Jasper.

I agree absolutely; but I think Woosh probably (at least mainly) meant 'look' in the functional way. If a bike has a particular frame and fold arrangement that will give it a certain 'look', even if it has been designed 100% for function.

One thing you will see from posts about a month ago (to make you jealous) is how brilliant the lockdown has been for cycling in many ways, with much less traffic on the road. That's now fading away. Very mixed reports on quality of driving during the lockdown; I'd summarise it as mostly more considerate than usual, with a few nutty extra-bad drivers.

 

[Ocsid]

I agree absolutely; but I think Woosh probably (at least mainly) meant 'look' in the functional way. If a bike has a particular frame and fold arrangement that will give it a certain 'look', even if it has been designed 100% for function.

I had little doubt he did, I did apologise and wink.

 

[JasperG]

welcome to the site.
so what's your idea how the best folding bike should look like?

Oh! I have been think about that a bit for a while. Not got my ideal one yet. But I suspect the perfect folding e-bike would be closer to a kick-scooter. If you want it folding, you probably want it as small as possible and easy to fold. pedals and chain make that really hard. Maybe you could do it with a electric transmission, or have pedals just to activate the motor. But it gets to the the point that you are just designing to get around the regulations rather than because it will be a good for the user. Although if the pedals had a nice feel, and had a good sensation of control, I think you could do it.

I was thinking about maybe using a motor controller sort of in reverse, connected to a motor in the pedals, then set the amps on the pedals to adjust the pressure you need to apply to turn them depending on the situation. So rather than using the pedals as a half-arse generator, you are using it more for controlled feedback to the rider. Not sure if that makes sense, and would probably add too much to the cost for maybe little benefit. But I was daydreaming about something like that. Also I think some one did try a few years ago, not sure it was folding but it never took off anyway.

As Ocsid was saying, function has to be what you are going for over looks, the looks will come as you refine the function I suspect. The looks are part of the function though. Part of function is to make you feel happy riding it, that can comes looks. Oh wow you can go around in circles all day like this can't you!

 

[JasperG]

- the display has some options (eg Range to go) marked as "this needs user customisation". Is this something I can do or is it a dealer only task?

I have not used this before, so it is hard to say... It is in English which is a good start! honestly I from that manual I cannot tell even if you need a computer or not.

 

[JasperG]

One thing you will see from posts about a month ago (to make you jealous) is how brilliant the lockdown has been for cycling in many ways, with much less traffic on the road. That's now fading away. Very mixed reports on quality of driving during the lockdown; I'd summarise it as mostly more considerate than usual, with a few nutty extra-bad drivers.

wow yes in Singapore we have had so many people riding bikes, partly because all the gyms are shut, partly because the only jobs left are food delivary :-(

 

[Fat Rat]

Hi welcome to the site