Hoping to convert

[Araucaria]

I've been retired and living in a very rural bit of France for more than ten years. I like to cycle. It's hilly bordering on mountainous here and I'm looking to convert one or more of my existing bikes, rather than buy new. One of those I'd consider converting is long wheel-base recumbent, but equally I'd be happy to start with a normal road bike if that's easier. So advice would be appreciated.

I'm not very likely to be going much further than 20 or 30 km in a day. And although the roads wind up and down hill, the road surfaces are all pretty good - much better than rural England.

 

[Woosh]

a majority of my customers converting their recumbent choose the TSDZ2.
http://wooshbikes.co.uk/cart/#/product/uid-207-tsdz2-12ah/tsdz2-cd-kit-48v-12ah
The cables need to be adapted to suit the bike or trike.
If you are interested, please contact support@wooshbikes.co.uk
Delivery to France costs £15.

 

[Araucaria]

Thanks Woosh. Mine's a Ryan Vanguard recumbent.



It has a nice high bottom bracket, and well forward too. Battery behind the seat maybe?

Why do your customers usually go for a mid engine for a recumbent?

Thanks

 

[Woosh]

Thanks Woosh. Mine's a Ryan Vanguard recumbent.

It has a nice high bottom bracket, and well forward too. Battery behind the seat maybe?

I just had a quick look at the bottom bracket of the Ryan Vanguard.

the TSDZ2 may not fit, the gap between the motor casing and the bottom bracket may be a tad too narrow to accommodate the shape of the Ryan's bottom bracket. I'll need a close up picture to confirm this.
The alternative is the BBS01B kit whch has wider gap.
For the location of the battery, cut a piece of cardboard 36cm x 10cm to see where it may go.

Why do your customers usually go for a mid engine for a recumbent?

flexibilty - CD kits are wonderfully flexible to get the right amount of torque.

 

[Araucaria]

I really am a complete beginner here, and I hope you'll excuse my evident ignorance.

When you say the gap between the motor casing and the bottom bracket may be too small, I am not at all sure what gap you're talking about. Here are a couple of close-up pictures of the Vanguard's bottom bracket, from on top and below.

If they don't show what you'd need to see, please explain further and I'll try again. Or if you need measurements?

I may then even get round to cleaning the bike (how did it ever get that dirty?), but right now it's away in the shed and there's heavy rain and gale force winds between it and me.

 

[Nealh]

There are two obstacles that may prevent TSDZ fitting.
1. Derailleur cable guide, it may well need to be moved/re-routed.
2. The more important issue is the tube angles where they meet, the protruding joint below the BB shell looks like it may be an issue.

 

[Woosh]

Neal has beaten me to it.
I would now recommend a hub kit for your recumbent.
May I ask how many gears do you have?
26" or 700C tyres?

 

[Fat Rat]

Welcome and enjoy your build

 

[Araucaria]

"May I ask how many gears do you have?
26" or 700C tyres? "

It's 21 gears and 700C tyres.

In use these LWB recumbents are a bit light at the front: when I first had it I had quite a nasty fall when the front wheel didn't quite bounce over a low (4 or 5cm high) decorative kerb that was at a diagonal to my direction of travel. The bike went sideways from the front and I then got to meet the road at close quarters.

So I'd need to be convinced about putting the extra weight at the rear.

 

[Woosh]

that problem would happen with any bike, you need weight to give traction to the wheel. So a light front end would give less traction to a front conversion compared to a rear conversion. That does not matter much riding on flatish road but it may if the road surface is wet.
The kit I would recommend the Aikema 85SX if you ride mostly on flatish roads:
http://wooshbikes.co.uk/cart/#/product/uid-177-85sx-17ah/akm13085sx-rear-hub-kit-with-17ah-battery

or the Bafang SWX02 48V if you ride very hilly mountain roads:
http://wooshbikes.co.uk/cart/#/product/uid-188-swx02-48v12ah/bafang-swx02-48v-250w-rear-hub-kit-with-48v-12ah-battery

Your bike will take the let side bottom bracket, making the installation simpler and quicker.
The Bafang SWX02 is out of stock for a couple of weeks, but well worth the wait because it's very suitable for steep mountain roads.

Unlike crank drive mid motor kits, those hub kits will let you ride without changing gears even on undulating mountain roads.