IF Reach - The perfect commuter bike

[cwah]

Yesterday I went to a crowded restaurant with friends... And I brought my If Reach with me.

I wanted to see if my bike would be able to go in the restaurant!

- Once folded, no one say anything and let me enter
- but the only available space was under the table.... My bike was too big to be parked under the table with people sitting around.
- we end up parking the bike in the toilet

So it's a bad point for this bike in a crowded restaurant. I'm however wondering if the Brompton would fold small enough to be parked under the table? It seems that it's also too big for that and would also end up parked in the toilet?

 

[shemozzle999]

Hi cwah I just saw this and I think this is all you can do with the cute motor on your bike.
Looks like it is single speed.
You could contact them and find out what the width of the rear drop-out is on their bike.

Cute and Light, 36V 250W Folding Electric Bike with Lithium Battery, FunRide | eBay

 

[jerrysimon]

Nice battery sollution.

The bike looks uncomfortable to ride and as discussed single speed option envolves compromise of spinning out too early or being too hard to pedal from start or if the assistance fails/battery runs flat.

Regards

Jerry

 

[shemozzle999]

Not to mention the fold Jerry.
Look where the handle bars end up!

 

[kitchenman]

Yesterday I went to a crowded restaurant with friends... And I brought my If Reach with me.

I wanted to see if my bike would be able to go in the restaurant!

- Once folded, no one say anything and let me enter
- but the only available space was under the table.... My bike was too big to be parked under the table with people sitting around.
- we end up parking the bike in the toilet

So it's a bad point for this bike in a crowded restaurant. I'm however wondering if the Brompton would fold small enough to be parked under the table? It seems that it's also too big for that and would also end up parked in the toilet?

One of the ideas that I've had during the canopy experimentation relates to surrounding a bike with a security bubble so that you can leave the bike outside on the pavement. Protected from the weather and thieves. Not sure of all the details yet! Lots of ideas to sift through. Would be great to have an electronic key to lock and unlock like you do with a car ..

 

[cwah]

Hi cwah I just saw this and I think this is all you can do with the cute motor on your bike.
Looks like it is single speed.
You could contact them and find out what the width of the rear drop-out is on their bike.

Cute and Light, 36V 250W Folding Electric Bike with Lithium Battery, FunRide | eBay

Except for the Cute-12 found by Dave, I'm not really interested in these motor. They are extra light but can't handle any power. I don't want to burn the motor within few days

 

[cwah]

One of the ideas that I've had during the canopy experimentation relates to surrounding a bike with a security bubble so that you can leave the bike outside on the pavement. Protected from the weather and thieves. Not sure of all the details yet! Lots of ideas to sift through. Would be great to have an electronic key to lock and unlock like you do with a car ..

Yeah, I'm used to park my bike outside, but it's quite time consuming and somehow dangerous (even with security bubble/wrap.

I was wondering if the Brompton was soooo goood that it would be easily placed under the table or any crowded place. But actually I'm not convinced about that.

 

[Scottyf]

Bromptons fold up really small to the point none notices them. There possible the best folder but like before you wouldn't be able to stick a big motor on it.

 

[shemozzle999]

Except for the Cute-12 found by Dave, I'm not really interested in these motor. They are extra light but can't handle any power. I don't want to burn the motor within few days

Cwah I think you have missed the point I have tried to make in my reply.

This company has achieved fitting a single speed cute motor, regardless of what power, in their bike (your minimum requirement) they will be able to tell you the drop-out width if you ask them.

Depending on their reply it will tell you whether or not it is achievable on your bike.

If not, you can eliminate these motors and move on to find another solution, as you are doing on ES.

 

[jerrysimon]

Interesting to see on the ES forum that someone posted a mid motor mount version of this bike that Pacific do

Not much clearance underneath though

Regards

Jerry

 

[shemozzle999]

If all else fails you could always do it this preferred way:

Pacific

as it has already been done before!

 

[jerrysimon]

Certainly very neat. In fact this video show the bike detail and folding very well (skip 30 seconds) after he stops riding in the first part.

[video=youtube;8MqkkmvwWdg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MqkkmvwWdg&feature=player_embedded#![/video]

However 17Kg without a battery still seems heavy to me for a folding electric bike ?

My Brompton is around 13Kgs without bag and battery and that is heavy enough to carry more than a few 100 meters.

PS Got four grand ? Well you could own one too!!

Regards

Jerry

 

[eddieo]

However 17Kg without a battery still seems heavy to me for a folding electric bike ?

My Brompton is around 13Kgs without bag and battery and that is heavy enough to carry more than a few 100 meters.
Jerry

I think so as well...My specalised weighs that. New Haibike we are looking at weighs the same (without batterys)

Horses for courses I think, and very hard to find a one bike soloution to cover all situations. Brompton with 16 inch wheels folds much smaller and neater, gearing good as well, surprised how fast they ride..

 

[cwah]

Cwah I think you have missed the point I have tried to make in my reply.

This company has achieved fitting a single speed cute motor, regardless of what power, in their bike (your minimum requirement) they will be able to tell you the drop-out width if you ask them.

Depending on their reply it will tell you whether or not it is achievable on your bike.

If not, you can eliminate these motors and move on to find another solution, as you are doing on ES.

I agree with you but the cute motor (Q85 250W) has a shorter dropout. I think many smaller motors have smaller dropout such as the Tongxing for example.

That doesn't surprise me they achieved that. My problem is to add a bigger motor to a narrow dropout.

 

[cwah]

Jerry I already have the bike, I'm not going to sell it to buy the electric one. And I want a stealthy one, with this bike you can clearly see the motor and the battery.

I may have found a solution with a Mac motor that has 110mm dropout. Not sure how that really work but I'm in touch with Cell_man.

Jerry, can you carry your brompton in any restaurant? My experience in a crowded restaurant wasn't that successful with my bike. I couldn't place it under the table.

Now that I know I can have a Mac with 110 mm dropout, maybe I can plug that into the Brompton

So I'll see which one fits me better lol

 

[shemozzle999]

I have read the ES thread you started and from what I can gather the motor will have to be heavily machined to achieve you dropout spec.
While respecting your youthful drive to obtain your desired result, it worries me and I think others that you intend to overpower the motor (1000W/2000W) which on a unproven modified motor and bike could be liable to a major failure and even without consideration to how you are going to obtain enough braking power to control your speed I am concerned about your personal safety as well as others who might encounter you on one of your rides should you complete this project.

 

[shemozzle999]

Now that I know I can have a Mac with 110 mm dropout,

Has cell_man at www.emissions-free.com confirmed he can do this then, complete with gearing, braking and freewheel facilities?


Also, I think that you can answer your own question to Jerry regarding comparative folding sizes. Why don't you find someone with a Brompton (plenty in London where you are based) and post a side by side photo of your bike (much rarer) so we can all see the difference.

 

[eddieo]

The fold | Brompton Bicycle

"The fold

A key feature of the Brompton is the compactness and practicality of its fold. With a little practice, this is achieved without any difficulty in 10 - 20 seconds. The dimensions of the folded bike are: 585mm high x 545mm long x 270mm wide (22.2" x 21.5" x 10.6").

When folded, a Brompton stays locked together, making an extremely compact package little larger than its wheels. The folded package may be picked up without any risk that the bike will unfold - reassuring when running for a train or handing it to a cloakroom attendant!

There are no projections or loose parts with the folded package and, using the frame or saddle as a handle, it carries like a small suitcase, lightweight and easy to manage. The fold is designed to keep vulnerable parts, like lights and cable-runs, out of harm's way and, by folding them in, to keep the greasy chain and gears away from clothing and luggage. Small rollers allow the bike to be pushed into inaccessible corners."

 

[jerrysimon]

Yes you can pretty much take the Brompton anywhere, but clearly you have two requirements :

1. A super powerful eassist bike with a rear motor that appears unassisted and can pull wheelies.

2. A bike that can fold small enough to go anywhere and fits under restaurant tables.

The Brompton meets point 2 fully (well may take up a chair space under the table) but in doing that mutually excludes point 1.

Good luck with your project. If you achieve 1 and 2 then patent it, sell it and make a fortune

Regards

Jerry

 

[eddieo]

Yes you can pretty much take the Brompton anywhere, but clearly you have two requirements :

1. A super powerful eassist bike with a rear motor that appears unassisted and can pull wheelies.

wrong bike then...

Here you go!

Rad Power 36volt lithium e-bike wheelie - YouTube