Kits

[Steveu]

BionX 350PL

I did manage to get my kit just before Xmas. Managed to fit it OK, although bit strange how wires on handlebar unit emerge from the left side but have to join with wires coming from brake lever to the right (and do Americans/Canadians use the right lever for the rear brake?). Also discovered that you can only fit battery if correct holes in battery carrier used to bolt it to down tube. This was not clear in instructions and I had to fiddle around a long time before I realised what was wrong (if you use the wrong holes, the heads of the nuts prevent the battery sliding in the carrier - but you can't see what's happening).

First couple of rides were great, zooming along even on assist level 1. Since then I have had intermittent assist (on/off every second or few seconds on all levels of assist) although motor works ok when accelerator lever is pressed (which doesn't require one to pedal). I've yet to check all the connections etc - its been very wet and muddy - to investigate thoroughly. Has anyone else experienced this or got any ideas what's going wrong (I have made sure battery is fully charged).

Steve

 

[Steveu]

BionX 350pl

I did manage to get my kit just before Xmas. Managed to fit it OK, although bit strange how wires on handlebar unit emerge from the left side but have to join with wires coming from brake lever to the right (and do Americans/Canadians use the right lever for the rear brake?). Also discovered that you can only fit battery if correct holes in battery carrier used to bolt it to down tube. This was not clear in instructions and I had to fiddle around a long time before I realised what was wrong (if you use the wrong holes, the heads of the nuts prevent the battery sliding in the carrier - but you can't see what's happening).

First couple of rides were great, zooming along even on assist level 1. Since then I have had intermittent assist (on/off every second or few seconds on all levels of assist) although motor works ok when accelerator lever is pressed (which doesn't require one to pedal). I've yet to check all the connections etc - its been very wet and muddy - to investigate thoroughly. Has anyone else experienced this or got any ideas what's going wrong (I have made sure battery is fully charged).

Steve

 

[johnl]

Check Notch in Axle

I did manage to get my kit just before Xmas.
First couple of rides were great, zooming along even on assist level 1. Since then I have had intermittent assist (on/off every second or few seconds on all levels of assist) although motor works ok when accelerator lever is pressed (which doesn't require one to pedal). I've yet to check all the connections etc - its been very wet and muddy - to investigate thoroughly. Has anyone else experienced this or got any ideas what's going wrong (I have made sure battery is fully charged).

Steve

Intermittent assist problems on the Bionx might be caused by misorientation of the rear axle. There is a notch in the end of the axle (left side of bike) that must be pointed down. The first week I had the kit on my recumbent, I think the axle turned--I never ever tighten things enough when I first put something together. Anyway, if the axle has rotated and the notch is not pointed down, then the torque sensor will not work properly. In my case I found that I wasn't getting near the assist that I was getting when the axle was properly oriented. The battery charge was lasting longer, but I was going slower.

Yes, in the US anyway, most bikes are set up with the rear brake lever on the right side of the handlebars.

John

 

[Steveu]

puller

John

Thanks very much for your advice - the notch has moved round by about 60 deg so that could well be the problem. It seems that to correct this I need to rotate the 'blocker' (the piece mounted on the axle with the projection that you have to fit into the drop-out) so it is back in alignment with the notch in the axle. My recollection is that the blocker is fitted on a tapered portion of the axle by a friction fit. The instructions show the use of a special BionX puller tool to free the blocker by pulling it off this tapered fit. They don't supply this tool so I need to find some other way of pulling it off the taper so I can twist it round 60 deg. Any ideas? How did you do yours?

Thanks again for the assistance.

Steve

 

[johnl]

Get the Tool

John

Thanks very much for your advice - the notch has moved round by about 60 deg so that could well be the problem. It seems that to correct this I need to rotate the 'blocker' (the piece mounted on the axle with the projection that you have to fit into the drop-out) so it is back in alignment with the notch in the axle. My recollection is that the blocker is fitted on a tapered portion of the axle by a friction fit. The instructions show the use of a special BionX puller tool to free the blocker by pulling it off this tapered fit. They don't supply this tool so I need to find some other way of pulling it off the taper so I can twist it round 60 deg. Any ideas? How did you do yours?

Thanks again for the assistance.

Steve

I made sure to get the puller tool as I knew that I would be switching the wheel between at least two different bikes that have different dropout slot angles--on one bike I have vertical dropouts, on the other the slot is not perpendicular to the ground.. I believe that a gear puller tool would work. The puller tool provided by Bionx is pretty simple, maybe you can find a picture of one on the internet and then go to an auto parts supply store and find something similar.

Now that I think of it, the blocker's inner surface is shaped something like a conical bearing race and you may not be able to use one of the cheap auto gear pullers with hinged arms. The picture of the Bionx tool is attached. Maybe your auto parts stores would have something like that? I think you should have this tool. I think that once you have tightened the wheel on properly, it probably will not slip again, but if you want to switch the wheel and kit to another bike with a different angle for the rear drop outs, you will need to loosen up the blocker again. Mine slipped once on each of the two bikes that I have had the kit on. So it took me a second try on each of the first two bikes. Once the weather warms up, we'll put the kit on the recumbent tandem, so I'll probably need the tool again--probably twice as there is no reason to suggest that I will learn from experience.

Sorry about being a little late with this reply, but the weather finally warmed up to above 10 degrees F at the Loveland Ski area, so we were skiing all day.

John

 

[giguana]

I thought that the right hand was your main breaking hand and should be controlling the brakes of the back wheel, I have always had UK bikes but just got one with the back wheel on the left side and it feels very awkward.tell me if you decide to give that motor away!

 

[Steveu]

puller

It seems the recommendation is to find a 3-arm puller of the right size so i will search in local tool stores.

Anyone know why we have back brake on left hand in the UK and they have it on the right on other side of Atlantic - I can't see any link with driving on the left or right!

I'm going to try it with the generation switch on the front barke for a bit see how it goes - initial impression is OK as when touch front brake you instantly get electromagnetic braking of rear wheel.

I'm looking forward to getting the orienation of the axle fixed. I've been advised by Nycewheels that the unit can be damaged if used without notch at 6 oclock, so its parked in shed at moment

First impressions of the BionX have been very good - up to my expectations - its just frustrating that a number of minor problems could be avoided by having a better set of installation instructions. Once I've learnt more about it, perhaps I should volunteer to re-write them! However, given the standard of 'instructions' that come with products from the Far East, The BionX ones are probably very good. There's quite a lot of info on their web site and some good pics - its just needs a little expansion in a few crucial areas (like making sure wheel nuts are very tight to prevent the axle rotating

Steve

 

[frank9755]

I understand it is to do with driving on the right / left.
The (fairly muddled) thinking is
1. That you need to have access to your main brake when you are preparing to make a turn across the opposite lane (ie right turn in UK, left in US) and doing a hand signal
2. The rear brake is the main brake

Of course we all know that the front brake is the main one, so its not a particularly helpful convention. I was reminded of this a few weeks ago when making a right turn in traffic on a steep hill. I had to alternate between using my right hand to make a signal and slow down the bike safely via the front brake.

Frank

 

[Ian]

Of course we all know that the front brake is the main one, so its not a particularly helpful convention. I was reminded of this a few weeks ago when making a right turn in traffic on a steep hill. I had to alternate between using my right hand to make a signal and slow down the bike safely via the front brake.

I was reminded of that back in the summer, I was taking a drink with the bottle in my right hand as I crested a summit on an unfamiliar offroad route and I suddenly found myself going down a steep slope with only the rear brake within reach. It worked out OK but it gave me a bit of a fright.

 

[HarryB]

I have visions of you with a bottle of red wine in one hand...now where is that damn brake??

 

[johnl]

I understand it is to do with driving on the right / left.
The (fairly muddled) thinking is
1. That you need to have access to your main brake when you are preparing to make a turn across the opposite lane (ie right turn in UK, left in US) and doing a hand signal
2. The rear brake is the main brake

Of course we all know that the front brake is the main one, so its not a particularly helpful convention. I was reminded of this a few weeks ago when making a right turn in traffic on a steep hill. I had to alternate between using my right hand to make a signal and slow down the bike safely via the front brake.

Frank

The common belief here is that you don't want your most powerful hand on the front brake because if you panic and squeeze the brake lever too hard you may go over the handle bars. Not that anyone on this side of the pond ever overreacts to anything. Mmmm, maybe its good for us to have the right hand on the back brake.

 

[Canadian Cadence]

When I first got my Bionx installed I had trouble keeping the rear wheel nuts tight. They would come loose after about 20 km of hard use. I asked the local bike shop and he put it up on his bike stand and added 1 flat washer to each side and that cured the problem. Not the split lock washer , but a flat washer....he said that in tough cases they usually add 2 washers to each side!
Do not know why it worked but it does. I was really torquing them before the washers and they would always work loose...the wheel would shift and start rubbing on the rear brakes.

As to why the brakes are on different sides. I always thought it was because they wanted you to have your hand on the rear brake when signaling. The old way of signaling use to be with the hand closest to traffic ( I know see kids just pointing with either hand the direction they want to go).
So US/Canada signal with left hand and right hand on rear brake......UK the opposite.....It is what I thought and haven't really questioned it.

Steve, Hope you get out on your bike soon.

 

[Steveu]

Puller

At long last I have managed to get a puller to free the blocker on my Bionx so I can rotate it to get the notch pointing downwards again. After some searching on the internet, I found two products that looked like they might do it: a ball joint separator and a wiper blade puller (both of these have two legs which you can fit behind and either side of the blocker (in exactly the same manner as the special BionX puller) and a bolt you can tighten againt the end of the axle. There are quite a few listed on the internet but I managed to fing a ball joint separator in Halfords for £7.99 and it did the trick. This has instantly cured the intermmittent power problem and all is now running well again - I shall keep an eye on those nuts and ensure they stay tight!

I did also find a small 3-arm puller but these are more expensive and I think the ball joint separator is more suited to the job.

NB It seems the thread on the BionX axle is not identical to that on a UK bike. I tried using nuts (with a 'washer' rotatably mounted on the nut) from my UK bike but they didn't engage the thread - although the simple nuts that came with the BionX wheel will fit my UK axle!

Steve

 

[giguana]

I tried to make my own one the other day using some rigid wire in the shape of a puller and some nuts and bolts in the top, and it succeeded in freeing the hatch, and then I spent about half an hour putting lots of different sized wedges and slowly wedging it out. afterwards I discovered that if you have spokes in it, u can lay the wheel flat, put cushions under it and stand on the spokes next to the hub very flatly. it'll pop out pretty easily. although I have not tried that with a bionx kit, I don't know what the wires are like at the back.

 

[planky]

I have the Bionx 350 on a Marin Mountain bike.

Hi, can I ask you which Marin you have? I also have a Marin, a Mount Vision and am looking to electrify it.

Thanks

 

[Steveu]

Bionx 350pl range

I have been getting on well with my Bionx having successfully re-aligned it with a ball joint puller.

My commute to work is 10 miles each way (part road, part tracks/footpaths), all fairly flat. I usually do another 5 to 10 miles in my lunch hour. All this is fine but I am surprised that the battery goes down to zero or one bar after this, ie after about 30 miles. I generally use assist level 1 (as I like to put a reasonable effort in) with the occassional use of level 2 up inclines or against a direct head wind. I've not carried on to see how much further I could go before it konks out but this doe not compare well with the range (under ideal conditions) quoted in the manual, ie 42 miles in level 2 and 56 miles in level 1.

The range I am getting is sufficient for most of my use but I'm worried that if I go out on a 'proper' cycle ride, I may not get much assistance beyong 30 miles or so.

I weigh 88Kg (fully kitted up) and the bike 27Kg making 115Kg in total.

What experience have others had? Some of the reviews I've seen on the internet suggest that others are getting much greater ranges (or similar range but all on level 4).

Steve

 

[eddieo]

interesting thread.....

I have 2 Dahon 20 inch folders, one "Jetstream", hi spec with front and rear suspension (approx 11kg) and one shopper style "Helios". Would it be possible to fit electric kits to either or both of these?. what is the best available and where from? an idea of cost would be nice

not at all technically minded so want something solid and reliable or is that an oxymoron lol

 

[flecc]

Dahon marketed an electric version as the Dahon Roo EL, and it used the SRAM Sparc rear electric hub motor set. However that was rigid framed and I don't know how it would suit the rear suspension. The SRAM Sparc kit is available from agents Fisher Leisure, but it's quite expensive as you'll see on this link for the 20" wheel version.

Another option successfully installed on the Brompton folders is the Tongxin Nano motor that's uses on bikes like Cytronex and Schwinn, and this goes in the front wheel. These kits are obtainable from Nano Motor UK.

As you say you are not technical I'd strongly advise that you get help to fit a kit on these bikes as there are many possible stumbling blocks. Tony Castles at Nano Motor is buried in work currently with fitting Bromptons, but if he can't tackle it in time for you, you can buy a a kit from him if you can find a company to do the fitting.

I don't know where you are, but Smiths of Kidderminster can do this.
.

 

[Jeremy]

I was a bit surprised when another member here, Kraeuterbutter, posted this picture of the internals of the SRAM Sparc unit over on the ES forum:

As you can see, it uses two very, very cheap model motors. I don't know how they can justify the high price tag when the motors are just a few pounds each.

Jeremy

 

[BGElect]

Alien 24 volt 20 inch kit - Dahon folder

I've just received the 24 volt 20 inch Alien kit and I'm in the process of fitting it to my Dahon Speed 7 folder.

I fitted the hub motor to the front wheel last night and fitted Big Apple tyres (thanks Flecc).

First impression was this front wheel is very heavy, took it for a ride and it performs OK and the ride is now less hard of course with the new tyres, so, I could still use the bike without motor assist.

The next tricky bit is fitting the battery on the rack or on the seat post?? I'll give it a go on the seat post first and see how I get on with folding the bike with this set-up.

I'll post more about the installation when I get time to complete it...