protanium electric motoers and bikes

[piotrmacheta]

Not heard of them before but look like nicely designed bikes.

http://www.protanium.com/resources/PROTANIUM_katalog2012_LowRes.pdf

 

[flecc]

It's US bicycle manufacturer Schwinn.

They originally created the "protanium" name as a way of describing the Tongxin Nano motor and whatever battery they happened to use to pretend their technology was somehow special.

A bit like the pseudo science names that the cosmetics and yoghourt companies come up with in advertising.

 

[Cyclezee]

It's US bicycle manufacturer Schwinn.

They originally created the "protanium" name as a way of describing the Tongxin Nano motor and whatever battery they happened to use to pretend their technology was somehow special.

A bit like the pseudo science names that the cosmetics and yoghourt companies come up with in advertising.

I had heard that protanium had excellent properties for revitalising and rejuvenating the unblemished complexions of 18 year old fashion models and that it was vital for maintaining a healthy digestive system?
Are you saying it is just a load of male bovine extcrement?

 

[flecc]

Something like that John.

It's really unnecessary in this case, since Schwinn are an old established company who know how to make fine bikes, though it has to be said they made a complete mess of their first e-bike model, withdrawing it when one of their vice presidents described it as unfit for market. He was right.

In typical US fashion they are very prone to gimmickry, such as using the Toshiba SCiB battery at times just to be different, a type which is very unsuitable for e-bike application.

 

[Andrew harvey]

Protanium were originally a Danish company based at one time I thought in Luxembourg. They are nothing to do with Swinn which is owned by the Taiwanese Pacific group, (CSG, Cannondale Sports Group who know own the old Hot Wheels distribution in the UK). Swinn did release a bike using the Tongzin motor. They had problems, not with the motor but the controllers, you may find reference to the Trans Australia trip were if my memory serves me right Ezee end up lending the riders bikes or such like.
They have used the Toshiba SCiB batteries on the Tailwinds for several years, these are designed to be fast charge. they get the fast charge by using small capacity cells and under charging them. Basically the BMS only allows the cells to charge to 80% capacity and discharge to 20% , this gives them low range but increased battery life. The claims I would dismiss as bull, except that they come from Toshiba, and I'm still dubious.
They are however best suited to less demanding uses, ie a 24V Giant rather than a 36V Whisper.

 

[flecc]

I've no idea on that Danish company Andrew, but Protanium is definitely connected with Schwinn. They used it from their second e-bike onwards across a few models. Here's the specification they've published on their Continental model for example, where you see the liberal use of Protanium exactly as I described. On the full spec they even describe the handlebar grips as Protanium:

Schwinn bikes, electric drive specifications

Front Hub: Schwinn Protanium Mini Motor with alloy shell, 24v, 250 watts.

Battery: Schwinn Protanium lithium polymer 10 AH battery, charger.

Extras: Rear alloy Protanium Rack with integrated battery carrier and patented Plug-N-Drive system.
.

 

[Spinalot]

I do not know about the tech the use, i.e. whether it sucks or not but for me the designs are VERY nice! they look like they take the next step for me. What I mean by that is they have made an power assisted bike. Not taken a bike and made it power assisted.
I hope that makes sense.

 

[Cyclezee]

I do recall the Danish bike that never made into production. I remember it was drop dead gorgeous, but can't remember the name of it

 

[flecc]

I do recall the Danish bike that never made into production. I remember it was drop dead gorgeous, but can't remember the name of it

It was the Diavelo.

After well over a year of online hype about it, it effectively arrived as the Schwinn Pacific which was a huge flop, mainly through poor software design and repeated controller failures.

This is one of the reasons I feel sure that Schwinn has more than a passing connection with the Protanium name.

 

[DK2]

Protanium is indeed a Danish founded company, but mostly they deliver motors/ e-drivesystem to many bikefactories and makes.
Their main strenght is the e-system, not the bikes themselves.
Many - or most danish bike manufactures use protanuim parts for their e-bikes.

 

[Andrew harvey]

I have been trying to check old e-mails on an account I no longer use. I have defiantly had contact from Protanium trying to interest me in their products dating back 4 or 5 years, I just have to dig far enough back.
They have in the passed supplied Swinn with components. They did use the Tongzin or similar motor at first, these may have been those used in the trans Australia trip.
Their new motors and controllers have been in use by them for about 3 years know. Options have included battery packs built into some rather comfy seats, along with very fancy control sets.

 

[flecc]

Thanks Andrew, I've also been having difficulty finding traces about the early e-bikes from Schwinn.

I remember well the long period of the Danish Diavelo hype and the seemingly identical bike with the identical specs appearing from Schwinn, but never from Denmark. The SCiB battery Schwinn model was first around in early 2008, one similar to the Continental model with li-poly I mentioned above was before that, so the first Schwinn e-bike model with the Tongxin motor and li-poly must have been about mid 2007. It seems that Schwinn probably switched to the Danish "sourced" components at some point as you say, though it's probably all oriental maufacture that's never been anywhere near Denmark, like so much else this side of the world.

There's some name cross linking in Schwinn using Pacific as the name of their first e-bike model.