The twin hub Powertrek gets the thumbs up

[Old Timer]

I`m quite amazed just how the bike looks like a normal E bike and even more amazed at the performance (anyone else ever fitted two hubs?)

Some images here plus a few words. double_electric_hub Photo Gallery by david chilvers at pbase.com

Dave

 

[allen-uk]

Not that I want to increase your stress levels, Dave, but have you ever thought about doing it for a living - converting and uprating electric bikes, I mean.

On the other hand, you might have better things to do on your new superbike!

Allen.

 

[NRG]

Interesting Dave and good to read you're having fun. As you get more active have you thought about using the pedelec only for one motor and the throttle for the other? You wouldn't have the fun of two throttles though

 

[Old Timer]

Not that I want to increase your stress levels, Dave, but have you ever thought about doing it for a living - converting and uprating electric bikes, I mean.

On the other hand, you might have better things to do on your new superbike!

Allen.

Maybe a few years ago!

 

[Old Timer]

Interesting Dave and good to read you're having fun. As you get more active have you thought about using the pedelec only for one motor and the throttle for the other? You wouldn't have the fun of two throttles though

Well, I tend to ride with the Powertrek pedelec and bring in the Alien on throttle and to be honest although I do use both throttles on hills sometimes I really only need the Alien as back up as two throttles are more than powerful enough. There are a couple of short steep hills near me where I used to need 1st gear and have to go for it and when I`m a bit further down the road fitness wise I`m gonna see how the two throttles handle them.

There`s definitely a case for two hubs, as Flecc pointed out I could carry just a small battery for the alien as the extra hill climber and that would keep the weight down but the nice thing about the set up is that I always have loads in reserve in the alien battery which will generally get me home if need be and because I`m using the alien on throttle as extra hill help then the Powertrek battery goes a bit further.
I wonder what the actual range would be? certainly I can run a battery right down now if I wanted to.
Thinking about range, lets say that each battery would give me 25miles of mixed hills, flat, pedelec and a bit of throttle. If using the Alien for a touch of assistance on hills(which would mean getting up them faster and not draining the powertrek battery as much) then could there be a case for obtaining more than 50 miles from the two of them? Thinking about it, what would probably happen is that instead of one battery running out at 25 miles and then using the other one for the next 25 miles you would probably find that they might well both go on for 50miles and then both run down?

Of course I realise that the set up must be illegal( it is isn`t it?)

Dave

 

[Stumpi]

We need a utube clip and a top gear style speed run

 

[CeeGee]

Of course I realise that the set up must be illegal( it is isn`t it?)

Dave

Well, you could always claim that you only use one motor at a time, and keep one as a spare. However, of course, 250W motors are illegal anyway. Why not ride through your local police station and see what they do.

Colin

 

[Old Timer]

Well, you could always claim that you only use one motor at a time, and keep one as a spare. However, of course, 250W motors are illegal anyway. Why not ride through your local police station and see what they do.

Colin

Colin

Are 250W motors illegal in the UK?? I thought that we were still ok with them till the new laws break

 

[Old Timer]

We need a utube clip and a top gear style speed run

Maybe soon

Tell you what! I can`t wait to catch a Lycra passing through the village they really won`t know what hits them when I unleash those babies

 

[flecc]

Twin motors each of 200 or 250 watts are very illegal, saying they are only used one at a time won't do. If they are available under the rider control, it would be for the court to decide the likelihood of whether they were both in use. In a magistrates court with rider versus the police, you can guess the outcome.

250 watt motors are still illegal under British law at present, but legal under UK law, work that one out, our good old civil service managed to achieve that! In the circumstances a prosecution is very unlikely, especially since there is a change in this position in progress.
.

 

[Old Timer]

Twin motors each of 200 or 250 watts are very illegal, saying they are only used one at a time won't do. If they are available under the rider control, it would be for the court to decide the likelihood of whether they were both in use. In a magistrates court with rider versus the police, you can guess the outcome.

250 watt motors are still illegal under British law at present, but legal under UK law, work that one out, our good old civil service managed to achieve that! In the circumstances a prosecution is very unlikely, especially since there is a change in this position in progress.
.

In court " Oh! sorry me lord, I wondered what that other lever was for"
By the way melord, fancy a spin round the car park

 

[CeeGee]

Twin motors each of 200 or 250 watts are very illegal, saying they are only used one at a time won't do. If they are available under the rider control, it would be for the court to decide the likelihood of whether they were both in use. In a magistrates court with rider versus the police, you can guess the outcome.

Despite the fact that even if both motors were in use (prove it PC Plod) the maximum speed obtainable was still only 15mph?
What would the courts be more concerned with - maximum speed (if 2 motors meant 30mph) or maximum available power, considering the confusion over legal wattage.
There is also the problem of determining the power of a motor. Is the sticker on it actually correct or is it a 350W motor with a 200W sticker. I suggest Dave converts his two motors to 100W each by use of new stickers on them and then let the law go to the trouble and expense of proving otherwise, and proving that he was aware of the fact, despite the fact that the maximum obtainable speed of his bike under power was still only the legal15mph.
The defence rests its case.

Colin

 

[flecc]

The defence rests its case.

Colin

Unfortunately not a good enough defence though.

The regulations require that the bike, not the motor is plated, and the plating has to be by the manufacturer, the plate stating motor wattage, battery voltage and bike weight.

A privately built or assembled e-bike should be taken through type approval to get plated before use on the roads.

They've got you all ways if they want to get you! Fortunately they don't want to usually.
.

 

[CeeGee]

M'lud, I have come to the conclusion that my client is suffering from insanity. He has delusions of power, hence two motors, and is therefore unfit to plead and has no case to answer.
The case should be dismissed.

Colin

PS: Thanks for explaining the plating situation - I got that wrong.

 

[flecc]

PS: Thanks for explaining the plating situation - I got that wrong.

It's academic now really. Those plating requirements are those of British law in the 1983 EAPC regulations. Since the DfT has in hand the change in the regulations to bring only the UK law and EU regulations into full force, on the 2nd September 2009 they archived into the National Archives the old online consumer advice on the use of e-bikes which referred to this law.

So despite the EAPC regulations still having force, it wouldn't be difficult to make the case that they are redundant and a prosecution therefore vexatious.
.

 

[Morag]

It looks fantastic Dave and I'm so pleased you are able to get out with ease. I certainly know where to go if I need a mod on Wilma

 

[Phil_P]

Hi Dave....

seems you are feeling a little better...great news...glad you are still sticking with the ebike...so much nicer than smelly mopeds

nice work....but i think you should consider the following for a future project :-

Panasonic crank driven tricycle with hub motor on each wheel...where will i put the batteries i hear you ask....well add a bike trailer and a couple more hub motors and sling all the batteries in the trailer ...easy

Seriously....bike looks great just hope the weekend weather improves so we can all get out and about and enjoy the fresh air !

speak to you soon

Phil

 

[Old Timer]

Thanks Phil

I`ve been riding most days and gradually going a bit further. No steep hills without plenty of hub help. Stop on a regular basis to check how I feel and keep fluid intake going. To be honest I`m hardly breathing any harder than taking a shower.

I suppose it will take quite some time to see any benefit from not smoking but it must be better for me. I will do a video soon but I`m just a tad wary of having a bungie around my chest near that precious life giving pump

Biggest surprise is the emotional roller coaster, can`t believe the mood swings from nowhere and watching a sad film on tv is out

Dave