Which kit?

[Lovesexy]

Hi all

I'm new to the forum... and to the idea of ebikes in general. I for warn you, my knowledge of bicycles is also limited. Seems like a friendly place though! And I'm a fast learner!

I drive my bicycle to work daily, roughly 16km per day. But as a private music teacher I sometimes have to take public transport to get to clients who live further away. I need something to help me with the hills and generally take the load of my legs.
I've been researching a bit and have established that a bike kit would be preferable. I've checked out kits such as the ezeee, Bionix and Crystalite kits but I'd just like to know which would be best for me. Here are my prerequisites/questions:

1. I live in Paris and would like a bike that takes me to roughly 25mph+
I have no problem slightly bending the law.
2. Would my current bike (Decathlon - VTC B'TWIN - Triban Road 5 B'TWIN - des déplacements urbains et périurbains sur moyenne distance.) be able to deal with these speeds/weight?
3.Front or rear wheel kit?
4. Want to spend up to $1000 approx in total.
5.34v or 48v battery
5. How does battery recharging work? Will it take less time to recharge if there is 20% juice left in battery?
6. What gives you good acceleration from standing start?


Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[torrent99]

Hi all

I'm new to the forum... and to the idea of ebikes in general. I for warn you, my knowledge of bicycles is also limited. Seems like a friendly place though! And I'm a fast learner!

I drive my bicycle to work daily, roughly 16km per day. But as a private music teacher I sometimes have to take public transport to get to clients who live further away. I need something to help me with the hills and generally take the load of my legs.
I've been researching a bit and have established that a bike kit would be preferable. I've checked out kits such as the ezeee, Bionix and Crystalite kits but I'd just like to know which would be best for me. Here are my prerequisites/questions:

1. I live in Paris and would like a bike that takes me to roughly 25mph+
I have no problem slightly bending the law.
2. Would my current bike (Decathlon - VTC B'TWIN - Triban Road 5 B'TWIN - des déplacements urbains et périurbains sur moyenne distance.) be able to deal with these speeds/weight?
3.Front or rear wheel kit?
4. Want to spend up to $1000 approx in total.
5.34v or 48v battery
5. How does battery recharging work? Will it take less time to recharge if there is 20% juice left in battery?
6. What gives you good acceleration from standing start?


Thanks in advance for any help.

Hmmm...sounds like you could do with a.....moped?

Seriously though:
1) 25mph...no current kit offers 25MPH (even derestricted). 25KPH yes 25MPH no. You might get up to 18MPH derestricted. (Kits are generally aimed at the "legal" market ;-) ). Hence the moped comment
2) Don't know. Probably, but if you are not bike savvy in the first place a kit may not be the thing for you.
3) Front wheel conversion is generally easier.

5) Yes if the battery is already partially charged, it takes less time to complete the charge (in fact this is better for the long term life of the battery (an expensive item) than completely flattening it).
6) Technically... LOTS OF POWER! Of the 3 you've mentioned the ezee & Bionx would probably be better in this respect.

All 3 kits you've mentioned have a good reputation.

If you are not bike savvy, you may be better going for a pre-built bike for your first bike, and then move on to a kit when you've gained a bit of knowledge. Otherwise the experience may be a bit disappointing, especially if this is your work transport rather than a recreational bike.

 

[alsmith]

Hmmm...sounds like you could do with a.....moped?

Seriously though:
1) 25mph...no current kit offers 25MPH (even derestricted). 25KPH yes 25MPH no. You might get up to 18MPH derestricted. (Kits are generally aimed at the "legal" market ;-) ). Hence the moped comment

At least one ebay kit claims higher. No experience of them but eBay UK Shop - outdoor product: camping, hammock, EVA Clog beach shoe

Notice up to claim- up to 50kpm (?) but there are 2 speeds of motors 350 and 430 rpm
Posts on american forums show faster speeds too.

 

[The Maestro]

Im confident that you can fulfill these requirements but you will have to select very carefully. 2 examples I can think of:

1. Crystalyte motor ( not sure of model - maybe 408 or 406) will give you 30 mph although you may have to buy a very expensive battery and possibly carry a spare to reach you mileage requirements. This is one link, but do a search:

Crystalyte Phoenix Electric Bike Kit - eCo Wheelz

2. Something similar to a torq 1. A suzhou bafang 22" geared motor fitted to a 28" wheel will give you some assist up to about 24 mph although the torque will not be good and you may have to put in some legwork. This is at 36V, I've not seem much info about how this setup would perform at 48Volts. If its still realiable it may be a case of wooooow.

Your bike will handle it as long as its well maintained. Id make sure you have steel forks and torque washers if you go for something powerful. Question is can you handle?

 

[eddieo]

$1200 for a 48v "brute" kit.........

O Lordy what fun to be had if your an Americano!

 

[Footie]

www*elec-king*com - Do some large motor kits and seem to be long established.

1000W 48V ELECTRIC BICYCLE E-BIKE RETROFIT KITS

Store
eBay UK Shop - EBIKESTORE:
.

Alternatively, Heinzmann do 800w and 900w motors. Speeds have been quoted up to 24mph.
Kinetics - The Heinzmann Motor
.

 

[torrent99]

www*elec-king*com - Do some large motor kits and seem to be long established.

1000W 48V ELECTRIC BICYCLE E-BIKE RETROFIT KITS

Store
eBay UK Shop - EBIKESTORE:
.

Alternatively, Heinzmann do 800w and 900w motors. Speeds have been quoted up to 24mph.
Kinetics - The Heinzmann Motor
.

I consider myself wrong & chastened! (and also tempted by the power available...!)

 

[Lovesexy]

Thanks for the responses!

Anyone used ths kit from www*elec-king*com?

1000W 48V ELECTRIC BICYCLE E-BIKE RETROFIT KITS on eBay, also Accessories, Cycling, Outdoor Sports, Sporting Goods (end time 19-Apr-09 20:31:08 BST)

I know the battery is not included but seems so much cheaper than Crystalite or Ezee kits. What's wrong with it!!

 

[The Maestro]

It maybe a Wilderness energy motor. There is a relatively common 36V set up using a Wilderness energy motor that I've heard claim gives 30mph. I've seen a few posts on here saying they aren't very good. I can't remember the reasons.

 

[torrent99]

It maybe a Wilderness energy motor. There is a relatively common 36V set up using a Wilderness energy motor that I've heard claim gives 30mph. I've seen a few posts on here saying they aren't very good. I can't remember the reasons.

Well looking at the pictures, that's a dinner plate of a motor, which usually indicates a direct drive rather than a geared motor. These I understand to not have much torque at low speeds. i.e. it'll be fine on the flat but may suffer on the hills. It's brushless at least though (according to the wiring diagram)

 

[Tiberius]

Its described as a gearless, and there's an option of regenerative braking, so it does look like a direct drive with no freewheel.

In itself, that's not good or bad, it is still possible to get a given torque at a given speed, but it generally means a larger construction than a geared motor.

On the other hand it is easier to over-volt it and get high speed, which I think was one of Lovesexy's requirements. You may think he or she is misguided in this quest, but I couldn't possibly comment - I have an over-volted direct drive motor on one of my creations.

Nick

 

[eddieo]

Someone at work has just treated himself to an Aston Martin DB9 Volante.....We went for a spin the other night and the power is incredible, absolutely gut wrenching from the 6 litre 12 cylinder engine.

what kind of world is it when he can have that and I can't have a US spec E bike!

 

[flecc]

what kind of world is it when he can have that and I can't have a US spec E bike!

A driving licence world!
.

 

[Lovesexy]

Wow, this is getting confusing already - as expected.
What things should I most definitely avoid? And what thing's should I definitely go for? eg Brushless is a must I hear

Cheers

 

[flecc]

Wow, this is getting confusing already - as expected.
What things should I most definitely avoid? And what thing's should I definitely go for? eg Brushless is a must I hear

Cheers

High power high speed motors like the Crystalyte, Goldenmotor etc are almost invariably direct drive units, the motor turning at the wheel speed.

These don't have as much torque for hill climbing as the more common internally geared motors and have to rely on brute power for hill climbing, but they are very suitable for high speed..

For example, that Elec-King motor you linked to can be bought for 36 volts and 500 watts output with rotation speed up to about 330 rpm, or in a 48 volt 1000 watt version with rotation speed up to about 460 rpm. If you have really steep hills to climb the latter version would be preferable to give the brute force.

The theoretical speeds of those would be 25 mph and 35 mph respectively in 26" wheels, though the actual speeds could be a bit down on those. Other direct drive motors like it would be somewhat similar. The big disadvantage of this desire for high assisted speeds is the high consumption and large and heavy battery necessary, especially for the 48 volt version.

i think you'd be much better off with a bike like the Wisper 905se giving up to 18 mph assisted, a moderate size battery and up to 40 mile range. This uses a brushless internally geared quiet hub motor for reasonable hill climbing and performance with that good range.
.

 

[eddieo]

A driving licence world!
.

so are you saying you can use more powerful Ebikes but they would have to be insured, licensed etc....

over on a motorhome forum there is a thread on petrol bikes from TigerToothbikes.co.uk. they are allegedly road legal using the MSVA test?

would this be possible with a US spec E bike? If yes how would you get it insured etc....

By the way, more then happy with my wisper..... just interested that's all lol

 

[flecc]

so are you saying you can use more powerful Ebikes but they would have to be insured, licensed etc....

over on a motorhome forum there is a thread on petrol bikes from TigerToothbikes.co.uk. they are allegedly road legal using the MSVA test?

would this be possible with a US spec E bike? If yes how would you get it insured etc....

Yes, yes and yes.

You have to take a bike through Single Vehicle Type Approval at you own expense to have it accepted as a moped or light motorcycle. Following that you'd need to register it and have a rear number plate, annual free road tax and the usual low cost third party insurance. After three years you'd have to take it to a motorcycle dealer for it's first annual MOT inspection, a nod-through process. Of course you would need the appropriate driving licence.

Single Vehicle Type Approval (scroll down for motorcycles)

Type Approval Fees (scroll down for motorcycles)
.

 

[eddieo]

Thanks Flecc

What sort of driving licence would you need?


I guess this is the test but only 16 mph?

Low power moped

(A moped with pedals, with an auxiliary propulsion not exceeding 1kw, and a maximum design speed not exceeding 25km/h [16mph] £50.00

 

[flecc]

As long as it couldn't exceed 30 mph, a moped licence should be sufficient, but a full UK car driving licence held before 1st February 2001 is ok for that class.

Otherwise you will need to go through CBT (Compulsory Basic Training) to get with a moped test and licence .

P.S. You'd need the £78 test for an over 16 mph bike.
.

 

[The Maestro]

As long as it couldn't exceed 30 mph, a moped licence should be sufficient, but a full UK car driving licence held before 1st February 2001 is ok for that class.

Otherwise you will need to go through CBT (Compulsory Basic Training) to get with a moped test and licence .

P.S. You'd need the £78 test for an over 16 mph bike.
.

I can't see anyone getting that license riding an ebike with a 20mph limit. The way you would have to ride it safely would be completely different to what the official at the test center (would would probably conduct the test on a large motorcycle) would expect.

You would have to do the test on a moped or 125, not exactly ideal just to get an ebike license.