PaulC

Hi all, thanks for getting back to me with information about LiPo batteries and their benefits / risks. AnotherKiwi - what do you do about ease of access to the balance lead on your Lipo batteries? Thanks Paul

I have to replace the NiMH cells in my Giant LaFree ebike 24v battery pack with Lithium cells, so I have been reading the Technical and General forums to see what approaches people have taken. The prevalent approach is to either buy a battery pack of LiFePO4 cells with a BMS (e.g. Ping batteries), or recell the existing pack with the same configuration (Please note, I am in NZ so competent recellers of ebike batteries are scarce) However I have noticed that some people have taken the option of using RC-type Lipo battery packs with a smart balance charger. So my questions about this option are: Q1: what are the reasons for doing this? Power? Cost? Other?(FYI, I am in the electrical business so I know about Watts, Amps, Volts, overcharging LiPos, etc) Q2: the smart charger (e.g. an iCharger) will need to be plugged into the balance sockets of the Lipo batteries at charging time, but I assume the batteries are inside a weatherproof case. How do people manage accessing the balance sockets without having to disassemble / reassemble the weatherproof case each time? Thanks Paul

Hi Barry, are you after the installation and adjustment instructions for the Shimano 4speed Nexus internal gear hub? If so, then post a reply here and I'll upload some scans of these instructions Paul Addendum: found the PDF with these instructions so I uploaded it to this thread. SI-4R35A-EN_v1.pdf

Flecc and Mike, thanks for taking the time to reply to this query. Flecc (Tony), hi from NZ again. Referring to your great website on the Giant LaFree, I took the switch apart and checked it carefully - no broken wires or connections, no corrosion. I then checked the microswitches with a multimeter and they are working OK when the switch is depressed. So I am now reasonably certain my assumption that it is the Panasonic control unit breaking down with old age is correct. I am still using the original NiMH battery but it too is slowly dying. I found it useful to know that the AtoB people now recommend against their original idea of replacing the controller and instead say that a front hub motor would be better. That is a good option, as there are reputable conversion kits available in NZ at reasonable prices. Thanks and wishing you both a good Christmas. Paul

Hi, I've running a 2005 Giant LaFree Twist since 2009 (Bought 2nd hand from an American temporarily working in New Zealand). It has been ideal for Auckland's hilly terrain and inner-city commuting. However last week on a sunny day my 2005 Giant Lafree suddenly lost its Normal mode when I switched it on to go home; I found that I could still use the Eco mode. I checked the switch which looks fine (no moisture, no corrosion,etc), so my conclusion is that this is the known problem with the Panasonic controller where it gets stuck in Eco mode (based on searching the back posts in this forum). I have tried over the past couple of days to get into Normal mode but no luck. I'm going to continue using the Giant LaFree in Eco mode (but lower the gearing) because I find its combination of the SRAM 5speed hub and the motor drive working through the gears makes it very suitable for Auckland's hilly terrain (All other reputable electric bikes in NZ are hub motor driven). However I think it's prudent to plan for the likely event that the Panasonic controller dies completely but the motor is still working. This means fitting a 3rd party controller and speed control lever/twist grip. I have read the full story of the A to B conversion of their Giant LaFree, but I understand that the controller they used is no longer available. Also, I don't know what maximum current the controller needs to handle. Hence I'd like to hear from other people who have done this conversion on their Giant bikes, so I know what technical approach to use. Thanks Paul

Your seat may be too high. Use the standard fitting technique for the old 10speed bicycles to check this. Paul

Save $ = second hand scooter Hi Tillson, you commented: "I don’t think the bike should be viewed as a way to save money on transport costs. If that is your main aim, buy a second hand scooter." Could you list the main reasons for concluding this, as I'm dealing with a niggling suspicion that small motorbikes are cheaper overall and easier to run than a pedelec bike Thanks Paul

If a Nexus internal hub on a Giant LaFree benefits from regreasing every 2 years (if it is heavily used), does the same apply to a SRAM (Sachs) P5 hub on a Giant LaFree? Paul

Converting a LaFree into a Throttle-driven bike Hi, one of the A to B magazines last year (May09) had a full article (with named suppliers) on how they had converted a LaFree to be a throttle-driven bike. The Panasonic motor was reused but the Panasonic control board was discarded and a special sensorless controllor used with a throttle to control the bike speed. Hopefully this is helpfu, Paul

Wrong Country!!! EddieO wrote "Just tried to email video to Figgy of wiper 806 in Australia hill climbing during race" Correction - New Zealand, Australia doesn't have hills this steep Cheers Paul Auckland, New Zealand

Alternative to recelling: EbikesNW: Parts and Accessories Regards Paul

So how does that electric biker who came to New Zealand manage to travel between countries on his around the world tour, if he can't take a bike with batteries on the plane? Paul

A fallback is to obtain an NiMH battery from these people in the USA: EbikesNW: Parts and Accessories Regards Paul

Hi, what are the search terms I can use on YouTube to locate this video? Thanks Paul Auckland, NZ

Last Sunday our public radio ran a programme about electric bikes, trains and cars. Electric bikes are the first 25% of the audio and it features Wisper's NZ manager. See this link to download the mp3: http://podcast.radionz.co.nz/ideas/ideas-20091122-1106-Ideas_electric_vehicles-048.mp3 The electric train part is about the English Electric commuter trains that New Zealand bought from Britain in 1936/37. They are still working reliably in a small part of Wellington city's rail network. Paul PS Misspelling in link URL now fixed. Tested and works OK in NZ.

Don't forget to throw your helmet away. After 1 impact or crash, a helmet provides a much reduced level of protection for future crashes. Paul

NZ Customs impose GST (=VAT) on any imported goods whose value is more that NZ $500 and apply this policy without exception. I encountered it when I imported a Brompton from England. The LTSA rules about electric bike power limits are aimed at bulk importers and individuals who bring in a single bike would most likely slip under the radar - so long as they pay the GST Cheers Paul Auckland, NZ

Hi from Auckland, NZ. I did lots of searching about 2 years ago for electric bike suppliers in NZ. The NZ eZee importers are a firm whose main business is spa pools and outside garden furniture. The bikes sat in a small corner of their shop. They may have improved since but I was concerned that any bike batteries would be dead (low turnover) and where any technical support would come from. An imported eZee kit from USA would attract GST at 12.5% on top of the purchase price. The Wisper people have a good website and I talked to them earlier this year at an ecoshow in Auckland. Realists with a good product and I have now seen a few around Auckland. The other alternative is a firm in Wellington at NZecobikes Limited who sell Crystalyte electric-bike kits (these are reliable). They've been in the electric bike/scooter business since about 2002. Not sure about their remote support if you are not in the Wellington area. The NZ ebay (trademe.co.nz) always has lots of cheapo Chinese electric bikes of doubtful quality. However the odd gem occasionally turns up (e.g. I got my Giant LaFree from there). Personally I would go for the Wisper on the grounds of quality and there is local support. Cheers Paul Auckland

My ancient (2002) Merida Powercycle (which I suspect had a Yamaha crank unit) had a torque sensor and a speed sensor. The speed sensor worked off the number of pedal revolutions - to quote the manual, "power assistance will cutoff at a pedal rate of 63 rpm". This was OK on hills but dangerous when trying to go quickly through an intersection. Paul

I've been using "The Complete Do-it-yourself Bike Book" by Mel Allwood. Very good for the bicycle parts of my electric bikes as it is up to date compared to my old Richards Bicycle Book and Mel(anie) explains things carefully with lots of photos. Paul

To me this is an interesting example of where the old SLA battery technology would have been a better fit: Being using only once a week means their lower limit to the number of charges before replacement would be a lesser issue A trickle charger could have been used so the SLA batteries will last a long time Finally a considerably lower replacment cost when they finally died. Paul

Hi David, the firm in NZ wouldn't happen to be based in Christchurch? If so, then it is probably the firm I bought a well-designed cyclist's showerproof top from; this has proven equally good for my normal bike and for my e-bike. Cheers Paul Auckland, NZ

The NZ Herald is not renowned for the quality & accuracy of its journalism. They will have reprinted a standard article from a news feed. Cheers Paul Auckland, NZ

Thanks Flecc, this approach makes it easier as well for sellers of used e-bikes to decide on a fair asking price. Paul

Q: is 3Amp charger too powerful? Reawakening this thread as I have just come across it: Wouldn't the 3Amp charger be too powerful for the Giant LaFree 6.5AH NiMH battery pack? Paul