I'm thinking about converting my Giant CRS. The brake levers are part of the gear shifters.

 

Is it OK to just not bother connecting the brake lever cut-offs that come with kits?

You can do it but it's never a bad idea to have the cut outs connected.

 

Are the brakes hydraulic or cable?

 

Many of us have adapted existing brake levers (see my build thread for example) that I'm sure we can find a solution between us.

They are cable.

 

They are Shimano EZ Fire 50 24 speed shifters.

 

Here is a picture that looks very similar to my shifters:

 

http://www.majhost.com/gallery/waspy/Stuff/shifters.jpg

 

What is so bad about not connecting them? Apart from crashing into a tree at 15.5 mph of course.

 

Surely if you are not peddling then the pedelec is not being powered?

If you are on pedelec control, the cutouts are not necessary. Almost all purely pedelec bikes don't have them.

You need the cut-outs because throttles break quite easily and will stay on when broken - not off.

 

Not a problem though. It's very cheap and easy to make brake switches.

You buy two of the cheapest cycle computers from Ebay:

LCD Digital Bike Cycling Cycle Bicycle Computer Odometer Speedometer Velometer | eBay

Cut the sensor wire close to the computer and chuck the computer..

Cut the connector/s off the ebrakes about 2" from the connector.

The sensor has two wires. Some are coaxial. Separate the wires and join them to the two on the connector - preferably by soldering.

Cable-tie one of these sensors with connector to your cross-bar or anywhere where there is bare brake cable running along your frame.

Fix the magnet to the cable nearby so that it slides towards/over the sensor when you apply the brake. Fix the magnet just like fixing it to a spoke, but not so tight to damage the cable .

You have to experiment with positions until you get the switching at the right point.

Front brake can be harder to find a suitable bit of cable. You can use the bit between the calipers, but then you need to make a small bracket to hold the sensor.

Just having a switch on the back brake should be adequate.

Excellent, d8. I may actually get around to doing that.

Many of us have adapted existing brake levers (see my build thread for example)

 

Mate, your build thread is just amazing. Do you work for NASA or something?

 

Some of the guys on here are so clever it gives me a headache.

 

I don't think there's enough room on my shifters to do what you did.

Loads of clever stuff.

 

Very good, surely even I could do that?

Mate, your build thread is just amazing. Do you work for NASA or something?

 

Some of the guys on here are so clever it gives me a headache.

 

I don't think there's enough room on my shifters to do what you did.

 

Haha - I do have previous :-)

 

http://web.bethere.co.uk/amigafan2003/index.html

 

I love my projects - as long as it involves a motor or computer (both preferably) and it's not household DIY!

Haha - I do have previous :-)

 

http://web.bethere.co.uk/amigafan2003/index.html

 

I love my projects - as long as it involves a motor or computer (both preferably) and it's not household DIY!

 

Do you like torches? I bought a 1000+ lumen Maglite from a guy in the States who mods them himself in his home workshop, here:

 

FS: 1000 Lumen XM-L T6 Maglite Mod With Voltage Monitor - Parts, or Complete Light!

My torch collection, actually I've added a Solarforce Masterpiece Pro-1 Monster Thrower since I took this picture.

 

http://www.majhost.com/gallery/waspy/Avatar/torches01.jpg

You haven't tried this one yet then. It gives out so much light that it pushes you backwards:

5X CREE XM-L T6 LED 5 Mode 6000 Lumen Waterproof Flashlight Torch | eBay

You haven't tried this one yet then. It gives out so much light that it pushes you backwards:

5X CREE XM-L T6 LED 5 Mode 6000 Lumen Waterproof Flashlight Torch | eBay

 

Sweet Jesus!

 

But......those 5 diodes ruin the parabolic curve of the reflector which as you know is what makes the throw.

I have a couple the 3 x Cree T6 torches, and I can tell you that you don't need to worry about parabolic curves. Think car halogen headlights to get some ide of the light that comes out of these. I just put in a bid for one of the 5 x Cree T6 ones to see what it does. I think I'll have to put a bigger motor in my bike to overcome the backwards force.

I'm also into electronic cigarettes.

 

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x289/waspy_bucket/vapekit.jpg

 

and poodles

 

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x289/waspy_bucket/mollyandsam.jpg

 

and parrots

 

http://www.majhost.com/gallery/waspy/Avatar/pickle03.jpg

 

...and don't get me started on computers

My 8fun kit came with the inline brake cutout switches: I've got 'em fitted front and rear & they work a treat.

I have similar combined brake lever & gear shifts to yours.

 

If you go with a kit that doesn't have them, I think they're less than a fiver each.

My 8fun kit came with the inline brake cutout switches

 

 

What are 'inline brake cutout switches' please?

These, surely:

 

HWBS - Hidden Wire Brake Sensor 1pcs - BMSBATTERY

Before you get too exited. I'm not competely sure, but I believe that you need a controller with a high voltage brake switch input to use them, which rules out most controllers. By "high voltage" they mean 5v as opposed to 0v.

You're probably right there, d8veh - Label on my controller says "brake level Low"; but there's no other info that I can see.

Are the connectors for the brake switches that are on the controller three wires?

2 I think - Can't be sure without opening up the silicon-sealed box it's in.

 

Just had a butchers at the pdf manual & it describes the connectors as 2 wire, but refers to brake levers, which were supplied with earlier kits, I believe

Edited September 14, 201213 yr by jackhandy

Can't you disconnect it and look in the connector to see how many pins/holes?

 

The picture on BMSbattery clearly shoes three wires with a connector like a pedal sensor one and a diagram showing red 5v, yellow 0v and blue signal, but I've never seen a controller with connectors for these, so you can't connect them directly to your controller even if you have the high voltage brake wire on it. The 8Fun controller in their kit must be specifically designed for them.

My 8fun kit came with the inline brake cutout switches: I've got 'em fitted front and rear & they work a treat.

I have similar combined brake lever & gear shifts to yours.

 

If you go with a kit that doesn't have them, I think they're less than a fiver each.

 

What exact kit did you buy please?

I just had a look at a bike that I built a while ago to see how I got round the problem:

 

I chucked the left side integrated lever and used one of the supplied levers with brake switch. I then pinched a twist-grip changer off a really cheap scrap bike that I had, and then used a thumb throttle on the left side.

 

While you've got power, you'll always be on the biggest chain-ring, so gear-changing isn't going to be a problem on that side and it works perfectly anyway. Although it's better to have two brake switches, one on the back brake is adequate.

 

So, when choosing a kit, make sure you get one with a thumb throttle - the type with three LEDs and a switch in it. Greenbikekit.com is going to be your best bet, then you can get one of their nice headway batteries to go with it for a bit more climbing power. The whole lot will be about £450.