Hey BarelyAwake,
Thanks for the detailed response and all the suggestions. I knew that wind resistance was exponential w/ speed but, I didn't realize it took so much hp to get to 35mph. Wooooowwww
. 2-2.5 hp is a serious challenge for a small dc motor (and a serious current draw). I do feel pretty good about getting 22mph out of the small 500 watter (even though it takes a while to get there).
I'm trying to imagine how to use the shrinkwrap? Do you mean just wrap it around the whole triangle (minus the motor and chain area) and shrink it? Or... wrap it around each individual battery pack (leaving holes for venting of course).
My plan is to take small steps (one change at a time), evaluate the results and go from there. My first step is to change my rear freewheel cassette to a 13-34 tooth setup (ordered it last night) and see what that nets me. I'm expecting it to allow me to traverse most hills w/out any overtorque conditions from my motor. If that's not enough, I plan to change the front sprockets out to 22/32/42t or I may go w/ 26/36/46. I'll make that decision after I see how much more low end torque I get out of the rear freewheel update.
I was looking at the fairings from zzipper and I had some questions for you experts. The fairings remind me of a windblock fairing on an older motorcycle. I know they have some "roundness" to them but they don't look like they "cut" the wind very well. Wouldn't it be more advantageous to make a fairing similiar to this (attachment) but without the big opening for the radiator? It seems to me that a more pointed front (enclosing most of the front wheel) would be more beneficial??? Then add a boattail on the back and viola!!!! there you have it. And...is there anyway to calculate what the expected gains would be b4 I go through all this trouble to build the fairing? If it simply nets me range gains or a paltry 1.5mph gain, I don't really need that (right now anyway).
Window 12,
Lol. Personally, I like the look too. Its kind of growing on me but, when I go to the gym (I store the bike in their storeroom) and a new employee is there, they think I have a bomb on my bike and I have to explain it to them. I also work in a federal building and they are highly suspicious of anything that looks like this. I couldn't imagine what airport security would say if I brought it to an airport.