e-bike update

[Otto]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Otto - that's a really good suggestion about keeping the batteries warm.

EV builders who live in cold winter climates often insulate, or insulate plus heat their batteries to avoid the winter effects of cold temperatures on battery chemistry.

Batteries don't do well in very high heat either - in the peak summer temps, it might also make sense to bring them inside, if the building is air conditioned.

I don't have an electric bike, but rode one last summer for about 100 yards, so take my suggestions at face value.

That said, seems to me that quick-disconnect batteries in a lunch-pail type box would be handy to lug into the house or office for heat or recharge. I dunno what type batteries are needed, but know that on my BMW motorcycles the factory brand batteries suck, bigtime: Too fat, too heavy, too weak, and too short-lived. Yours for ~$100 a pop. Odyssey batteries are ~1/2 the weight & size, ~2/3 the price, and last ~3 times as long. Somebody found Panasonic batteries at a mail order electronic supply house in WI or MN that are said to be even cheaper, around ~$50, with very good reports. I dunno if such would be suitable for an electric bicycle, so chime in here, please.

Seems to me, the future commuter vehicle fleet includes some sort of streamliner enclosed bike, powered by the ever-elusive new high-density battery that the experts have promised "...in another 5 years" (for the past 40 years). With a streamliner design and such batteries, range and speed would be radically improved, plus being out of the weather, protected somewhat in a crash, and being able to show up at work not smelling like a goat.

Suggestions?

[Lazarus]

Originally Posted by Otto

Nother question: How much power does this setup make, compared to the output of a really good cyclist?

I'm really asking how well this propulsion system might do on a streamliner fairing. Your thoughts and insights appreciated.

The bike is in the garage and we don't really have winters here. A few day around 30 then back to the heat. I keep it in the garage so it not that big a problem. But the few days when it was mid 30 I could tell. Summer will be interesting(90-100+) and I'll have to see how the batteries last with the heat but yes it would be easy to take the batteries inside.

It added about 3-4 mph to the top speed more or less. It's a compromise. I was fairly fit not in racing shape but fair. The added weight defanately slows you down but overall you can go faster with out killing yourself. My commutes are fairly long and it helps. I live with rolling terrain and on the longest commute can take about 20 minutes off the time. The biggest advantage is against the wind, dead tired or if you have to run to the store you can just hop on it and not be sweating when you get there.

That is the biggest advantage that I have found. I really did not realize how many short trips I take in a day(under 10 miles). That's where the bike shines. Trips under 5 miles there's really not in time difference between bike and car. So I can save the auto for the longer trips thus getting the FE out of it.

I do need to try an experiment once the weather gets a little better and I can consitantly ride try taking the kit off and try riding with out and see if my speed has increased due to all the extra weight I'm hauling around.

[lovemysan]

Laz, I was wondering which kit you ended up getting and how much it cost?
I searched back through your old threads but couldn't locate which one you decided to get.

[Lazarus]

Originally Posted by lovemysan

Laz, I was wondering which kit you ended up getting and how much it cost?
I searched back through your old threads but couldn't locate which one you decided to get.

I got this one. I think when it was all said and done it was around $400.

[AndrewJ]

Originally Posted by Otto

Nother question: How much power does this setup make, compared to the output of a really good cyclist?

I've heard it said that Lance Armstrong can make 500w for about 30 minutes at a time.

Most "ordinary" people would struggle to hold 250w for 30 minutes.

Certainly makes you appreciate the power of electric motors

[Christopher Jordan]

[QUOTE=Otto;15851Seems to me, the future commuter vehicle fleet includes some sort of streamliner enclosed bike, powered by the ever-elusive new high-density battery that the experts have promised "...in another 5 years" (for the past 40 years). With a streamliner design and such batteries, range and speed would be radically improved, plus being out of the weather, protected somewhat in a crash, and being able to show up at work not smelling like a goat.

Suggestions?[/QUOTE]

Be ready for the "COOL! Neato!! Wheres the other side??? Ride a REAL bike, you mean there's someone IN there???, etc., etc., etc..." and becoming a freak-geek-old hippy-etc." BUT lovin' it the whole time!

countersTrike

[Lazarus]

I been running 23c tire on the rear and am going to have to bump it up to 28C. The wear is really fast with the extra 30 pounds on the bike rack( it's almost as fast as when on a trainer) and I've had a couple of pinch flats even at 140 PSI and slime tubes. The roads are pretty crappy here so the extra width should smooth things out a bit and increase the reliability.

[Lazarus]

Well a 28C won't fit on the rear wheel so I'll have to stay with the 23C tires.

Today I dug pretty deep into the pack. Did a 35 mile trip, temperature high 70's rolling terrain, on the pack. When I rolled back into the house the voltage was sitting around 36.6v which is the lowest I've seen it. Recharge time was 4 hours at .18 kwh. Which come out to 6,525.2 eMPG. W00T.

[brucey]

I wish I lived on flat ground, I had that some kit and I found it extremely lacking in torque, even on a 24 inch wheel. Going uphill it wasnt worth carrying all the extra weight. Nice mpg, I'm calculating at around 2000 mpg, but mines got some ridiculous torque to go along with it. (Timed the 100 ft from a stop at 5.8 seconds)

[Lazarus]

I went ahead and boosted the voltage to 48v now. I did not get a chance to ride it but everything checkout good. The only problem I see for now is that I don't have a 48v charger so I going to have to take one batt out of the system and charge the pack and the spare I'll have to charge on the car battery charger I have until I can get a 48v charger. Hopefully I get a chance to ride it tomorrow and wont burn up the motor. Update to follow.