e-bike update

[Lazarus]

Originally Posted by Figjam74

Schwinn is using Li-Po batteries on their electric-assist bikes and claiming 60 miles to a charge (4 hour recharge). They're also claiming that the drivetrain weighs in at 10lbs, I'm not sure if that includes the battery pack but they look damn small.
http://www.schwinnbike.com/products/...ory.php?id=110
I'd love one, but I think it'll be a while before I can justify 2+ Grand for a bicycle.

Wow very nice. Direct drive no chain. Very interesting. Kind of a small motor and 24V. Wonder what the top speed is? Good link thanks.

[Lazarus]

1500 miles and the batteries are still holding up well. 160 cycles. Hottest commute temperatures 97 coldest 55 in the last 500 miles. The only problem so far has been a catastrophic failure of the bike rack and the quick wear on the 23c rear tire. The rack was a pretty cheap and probably only designed to hold about 25 pounds and since switching frames I'm running a 28C on the back now and the ride quality is so much better. Fenders are next but will have to wait a little since I spent that money on a new rack.

[MetroMPG]

1500 miles is impressive. It'll be interesting to see you do a cost/mi analysis and comparo to gasoline when you decide (eventually) it's time they need to be replaced.

[Lazarus]

I don't really know how to do that since I get the batteries for free. I don't like looking at how much I spend on my bike because it's quite a bit. Chains, tires, food, washing, clothes and miscellaneous tid bits here and there it really adds up. Fortunately for me it's not about the money. but yes it is something to look at at years end.

[Lazarus]

The bike and batteries are still holding up well beside the mid to high 90 temps. Only problem thus far is the rack and a puncture. I decided to go ahead and do a cost breakdown between the Woo and The e-bike. The batteries I can get for free but when I need to replace them, If I had to buy them, they would be around $102. As of today the replacement rate would be 5.2 cents/mile. I have a feeling I can get another 500+ miles out of them.

Woo

For the 14 months I had the Woo it came out to .27 cents/ mile including insurance. The only major cost was replacing the tires.

Mileage 11753
Gasoline 285 gallons- Avg cost 2.52/gallon
Lifetime FE- 41.24

E-bike-11.7 cents/mile
I really don't know how to do this so will break it down to getting the bike set up and then repair cost. Also operational cost since set up. I'll put the numbers out there so people can figure it anyway they want. The kit was $450 and the bike was free.

Bike setup- $155.04
Tires, lights, blinkies, chain, Panniers, and tubes.

Repair cost- $75.76
Bike rack, Tire, Tube, and gloves

I've put just 1965 miles on the bike. I've used 12.21 kwh of energy. That works out to 6.2 watts/mile. Or electric cost here is 13.1 c/kwh. Excluding electric but Including bike setup and repair cost it's comes out to 11.7 cents/ mile. For just repair it works out to 3.9 cents/mile.

The electric energy cost would be tough to calculate because a little more then a 1/3 is from work where the manager lets me charge for free. Then there are the added costs of more laundry, food, and showers. Then again some of this is at work. On the plus side I've not been sick in over 10 years. I'm sure I've messed up some of the calculation but these are all the expenses that I have incurred since getting the bike.

[Lazarus]

Every thing is going as advertised. This month has been pretty rough but the batteries are still holding up. I think we have had 14 day of highs at or above 100. It has been the hottest June ever. I had one day of heavy rain for 45 minutes and no electrical problems. The batteries seem to be losing some of there efficiency but they are still getting me where I need to go. I'll see if I can get 3000 miles out of them. As of today the replacement rate would be 4.1 cents/mile.

On a side note I have surpassed my car mileage since joining the site. Bike 2889 and car 2289 miles

[MetroMPG]

That's impressive - congrats, Laz. I enjoy the updates. Keep 'em coming.

[skyl4rk]

I have a Wilderness Energy brushed system, 36V at 12aH. I have had it for 4 years now. I don't ride it every day, I ride a pedal bike to work but occasionally pull out the ebike. Its on a Giant Sedona with a front suspension (very nice). I still have the original tires, they are very fat tires on a 26" wheel, not sure of the width. I seem to get about 10 miles per charge, maybe 14 before the red battery light comes on solid, however that is running full power all the time, not hypermiling. I suppose if you pedal enough you can go an infinite distance on one charge I get a new battery pack every year, for about $125 delivered. It has been very reliable, in fact no problems other than I had to replace connectors when I first got it.

I'd like to upgrade to a LiFePo 48V 20aH battery, maybe next year if I have the money. I hear the brushed kits can do 48V no problem. That should increase range by quite a bit, maybe even to the point where you can ride until your butt can't take any more.

My experience with the Wilderness kit is that it is very reliable and long lasting, even though it is one of the cheaper kits out there. I'd probably go with a Crystalyte next time but I can't complain too much about the brushed WE kit.

[Lazarus]

Originally Posted by skyl4rk

I have a Wilderness Energy brushed system, 36V at 12aH. I have had it for 4 years now. I don't ride it every day, I ride a pedal bike to work but occasionally pull out the ebike. Its on a Giant Sedona with a front suspension (very nice). I still have the original tires, they are very fat tires on a 26" wheel, not sure of the width. I seem to get about 10 miles per charge, maybe 14 before the red battery light comes on solid, however that is running full power all the time, not hypermiling. I suppose if you pedal enough you can go an infinite distance on one charge I get a new battery pack every year, for about $125 delivered. It has been very reliable, in fact no problems other than I had to replace connectors when I first got it.

I'd like to upgrade to a LiFePo 48V 20aH battery, maybe next year if I have the money. I hear the brushed kits can do 48V no problem. That should increase range by quite a bit, maybe even to the point where you can ride until your butt can't take any more.

My experience with the Wilderness kit is that it is very reliable and long lasting, even though it is one of the cheaper kits out there. I'd probably go with a Crystalyte next time but I can't complain too much about the brushed WE kit.

I tried going to 48v to see if I could get a boost in speed but it did not help with the brushless hub. I went back to 36v because I needed the water bottle holder that I had the battery in. It was not going to be cost effective to go 48V because I would have needed a new charger and probably a new controller to take advantage of the extra v.

But yes I too am please with the kit thus far. How many miles are you getting out of your batteries to be replacing them once a year?

[skyl4rk]

I have not been logging miles at all, I just ride around town till I feel it slowing down and head for home. I have no idea about how many miles. I still have the batteries and am using 12 of them as a solar powered 12V battery bank for my garage. I am not riding very many miles per year.

I was keeping the batteries on the Soneil charger 24 hours a day but now I have a plug in timer and only charge them 8 hours per day max, I hope that will increase the life of the batteries.