Originally Posted by
Blade-Runner
This thread has got to off topic, I didn't ask to be talk out of it, I asking for info from those who have valid input on electric motors on tandems.
Yeah it really did. Blade-Runner, I am in the same spot as you. New to tandemming, I ride 4000+ miles a year. My wife has tachycardia and cannot have her heart rate go above ~120, so on long climbs she cannot pull her weight. I can get us over a few hills but not the 60 mile 4000 ft elevation rides that I love to do. I am really enjoying riding on a tandem with her, so I've been researching a motor to get us up hills, with no assist on the flats. Here's what I know
1) I will use a mid-drive setup, one that provides power to the crankset so that the bike gears allow the motor to spin quickly even if the bike is moving slowly. This is critical - at low RPM the electric motor efficiency drops so that its actually an electric heater. Hub drives (even geared ones) are no good for climbing for this reason
2) This year a couple of excellent aftermarket kits have come out. One in particular is being modified and resold by a guy "lightningrods",
index.gif He makes his own brackets and is working w/ me to allow the kit to drive the captain's crankset. It is similar in concept to a motor called the stokemonkey, but the latter has a large motor that I don't think will fit on our tandem
3) This stuff is not cheap - the motor will be ~$600 and the batteries the same or more
4) There is a forum called endless sphere
http://endless-sphere.com/ where there is a ton of info on e-bikes.
Hope this helps and good luck w/ your search!