pengyou
..when it was stolen last Sunday :( I had purchased a $ 200 electric bike, 24" wheels, 240 watt motor 48 volt battery. At 95 pounds it was a heavy sucker but rode like a dream because of the weight. Still, the quality of the bike was poor. At only 4 months old I have already replaced the throttle, the rear lights, the brakes, one mirror and probably a couple of other things I can't remember at the moment. Still, I learned a lot about ebikes from the experience - nothing like jumping in and getting your feet wet!
For round two...I have been looking at some used folding bikes. They are Japanese made and do not seem to be any famous brand but the frames look well made. They look suitable to practice on. I am only looking at options that have 20" wheels.
Since I have not posted here in a while I should tell you, my purpose is to create a vehicle that can be ridden about 6 miles to a train station/airport, rolled onto a train or checked into a plane and then ridden at least 30 miles after I get to the train station or airport. (Total distance around 40 miles) I am hoping for 25 mph without peddling. I will do some sort of Lithiumxx battery.
Two of the bikes, in particular, seem more suited for a conversion.
My questions:
1. Which company makes the lightest weight (but hopefully, still good quality) 500 watt hub motor? Also keep in mind, it will be a 20" wheel, I am guessing the hub size is going to be smaller. What is a reasonable weight to expect? I would probably get by with a 350 watt motor.
2. Do you have any links for folding bike conversions that have used a standard motor/chain combo? All the bikes I have seen have used hub motors, either placed in the rear or up front. (Up front would be a dream)
3. Is it easy to change parts on these kinds of bikes? The handlebar and stem have rusted a bit...the bike is showing signs of being stored outdoors and not cared for. It has a 5 speed cassette, something hard to find in a used folding bike.
4. What would you recommend for brakes? It comes with rim brakes which would probably be fine if I were not adding a motor but I am afraid that with the extra speed I would need something with more power. My first thought was to put a disk up front and then a drum on the rear, or vice versa. I have never ridden a bike with a disk brake but my ebike had a rear drum that could lock the wheel (if I was not careful) at full speed. It has very predictable and dependable performance.
5. Have you ever seen some kind of attachment to a drum brake that would allow the brake to be locked in the engaged position - serving like an emergency brake in a car and also helping to deter theft?
6. I have ridden some folding bikes, and after adjusting a bit I have found them very enjoyable. The one thing i don't like is the straight mountain bike type handle bars. I would prefer handlebars shaped more like the bars on a beach bike that help me sit upright more. I know that this kind of mod might interfere with folding...any thoughts?
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
So close....
For round two...I have been looking at some used folding bikes. They are Japanese made and do not seem to be any famous brand but the frames look well made. They look suitable to practice on. I am only looking at options that have 20" wheels.
Since I have not posted here in a while I should tell you, my purpose is to create a vehicle that can be ridden about 6 miles to a train station/airport, rolled onto a train or checked into a plane and then ridden at least 30 miles after I get to the train station or airport. (Total distance around 40 miles) I am hoping for 25 mph without peddling. I will do some sort of Lithiumxx battery.
Two of the bikes, in particular, seem more suited for a conversion.
My questions:
1. Which company makes the lightest weight (but hopefully, still good quality) 500 watt hub motor? Also keep in mind, it will be a 20" wheel, I am guessing the hub size is going to be smaller. What is a reasonable weight to expect? I would probably get by with a 350 watt motor.
2. Do you have any links for folding bike conversions that have used a standard motor/chain combo? All the bikes I have seen have used hub motors, either placed in the rear or up front. (Up front would be a dream)
3. Is it easy to change parts on these kinds of bikes? The handlebar and stem have rusted a bit...the bike is showing signs of being stored outdoors and not cared for. It has a 5 speed cassette, something hard to find in a used folding bike.
4. What would you recommend for brakes? It comes with rim brakes which would probably be fine if I were not adding a motor but I am afraid that with the extra speed I would need something with more power. My first thought was to put a disk up front and then a drum on the rear, or vice versa. I have never ridden a bike with a disk brake but my ebike had a rear drum that could lock the wheel (if I was not careful) at full speed. It has very predictable and dependable performance.
5. Have you ever seen some kind of attachment to a drum brake that would allow the brake to be locked in the engaged position - serving like an emergency brake in a car and also helping to deter theft?
6. I have ridden some folding bikes, and after adjusting a bit I have found them very enjoyable. The one thing i don't like is the straight mountain bike type handle bars. I would prefer handlebars shaped more like the bars on a beach bike that help me sit upright more. I know that this kind of mod might interfere with folding...any thoughts?
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
So close....