Hi all, I'm new to the ebikes and this forum. I ordered the Cyclone 360W kit and got it running this past weekend. Initial test shows it very difficult to align as the chain keeps coming off the motor.

When is was running properly, it seems way under powered. It could not go up the smallest of hills. I have new, fully charged Universal Battery 12v 18aH batteries that should be more that enough.

Any advice?

Thanks

you have 2 batteries set up in series right? if they are parallel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Series_and_parallel_circuits), the motor won't work right.

I wasn't able to come up with any perfect solutions to the chain jumping off. just using a front derailer would work pretty well, though.

You have to have your batteries set up wrong. I was going to buy a 500w for myself and a 360w for my wife. But Jim Olson (owner of Cyclone USA) didn't have any batteries for the 500w. So I bought the 360 and pt it on my bike to try out. I decided it had enough power for what I wanted to do and bought a second 360w for my wife's bike.

I ride mostly on forest preserve trails that are some what flat but do have some steep inclines and the 360has performed. No it will not start uphill from a dead stop but in the proper gear it will climb or at the least assist you. However, I am planning to change my casette from a 6 speed (14-28) to a 7 or 8 speed (11-34). I am also planning to change from te supplied 44T crank to a 52T or 56T. I find that I have a hard time keeping up with the peddle speed.

I am also adding 2 more batteries (total 4-12v/18ah) and next ear I may buy some Lifepo4 batteries when the prices drop.

Update: The issue with the 360w cyclone performance was the chain and gearing alignment. It's a bit of trial and error to get it set right. I also modified the motor mount to a more robust design. Once this one done, the bike performs well. We live in a very hilly part of the California foothills, so the bike is tested each time. I found I was breaking spokes with my big butt and two SLAs on the bike, so I build a small trailer and added two more SLA to it for a total of 24v @ 36Ah. This not only makes the bike handle better, I can detach the trailer and lock it up for a normal bike experience. Plus, the range is now about 20miles on some serious hills. Very happy with the kit once modified.

Update: The issue with the 360w cyclone performance was the chain and gearing alignment. It's a bit of trial and error to get it set right. I also modified the motor mount to a more robust design. Once this one done, the bike performs well. We live in a very hilly part of the California foothills, so the bike is tested each time. I found I was breaking spokes with my big butt and two SLAs on the bike, so I build a small trailer and added two more SLA to it for a total of 24v @ 36Ah. This not only makes the bike handle better, I can detach the trailer and lock it up for a normal bike experience. Plus, the range is now about 20miles on some serious hills. Very happy with the kit once modified.

I am just curious how much you weigh because I am riding with a 360w and 4-12v/18ah batteries. I have them mounted on my crouch bar. So far no problem but I was wondering if I should worry. I weigh 220 lbs. dressed, the batteries weigh 52 lbs., the motor is 6 ½ lbs and the bike is 40 lbs for a total of 308 ½ lbs. I just added the 3rd and 4th batteries and haven't really ridden that much with them yet. But the riding I do is on forest preserve trails mostly unpaved with bumps. This is why I was wondering if you could break down your total weight.

Hello,

The bike I started with was a Cannondale moutain bike at about 40lbs stock. I placed the 360W kit and two UB 12v 18Ahr SLA's in panniers on the rear bike rack for another ~30lbs. The bike weighed in at roughly 75lbs fully dressed.

I found the bike was very clumbsy to ride. The weighting was very off with so much mass up top and to the rear. I built the bike primarily for my wife to ride after knee surgery and she found it uncomfortable.

The kicker was the hilly area we live in. The two batteries would get her to twon and back with no room to spare. Having my wife push the bikes was not what I wanted. I built a homemade trailer from scrap wood, conduit, and other bits. I mounted four 12v 18Ahr SLA's to the trailer enclosed in a cheap gym bag. The trailer alone weighs about 15lbs and the four SLA's are 52lbs (13lbs each).

The biggest improvement in in distance. I drove the bike for 21 miles before running the batteries out. I weigh 220lbs.

I have a friend who is a big bike addict and he said the original design with me on the bike was bound to break the stock spokes. Tandem bike spokes could be used, but only solved one issue, not the distance problem I needed to overcome. Plus the cost to re-rig the whell was more than I wanted.

The trailer in the woods might be an issue, but on the rough rural roads here, it works great and makes the ride much, much better.

Good luck.