View Full Version : Electric conversion weight
What does your bike weigh after converting to electric? When you add a hubmotor ( in my case a goldenmotor at 16lbs) decent batteries (about one lb per ah at 12 volts)(30lbs) the required controller throttle, wiring etc. to get it all going, it requires a fairly light (expensive) bike to be legal here in Alberta.
Sure, Lithium iron phosphate batteries might cure the problem but raising the weight to 45kgs would too and that would just be a little ink! Anyone else feel restricted here? I know there are many overweight bikes on the streets in Alberta! even my wifes factory built is too heavy!
Ed Service
15 for a hubmotor, 10lbs for battery, 5 lbs at the max for the rest of little things, thats 30 lbs.
My bike is 25.8 lbs, thats 55.8 lbs so WAY under your 45kg. You must be buying pig bikes.......:-D
a 10ah 36v battery is 30 lbs in sla so 16 lb hub 30 lb battery 5 lb for the rest leaves 26 lbs for the bike complete with lights and bell, certainly doable, but 10ah is marginal and it might be nice to have a carrier or pannier......... get the point?
Ed Service
The bike I now use (edscreations.blogspot.com) is not a lightweight but it is not a pigbike either. It is 6 lbs overweight with 10ah batteries, steel rims and mountain bike tires. I changed to 7ah batteries to make it legal but the range, while acceptable for my small commute, is very short ( aprox. 6 km with moderate pedaling before low voltage cutout. most folks wouldn't be happy with it.
Ed service
I dont even own a setup yet, but IMO if im going to make an ebike it isnt going to be with heavy SLA batteries, which defeat the purpose of a bicycle being light and nimble. If that is your only choice though, I wouldnt worry since what are the chances a police officer is going to pull you over on a bike path and weigh your bike with a fishing scale?
I agree with you.... chances of being weighed are pretty slim.:) Our bike season is fairly short here so using expensive lithium bat. takes a marginally economic bike into totally unrealistic if saving money is a motivating factor. Sla's are awkward as you point out, it's hard to mount them low on a standard bike to keep a low center of gravity so most conversions with sla's are poor handlers and have marginal brakes at best ( due to high weight) I converted mine to disc brakes which adds even more weight but the safety factor was worth it. ( if I can just convince that cop with the fishing scale!!!! lol
Ed Service
countersTrike
06-22-08, 01:18 PM
[QUOTE=ejserv;6924039]What does your bike weigh after converting to electric? /QUOTE]
77 lbs exactly to 105 lbs exactly.
I don't have a scale that'll weigh my bike, but I'm guessing it was 28 or 30 pounds.
E-bike add-ons were between 15 and 17 pounds total.
What components did you use? Hubmotors are quite heavy but in their defence they are simple and trouble free....Batteries? How about model plane components?
Ed Service
Interesting that I can put a 50cc gas engine on my bike and even on my trike and keep it well within the weight limit with vastly superior range. And drive it legaly anywhere I can ride a bike in Alberta!
Ed Service
donob08
06-22-08, 05:34 PM
Ed
My Currie eZip Trailz (2008) with two 10Ahr, 24V batt packs weighs in at a dainty 90 lbs. It ain't light, but luckily there's no law here. One just needs to be sure to plan well so you don't have to power the thing too far home with just legs and no zip. Don
donob08
06-22-08, 05:36 PM
Oops, did it again, that includes two BIG panniers and a rack bag, tools, my tooth brush....
What components did you use? Hubmotors are quite heavy but in their defence they are simple and trouble free....Batteries? How about model plane components?
8 pound lithium iron phosphate battery, 24V 10Ah.
~8 pound Cyclone 500W motor. (weighed without its mounting bracket as 7 pounds).
If I ditched the cyclone motor and got a high torque RC helicopter type motor I bet I could get motor + mounting bracket + chain-drive gear reduction down to 4 pounds. What's stopping me is that i don't know how I'd mount a gear to the RC motor.
A taperlock hub for the drive sprocket would probably be best. Similar to a die-grinder chuck.Probably the primary reduction should be a belt of some kind because of the speed. Shumaker did a very good job on his but it sure wasn't cheap! All that machining would cost a fortune ever if I could do it myself! RC helecopters use quite light controllers. could they be used to drive a converted alternator or other readily available ac type motor? a 600 watt car alternator can be under 5 lbs. Lithium batteries look good........ what effect would leaving them idle 6 months of the year have? How recyclable are they? how toxic are they if they're not recycled? These questions I want answered better before I make the plunge!
Ed Service
adamtki
06-23-08, 01:19 AM
8 pound lithium iron phosphate battery, 24V 10Ah.
~8 pound Cyclone 500W motor. (weighed without its mounting bracket as 7 pounds).
If I ditched the cyclone motor and got a high torque RC helicopter type motor I bet I could get motor + mounting bracket + chain-drive gear reduction down to 4 pounds. What's stopping me is that i don't know how I'd mount a gear to the RC motor.
What kind of range do you get with moderate pedalling?
If someone can build a bike with a cyclone like motor into the bottom bracket, it'll solve two of my dilemmas about cyclone: the loud high pitch noise, and the junky look. I have a Bionx PL250 making my bike 48 lbs (with racks, fenders, etc..). I love how quiet the Bionx is and how clean the bike looks, but ultimately, I'd like to get a lighter system and one that freewheels when coasting.
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