Electric Bikes - New to Electric Bikes

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usmarinecorps55
07-18-08, 09:53 PM
Hello all! I had a few questions about electric bicycles:

1. How much does it cost to make your bicycle electric

2. How far can it go on a charge (assuming it's used as an assist and not primary)

3. How do you do it?


Thanks for taking the time to entertain my questions :)

cerewa
07-19-08, 08:04 AM
1. how much does it cost? at least $250. If you want something that will give you more range, be more energy-efficient, have lighter batteries, climb hills better, then it may cost $1000 or more.

2. if you use it a lot as an assist, you are likely to use 10 watt hours per mile if you're on a light person and have an efficient motor, moving up closer to 17 watt hours per mile if you are a heavy person and have a brushed motor (brushed motors are less expensive). If you use the motor on uphills only in a rolling-hills area, you might use as little as 5 watt hours per mile. What matters are usable watt hours, which you can determine by using the rated watt hours for batteries that are not lead acid (a.k.a. SLA) and using the rated watt hours times 0.5 or 0.6 for SLA. To determine rated watt hours, multiply rated amp hours by rated volts - so a 24V10Ah battery is 240 rated watt hours and a 48V20Ah battery is 960 watt hours. Most e-bike batteries are rated somewhere within 240 to 960 watt hour range.