Electric Bikes - Started thinking about getting a recumbent, could use some advice.

First off, Happy New Year!:beer:

Ok, so after riding my electro upright for so long with my bad neck, I realized it wasn't for me.

So, now I'm looking to get a recumbent and don't have a clue where to start.

I want a decent tadpole, (looking at actionbent's line) but it seems like everyone that electrifies a bent has either a sun or bikeE.

I am also wanting to get away from the whole hub motor and get an in-line mid-drive. This is mainly because I really don't want to mess with the factory shifting setup. I don't have a clue if they would work for the trike I would get, though. I have to mount it somewhere. and from what I can tell, there are only certain recumbents that are able to take them.

Any insight would be a blessing.

The three kits I have found so far are:
www.cyclone-usa.com
www.ecospeed.com
http://abc.eznettools.net/D300013/X300109/eKits2.html

Are you looking at a trike or bike?

I've got an Ecospeed and highly recommend it. It's on a recumbent bike and we're not certain if you're after a bike or trike. Happy to share my experience if a bike is what you're after.

Trike, sorry.
Preferably a tadpole. I plan on riding year round and want to build a body for it. The ecospeeds are very expensive. I kinda think they are the bionx of middrives.

Ecospeed is not inexpensive for sure.

Some pros:

Very high quality construction.
Designed from the ground up, purpose-built, not an adaptation.
Move to another frame possible by replacing only the adapter, investment preserved.
Motor shares bike's gearing.
Any combination of motor and human power possible.


Some cons:

Cost.
While not very noisy, it's be no means silent.
AFAIK it's limited to long chainline bikes only.
Not stealthy, it's pretty obvious you have an eBike.
No regeneration.

If I didn't have this system, I'd most likely consider Bionx as a replacement.

Good luck, post pictures :)

I also have an Ecospeed system. You would have to call them (nice people) to find which trikes they could fit easily. The slight noise is good for pedestrians. I wouldn't recommend the Bionx because of the propietary parts that you have to get from them such as the battery.
Are you going to need to go up steep hills? If so, you might consider the geared hub motors, I am thinking of getting the one from EV Tech.

crackerdog, I agree with you about the proprietary nature of the Bionx.

I thought I read on this forum a few weeks ago that someone had "cracked the code" on the Bionx batteries enabling one to use any battery (within reason). Maybe that was just a dream I had :D

I really don't want another hub motor system. I already have a golden motor on a mountain bike. I had to spoke a rim to it, did a really bad job truing, a spoke busted, and now it sits. I can't find anyone to work on it for me. I also would rather not have to mess with the stock shifting setup.

I really don't think the ecospeed is an option for me. I just can't afford the bill it would cost to get the motor and a custom adapter.

I am really thinking the electroportal E-4 is my best option, but it's made for 24 volts and I want to use the 36v ping battery I already have. It would cost me about a third the price of the ecospeed.

Also, I am looking at the actionbent line of trikes. Which one looks the best to adapt to a mid-drive motor to you guys?

Here is a picture of a tadpole with the E-4 equipped.
90816

That E-4 is a nice looking kit, I wonder if it would tolerate a little over-volting :giver:

I believe the E-4 is a cyclone. If so they told me not to over volt mine.

Ok - don't want to bad mouth any trike builders, but I'd spend my hard earned $$$ on a MAJOR manufacturer. Suns are inexpensive, durn near bulletproof, but heavy (btdt, sold it, too) good platform for a Cyclone, I'd think. Have a buddy that had a 360w Cyclone on his Catrike Speed, didn't like the weight of SLA, but loved motoring up 20-25% hills under power. Greenspeed has used hubs and frame mounts on their trikes. Excellent rides! WizWheelz are outstanding. Trice make great trikes, as does HPVelotechnik (I've a Scorpion). There has been ongoing discussion about AB trikes - some like them, others worry about support and parts. On a trike, the only really special parts unique to each mfg. is the frame and seat, everything else, steering (pretty much so) included you can find and/or make. I just like being able to go to a dealer, or, as in the case of WizWheelz or Catrike, directly to the factory in the US. Same can be said for residents of OZ, England or Germany, though. Spend your money wisely and do test rides - you worked hard for it.

I have a number of recumbents with the E-4 on it and put it on an EZ-3. It is the same motor as the Cyclone but different parts. It will take a recumbent bike up my test hill 12% grade with some help. The Ecospeed will do it without help. Of course, with a trike you could gear it really low if needed.

Crakerdog I am wondering about your Cyclone. I had Lightfoot cycles build my son a lwb bike with a cyclone 500. When he rides it he claims to get around 22 mile an hour without peddling he weighs around 150. When I ride it, it will hardly hold 15 mile an hour without peddling I weigh 218.
Are these numbers simular to your experience?

Thank You

There has been ongoing discussion about AB trikes - some like them, others worry about support and parts.

I don't mean any disrespect, tourezrick, but you haven't owned one and from what you say here the ones that worry about support and parts haven't either. Yet, the ones that actually do, like them. They have been around for a while and have excellent feedback on ebay. I have already exchanged a few emails with them and they are very responsive and informative, so I have no doubts their support is top notch.

The cyclon motor kit comes with a twist throttle, right? I would think that would be very awkward with understearing.

just found another one.

evdeals.com

not a complete kit though. gotta know what you are doing.

I think I will be going with the E-4 kit. it's a simple clean setup, and the price is pretty nice too. I have already been speaking to Sam of electroportal.com and if I can figure out how to remove some cells from my 36v20ah lifepo4 to make it 24v I can buy the kit without the batteries and save $115:thumb:

15rms, I don't ride without pedaling and I weigh about 200 so I would have to say I don't know. I am more concerned with going up hills. I live in a small town with very steep hills so I don't need to go fast. However, the gearing should determine how fast it will go, not how much you weigh. Is there another gear that you aren't getting into? I understand the Lightfoot has quite the gearing setup.
Reptilian, Sam also has some LifoPo batteries now (at least he did).

Crackerdog I am also using all of the gears peddling with assist. I can get it going into the mid 20's however if I stop peddling it slows way down. I am starting to wonder if it may be the battery. The power cuts off very easliy. I have been following the volts verses amps discussion with great interest. I think maybe with a good battery it would perform better.

Thanks for the feedback.

Sam also has some LifoPo batteries now (at least he did).

Yes, he does, but if I can save some cash, I might as well. I don't plan to ride my upright anymore, so I have no need to purchase another battery.

Seems as though I have made Sam upset telling him my battery was from ping and he's located in china. Oh well.