Electric Bikes - Sanyo (eneloop) has anybody tried one?

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tgreenwood
06-26-09, 08:56 AM
Has anybody tried the Sanyo electric bicycle?
http://www.thetechherald.com/article.php/200849/2548/Sanyo-unveils-hybrid-electric-eneloop-bicycle

I did some loosely work (translation) for this project, and was curious if it was all it's cracked up to be. It's supposed to work like a hybrid vehicle, recharging the battery as you pedal, which is then used to assist you when you go up a hill, or just help you pedal.

I haven't looked at other e-bicycles, so I have no frame of reference. Anyway, just wondering if anybody had used one.

T

Mr York
06-26-09, 11:03 PM
I love my eneloop batteries, much better than standard NiMH. But recharging while riding seems like a bad idea (efficiency). Better to charge from the wall I would suspect than to convert mechanical muscle power into electrical power then store it in a battery then convert it back into mechanical power again with losses at each step.
donob08
06-28-09, 04:09 PM
tgreenwood

No, I don't think anyone in the US has seen that bike. I don't think they have sent it here yet and may never just as Panasonic doesn't.

As far as the bike generating electricity, I think they have stretched the greenness of the idea. Regenerative braking has been around in EV's since the early '70's. The idea of capturing the energy from slowing on a big downhill or braking from high speed makes sense in some applications. For most bikers and bikes the energy to be harvested is not worth the extra circuit complexity. The biggest plus is saving brake pads.

miro13car
06-28-09, 07:26 PM
to give you idea how well can regen braking work:
on my 28kg 2005 Tidal Force bike I am right now using just 2-nd /that is right second / set of V-brake pads!!
prathmann
06-28-09, 07:42 PM
to give you idea how well can regen braking work:
on my 28kg 2005 Tidal Force bike I am right now using just 2-nd /that is right second / set of V-brake pads!!
Is that good or bad? Hard to tell without knowing the mileage or type of riding. I get about 30 kmiles per pair of front brake pads and the rear ones last almost forever. But most of my riding is where I can minimize use of the brakes except on steep winding descents or when traffic lights change at the 'wrong' time.
yendrek3
07-03-09, 04:39 PM
I saw one electric bike made by Giant, it had the sanyo electric drive but I have never tried it