John Phoenix

That sounds really sweet. Got any pictures?

Hey, how do you run dual batteries? Do you use a selector switch and if so, what kind?

This morning I also called the traffic div of the Jefferson Parish Sherri's Office They said the same as the cop at the sub station, but he also said it's about CC's. If you have a motor not rated in CC's then there is no law saying I cannot ride this thing with an electric motor, even if it is a 3000 watt motor and can do 75 miles per hour.. as long as I do not exceed the speed limit and I stay in the bike lane.. which for us is the side of the street because we have no bike paths.

So I then called the State Police and they said the same thing. No license or registration needed.

They State Police explained the problem (and confusion) over this issue came from about 10 years ago when electric bikes started to look like small motorcycles or gas powered scooters. People would drive them in the normal traffic lanes and on sidewalks and people were getting hurt. The more it looked and acted like a motorcycle with a gas engine the more people would abuse it's use. I was told, as long as I stay to the side of the road and it clearly is only a bicycle with an electric motor there is no problem with it's use at all.

I just looked up the Stingray.. that is one Fine looking bike to put an electric motor on.. let alone two! Now I really wanna see your pics and go find me a Stingray! https://www.genesbmx.com/schwinn/sting-ray-info.html

Sangesf

I have the electric one mentioned in that website.
I can't upload from my iPhone, but I'll put a link up of my original from another website.

Sangesf

Now mind you, I've updated the box in the back and the brake lights, turn signals, etc..
When I have access to a computer I'll upload a short video of the bike.
(bike is now in a state of disarray, but you get the general idea.

Here os the link...

https://motoredbikes.com/album.php?albumid=520

Sangesf

Forgot to mention.
I'm running two motors. (rear and front)
That's why I'm using two batteries.
$2000 later....

Sangesf

Just made a quick vid on you tube using my iPhone.
I will link to it when you tube has processed it.
Front motor is not shown (it's being worked on right now.
Bike is torn apart right now, because I am adding/changing things around.
But you get the idea.
(in the pics that I linked to earlier, you can see the front motor.)

Sangesf

Ok, here's the link..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3QXP...e_gdata_player

The video is crappy because the iPhone compresses the video...
If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask!

If it doesn't link you correctly, just search for "short video of my ebike" on you tube.

Allen

That bike kicks ass, Sangesf.
I fricken love that you have a sub woofer.

John Phoenix

See folks, clearly we can see why Sangest loves his e-bike. That's another thing I love about electric kits as opposed to store bought pre-made e-bikes - lots of options for customization.

Thanks for the pics, vid and info Sangest. Looking really sweet there. Have you ever been pulled over by a cop who thought it was a motorcycle, or one who just didn't know the law?

Sangesf

I get pulled over twice a month at least.
I know the laws by heart and verbatim, statute and number.
They look it up on their computers and they let me go on my way.

Sangesf

Wait until December when get my new front motor and clean up all the wires and add my project box in the front with my cigarette lighter (and socket), LED (blinker "reminders"), radio, cycle analyst display(s) and whatever else I can think of.

Richard60463

I don't love my ebike but I like it since it's the only thing that allows me to keep biking what with heart and knee problems. At the present time my wife and I each ride a Schwinn World GSE but they are having trouble supplying batteries, which last about two years, so we may have to go to something else. Pedago and Prodeco and possibly Trek are in the running.
Richard

A short time later we were able to buy two extra batteries so we are now back in the electric bike business...April 2011

edcastrovalley

Maybe you can find a local electric bike dealer and see if they could install a different battery pack. Preferably one of the lithium type batteries. It shouldn't be very hard for them to do.

pietzo

I posted some info on batteries that you may find helpful:
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...=#post11690705

If you have a minute, I'd love to lear a little more about why you like your electric bicycle so much.

- Why did you purchase your ebike initially? Do you have any specific medical issues? Age? etc...
- How do you currently use your bike (errands, commuting, fun, or any other reason)?
- What features are important to you?
- Any other general feedback or info you can provide would be great.

If you have questions about electric bicycles you are welcome to call me, we are a dealer in Mass. Our phone number is on our website.

Sangesf

Please sell your stuff in the for sale section.

John Phoenix

Why purchase an E-bike? I like many folks these days are suffering from this recession in the USA. I didn't want to put up with the having to own a car with all the extra stuff that goes with it.. general up keep, gas, insurance, traffic. I'm 43, no medical issues. Owing a car in America is Stupid unless you really HAVE to have one.

I use my ebike to go from the house to the fishing hole, to the store, to my parents house - everywhere I need to travel the e-bike takes me on a daily basis.

Features most important to me are smallest/lightest battery that packs the best punch for speed and distance. I currently run 48 volt sla's but plan to upgrade to 48 v lithium lifepo4 soon. Range with the SLA's isn't the best but I go 25 mph and it get the job done long as I recharge. I'm looking forward to a solid 20 mile round trip at 25 mph with Lifepo4.

Other than that TIRES are a Major issue. I run puncture resistant tires backed up with the proven puncture sealing technology of Slime in the inner tubes. With both types of protection over a regular tire/inner tube set up, I feel pretty confident. If you sell e-bikes and do not at least sell them stock with puncture resistant tires, your doing your customers a real disservice.

A bad blowout doing 20 mph assisted is a lot worse than a regular tire blowing out under pedal power. The potential for greater harm to the bike and rider goes way up. I say this after having a few blowouts. With the new protection, I haven't had one since I installed the tires and slime inner tubes.

Fenders are next. I found I had to buy and install fenders because splashes are no fun. Offer bikes with fenders or at least as an extra option for each model e-bike you sell.. some bikes cannot have fenders mounted to them - don't sell those.

Of course I ride for fun too. I love the look on peoples faces when they see me wiz by them at a red light without pedaling.

pietzo

John,

Thanks for the feedback, this is great.

We are an ebike vendor and I love to hear more about what users love (and don't love) about their ebikes.

I'd love to hear from other riders.

Thanks
Peter

DarthSensate

@Sangesf: Do you happen to have a source for relevant laws and regulations and such, by locale, that would be printable. I haven't had a cop pull me over yet, but it would be handy to be able to pull out a reference card from my saddle bag and provide such information when the need arises.

coldfeet

I don't have my e-bike YET, like paverman4u, I have a Surly Big Dummy, with that, I can do about 80% of what I need to do without a car. With an e-bike kit fitted, i will be able to haul much heavier stuff up the hills, and increase my riding radius significantly.

Here in Alberta, you can still access both sets of laws from a government website, giving conflicting laws about e-bikes. Obviously, if pulled over by the police, you're going to be facing the actual law in force, ( From 2009! ) but it's a bit much to expect the police to know what's going on when the Alberta Goverment can't keep their website updated!

Robert_C

As long as we are getting nitpickey about legalities. You will not always save much on parking. I checked at the University I went to for my MBA.

What I found is that e-bikes were required to park in motorcycle spaces and have valid motorcycle parking permits. The use of the bicycle racks was forbidden to "any vehicle with a motor, of any type." To make it worse, when parked in motorcycle spaces, the vehicle was forbidden form being attached to any campus fixture or plant. This meant that the rider would not be permitted to chain their e-bike to anything.

Of course, the few e-bikes I did see on campus (and I never did see many as bicycles were not permitted on campus and had to be left in racks at the edge of the campus) were in bicycle racks; wither in ignorance or willful violation of the campus rules, I did not know. However, if one wanted to follow the letter of the law, there would have been no parking savings when using an e-bike as an alternative to a motorcycle or scooter.

Mabman

Type "Ohio Electric Bike Laws" in to the search engine of your choice and you will come up with all the info you need. Use several links to cross reference but it looks like Ohio has standard laws that follows the same criteria as Federal Law 107-319, up to 750w and 20 mph top speed as long as the bike has pedals.

John Phoenix

This is because most professional people really don't know what an e-bike really is - they think of them as mopeds or a bike with a motor on it such as a 50 cc or higher. Therefore they don't adjust their policies like at your campus. These hub motors front or back are really stealthy. They dont make loud noises like a moped. You can hide the battery so no one even knows what it is. The federal Law looks at these as bicycles in the USA - not the type of motorized bike a moped is. Just call it a bicycle with a pedal assist and you should be able to get around the bureaucracy. Those laws and or policies I'll bet 100 bucks were not written taking this type of vehicle into account.

This statement "any vehicle with a motor, of any type." is very generic written before the advent of electric hub motors. I believe this because in my city we have a law that says you must have a drivers license to drive a "Bike with any type of motor on it" as well as have stop lights turn signals etc. But when talking to cops about the e-bike they admit that law is old and they do know the federal law concerning e-bikes supersedes this local law. I chain my e-bike to the sidewalk guard railing in front of the police station all the time. The police station is adjacent to a large mall. I don't own a drivers license or have lights on the e-bike. No one gives me a problem - they know it's a different animal.

This e-bike is very easy to steal and is light weight. They cannot expect you to use a motorcycle parking slot - that's bad for them cus they fail to provide a safe place for your bike. If your bike gets stolen in the motorcycle slot, you could sue the pants off of them - then go buy a better e-bike :-)

Just tell them it's a pedal assist bicycle, and show then the federal law that states it is only a bycicle and they should have no problem letting you chain it to a bike rack. Would i break the campus policy and park it in a bike rack knowingly? You bet iI will - in a heartbeat because they are in the wrong and it can be proven. That's why other people you have seen does it.