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Need advice for all-electric trike.

Old 07-25-11, 02:12 AM
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Need advice for all-electric trike.

Hello!

I have been itching to get into the e-bike scene for a while now. I think I've found the right bike for the project. As mentioned in the title of this thread, I am hoping to build an all-electric trike. The reason for wanting to go all electric is because I am partially paralyzed and have limited functioning in my legs. I've been riding handcycles for nine years, but they aren't exactly ideal for commuting.

Anyway, I've recently acquired an old "upright" handcycle that I would love to convert over to electric power. I would remove the drivetrain and install some handlebars. My intention would be to use it for short errands (groceries and what-not) and to commute back and forth to work (12-14 miles round trip). Because of the nature of it's design, I don't think I'd have the stones to take it over 25mph or so. 30 would probably be the absolute fastest it would ever see. The longest distance I envision myself going is about 20-25 miles. The terrain I plan to ride is mostly flat (a very easy incline at most).

So, I am now in the process of researching various motors and battery capacities. As noted, I won't be offering any sort of propulsion to the rig, so I will be relying on the system to get me from A to B. Is that a bad idea? From what I gather, e-bike systems are fairly simple and reliable. If I want the trike to cruise at 20+ mph without straining the electrical system, what sort of wattage would I be looking at? For batteries, I assume it would be best to assemble a pack consisting of a number of smaller packs (in case of replacement or the need for additional juice.)

Lastly, are there any threads that cover manufacturers of both batteries and motors? From the reading I've done, it sounds as though not all are created equal. I definitely don't mind spending a little more for reliability.

Any advice that can be offered would be greatly appreciated. I'd love to have a little electric vehicle that I could use for commuting and running errands. I have a 3/4-ton diesel pickup that gets 20+ MPG in town and 26 on the highway, but it's definitely not the most practical vehicle for everyday use. An e-trike would be perfect! Thank you for any advice that you're able to offer. I've included a picture of the type of trike that I'm working with.
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Old 07-25-11, 09:17 AM
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First, I would make sure these bikes are safe at those speeds. It looks like it may not be designed with speed in mind. Are the rear axles standard bicycle axles or are they specialized in some way?
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Old 07-25-11, 10:19 AM
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Indeed, the type of handbike pictured isn't as stable as some other models, but I anticipate this setup to actually work quite well. As you can see in the picture, the manufacturer(s) of these things weren't too concerned about head tube angle/rake/trail. There is quite a bit of trail in the design, so the steering should be plenty stable at speed. Add to that the fact that the steering wheel is also being driven, and it should be just fine at 20 mph. Under electric power, I imagine that I'd be cruising between 15 and 20 mph. 25 would probably be where I'd start to leave the comfort zone (mainly because all braking will be done on the front wheel). In all likelihood, I'll probably add a disc tab onto the bike at some point (as the fork is made of steel). So, the braking capabilities should be greatly improved, too. Having handlebars in place of the cranks should make should make for a fairly stable platform.

As for the rear axles... Some of them are a quick-release mechanism, but I will be using a type that threads into a receiver (far stiffer and more secure). I look forward to getting this thing going. I just want to make sure that, when it comes time to spend money, I will be investing in quality equipment and batteries that I can rely on. I've wanted to get into alternative transportation for a while now, and this might be just the ticket. I considered converting my truck to run on vegetable oil, but that setup is extremely messy and isn't good for short trips around town (and still has me driving a huge pickup). An EV conversion would be extremely expensive and time-consuming. However, this project looks like it would be able to cover 90% of my daily commuting needs. Here in Albuquerque, there are bike paths all over the place, and the weather is rideable all year long. I'm excited to get this thing going! Thank you for any advice that you are able to offer.
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Old 07-25-11, 09:33 PM
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Trikes have a tendency to tip over unlike a two wheel bicycle. Is there any way to try one of these before you convert it? Try going fast down a hill and see if 20mph seems comfortable and safe on that trike. At lower speeds, swerve around to check stability. If you could, I would suggest you try to keep the self-powered part of the trike useable for two reasons. One, it may not meet the electric bike regulations if it is only electric and electric isn't always perfectly reliable and it is nice to know you could get somewhere if the battery dies or the controller burns out.
It may work to put an electric hub motor on one of the rear wheels and keep the handcycle part useable. If you drive a truck I assume you could rig up a foot throttle for the electric motor. Do you have hills or is it quite flat? You can't easily put a larger hub motor on the front wheel because it can break the fork but the back would be fine and then you would have two wheels being powered if you came across mud or something.
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Old 07-26-11, 12:04 AM
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look for a front wheel , though with that hand drive, probably its a rear wheel,
then I suppose the controls will be on the hand grips on the cranks ..

There is a strain detector attached to the gear cluster so it assists
when you are turning the cranks , cuts out when you coast.

Its your neck on the line.. 20 Mph is too fast, on one of those.
Lots lower seating would be harder to get into , but lower C-of-G is better then ..

stick to the truck for that kind of speed. ..

How about 10 MPH ? I imagine you will have to charge while at the opposite end
to have the return power capacity.

Last edited by fietsbob; 07-26-11 at 12:09 AM.
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Old 07-26-11, 02:52 AM
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I know that the bike in the picture looks like it would be a nightmare in terms of stability, but you'd actually be quite surprised at how stable they are. Unless you're taking hard/sharp turns, it's perfectly fine at speed. I've had a wheelchair up to 20 mph before, and I've taken my handcycles (the lower type) up to 60. I'm confident that I would have no problem at 20 mph on this thing. I just wouldn't want to go much faster unless I had a disc brake installed. The manufacturer's (a medical equipment company that is ALWAYS worried about liability) literature even says that it's capable of speeds up to 20 mph.

The original drivetrain on this thing is pretty crappy. It has a wonky coaster brake setup as well as a 3-speed geared hub and 5-speed freewheel. I'd like to stick with the plan of just running it as an electric-only vehicle. I'm in New Mexico, and laws in regard to electric vehicles that do or don't have cranks probably aren't even in existence. If they are, they damned sure won't be enforced. Out here, it's still very much the "wild west." No one with a badge is going to give a rat's fat @$$ about some dirty dude on a quasi electric wheelchair that is going back and forth to work or the grocery store. Now, if I were driving it down Route '66, that might draw a bit of attention.

Anyway, I'll continue to do a little homework and see if I can figure out what would work best for this setup. It'll be a rear hub motor (as the front/drive wheel on this rig has 135mm spacing). I'm leaning toward a Nine Continent hub as they seem to be made to higher standards/tolerances. I'm very excited about this project.
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