2 hub motors
 

Anyone has this setup? I have a steep hill.. Thinking I might need this.

Here is my experience with dual drive..
But I live in flat terrain. (Florida)

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My best ever (and longest) distance run was on 2 - 36v 20ah LiFePo4 batteries using 2 - 36v 15a max controllers on 36v 250w geared motors running between 16-18 mph the entire way. (NO pedaling - NO recharging)

Trip was starting from West Palm Beach heading south to (East) Ft. Lauderdale to (East) Miami then back north towards (West) Boca Raton and then back home to West Palm Beach.

Total distance?
116 miles. (very few stop/starts and all flat terrain).

Total WH/M?
13.65wh/m

Haven't had the chance, yet, to see what the max wh/m-distance on my new setup/same bike is...
(36v 60Ah Lifepo4 battery running two 36v 20a max controllers on two 36v DD 500w motors.)
Bike = ~110lbs, Me = 170lbs.

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Nice setup. Im getting the RMartin MiPower ebike. Not much information on that ebike. And not sure what kind of range I can get on that. The manufacturer said it has 25-30+ mi range. I kinda doubt it. Even states that with moderate pedaling, you get 60 miles. Very much doubt that. Anyone has this bike?

25 mile range sounds about right, with a bit of pedaling it's possible it'll do 35, with A LOT of pedaling maybe 60miles.. But pedaling can skew the numbers.. I could put a computer fan on the back of my bike with 8AA batteries and pedal all the time and say I got 60miles.. You get what I'm saying..

Unless you already have one hub motor with insufficient power then I don't really see any advantage in going with a 2-motor approach. A single more powerful motor will generally be significantly cheaper and lighter than two smaller motors that have the same total power when combined.

I would say the same as prathmann cause those motors are not cheap stuff. We are sometimes translating some brands to our website in Turkish (http://www.e-bisiklet-dunyasi.com) but it is rare that you see double motor on a bike. For more power you can use a normal type BLDC instead of hub motor. That is what we usually see on powerfull machines.

I will tell you, NOTHING beats a 2wd setup, IF you have the money to spend on extra batteries..
(Motor kits aren't that expensive - generic ones).. Additional battery and a place to put it, is the determining factor. I can take any hill doing 20mph in a beat!
(Even when my son is hanging on while on his skateboard.)

very awesome setup you got there Sangesf, but doesn't that turn it officially into an electric scooter class?

some places you'll need to get a license to drive that

i was also fancying to convert a Surley into an ebike as well but had a hard time finding a good motor hub for the extra wide wheels

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=239468

which motor hub did you use for your rear wheel?

Most laws are created to limit / prohibit certain actions / vehicles.

Each motor is calibrated / limited in speed to 20 mph..
(Unless I'm going downhill and gravity takes over, but then the motors cut out and don't provide propulsion..)

(Florida) state statute says bicycle with an electric helper motor...
No Florida statute exists with a "2 motor classification"...
If there is no law forbidding it, it's legal or you use the closest definition..

Mopeds have pedals and use gas motors and are capable of doing over 20 and up to 30mph.

Scooters don't have pedals..
Scooters are technically "Motorcycles" in Florida...
Even under 50cc scooters are classified as such.. There is a technical memo in the state archives about it.

(No mopeds nor scooters run dual motors..)
If you were on a jury and and given the above facts, what would you classify my bicycle as..
Electric Bicycle? Moped? Scooter? Motorcycle? Or an undefined classification of vehicle?

definitely undefined :D

besides if it doesn't go over 20 mph on flats, i don't think any cop can flag you down for going over the limit for bikes

They can flag you down...
Happens about once a week...

There's nothing they can do, because it's a fully legal ebike...

Sangesf, did you have one throttle control both motors or two of everything including the throttle?

Thanks.

Sangesf, now I know why you got pulled over by that uninformed cop...man that's some setup. You got everything on there but the kitchen sink! That's Doc Brown's bicycle if he had one on "Back to the Future"!

I have two of everything....
The reasons are..

1.) It's easier to setup.
2.) In case one of the throttles or motors craps out, I have a backup. ;)
3.) Running dual motors (and dual batteries) gives you MUCH more range, then a single setup.
4.) It's just cool!

(I also have Reverse, Cruise Control, Regenerative Braking and am re-installing the radio I used to have.)

There was a Craigslist ad last week in Seattle listing a hub motor laced to a fat rim for $400 if I recall the price correctly.

Have you had to do any waterproofing on any of the components? What have you used/done that was successful in preventing liquid damage?

Are you able to remove the batteries from the bike easily to take indoors for recharging or do you have to charge them while they're on the bike?