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Post by lurker on May 10, 2019 6:07:31 GMT -7
i get this ad: on my evil FB and thought it interesting. lady lurker has bad knees and i thought putting something like this on her regatta might help her get out more. i notice it doesn't include a battery, and there's just a slew of wires coming off that controller, and no mention of weight. but the price is reasonable. any ideas? good/bad idea?
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Post by genericmember on May 11, 2019 7:24:45 GMT -7
These kits are on bikes everywhere around here. It used to be the little gas motor conversions were a hot item but these are greener.
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Post by desertbikes on May 11, 2019 8:19:28 GMT -7
Yeah a couple things are worth mentioning here. First, it's not from Walmart. As I suggest several time elsewhere, always tick the retailer box & select Walmart only. Walmart marketplace sellers are not associated with Walmart and, whats worse, Walmart doesn't back you if there's a problem. Ebay & Amazon are far better for 3rd party sellers. Ebay is way better than they were only a few years ago but Amazon Prime (sold by Amazon, not a 3rd party) is the safest why to buy questionable chinese tech, which is what all hub motors are.
Hub motors are pretty cool. I'll get only someday. Nearly have several times. Most are all wire harnesses w/ numbered plugs so you're not splicing wires & trying to figure terminations. It's better when a battery is not included too. Li batts are used & lots of watt/volt combs are available for various sources. You can select based on the distance you want to ride (round trip) before a recharge is require which is also based on the watt usage of the motor at top speed.
Weight - the kits without a battery are usually around 20#. The more powerful the motor, the heavier it will be. Batteries are expensive but Li are so much lighter than old tech it's not so bad. you can add as much as 30-45 lbs depending on how much battery you want. I've seen guys running around 30mph on the street with hub motors & you can get even nuttier if you have the $$$. Weight-wise, it's kinda like riding a steel fat bike around if you run down the battery before you get home.
I would have had one by now if I lived in a city or town. I've looked a using a hub motor on a fat trike too just for hauling stuff around the property. In town I think they're really practical if you have the stones for sharing a road with cars - which I just don't anymore.
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Post by fatdaddy61 on May 11, 2019 16:26:54 GMT -7
Theres a youtube of a guy riding dunes with one of them on a fat bike. Haulin ass to. I had one of those little motors that mounted to a bike rack with 2 ATV batteries. got it at a yard sale. Bike might go 6 or8 mph but it was great while it lasted specially if you mighta had a couple beers & wanted a smoke  |
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Post by lurker on May 11, 2019 17:59:56 GMT -7
so, not totally far-fetched.
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Post by genericmember on Jun 24, 2019 8:21:05 GMT -7
The batteries are sooo expensive though. I wonder how many recharges you really get before they don't hold a charge very well.
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Post by desertbikes on Jun 24, 2019 18:32:48 GMT -7
There are alternatives if you're will to do a little leg work & use Ohms law. I'm still doing research for a more detailed post about battery alternatives but learned quite a bit during my halogen light night riding phase.
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Post by lurker on Jun 24, 2019 18:49:26 GMT -7
i was at harbor freight today looking at solar panels for a non-bicycle application, and was interested to find that they recommend another couple of hundred in "hubs", charge controllers and batteries, at least as costly as the panels themselves. it would appear they only sell lead-acid 12 volt batteries. it looks like i'm going to have to climb the electricity learning curve.
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Post by desertbikes on Jun 25, 2019 13:58:30 GMT -7
I've used harbor's charge controllers for auxiliary solar power batteries on well sites & also secondary batteries on trucks. Usually camper accessories or welders. Would not use them for Lithium Ion batts. That's a different animal. One of my bike alternatives is AGM & Gel-Cell, small form factor batteries. The deep cycle marine variety is the best. Worth reading up on for anyone interested. Li Ion are light but not the panacea some propaganda make them out to be. I've purchased from these guys & there's good info as well. www.batteryweb.com/agm-batteries.cfm |
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Post by lurker on Jun 30, 2019 6:21:58 GMT -7
while i'm not convinced that these are quality items that will give long-term satisfaction, i see ads for these folks, whose products are at least affordable to us commoners. swagtron.com/#a_aid=5c07103642c36 |
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Post by genericmember on Jun 30, 2019 7:25:16 GMT -7
They're more akin to scooters with seats. I can see how they would have a niche. At 40 lbs you could fold it up & mount on a back pack frame or take it on a bus or train.
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Post by lurker on Jun 30, 2019 10:41:31 GMT -7
They're more akin to scooters with seats. I can see how they would have a niche. At 40 lbs you could fold it up & mount on a back pack frame or take it on a bus or train. yes, some, but not all |
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Post by desertbikes on Jul 1, 2019 19:53:02 GMT -7
That one is a kids bike tho with 20" wheels. And its $700. It might be usable for adults if the seat post were replaced & maybe high BMX or ape hanger handle bars. Looks like an 1 1/8" stem extender might work too.
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Post by lurker on Jul 1, 2019 20:13:55 GMT -7
scroll to the bottom. they have several models, between which i am not informed enough to distinguish.
yes, pricey. i'll very definitely wait for the price to drop.
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Post by fatdaddy61 on Jul 4, 2019 17:34:12 GMT -7
Theres pages of these things on the alibaba chinese website. dont say how much shipping is but the bikes r $200 up.
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Post by desertbikes on Jul 4, 2019 22:45:24 GMT -7
And they'll even brand them as, fatdaddy's incredible electrocycle. Think I'm kidding? Check out Hyper. 2guys with an office address. No assets. No inventory. Just a website & a Chinese godfather.  |
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Post by lurker on Jul 5, 2019 7:28:02 GMT -7
yesterday i stumbled across a web page of electric 3-wheel recumbents and i thought "COOL!" and then i saw the price, $3,500. wtf, not cool.
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Post by desertbikes on Jul 6, 2019 10:53:58 GMT -7
Yikes! I had been driving about 12 years before I even paid that much for a car. A 1975 F-100 Explorer camper special  Long bed, 302ci, auto trans, etc. A tricycle costing that much, even 30 years later, twists my sensibility in a knot. In fact I've been toying with the idea of making my first electric a trike. Would be very practical for me & weight & battery position become less of an issue. An easier way to negotiate the learning curve I think. |
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Post by lurker on May 3, 2022 22:56:30 GMT -7
all jokes about ecotric peacedove naming conventions aside,
i've started looking at e-bikes again, and find that market forces have adjusted... upward. the $400 full-size 700c bikes are gone, and the low-end niche is now pretty much $600, and up and Up and UP. for some reason i'm having difficulty accepting that for $550 i can get the bottom-line hub motor kit to put on my bike, or for another 50-100 i can get an entire bike equipped w/ motor, battery, controller... should have bought the $400 ebike when it was available. ain't capitalism grand?
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Post by lurker on May 5, 2022 11:56:42 GMT -7
i am informed that i can expect an e-bike for my upcoming b-day. supposed to arrive by the 17th. will review, naturally.
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Post by lurker on May 12, 2022 12:12:43 GMT -7
it came, early, and i've got it assembled and charging out in the shed. since i KNOW all you peeps are interested, i'll go start another thread with pics in a bit.
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A bit warm. yes. Had to do another 2100 mile round trip on short notice. My back was/is in a real bad way & came home to a dead AC unit. Other than that its been just peachy!
Jun 22, 2024 8:50:53 GMT -7
May 23, 2024 0:09:35 GMT -7
Apr 21, 2024 13:21:52 GMT -7
Jan 24, 2024 21:50:20 GMT -7
It's interfering with my bike & shooting time
Jan 22, 2024 17:53:40 GMT -7
Great for some things. Vans are such a bitch to work on. But what car isn't anymore...
Jan 11, 2024 17:18:36 GMT -7
