Anyone into electric cycling? Electric Bicycles

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It's been too long since I posted here. I'm still riding, albeit with pain in my legs and feet. I'm in the process of converting the Metro to a 1kw direct drive. It's been slow, laborious...and now I think the motor may be defective. I have it mounted but not connected. The thing is, it's so hard to turn the wheel, it's as if there is an invisible rim brake holding it. I'm discouraged.

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The ST700 is pretty much finished, and is my daily ride. I had a bike mechanic look at it while he was here mounting the tire on and truing the Magic Pie 5 wheel. The factory had installed 2 lower races, and that was messing it up. Now it steers as well as the Metro. I have it set for 7 assist levels, and when I select the 7th the bike surges forward even if it's already over 20MPH. Ludicrous Mode for bicycle.

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Finally, I refurbished my old spare EZIP for my sister, with new tires and tubes, brakes, seat and mirrors. Took me just one evening, for once.

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So the Metro may never get done, at this rate. I spent $100+ getting the wheel motor ready to mount, $600 for the wheel kit, and more hours than you'd think mounting it. If it's defective I may try for a refund and put in a cheap Ebay DD motor. I'm very unimpressed so far with Golden Motor products.
 
With the advice of a helpful regular (Mod?) at the Golden Motors Forum, I found the problem with the new motor. It's one of those crazy things that are too common, especially with Chinese manufacturers. The motor accepts disk brake rotors in the usual manner: six pre-drilled holes in the case, to accept the six industry standard M5 x 10mm screws. Except that the holes go all the way through the motor case, and terminate in a tiny space between the case and the internal controller housing. It seems that when you use those standard brake rotor screws, there is a fairly high likelihood that the screws will go past the little cavity, and dig into the controller housing, thus locking up the wheel, more or less. The fix is to use a washer or two between the screw heads and the case. So assuming that I didn't actually damage the controller, I can proceed with the installation, and deal with the next problem: the cables for the throttle and e-brakes are far too short. I'll have to get extensions for them. I also need to solder an XT-90 connector on the end of the motor power cable, and on the power cable running from the battery holder. I also want to incorporate a fuse there.
 
^^^ interesting, you'd think they would make a better stop for those screws.
Speaking of E-bikes, what do you think of this folding step through E-bike with fat tires? Heybike brand, ranger model. Sounds interesting, they stress how expensive it is and it's not cheap but I've seen far more expensive E-bikes although I haven't really looked into folding models.
For those of us Metrically challenged:
Total bike weight-About 70lbs
48v 15ah battery-23lbs of the above 70.
Payload-330lbs
48-mile pedal assist range
28mph governor restricted top speed
500w hub
Tires-20"x4"
Price-$1400 which again from what I've seen with E-bikes isn't too bad, if it's a good bike........
https://insideevs.com/news/587637/heybike-ranger-folding-electric-bike/
https://www.heybike.com/
 
I just last month sold one. I'd had it for years, but didn't use it that much - especially with the pandemic. It was a Greenbike USA BG-500. The problems I had with it were that it was VERY loud on pavement because of tire noise, it was a little anemic (500 watt, 48 volt hubmotor), and almost immediately after buying it, it became too heavy for me to lift into a vehicle. I would have gotten the non-fat-tire version, but the other features on that one were so much worse (no display, just a panel with LED lights, 3 speed assist rather than 6, rear rim brake, etc) that I couldn't do it. It was a Class II, rather than the Class III you reference. It did easily do 20MPH; by "anemic" I mean that it had little power to spare for off-road riding. Not a bad little bike for gentle trail riding, though.

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Last year I think it was I got a Yamaha Urban Rush and speed boxed it, got a rack, put on fenders, got different pedals. I started having to go into the office a couple weeks about 20 miles away and have been doing that entirely by ebike. As you can imagine with the distance the motor really helps me keep that speed up to keep the commute right about at 1 hour. We have an indoor bike room at our office and showers and lockers so I don't have to be shy about working hard. I let me wife use the LEAF to do school runs, shopping etc.
It would be nice if I am able to do all my stuff I do alone an on ebike and we could go back to having just one car.

I do more of a road bike like configuration as I am more comfortable going long distance and at higher speeds that way. I will probably go to a social meeting downtown this weekend on it again which is about 30 miles (way across town).
 
LeftieBiker said:
I just last month sold one. I'd had it for years, but didn't use it that much - especially with the pandemic. It was a Greenbike USA BG-500. The problems I had with it were that it was VERY loud on pavement because of tire noise, it was a little anemic (500 watt, 48 volt hubmotor), and almost immediately after buying it, it became too heavy for me to lift into a vehicle. I would have gotten the non-fat-tire version, but the other features on that one were so much worse (no display, just a panel with LED lights, 3 speed assist rather than 6, rear rim brake, etc) that I couldn't do it. It was a Class II, rather than the Class III you reference. It did easily do 20MPH; by "anemic" I mean that it had little power to spare for off-road riding. Not a bad little bike for gentle trail riding, though.

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Updated my previous post to include brand and link to mfg.
So are you saying that's the same as a Heybike or just a similar folding bike? Looks quite similar and I agree, e-bikes do seem to be rather hefty, many around 70lbs but they do make a lighter <50lb bike and quite a bit cheaper too at just <$800 called a commuter bike RACE but lacks the versatility I liked about the folding model, most of the bikes I've seen with much versatility top out around 65-75lbs.
Now that you mention "loud" I'd probably be better off with a more "urban" or "commuter" type bike/tires. Not skinny racing tires but probably not big baloon-type tires either. I was also thinking the fatter tires would probably eat into the range a fair bit too, compared to smaller tires.
 
The value of the Lectric XP 2.0 ebikes is hard to beat:

https://lectricebikes.com/collections/ebikes

Don't be fooled by the modest 500W rating of the motor, the peak is 850W.
 
Updated my previous post to include brand and link to mfg.
So are you saying that's the same as a Heybike or just a similar folding bike? Looks quite similar and I agree, e-bikes do seem to be rather hefty, many around 70lbs but they do make a lighter <50lb bike and quite a bit cheaper too at just <$800 called a commuter bike RACE but lacks the versatility I liked about the folding model, most of the bikes I've seen with much versatility top out around 65-75lbs.
Now that you mention "loud" I'd probably be better off with a more "urban" or "commuter" type bike/tires. Not skinny racing tires but probably not big baloon-type tires either. I was also thinking the fatter tires would probably eat into the range a fair bit too, compared to smaller tires.

No, it isn't a Heybike, AFAIK, just a similar configuration.

Don't be afraid of balloon tires. They aren't generally loud like fat bike tires - I've been riding on them for years. Schwalbe makes great balloon tires, although you might want to have someone else mount them, as they can be kind of "tight." Schwalbe Super Moto tires are fantastic for street use with a little dirt or rain included. They also have a wide pressure range, so you can run them hard for range, soft for dirt traction, or something in between, as I do.

Aren't Lectric bikes the brand with good components but no suspension? I've never had anything but hardtails (I use suspension seatposts), but I wouldn't buy an e-bike with no suspension forks. Too jarring for me.
 
I crested a big hill last night and got the Goldenmotor wiring harness tacked onto the Metro. I was only able to connect the cruise control/horn switch, and the main power cable, but later last night I went back out, and painstakingly made adapting connectors for the brake switches. I do have a full twist throttle that I no longer plan to mount on the bike, and that has a matching connector for the harness, so later tonight I just may go out and get it ready for some bench testing, using the tired old Metro battery rather than the new one, with the throttle off the bike but plugged in. The first step is to try to get the Bluetooth controller in the wheel to accept some nice, mild programming parameters. Fingers crossed...
 
Two days later, and after doing two work sessions a night, the bike is ready for a test ride. I wrestled the right grip off, and installed the full twist throttle. I decided that since I rode motorcycles for 50+ years I'm not likely to have trouble both holding on and using the twist throttle. After a ridiculous amount of effort, and ending up with the higher gearing I wanted but a front chain ring with 4 good screws/nuts and one defective one, and about 10 tries to get the chain on and linked, the pedal drivetrain is working, with all new parts except the derailleur. There was yet another problem that turned up last thing this morning: the powertrain comes on when the battery is charging, and the only way to get around it until I install the DC breaker I picked up as a main power switch is to remove the battery to charge it. Having struggled mightily to get the battery lock mechanism working again after having it apart, that worried me, but it seems I really did get the lock working properly.

So sometime this evening I'll be taking the first test ride on my 1kw direct drive Magnum Metro step-through. I finally got the Bluetooth interface working with the 5 YO smartphone I'm using as a display, and I entered some gentler parameters, both to spare the elderly battery I'm using for now, and to make riding the bike less dangerous until I get used to it. Wish me luck - and no injuries.
 
I was going to post this in the "Government subsidies/perks/mandates for EVs" topic, but think MNL members interested in e-bikes are probably a small sub-set of the total membership, so decided to post this here instead:
What’s the status of California’s upcoming $10M electric bike rebate program?

https://electrek.co/2022/12/04/california-electric-bike-rebate-program-status/


California allocated $10 million for a rebate program to help make electric bikes more affordable. But hang on there; it’s not active quite yet.

The move is part of a years-long effort to help reduce the price of expensive electric bicycles for state residents. The ultimate goal is to make it easier for commuters to switch from car transportation to e-bike transportation.

It makes sense when you consider the long list of benefits. From cleaner air to reduced traffic and improved health/fitness, electric bikes solve many of the problems plaguing California (and the rest of the country).

But the path towards a statewide incentive program to reduce e-bike prices hasn’t been quick or easy. . . .

Last year California got one step closer to that goal when it included a $10M allocation in the state budget for an e-bike rebate program. As Assemblymember Boerner Horvath said at the time:

Making e-bikes more affordable is one of the most effective ways to get Californians out of their cars and reduce emissions. I’m thrilled that the full funding I requested for purchase incentives, education, and training is included in the budget we approved. This program represents a priority shift in the right direction and, once implemented, will help folks from all backgrounds choose a healthier, happier way to get around.”

That was another huge step in the right direction, but it hasn’t yet resulted in an active program.

That’s expected to begin in early 2023, with a number of key guidelines for California’s first statewide e-bike voucher program already laid out.

According to the California Bicycle Association, the program will create a $750 voucher for a standard electric bicycle and a $1,500 voucher for a cargo electric bicycle. There will be additional incentives for anyone whose income is under 225% of the federal poverty level (FPL) or who lives in disadvantaged communities.

But in order to qualify for the voucher, participants’ household income must be below 400% of the FPL, which amounts to $51,000 for a single person and $106,000 for a family of four at current figures.

The program will include Class 1 electric bikes (pedal assist up to 20 mph or 32 km/h) and Class 2 electric bikes (pedal assist and/or throttle up to 20 mph or 32 km/h), but will NOT include Class 3 e-bikes (pedal assist up to 28 mph).

Qualifying bikes must also either be purchased at a local bike shop in California, or online from a company that has “a business location in California”.

The move could see California align with other states that have created or already implemented electric bicycle incentives. Vermont became the first state in the US to offer a statewide e-bike rebate program. Oregon is also working on creating an e-bike incentive program that could soon become law, as New York attempts to do the same.

Many cities such as Denver, Colorado have also implemented their own local programs, though the funding is usually much smaller than statewide programs.

As with other direct to consumer subsidies for buying EVs, I'm against this one, possibly excepting the 225% FPL part. I'd much rather see money being spent on safety improvements to infrastructure like protected or separate bike paths, so that more people will feel safe enough they'll be willing to ride bikes, whether electric or regular, for commuting and errands. Many people are simply too frightened to do so, and I fully understand that.

I've been riding unprotected in heavy street traffic since I was about 9 so I don't need convincing of the benefits, but even I've noticed that I'm much more relaxed when I've got a line of parked cars or even just a few feet with flexible poles with reflectors on them between me and somebody passing by two to four times faster than I'm riding, instead of having them pass me with often less than 1 foot of clearance - California's required a 3 ft. minimum distance for a few years now, but either many people are bad at judging that, are unaware of the law, or simply don't care.
 
I'd much rather see money being spent on safety improvements to infrastructure like protected or separate bike paths, so that more people will feel safe enough they'll be willing to ride bikes, whether electric or regular, for commuting and errands.

Living in a place where I can get most places I need to go on dirt roads or in small-town traffic, having an ebike has been great. Small batch shopping, doctor appointments, get the mail (at the local PO). I did not get a subsidy because the bike is a Bafang motor on my mountain bike but state incentives would and should help people who can not otherwise afford it get mobile in this way.
 
dmacarthur said:
Living in a place where I can get most places I need to go on dirt roads or in small-town traffic, having an ebike has been great. Small batch shopping, doctor appointments, get the mail (at the local PO). I did not get a subsidy because the bike is a Bafang motor on my mountain bike but state incentives would and should help people who can not otherwise afford it get mobile in this way.


Hence my willingness to allow incentives for those below 225% FPL, although bar those with physical limitations I see little reason to help people buy e-bikes rather than regular (and much less expensive) bikes. They get better exercise that way, the bikes are lighter and use fewer resources, aren't using batteries, add nothing to electricity demand, and the source of electricity generation is irrelevant.

Admittedly they're generally slower, and in some hilly areas e.g. San Francisco may impose severe limits on who can use them, requiring exceptions to my 'no subsidy' rule. But in general, while going from a car to an e-bike is a major improvement in emissions and space saving, if you can afford a car you can afford an e-bike.

On the other end of the scale, going from foot-mobility only to a regular bike is a huge step up in mobility anywhere there are roads, and can be done at pretty minimal cost. Of the 5 'adult' bikes I've had, 3 were acquired used and served me for years.

OT, I've had two bikes stolen, including my first road bike, a Mercier 100 that I bought used in 1974 (cost me $100 + $6.50 tax) and rode for 19 years. My current bike, a Surly bought new, cost me about a grand total four years ago after the used Peugeot I'd been riding for 7-8 years (paid around $250 IIRR) suffered a cracked seat tube above the top tube that had too little space to weld.

I bought new only because I discovered that it was getting harder and harder to find used bikes with steel frames, which I prefer as even though they're a bit heavier, they provide a better ride on bumpy urban streets than aluminum or carbon fiber frames because they flex more, and they aren't the theft magnet that carbon fiber (or Ti) bikes are. I had most of the components moved over from the Peugeot because they worked, I liked them better than the newer stuff, and I saw no reason to pay more for all new. A regular bike's workings are pretty much fully exposed and its functioning is simple, so compared to a car it's pretty easy to know if something's wrong, and the cause.
 
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