Frames

[RevDon]

So.... lately I've become intrigued with the concept of carving frames, and I'm obviously not the only one. Even Yamaha has recently intro'd a 4-wheel carving concept with a narrow configuration. Will include pics when I get the chance.
Don

[flip_normal]

If we want ebikes and light evs to become a popular form of transport then we've got to come up with a design which is tailored towards commuters. Short trips to and from work account for a very large proportion of all journeys and many of these take place in urban areas where pollution from gas vehicles is an unpleasant and unhealthy aspect of city life.

I think that the tadpole tilting three wheeler design is the way to go. Two wheels up front mean it's harder to skid the front wheels when cornering which is a lot worse than letting the back slide out a bit and also allows for quicker breaking. Four wheels adds weight and rolling resistance which for a bike needs to be minimised and if you want more than 750W (200-250W in the UK ) then that adds a load of red tape as it would be classed as a car rather than a motorcycle or moped which are subject to a lot less rules and regulations in order to get them registered. Although if the vehicles speed was restricted it could probably be classed as a neighbourhood vehicle.

Here's an example of a tadpole TTW. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNAipmCKj2M&feature=user

Then there's the Piaggio mp3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjPEu0n2Kbc

I'd like to know the exact stipulations of their patent to see if there's room for us to create an open source design for a narrow tilting tadpole three wheeler.

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Then again if you just want a kick ass ebike then you could probably do a lot worse than this frame on ebay, if you can afford the price tag. Lots of room for batteries in the frame triangle there.

[RevDon]

New Suspension Trend: Reverse Shocks. They work opposite of a regular shock absorber; pulling rather than pushing, which makes for some interesting suspension possibilities as seen here: http://www.gizmag.com/hillbilly-motors- ... onos/8520/ This particular bike also uses the wheel drive sprocket as a disc brake Now that's clever

[RevDon]

Here's a great video showing a tilting/carving trike: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjbIAVla ... re=related

[diode]

If I'm understanding this thread, it's about what your personal preference is in a e-bike frame and setup. I tried making an e-bike out of a Bike-E for a couple of years. It was hell mainly because the bike is not standardized in its design.

I ended up with a Sun EZ-1 bike. While not perfect, I love riding this bike and hope to improve it in the future with a new design. The good parts: it accepts a standard rack for the back, and a pannier rack that mounts under the seat. While I have my battery on the rack at the moment, I plan on having two batteries mounted in ammo cans on the underseat pannier racks, leaving the rear rack free for cargo.

I also plan to put the controller and other electronics there under the seat between the pannier racks.

One aspect of bikes is their cargo usefulness. Without being capable of carrying big amounts of groceries and other items, they are just toys really. The Xtracycle fits the bill for me. Unfortunately, an Xtracycle won't fit on recumbents with slanted rear tubes and 20" wheels. There is a larger version of the Sun which has a 26" rear wheel. I think the Xtracycle would work on that.

This would be the perfect bike for me. 72V of LifePO4 in secure ammo cans under the seat on the panniers, controller and other electronics in waterproof container under the seat. 12DC converter so I can run lights and LED's. Xtracycle in rear can hold cargo with hub motor mounted in rear 26" wheel.

Add a double-kick stand, some kind wind screen/shield, bell and you've got a heck of a ride. Multipurpose, fast as heck. Carry the chargers on board and you can charge anywhere. Plus get several sacks of groceries home no problem.

Building a frame to do this would be superior to adding an Xtraycle due to weight and straight considerations, but I think it would probably hold up. Disc brakes in the front would be a nice touch.