itchynackers
100 kW
Well, I finally went off the deep end with this e-bike thing. After a couple years of collecting knowledge here, I decided I would try entering the 2012 Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb Challenge. The goal was simply to make it to the top. The result was a 3rd place finish out of 400 riders. First and second place went to the factory FFR trikes group… http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=41693
Congrats FFR! I ended up being the first bicycle to the top! Way beyond my expectations!
The bike setup:
2011 Trek 3700 disk
Motor:
9c 2810 motor purchased from Methods
My motor upgrades:
10awg Teflon phase wires installed
30awg Teflon hall wires installed
Temp sensor installed
Windings coated with VHT high temp brake caliper epoxy
Hub cover sealed with high temp silicone sealant
Controller:
Lyen 18 fet 4115
Battery:
30s 12ah lipo pack charged to 4.15v/cell
Cycle Analyst: set to a maximum current of 23 amps
Tires: Specialized Armadillo
Some pics at the bottom of the hill:
Arriving at the race 5am, not quite awake:
No spandex, just a t-shirt!
An optibike competitor:
How does this helmet work?
A view of Pikes Peak from the start line.
The course map:
At the start with more Opti’s.
More crazies stacking up at the start line:
And they’re off!!
On the course:
Trying not to fly off the cliff:
The finish line:
A pic of my CA data (after I rode a bit at the top to cool down) I actually used 1009wh and closer to 80wh/mile
On the surface of the moon with my bike:
At the top with 4 of the optibike riders:
Opti’s and FFR’s, oh my.
The bike on top, water bottle unopened:
Summit sign:
A view from above:
Oh yeah, I still have to go down, ugh.
After the descent in my cold weather gear:
Posing with the bike:
After waking up at 3:45am and driving out to the start line, it was still dark out. Many times that morning, I was wondering what the hell I was doing here. This is nuts. You could die, be mamed, crippled, mangled, smashed, bloodied, or all of the above. Not letting that deter me, I get the bike ready. I have power, check. CA set to 23 amps, check. Helmet, gloves, check. Make my way to the start line, check. The 2 minute warning sounds and I’d better turn on the Ipod to get the race video. Apparently I haven’t practiced this enough, because I can’t get the video recording to start. Oh well, no time now.
(Race starts)
I ease into the throttle, and still pull a bit of a wheelie, oops. Optis and FFR’s everywhere, better not hit them. The opti’s take a quick lead, and I tuck in behind 2 of them at about half throttle. The FFR’s make their way to the front. 2 miles in, and the FFR’s have a couple football field lead. I’d better make a move. So after drafting the opti’s, I ease past them. This is where my game plan went out the window. I had planned to just pace the opti’s to the top, then make a move at the end. I never was a good planner. I set full throttle and use all the 23 amps. Now I’m opening up a decent lead on the opti’s, thinking that I’ll probably burn up the motor further up the hill. Oh what the hell. I stay in the throttle hoping to catch up to the FFR’s. No such luck. Every time there is a hair pin corner, I have to hit the brakes hard and slow down. This is where the FFR’s open more of a lead on me. It is becoming apparent that I probably won’t catch them. Better focus on just making it up the hill. I remember that I probably should keep an eye on the temp gauge. At the start, my motor was at 4C. Now I’m heating up a bit. By the 6 mile mark, I’m at about 80c. I’m starting to wonder if I will fly off the cliff in a ball of flaming hub motor. By this time, I had opened up a good lead on the opti’s. My lungs are burning, my guts are aching, and I have cotton mouth. The pain is taking a toll. Apparently, I’m not in as good of shape as I thought. At this point I have to tell myself to ease up, or I’ll fall over dead. The pain doesn’t really go away, so I swear at myself hoping this will help. It doesn’t. I try to take in some of the sites. After all, I’ve never been to Pikes Peak, and I’d like to see the views. This is a very bad idea. I realize this when I hit the 2 foot gravel strip, right before it drops off into oblivion. More swearing. I have to tell my self to focus. I realize I’m swearing at myself and think I may be getting delirious. Not good on the edge of a mountain. Motor temperature climbs to 115C at about the 9 mile mark. Uh oh. Luckily, there is a bit of a downhill section, maybe half a mile long. I’m in luck! I hit 46mph and watch motor temp decrease to 103c. At this point, I was pretty sure I was going to make it to the top! “Yes, keep pedaling damnit!” I see the last switchback curve and round it. The finish line approaches. I fly through the finish with a smile. I slow and ride around a bit to cool the motor down. After making my way back to the finish line, I see the FFR guys and go over to congratulate. They do the same. Great guys. We talk for a bit, and watch the optibikers finish. I think they were the next four riders. We all talked and admired each others’ rides. After about an 45 minutes, the FFR guys started down the hill. I left shortly after and caught them part way down. I followed for a few miles while we passed all the other riders still heading up the hill. The FFR guys were cheering on EVERY rider we encountered. What a class act! FFR pulled off to talk to some riders, so I pushed on. After I was sure I had passed all the pedalers, I opened up the throttle (yes down the hill). I hit 50.8mph at one point. A bit careless with hairpin turns, but you only live once, right? I fly back through the start line and check my regen stats. I had regened about 100wh back down. Battery was still at 3.72v/cell, cool. And that’s it! I packed up the bike and went to an early breakfast with the family in Manitou Springs. What a great experience. If any of you home e-bike builders get the chance, do it! It’s an experience you won’t forget. I’m certainly proud to have brought the e-bike title back to Endless Sphere. Couldn’t have done it without all the help from you guys!
Thanks,
Adam
Congrats FFR! I ended up being the first bicycle to the top! Way beyond my expectations!
The bike setup:
2011 Trek 3700 disk
Motor:
9c 2810 motor purchased from Methods
My motor upgrades:
10awg Teflon phase wires installed
30awg Teflon hall wires installed
Temp sensor installed
Windings coated with VHT high temp brake caliper epoxy
Hub cover sealed with high temp silicone sealant
Controller:
Lyen 18 fet 4115
Battery:
30s 12ah lipo pack charged to 4.15v/cell
Cycle Analyst: set to a maximum current of 23 amps
Tires: Specialized Armadillo
Some pics at the bottom of the hill:
Arriving at the race 5am, not quite awake:
No spandex, just a t-shirt!
An optibike competitor:
How does this helmet work?
A view of Pikes Peak from the start line.
The course map:
At the start with more Opti’s.
More crazies stacking up at the start line:
And they’re off!!
On the course:
Trying not to fly off the cliff:
The finish line:
A pic of my CA data (after I rode a bit at the top to cool down) I actually used 1009wh and closer to 80wh/mile
On the surface of the moon with my bike:
At the top with 4 of the optibike riders:
Opti’s and FFR’s, oh my.
The bike on top, water bottle unopened:
Summit sign:
A view from above:
Oh yeah, I still have to go down, ugh.
After the descent in my cold weather gear:
Posing with the bike:
After waking up at 3:45am and driving out to the start line, it was still dark out. Many times that morning, I was wondering what the hell I was doing here. This is nuts. You could die, be mamed, crippled, mangled, smashed, bloodied, or all of the above. Not letting that deter me, I get the bike ready. I have power, check. CA set to 23 amps, check. Helmet, gloves, check. Make my way to the start line, check. The 2 minute warning sounds and I’d better turn on the Ipod to get the race video. Apparently I haven’t practiced this enough, because I can’t get the video recording to start. Oh well, no time now.
(Race starts)
I ease into the throttle, and still pull a bit of a wheelie, oops. Optis and FFR’s everywhere, better not hit them. The opti’s take a quick lead, and I tuck in behind 2 of them at about half throttle. The FFR’s make their way to the front. 2 miles in, and the FFR’s have a couple football field lead. I’d better make a move. So after drafting the opti’s, I ease past them. This is where my game plan went out the window. I had planned to just pace the opti’s to the top, then make a move at the end. I never was a good planner. I set full throttle and use all the 23 amps. Now I’m opening up a decent lead on the opti’s, thinking that I’ll probably burn up the motor further up the hill. Oh what the hell. I stay in the throttle hoping to catch up to the FFR’s. No such luck. Every time there is a hair pin corner, I have to hit the brakes hard and slow down. This is where the FFR’s open more of a lead on me. It is becoming apparent that I probably won’t catch them. Better focus on just making it up the hill. I remember that I probably should keep an eye on the temp gauge. At the start, my motor was at 4C. Now I’m heating up a bit. By the 6 mile mark, I’m at about 80c. I’m starting to wonder if I will fly off the cliff in a ball of flaming hub motor. By this time, I had opened up a good lead on the opti’s. My lungs are burning, my guts are aching, and I have cotton mouth. The pain is taking a toll. Apparently, I’m not in as good of shape as I thought. At this point I have to tell myself to ease up, or I’ll fall over dead. The pain doesn’t really go away, so I swear at myself hoping this will help. It doesn’t. I try to take in some of the sites. After all, I’ve never been to Pikes Peak, and I’d like to see the views. This is a very bad idea. I realize this when I hit the 2 foot gravel strip, right before it drops off into oblivion. More swearing. I have to tell my self to focus. I realize I’m swearing at myself and think I may be getting delirious. Not good on the edge of a mountain. Motor temperature climbs to 115C at about the 9 mile mark. Uh oh. Luckily, there is a bit of a downhill section, maybe half a mile long. I’m in luck! I hit 46mph and watch motor temp decrease to 103c. At this point, I was pretty sure I was going to make it to the top! “Yes, keep pedaling damnit!” I see the last switchback curve and round it. The finish line approaches. I fly through the finish with a smile. I slow and ride around a bit to cool the motor down. After making my way back to the finish line, I see the FFR guys and go over to congratulate. They do the same. Great guys. We talk for a bit, and watch the optibikers finish. I think they were the next four riders. We all talked and admired each others’ rides. After about an 45 minutes, the FFR guys started down the hill. I left shortly after and caught them part way down. I followed for a few miles while we passed all the other riders still heading up the hill. The FFR guys were cheering on EVERY rider we encountered. What a class act! FFR pulled off to talk to some riders, so I pushed on. After I was sure I had passed all the pedalers, I opened up the throttle (yes down the hill). I hit 50.8mph at one point. A bit careless with hairpin turns, but you only live once, right? I fly back through the start line and check my regen stats. I had regened about 100wh back down. Battery was still at 3.72v/cell, cool. And that’s it! I packed up the bike and went to an early breakfast with the family in Manitou Springs. What a great experience. If any of you home e-bike builders get the chance, do it! It’s an experience you won’t forget. I’m certainly proud to have brought the e-bike title back to Endless Sphere. Couldn’t have done it without all the help from you guys!
Thanks,
Adam
