oldwahoo54
10 W
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2014
- Messages
- 72
First, the requisite donor bike photo:
C'ville Commuter
- Thread starter oldwahoo54
- Start date
oldwahoo54
10 W
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2014
- Messages
- 72
First issue: what to do with the integrated brake/shifter assemblies?
I got the e-brakes from cell_man (http://www.zannx.com/products-show.asp?id=36), but it seems like it's going to be kinda funky to try to use them in combination with the e-brakes. I'm wondering what others have done.
OK, ordered some Acera shifters w/o brakes. Should be good now.
I got the e-brakes from cell_man (http://www.zannx.com/products-show.asp?id=36), but it seems like it's going to be kinda funky to try to use them in combination with the e-brakes. I'm wondering what others have done.
OK, ordered some Acera shifters w/o brakes. Should be good now.
dogman dan
1 PW
You take those ebrake handles and put em in a box. Soon you'll have as big a pile of em as I do. Keep your old handles and shifters.
Unless you are unable to handle the concept of let off the throttle when you want to stop. But you do need them to enable regen on a direct drive hubmotor bike.
Unless you are unable to handle the concept of let off the throttle when you want to stop. But you do need them to enable regen on a direct drive hubmotor bike.
Drunkskunk
100 GW
Great bike for a conversion.
+1 to what Dogman said. Stick the ebrake handles in a box someplace dark. I might make a bike themed coat rack out of all the ones I have around here.
The shifter/brake combo you have will be fine. just add a small space between the throttle and the brake so the shifters clear. Those Acer brake levers are better quality than the ebrake levers
Motorcycles don't kill the motor when you grab the brake, there is no reason an ebike should either, unless you just can't handle the idea of releasing the throttle while grabbing the brake.
as for regen, If you have a DD hub and want it, it's easy enough to ad a button someplace to activate it, or put an inline switch on the cable
+1 to what Dogman said. Stick the ebrake handles in a box someplace dark. I might make a bike themed coat rack out of all the ones I have around here.
The shifter/brake combo you have will be fine. just add a small space between the throttle and the brake so the shifters clear. Those Acer brake levers are better quality than the ebrake levers
Motorcycles don't kill the motor when you grab the brake, there is no reason an ebike should either, unless you just can't handle the idea of releasing the throttle while grabbing the brake.
as for regen, If you have a DD hub and want it, it's easy enough to ad a button someplace to activate it, or put an inline switch on the cable
oldwahoo54
10 W
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2014
- Messages
- 72
I put the PAS sensor inside the cranks as per the manufacturer's recommendation, but after just a little pedaling for testing purposes, it is now jammed. I'll pull the crank to see what's up, but I'm wondering what would be the downside of putting it on the other side? Seems like it would be more vulnerable over there.
UPDATE: I have the same issue on the other side as well. The sensor wheel gets pushed up against the bottom bracket housing just tight enough to keep it from turning. I may be able to solve this with an appropriately sized washer or spacer, if I can find one. But I'm open to other suggestions.
UPDATE: I found a 16 mm i.d. washer that would fit around the crankshaft but not interfere with anything else and stick out past the bb housing just enough to keep the sensor disk from contacting it. Decided to put it on the left side. Easier for one thing, plus on the other side it pushes the chainwheels out a tad and requires an adjustment of the front derailleur.
UPDATE: I have the same issue on the other side as well. The sensor wheel gets pushed up against the bottom bracket housing just tight enough to keep it from turning. I may be able to solve this with an appropriately sized washer or spacer, if I can find one. But I'm open to other suggestions.
UPDATE: I found a 16 mm i.d. washer that would fit around the crankshaft but not interfere with anything else and stick out past the bb housing just enough to keep the sensor disk from contacting it. Decided to put it on the left side. Easier for one thing, plus on the other side it pushes the chainwheels out a tad and requires an adjustment of the front derailleur.
oldwahoo54
10 W
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2014
- Messages
- 72
Finally got this thing on the road a few weeks ago. My commute is between 8.2 and 8.8 miles each way, depending on which route I take, with about a 540 or 460 foot total elevation gain along the way depending on which direction. There is one class 5 MapMyRide hill in there. I have the Mac 10t motor and 12.3 Ah frame pack battery, 36V. With the max watts for PAS set to 500W, I was using less than half the charge each way, and I have a charger at work, but on some hills would only manage about 10 mph going up. So I set the max watts to 750 (seemed safe based on em3ev website info), and now don't drop much below 15 mph on the steepest hill. Not using the throttle at all, really.
NeezyDeezy
100 W
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2009
- Messages
- 149
looking good
oldwahoo54
10 W
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2014
- Messages
- 72
Thanks. Still trying to figure out how to trim the CA V3. Main issue is, going from downhill (coasting) to uphill, the speed drops to ~15 mph sometimes before the motor kicks in. On gentler grades it will kick in at a higher speed. Not sure which of the settings affects that.
oldwahoo54
10 W
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2014
- Messages
- 72
So, I've got 270 miles on this bike now. About 3,000 to go to make it cost competitive with an auto, assuming the federal mileage reimbursement rate for business. 
Right wrist started hurting so added bar ends and got a 661 (?) wrist brace. Back started hurting a little so replaced the seat post with a cheapish suspension seatpost. Both problems seem resolved, for now.
My commute is about 17 miles round trip. I use less than half the battery charge each way (reading the CAV3 battery meter), and re-charge at work. I'm averaging around 16.5 mph overall. Charlottesville has rolling hills, not long but you're almost always going uphill or coasting. I think the battery should last quite awhile at this pace.
I could see adding a trailer and using it for some errands on weekends. However, checking shopping centers around here, there aren't a lot of good options for locking up your bike. Probably would have to remove the panniers and battery and carry them with me.
Right wrist started hurting so added bar ends and got a 661 (?) wrist brace. Back started hurting a little so replaced the seat post with a cheapish suspension seatpost. Both problems seem resolved, for now.My commute is about 17 miles round trip. I use less than half the battery charge each way (reading the CAV3 battery meter), and re-charge at work. I'm averaging around 16.5 mph overall. Charlottesville has rolling hills, not long but you're almost always going uphill or coasting. I think the battery should last quite awhile at this pace.
I could see adding a trailer and using it for some errands on weekends. However, checking shopping centers around here, there aren't a lot of good options for locking up your bike. Probably would have to remove the panniers and battery and carry them with me.
oldwahoo54
10 W
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2014
- Messages
- 72
I'm now at 500+ miles. Nothing remarkable to report. That's good!
Added a cup holder up front and an old Cateye halogen headlight, not so I can see but so others will see me better. Can be a little dark when I leave early in the morning. Will swap this for one of the Cree-like lights as autumn approaches.
Found that if I switch to the lowest of the 3 speeds on the 3-speed switch on cool mornings I don't get as much wind chill and also generate a bit more body heat! I do that going through the neighborhoods but use the high speed setting when I'm on the busier roads, just to get off them quicker.
Added a cup holder up front and an old Cateye halogen headlight, not so I can see but so others will see me better. Can be a little dark when I leave early in the morning. Will swap this for one of the Cree-like lights as autumn approaches.
Found that if I switch to the lowest of the 3 speeds on the 3-speed switch on cool mornings I don't get as much wind chill and also generate a bit more body heat! I do that going through the neighborhoods but use the high speed setting when I'm on the busier roads, just to get off them quicker.
