I’ve done a lot of reading on this forum and a few others. I think I have an idea of what I want to do but I am not certain exactly how to go about it. First I’ll give a little background about my situation. I recently bought a LWB recumbent (Sun Easy Racer clone) with a Wilderness Electric (non-geared) front wheel kit on a 20†wheel (front). The previous owner bought it about 4 years ago and recently replaced the 36v SLA batteries last year. He doesn’t remember the wattage of the kit but was pretty sure it is brushless.
So I took home and decided to try it out a bit in its electric form. I’ve ridden it for about 2 days and it is my first e-bike. Previous owner said the range was about 12-15 miles in pretty hilly terrain and pedaling from time to time. The recumbent rides great but the batteries being SLA are very heavy. The kit seems to go pretty well but I can see where it may not fit my needs. As I mentioned I was buying just for the bike and didn’t really think about using the motor that much but after riding I can see where it would be fun with the electric assist. But there are obvious downsides as many of you can already see.
One of the gotchas is the weight of the SLA batteries and direct drive hub. I also don’t like the drag of the motor when it is not running. I can definitely notice it. This is a fairly fast recumbent without electric assist but the motor’s drag really slows me down and a 12-15 mile range isn’t enough for me. I don’t think I’ll get that anyway as I am about 240lbs (50 more than the previous owner). So that has got me to thinking about the overall e-bike premise for my situation.
So here is where my questions come in along with my initial thoughts about this. I am considering tossing the Wilderness electric motor/controller and going with something different but it has been very reliable according to the previous owner and he has taken good care of it. At the same time I hate to just toss something that is working fine.
Here are my ideas at a high level.
• Keep the stock motor setup. Buy a LiFePo4 battery setup of 36v and about 12-20 amp. This would reduce the weight and improve the range but it won’t eliminate the drag of the motor when freewheeling. It would make it easier to pedal though without all the weight.
• Buy a new motor and controller (probably Lyen). Probably geared so as to freewheel when not in use. Most likely a 48v and a 48v 15-20 amp LiFePo4 battery pack. My concern with this route is will the geared motors handle 48v? Amped says a max of 36v for the geared motors. My concern is also supposedly they are slower than the direct drive motors but have better range. I am concerned about top speed as I am already lower due to a 20†wheel. I don’t really want to go with a 26†rear as there are fewer sprocket choices and only 7 sprocket chain rings. Any idea what sort of top speed on level ground I’d have with a 48v geared 20†wheel? If I were to go down to a 36v geared 20†wheel where would I be at? Would it likely be better than my old Wilderness system even though it is a direct drive?
My first option appeals to me as it is the least cost effective. However if I decided to upgrade I don’t think the 36v pack would be any good to me. I’d end up buying a 48v if I did upgrade. Any other options I am should be considering? I’d like to be able to go about 22-23 mph on the level. The recumbent has decent aerodynamics. Will the geared motors go faster if I pedal to assist or is there some sort of max rpm limit they have? I am a pretty decent bicyclist and under my own power can go about 20 mph for quite a ways on level ground on (2-3 mile) on it with the stock (non-electric) wheel on it. I basically would like the assist for my commute so I don’t arrive to work all sweaty. It is about 11 miles each way and no way for me to easily recharge.
Any idea if the Wilderness motor and controller could handle 48v? That might be another short term option. Do they make any special gearing options for a 20†wheel to up the speed at the expense of torque or are the motors just lower wattage to begin with. I like the idea of the freewheeling as I can take advantage of the fast down hills without having the braking effect of the motor. I also plan to add a fairing to the bike as well. On my past recumbent this typically added about 10% to my average speeds as well.
What are the best tools for monitoring the energy usage of the batteries and how depleted they are? The stock setup just has a charged and empty LED on the throttle controller. Not real useful for telling you how your energy consumption is. So good monitoring tools are a must to make sure I don't deplete the batteries as well as to make best use of my setup.
It looks like a ping 48v battery would be a great option or the A123 by cell_man if I want to go this route. Excuse the long post but I wanted to give as much info as necessary to help me make an informed decision.
If I go with a geared motor, any suggestions? Are there any direct drive option for motors in a 20†that would be a low drag option when not being powered? If I did go with a DD motor, would I be able to use a regen function on the controller (assuming it supports it and I believe it does but correct me if wrong)? That would have some appeal to me. I basically want to keep the bike as a bike but use the assist when I am tired or have some bigger hills to go up. I don’t mind pedaling some going up the hills but I really want at least 20mph on the level unassisted. Steepest hill is about a 5-6% grade 1 mile long at about 8 miles into my commute back home.
I am not an electrical wiz so try and explain in somewhat more basic terms if possible. I am still trying to come to grips with all the new jargon and basic concepts as it relates to ebikes. I do know my way around a soldering gun and basic wiring but I don’t understand all the nuances of ebikes. I am looking for specific suggestions about model numbers, controllers, chargers and packs. I've searched through the forums and it seems like cell_man is good, ping batteries too. Motors seems like so many motor types it is tough to choose from. I need something for a 20" front wheel. It seems like amped has some good options as well as ebike-kit. I am open to others. I would possibly consider going with a 26" rear wheel but it would have to support a chainring with 9 sprocket chainring(if anyone makes it). I'd still prefer to go with a geared wheel I think just to reduce rolling drag when not powered but the 26" might not be my first choice but I would be open to it if there is a lot of benefit and I can keep the 9 speed cassette.
I have a budget of about $1,000 - $1,200. Let me know if this isn't realistic. Where I can get the best bang for my buck. I think batteries and controllers seem to be a good place to spend the bulk of my money. Thanks in advance for all your help!
So I took home and decided to try it out a bit in its electric form. I’ve ridden it for about 2 days and it is my first e-bike. Previous owner said the range was about 12-15 miles in pretty hilly terrain and pedaling from time to time. The recumbent rides great but the batteries being SLA are very heavy. The kit seems to go pretty well but I can see where it may not fit my needs. As I mentioned I was buying just for the bike and didn’t really think about using the motor that much but after riding I can see where it would be fun with the electric assist. But there are obvious downsides as many of you can already see.
One of the gotchas is the weight of the SLA batteries and direct drive hub. I also don’t like the drag of the motor when it is not running. I can definitely notice it. This is a fairly fast recumbent without electric assist but the motor’s drag really slows me down and a 12-15 mile range isn’t enough for me. I don’t think I’ll get that anyway as I am about 240lbs (50 more than the previous owner). So that has got me to thinking about the overall e-bike premise for my situation.
So here is where my questions come in along with my initial thoughts about this. I am considering tossing the Wilderness electric motor/controller and going with something different but it has been very reliable according to the previous owner and he has taken good care of it. At the same time I hate to just toss something that is working fine.
Here are my ideas at a high level.
• Keep the stock motor setup. Buy a LiFePo4 battery setup of 36v and about 12-20 amp. This would reduce the weight and improve the range but it won’t eliminate the drag of the motor when freewheeling. It would make it easier to pedal though without all the weight.
• Buy a new motor and controller (probably Lyen). Probably geared so as to freewheel when not in use. Most likely a 48v and a 48v 15-20 amp LiFePo4 battery pack. My concern with this route is will the geared motors handle 48v? Amped says a max of 36v for the geared motors. My concern is also supposedly they are slower than the direct drive motors but have better range. I am concerned about top speed as I am already lower due to a 20†wheel. I don’t really want to go with a 26†rear as there are fewer sprocket choices and only 7 sprocket chain rings. Any idea what sort of top speed on level ground I’d have with a 48v geared 20†wheel? If I were to go down to a 36v geared 20†wheel where would I be at? Would it likely be better than my old Wilderness system even though it is a direct drive?
My first option appeals to me as it is the least cost effective. However if I decided to upgrade I don’t think the 36v pack would be any good to me. I’d end up buying a 48v if I did upgrade. Any other options I am should be considering? I’d like to be able to go about 22-23 mph on the level. The recumbent has decent aerodynamics. Will the geared motors go faster if I pedal to assist or is there some sort of max rpm limit they have? I am a pretty decent bicyclist and under my own power can go about 20 mph for quite a ways on level ground on (2-3 mile) on it with the stock (non-electric) wheel on it. I basically would like the assist for my commute so I don’t arrive to work all sweaty. It is about 11 miles each way and no way for me to easily recharge.
Any idea if the Wilderness motor and controller could handle 48v? That might be another short term option. Do they make any special gearing options for a 20†wheel to up the speed at the expense of torque or are the motors just lower wattage to begin with. I like the idea of the freewheeling as I can take advantage of the fast down hills without having the braking effect of the motor. I also plan to add a fairing to the bike as well. On my past recumbent this typically added about 10% to my average speeds as well.
What are the best tools for monitoring the energy usage of the batteries and how depleted they are? The stock setup just has a charged and empty LED on the throttle controller. Not real useful for telling you how your energy consumption is. So good monitoring tools are a must to make sure I don't deplete the batteries as well as to make best use of my setup.
It looks like a ping 48v battery would be a great option or the A123 by cell_man if I want to go this route. Excuse the long post but I wanted to give as much info as necessary to help me make an informed decision.
If I go with a geared motor, any suggestions? Are there any direct drive option for motors in a 20†that would be a low drag option when not being powered? If I did go with a DD motor, would I be able to use a regen function on the controller (assuming it supports it and I believe it does but correct me if wrong)? That would have some appeal to me. I basically want to keep the bike as a bike but use the assist when I am tired or have some bigger hills to go up. I don’t mind pedaling some going up the hills but I really want at least 20mph on the level unassisted. Steepest hill is about a 5-6% grade 1 mile long at about 8 miles into my commute back home.
I am not an electrical wiz so try and explain in somewhat more basic terms if possible. I am still trying to come to grips with all the new jargon and basic concepts as it relates to ebikes. I do know my way around a soldering gun and basic wiring but I don’t understand all the nuances of ebikes. I am looking for specific suggestions about model numbers, controllers, chargers and packs. I've searched through the forums and it seems like cell_man is good, ping batteries too. Motors seems like so many motor types it is tough to choose from. I need something for a 20" front wheel. It seems like amped has some good options as well as ebike-kit. I am open to others. I would possibly consider going with a 26" rear wheel but it would have to support a chainring with 9 sprocket chainring(if anyone makes it). I'd still prefer to go with a geared wheel I think just to reduce rolling drag when not powered but the 26" might not be my first choice but I would be open to it if there is a lot of benefit and I can keep the 9 speed cassette.
I have a budget of about $1,000 - $1,200. Let me know if this isn't realistic. Where I can get the best bang for my buck. I think batteries and controllers seem to be a good place to spend the bulk of my money. Thanks in advance for all your help!
