blissisebike said:
I sent them pics and invited them over for a ride, but for some reason they didn't seem interested.
However, they did mention that they didn't like me calling it an "eTownie".
Nick's Black eTownie
- Thread starter nicobie
- Start date
I sent them pics and invited them over for a ride, but for some reason they didn't seem interested.
However, they did mention that they didn't like me calling it an "eTownie".
blissisebike
1 mW
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2011
- Messages
- 14
Why does that not surprise me? Typical 'suit' behavior. The Townie is such a comfy and consumer friendly bike and imho they are missing out on a real marketing opportunity by snubbing their noses at the electric assist possibilities.
I love what you have done, but don't think I yet have enough resources (in several respects) to try to do something similar. This remains, however, one of the ebike builds that truly captures my fancy.
I love what you have done, but don't think I yet have enough resources (in several respects) to try to do something similar. This remains, however, one of the ebike builds that truly captures my fancy.
jkbrigman
10 kW
Nick - can you give us an update on your SWEET eTownie build?
How did the electrical components hold up? (you had tried a clyte motor and it blew up)
How has the bike held up? Still running 24" wheels? Same tires?
Anything you would or would not change since you posted the build thread?
JKB
How did the electrical components hold up? (you had tried a clyte motor and it blew up)
How has the bike held up? Still running 24" wheels? Same tires?
Anything you would or would not change since you posted the build thread?
JKB
The bike is holding up fine. The motor that cooked was a reject from the factory. I think it came with a small short in the windings that got big in the first couple minutes. The replacement HT3525 that I got from methods has been working flawlessly. Lyen's 12 fet set at 60a battery and 135a phase is working fine as is the Magura throttle. I wired the controller to a key switch that locks the motor when switched on. This is a nice feture that all lyen's controllers are capable of doing.
I changed my 4s boost pack out for a 6s one. Now I'm hitting 42 mph on 24s
Nothing is getting too hot. The temp gauge in the motor never shows more than 80C and that is with bursts of 5500w. I did drill my side covers. If you nail the throttle at 10 mph it will lift the front wheel.
Still using a 24" with 2.5"hookworm on the rear and 26" with 2.3 big apple on the front. The bike is very stable at speed. I can take my hands off the bars at 40 mph without worry. The long wheel base makes all the difference.
The rear wheel and tire work fine, but if I was to do it over again I might use a 17 or 18" narrow moped rim and 2.75" motorcycle tire.
I changed my 4s boost pack out for a 6s one. Now I'm hitting 42 mph on 24s
Nothing is getting too hot. The temp gauge in the motor never shows more than 80C and that is with bursts of 5500w. I did drill my side covers. If you nail the throttle at 10 mph it will lift the front wheel.Still using a 24" with 2.5"hookworm on the rear and 26" with 2.3 big apple on the front. The bike is very stable at speed. I can take my hands off the bars at 40 mph without worry. The long wheel base makes all the difference.
The rear wheel and tire work fine, but if I was to do it over again I might use a 17 or 18" narrow moped rim and 2.75" motorcycle tire.
Brentis
10 kW
Great job on this build Nicobie. I have admired it for years now 
time flies.
Id like to give my "Ghetto" bike this frame sealing treatment.
Can you give more details/pics of the wood frame/box you fastened to the Alu. frame?
Is it just self tapping metal screws through the wood into the frame? Did you pre-drill holes in the frame.
How has your method held up?
Enjoy your bad ass eTownie.
Thanks
time flies.Id like to give my "Ghetto" bike this frame sealing treatment.
Can you give more details/pics of the wood frame/box you fastened to the Alu. frame?
Is it just self tapping metal screws through the wood into the frame? Did you pre-drill holes in the frame.
How has your method held up?
Enjoy your bad ass eTownie.
Thanks
The bike weighs 85# with a full tank of Vs. :wink: I haven't yet found a hill it wouldn't go up at full throttle. However I'm sure going off road I could find some too steep to tackle. This is one of my favorite rides:
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/45676552 Check out the % grade
Yep, I pre-drilled the holes with a bit slightly smaller than the self tapping screws I used to hold the side covers on with. I have checked several times for stress cracks and couldn't find any. The alum. side covers add a lot of shear strength. I think the frame is way stronger than it was stock.
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/45676552 Check out the % grade
Yep, I pre-drilled the holes with a bit slightly smaller than the self tapping screws I used to hold the side covers on with. I have checked several times for stress cracks and couldn't find any. The alum. side covers add a lot of shear strength. I think the frame is way stronger than it was stock.
Thanks for the details and speedy reply Nicobie. Ah Lompoc, home of Tim Brummer and his famous Lightning recumbents of which my brother and I are owners of full fairing versions of the F40 and the R84.
Comparing hills is always tricky, so appreciate the mapmyride slope of the hill outside Lompoc!
Comparing hills is always tricky, so appreciate the mapmyride slope of the hill outside Lompoc!
Philistine
100 kW
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2010
- Messages
- 1,736
It's a really cool build Nicobie. Looks crazy comfortable and really cleanly done, nice work.
bbbelanger
1 µW
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2012
- Messages
- 3
Hi Nicobie,
Very nice build I'm looking into as basis for my own Townie.
Questions on your rear disc brake retro fit:
Where di you source the Tabs for the brake.?
Did you weld this yourself ?
Very nice build I'm looking into as basis for my own Townie.
Questions on your rear disc brake retro fit:
Where di you source the Tabs for the brake.?
Did you weld this yourself ?
bbbelanger said:
I just ground off the ends and tig welded one of the extra brackets that came with the Avid BB7. Easy to set up. Clamp the caliper with bracket on the rotor (using the brake lever wrapped with a rubber band) where you want it to be. Then tack it on. Remove the caliper and weld it up in steps so as to try not to get it too hot. I didn't heat treat it but it has held up fine for over a year now.
bbbelanger
1 µW
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2012
- Messages
- 3
thanks for your reply Nick. I'll be starting on my project in the late fall as a winter project.
Thank you for showing the way
Thank you for showing the way
jkbrigman
10 kW
Nick - I'm about to bring online a bike that's pretty similar to yours (although mine doesn't have the badass triple forks that yours does). I'll post a thread with pics soon.
EDIT: Here's the bike. I've taken it on it's first big test ride. Dude, you're onto something here with the conversion of the "crank forward" bike to an ebike. It's a fantastic ride! This one is the Specialized Expedition Sport. (I don't mean to hijack the thread, but only to support the idea that this type of cycle platform makes a great conversion.)
No thread yet. I'll update .sig when I've got one.
JKB
EDIT: Here's the bike. I've taken it on it's first big test ride. Dude, you're onto something here with the conversion of the "crank forward" bike to an ebike. It's a fantastic ride! This one is the Specialized Expedition Sport. (I don't mean to hijack the thread, but only to support the idea that this type of cycle platform makes a great conversion.)
No thread yet. I'll update .sig when I've got one.
JKB
Attachments
jkbrigman
10 kW
EDIT: Wiped text from prior post to provide test results...
So I've finished a 28 mile test ride with 18S10Ah LiPo. Kinda scared me - I wanted to "push" the LiPo and I did: the controller did some LVC protection with 2 miles remaining in the ride. It's a SWEET ride! Nicobie, that long wheelbase frame is fantastic for an ebike...I could manage 29.5mph max, average across the ride was about 15mph. I used 8.5Ah total on an 18S LiPo pack.
So I've finished a 28 mile test ride with 18S10Ah LiPo. Kinda scared me - I wanted to "push" the LiPo and I did: the controller did some LVC protection with 2 miles remaining in the ride. It's a SWEET ride! Nicobie, that long wheelbase frame is fantastic for an ebike...I could manage 29.5mph max, average across the ride was about 15mph. I used 8.5Ah total on an 18S LiPo pack.
jkbrigman said:
My bike gets a lot of attention. You should see the 14 year old boys drool all over it.
This bike has always been one of my favorites, I should have written about it long ago. So...here it is!
http://www.electricbike.com/custom-build-gallery-nicks-etownie/
http://www.electricbike.com/custom-build-gallery-nicks-etownie/
spinningmagnets said:
Thanks Ron. Very nice write up, even though I don't think I'm up to the caliber of your other subjects.
BTW... the electricbike.com web magazine is looking good. Lots of good info there.
Nick
NeilP
1 GW
More info please if you can on yhow you made the box.
Looks like battens, fixed to the frame, that you then screw side panels on to, with a top cover to finish it off. What where the battens made from
? and how did you fix them to the frame? Self tappers or did you use nut-sert inserts in the frame the same as water bottle holders etc.
Thanks
Looks like battens, fixed to the frame, that you then screw side panels on to, with a top cover to finish it off. What where the battens made from
? and how did you fix them to the frame? Self tappers or did you use nut-sert inserts in the frame the same as water bottle holders etc.
Thanks
The Architect
1 µW
Really nice build here! 
I am currently building up an Electra Townie myself (So I have studied you pictures in great detail!). And I love the look of those White Bros forks.
Can you just tell me what the suspension travel is on them? And have you had any problem with stress on the frame using such big forks?
I am currently building up an Electra Townie myself (So I have studied you pictures in great detail!). And I love the look of those White Bros forks.
Can you just tell me what the suspension travel is on them? And have you had any problem with stress on the frame using such big forks?
Thank you for the kind words.
The forks have 6" travel and I have had zero trouble with the frame.
Nick
The forks have 6" travel and I have had zero trouble with the frame.
Nick
NeilP said:
The battens are of oak that I attached using self-tapers into a predrilled hole. Over the years it has held up well with no troubles or frame cracks.
The Architect
1 µW
nicobie said:
Thank you for the reply, I am currently on the hunt for some White Bro's forks for my Townie now! 8)
Just one more question. Any of the WB forks that I have found, all have a short steerer tube on them. Did you have to use an extender at all? If so, do you have any recommendations on which one?
Thanks again Nick!
Greendog
100 W
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2021
- Messages
- 127
nicely optimised bike , is bit like mine, if mine had much better parts :wink: fast but comfortable, I could get used to having cranks further forward like on your frame,
might have to reavaluate my opinion that mtb frames make best ebikes
,you got the lipos , got balloony street tyres, sun rims ,retro DH forks, looks like 180 rotor on front, can't go wrong with that lot ,
i thought that was fresh new stuff , is where I come from anyway :lol: , but you been doing it in the ebike conversion game since 2010 8)
might have to reavaluate my opinion that mtb frames make best ebikes
,you got the lipos , got balloony street tyres, sun rims ,retro DH forks, looks like 180 rotor on front, can't go wrong with that lot ,i thought that was fresh new stuff , is where I come from anyway :lol: , but you been doing it in the ebike conversion game since 2010 8)
