Ridehax Podcast (was :Endless Sphere Podcast / Ebike Nerdcast)

[GCinDC]

really enjoyed talking to you, john. i learned a lot!

 

[grindz145]

Episode 28 is live http://troyrank.com/2012/11/17/ebike-nerd-podcast-episode-28/ Hanebrink!

 

[GCinDC]

damn shame we could only get him on his cell phone! we couldn't him on skype or a land line... you gotta listen hard, but it's worth it.

bit of research, aslo posted on show notes:
Monotrack Experimental by Dan Hanebrink

In 1971 “Cycle News” publisher Chuck Clayton asked Costa Mesa, California engineer Dan Hanebrink to sketch a futuristic machine of the eighties for a front page Christmas issue of the newspaper. From this sketch Hanebrink developed his ideas and the result, two years later, was the Monotrack Experimental. This design accounted for a large number of firsts in motorcycle engineering. The monocoque chassis was made from magnesium plate and a three-cylinder, rubber-mounted, two-stroke Kohler snowmobile engine provided power to the belt-driven torque converter. Drive to the rear wheel was also by belt. Hanebrink produced the 16-inch cast magnesium wheels on which Goodyear racing tires were mounted. The suspension had no springs, but relied on air and oil damping. The circular component on the fork bottom and rear strut contains a central neoprene diaphragm, which separates the oil and air. In use, the oil in the suspension struts compresses the air under load, allowing 41/2 inches of travel in the front forks and 4 inches in the rear.

1984 Hanebrink

1987 SE Shocker

other hanebrink mountain bike/shock history.

Dan's race and WIPE on his GPV gravity powered vehicle in 1988 (when he was 48!) - skip to 5:40
[youtube]xGVozzh0-E8[/youtube]

and coming out in 2013

Specifications from Dan Hanebrink Bikes

Color: Black and White Standard, Custom Colors Available
Weight: 120lbs
Battery Pack: 4 Li-ion, N.M.C AllCell Batteries. 82 volt, 20amp Hour pack
Range: 200+ miles
Motor: Crystalyte 5303 Mid Motor
Gearing: 14 speed transmission
Tires: Tubeless 20" x 8" (50cm x 20cm)
Wheels: 120/80x14 front, 20x8x8 rear
Wheelbase: 133 cm - 52.5 inches
Frame: 6061- T6 Aircraft Seamless Aluminum Tubing. 4.5 lbs in weight.
Fork: Inverted coil hydraulic, with adjustable compression and rebound damping. 8" travel.
Brakes: Brembo four piston hydraulic disc, front. Avid hydraulic disc.
Additional Notes: 80+ mph (when in competition mode). Controller-LYEN , programmable to 100+AMP. Cycle analyst full instrument package. Aerodynamic design. Race spec. Moto GP front tire. Adjustable geometry fork crowns. Controllers and packs are custom made to suit the individual customer. Prices very due to customizable options. Please call or email us to discuss pricing and place orders.

 

[ohzee]

Just listened to JRH & Kingfish episodes.. great stuff.. keep up the good work.

 

[Juicerman]

The original digital gangstas!

Love the nerdcast. Keep it up!

 

[grindz145]

Episode 29 is live: http://troyrank.com/2013/01/22/ebike-nerd-podcast-episode-29/

An interview with Matt Bentley, Industrial Designer for Zero Motorcycles.

a quote from the interview "Luke is our resident genius"


I heard rumblings that Greg also has a good episode in the pipe.

 

[liveforphysics]

That was a nice interview. You guys are too kind to me.

 

[grindz145]

Another Episode of the nerdcast is live: http://troyrank.com/2013/01/29/ebike-nerd-podcast-episode-30/

I know, an actually WEEKLY release for once?!?

You all can thank Greg and Todd for this one. I'm super psyched to see this middrive madness. To the end of the frock era!

 

[liveforphysics]

To the end of the frock era!

I don't really care what makes the torque at my wheel. It could be a hamster running in a cage or whatever. I just want it to be powerful, durable and reliable and not ruin the handling or riding experience of the bike.

In a perfect world, I think the ideal ebike would use a hubmotor. It would be weightless, and contribute all the torque/power I ever ask for and be silent and operate forever.

I've seen plenty of crappy mid-drives that were noisy and weak and unreliable and try to power through bicycle chain which tends to fail quickly at decently fun power levels. I've ridden hubmotor bikes that were an absolute hoot to ride and I couldn't stop smiling. Of course, I've also ridden hubmotor bikes that I was extremely disappointed with in everyway, and I've ridden mid-drive bikes that blew my mind with how awesome there were.

I've come to believe they really do all have there place, and you can make a hubmotor bike or a mid-drive bike that ends up being outstanding or awful.

 

[grindz145]

I've come to believe they really do all have there place, and you can make a hubmotor bike or a mid-drive bike that ends up being outstanding or awful.

You're totally killing my sensationalism... this is how they get you to watch the 5 o clock news. " It hasn't rained in days, is this the end of water?! find out on the next ebike nerd podcast"

Edit: that being said, for a higher power motor, I'm super psyched to get the weight out of the wheel, and let it spin up. I'm also really happy with my sub 4 lb Q100 hub.

 

[knoxie]

Another Episode of the nerdcast is live: http://troyrank.com/2013/01/29/ebike-nerd-podcast-episode-30/

I know, an actually WEEKLY release for once?!?

You all can thank Greg and Todd for this one. I'm super psyched to see this middrive madness. To the end of the frock era!

Interesting podcast, nice to hear from Thud too, Greg is in pretty safe hands there I am sure.. Thuds stuff tends to just work 8) and nice to hear he is using a sensored motor and controller, sure you will loose a bit of the poke of the RC controller experience but you will gain a whole heap of reliability, Greg mentioned at the start about Deecs bike and the infamous crash somewhere in England :lol: it was out the front of my house? I thought everyone knew that :lol:

Deecs bike was pretty unridable as he found out himself, the power of that thing was arm wrenching and he in fact took it all off and sold it and went back to a hub motor which I dont know if he ever actually got working because he had to make up the battery pack.

I think Greg will have a lot of fun, you will get very good at setting your gears and putting on new chains, the Optibike used to toast chains even at 750W so normal bike chain at 5KW will wear super quick, change it out if you get lots of skipping even if its aligned properly, have had a lot of experience of bike chain and high power buddy starting from way back with this.

Crikey we did this way back in 2004! there was a big Lemco motor bolted to this thing kicking out about 3-4KW at the time..was a hoot but the batteries werent great back then, was a real bike chain snapper, we went to fixed BMX chain in the end and fixed gearing.

Here is the reduction all nice and shiny before we let rip, I still have all this in the loft for a rainy day.

You should have a lot of fun Greg, its certainly a different experience

 

[grindz145]

sweet jesus thats gorgeous!

 

[Arlo1]

Episode 29 is live: http://troyrank.com/2013/01/22/ebike-nerd-podcast-episode-29/

An interview with Matt Bentley, Industrial Designer for Zero Motorcycles.

a quote from the interview "Luke is our resident genius"


I heard rumblings that Greg also has a good episode in the pipe.

This one seems broken? I can only get 6 min of the interview then it ends and I tried downloading and just playing it on the player in the window.

 

[etard]

It works for me!

8085?? WTH, there's no way that'll hold up! OK, maybe it will... One thing is for certain, Thud will run it through it's paces and Both of these guys will wreck it! :lol:

 

[Arlo1]

It works for me!

8085?? WTH, there's no way that'll hold up! OK, maybe it will... One thing is for certain, Thud will run it through it's paces and Both of these guys will wreck it! :lol:

Yeh I just tried it again and it works now.

 

[grindz145]

Episode 31 is live with Kepler!

http://troyrank.com/2013/02/11/ebike-nerd-podcast-episode-31

 

[grindz145]

Episode 32 is live with David Pearcea of Phasor Cycles: http://troyrank.com/2013/03/24/ebike-nerd-podcast-episode-32/

Great show. Thanks David!

 

[Juicerman]

I really enjoyed the interview with Matt Bentley the new industrial designer for Zero. The new S models look so much better than their first bikes. They should put him to work on the X models, because they still have a ways to go (I guess if you have to sit on a maxi-pad, it might as well have wings).

 

[Arlo1]

I really enjoyed the interview with Matt Bentley the new industrial designer for Zero. The new S models look so much better than their first bikes. They should put him to work on the X models, because they still have a ways to go (I guess if you have to sit on a maxi-pad, it might as well have wings).

Where are you getting you info from dude?
Maybe step out of 1-2 years ago....?

The new 2013 zero off road model is a MX and the dual sport FX......

http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/ca/zero-mx

 

[grindz145]

Hah, looks like any other motocross / Dualsport seat I've ever seen... That photo is like 4 years old BTW. That is an eternity in Zero time. Every year is like a whole generation right now.

 

[Juicerman]

Guys, guys, read what I said. Zero bikes are better looking than they used to be. The X bikes too, even if they did keep the ugly seat. Maybe you're right and that's just the standard shape for motocross. I have no first hand knowledge of it, but I hear that shape is very comfortable, whether doing motocross, playing on a swing with your kids, or riding a horse.

And I understand it's highly absorbant.

 

[Arlo1]

Guys, guys, read what I said. Zero bikes are better looking than they used to be. The X bikes too, even if they did keep the ugly seat. Maybe you're right and that's just the standard shape for motocross. I have no first hand knowledge of it, but I hear that shape is very comfortable, whether doing motocross, playing on a swing with your kids, or riding a horse.

And I understand it's highly absorbant.

But for 2013 there is no X model. It's now a 100% different bike called a MX different seat too.

 

[Juicerman]

But for 2013 there is no X model. It's now a 100% different bike called a MX different seat too.

My bad.

 

[grindz145]

New edition of the Ebike Nerdcast is live, with the legendary Craig Vetter and Alan Smith. We talk about designing a streamlined fairing for Terry Hershner's Zero S, and his monumental jouney:

http://troyrank.com/2013/05/31/ebike-nerd-podcast-episode-33/


Enjoy!

 

[bigmoose]

#33 was great! I have always liked Craig Vetter and thought he would be a great advocate for electric motorcycles. He's 70 years old and still going strong. Great man of sturdy character and courtesy.