Which bicycle can comfortably and confidently handle 35mph?

[SamTexas]

That's very interesting, appealing and tempting.
Is it chromoly steel? What about the rear swingarm/dropout? What material is it made of?

Greyborg?

Thanks Spacey. I saw your reply but had no idea what you were talking about. Now I know.

 

[oatnet]

Our steel frame can handle over 70 mph

Love that swingarm. Is that now standard issue on your frame? Is it strong enough that I wouldn't need a torque arm for a hubbie at 15kw?

-JD

 

[hillzofvalp]

I don't believe full suspension is necessary for 35 mph.. but then again I've never ridden at that speed. I think my 29er hardtail with big apples will fit the bill for 35mph if I wanted to go that fast.

 

[Toorbough ULL-Zeveigh]

i'm sure it's not what you're after but the montague paratrooper definitely meets this thread's titled criteria for anyone searching later on.
proven to confidently handle 40+ mph

I have pedalled it up to 44mph, but have not wanted to go any faster -- it is after all a bike, not a motorcycle.

I drive behind cars doing 30-35mph on the local road all the time, in fact I have had a friend cruise next to me in a subaru doing 33=36mph and I have been cruising next to him on that road without pedalling.

just want to point out that although the frame is alu it's 7005 which is the only type i would ever consider if it has to be alu.
consequently chose the paratrooper model over the S-frame tidalforce which afaik are 6-series.
frame stiffness was/is at the top of my requirements for a powered bike & it really does seem 7-series is more rigid & resilient than the more common 6061.
it makes for a harsh ride but that was to be expected & believed i was fully prepared to live with my choice for the sake of a solid foundation.
after about a thousand miles tho my butt 'cannae take no more capn'.
the addition of a thuddy solved that & is an absolute necessity if you plan on doing even 25 mph on any hardtail.

the other huge plus on the paratrooper that i really liked (as so many others obviously) there's no downtube interference.
leaves you with a completely open frame giving total freedom for centrally mounting your batteries.
for that reason you can find countless examples out there where the monty has served as the platform for just about every type of add-on bike motor that's out there, real or imaginable.

the folding part of it which is it's main selling point otoh personally i don't have much need for.
although it's nice to have it when you need it, i've folded it up maybe twice in it's lifetime.
once a rear rack gets put on which is a given when adding power it basically inhibits the folding aspect making it too much of a pita to bother with.
it's not for everyone but it has an established track record as a versatile dependable ebike platform.

 

[Dave Sloan]

I would still go with a Trek steel frame. Just make sure it has double rims and short front suspension for front wheel drive. Use two plus inch tires that can handle high pressure. It is balanced when you can take your hands off of the handle bars and go at least 100 yards at 20 MPH without vibration= don't try this at 35 MPH!

 

[SamTexas]

Thanks again guys for your recommendation.

I still haven't found the frame I want. I still couldn't make up my mind on what I really want. Full suspension is nicer but battery carrying capacity is so limited.

My thinking has switched from bicycle frame to light offroad ICE frame. A 80 to 150cc Honda CRF. Suspension will definitely be superior. So is the front braking. Once the engine/transmission is removed, there should be more than sufficient room for 1.5kwh, all inside the frame. And if I can find a dual-purpose model, then the infrastructure for lighting is also already there.

The downside is the time and effort needed to weld in a bottom bracket for the crank, to modify the swing arm to accept the rear hub motor and the rear brake.

Too crazy? Too ambitious?

 

[icecube57]

I had my Tidal force at almost 50mph with a 5303. 26 inch wheel and a Dart 2 front fork. I wouldnt say I felt safe but it did feel at home. People say the TF frames flex. I dunno. I loved every momment .

 

[dogman dan]

What will be your usage? With a motorcycle frame, you have to register it since it has a vin number. Or ride it off road. What about a moped frame? I don't know the moped law in TX, do you have to get a plate and insurance? Maybe a moped can't go 35 legally, but my experience with one was that the frame handled 35 mph no sweat.

I have definitely eyeballed the 150cc enduro type frames for a potential highway speed EV. There are robust motorcycle grade hubmotors out there. But upping the ante to that gets into a lot of $$.

Totally the way to go in many ways, compared to street riding illegal homemade motorcycles with pedals.

 

[SamTexas]

With a motorcycle frame, you have to register it since it has a vin number.

I don't know. If I were to do it, I would install a bottom bracket along with real functioning crank and chainring. I think that would make it a bicycle. Not much different from other custom made bicycles. Speed is another thing, but I am already not legal on my electrified Trek when I exceed the 20mph limit.

 

[sn0wchyld]

.....
Totally the way to go in many ways, compared to street riding illegal homemade motorcycles with pedals.

yea but where's the fun in that?!?

 

[MadRhino]

Some alu DH frames have better handling than any dirt motorcycle, and are tough to survive many hard crash.

My favourite is a Demo 8, for its near perfect stability and balance. Fast is never too fast with this one, hit 100Kmh and it feels like only half the speed it's made for and could ride no hands. Mine is a 2008, had many crashes as a freeride and as an ebike. It is full of scratches and dents, yet still straight and stiff as new. Turnoff: Twice the bearings to service, and It makes for the most complicated dropout job, to convert it to a good hub motor setup.

 

[kfong]

Why DH frames are built stronger, making them a good choice for all the added weight and speed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUy1Hq9UiyY&feature=youtube_gdata_player

A bike comparison http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=32963

Installing a hub motor is a challenge though, even the axial on these bikes are thicker than most hub motors, so it's not an easy conversion.

 

[ohzee]

man kfong that video was pretty sick.. I thoroughly enjoyed it thanks.

 

[kfong]

man kfong that video was pretty sick.. I thoroughly enjoyed it thanks.

Thanks, here is one of my favorites, if you haven't seen it already. I wish I lived in such an area. Mich. is too damn flat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qWWCN2_XbY&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[ohzee]

Your not kidding that was just as good. Yea I am in Ohio Central so not much terrain for the most part.

To be young and dumb again hah.

 

[kfong]

Your not kidding that was just as good. Yea I am in Ohio Central so not much terrain for the most part.

To be young and dumb again hah.

Yep, wish I had half their talent. Any good trails in your area? I've covered most of the ones locally. Going to have to start travelling next year.

 

[ohzee]

Not really that are labelled bike trails. Some nice hiking trails on Big Darby Creek - I am close to either checking them out at night or
hitting some of the more remote one's during the day.

We have some nice paved trails for bikes just no dirt/ramp kind of trails. I am happy to see the local government is building up pathed
bike trails. Using old RR lines and planting paths beside them. Great time to get into this hobby that's for sure.

 

[kfong]

We have some pretty good single track, but after a while you kinda want to explore new ones. They are doing the same locally with the old rail system. I wish they could get them all finished, looking forward to the day when you can travel across the state on them or even across several states.

Not really that are labelled bike trails. Some nice hiking trails on Big Darby Creek - I am close to either checking them out at night or
hitting some of the more remote one's during the day.

We have some nice paved trails for bikes just no dirt/ramp kind of trails. I am happy to see the local government is building up pathed
bike trails. Using old RR lines and planting paths beside them. Great time to get into this hobby that's for sure.

 

[ohzee]

We have some pretty good single track, but after a while you kinda want to explore new ones. They are doing the same locally with the old rail system. I wish the could get them all finished, looking forward to the day when you can travel across the state on them or even across several states.

Not really that are labelled bike trails. Some nice hiking trails on Big Darby Creek - I am close to either checking them out at night or
hitting some of the more remote one's during the day.

We have some nice paved trails for bikes just no dirt/ramp kind of trails. I am happy to see the local government is building up pathed
bike trails. Using old RR lines and planting paths beside them. Great time to get into this hobby that's for sure.

I just recently found out I could ride from Columbus to Cincinnati or 4 other smaller cities all on these RR paths. The problem I have
is my range is probably around 30-40 miles. Look forward to planning out some type of bike/camp/recharge trip on these trails. I have
no issues sleeping on the ground , but need a reliable way to recharge my batteries.

Still a fun problem to have and I look forward to the challenge. I love to kayak/canoe also Id imagine you have some nice streams in your a bouts.

 

[kfong]

I'm setting up an ebike for long hauls using a tidal force frame. I would prefer a rear suspension but that makes it impractical for panniers and camping stuff. I picked up a thud buster instead. Carrying large amounts of battery and equipment is the hardest part. I'm thinking a bob trailer would be the way to go on the really long excursions. The motor is a slow wind 9c 6x10, not fast but efficient. As long as I can push 20-25 it should be cool with most people sharing the path. Some of the longer cross state bike paths would be fun to do.


[/quote]
I just recently found out I could ride from Columbus to Cincinnati or 4 other smaller cities all on these RR paths. The problem I have
is my range is probably around 30-40 miles. Look forward to planning out some type of bike/camp/recharge trip on these trails. I have
no issues sleeping on the ground , but need a reliable way to recharge my batteries.

Still a fun problem to have and I look forward to the challenge. I love to kayak/canoe also Id imagine you have some nice streams in your a bouts.[/quote]

 

[EVTodd]

I'm a big fan of DJ frames. I would love a DH bike but DJ frames (even new) tend to be a lot less expensive. They're super tough too and a lot easier to find in chromoly. I personally like the slightly larger geometry ones from a couple of years ago like my khs dj200 or an azonic steelhead. Good stuff on the cheap!

I also have a Tidalforce frame that I built up but I wouldn't trust it anywhere near as much as my dj frame. I'll admit I'm biased toward chromo but a lot of aluminum frames are mostly show. The huge tubes have to be very thin or the frame would weigh a ton. The reason most frames are made from aluminum these days is to make funky shapes people will buy.

 

[kfong]

My Kona Cowan is a DJ. Very tough FS bike. Much more solid than a regular mountain bike, but still not as beefed up as my DH frame. Most DJ are front suspension. Chromoly is great if you can find one. The brakes on DJ aren't as aggressive though, but I hear you on the cost. I broke a steel mountain bike frame while jumping it, right at the head. I looked for a chromoly replacement after that. Luckily I didn't get hurt.

 

[SamTexas]

DH = down hill.

What's DJ? Dirt Jumping?

 

[AussieJester]

Yup... :wink:

KiM

 

[kfong]

Yep! Both have to be strong due to the added stress.

Damn AJ, quicker on the draw!

DH = down hill.

What's DJ? Dirt Jumping?