Maxwell EPO (Grindz, Troy Rank)

LockH

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http://www.treehugger.com/bikes/maxwell-ebike-has-less-weight-more-adventure.html

Electrical engineer Troy Rank has designed an Ebike that weighs only 27 pounds, little more than a conventional bike. The batteries are packed into the standard top, down and seat tubes; the only way you can tell that this is not a normal bike is the little triangle enclosing the controller and other electronics.

"STARTING AT $1500"
http://www.maxwellmotorbikes.com/

(250Wh Battery Pack)

troy-bike.jpg.662x0_q70_crop-scale.jpg
 
Hehe... "Maxwell Motorbikes EP-0 Concept Unveiling and Release Party" seen on FacePlant website (sp?):
https://www.facebook.com/events/1624842871071842/

Last May 1 of this year. Just across the lake from me in Rochester NY (Jealous Mode ON). Wonder how that went? Wonder if any ES Tribe there to ask "awkward" questions... :wink:
 
http://www.treehugger.com/bikes/maxwell-ebike-has-less-weight-more-adventure.html

Winner of the cleanest e bike ever? possibly.
 
Definitely a "charm" about eBike that's barely heavier and little more cumbersome than a pedal bicycle.

Good job Troy!
 
Is it a pedelec/PAS? (I didn't see a throttle, but it might have one).

Is the frame aluminum or steel?

Will it fit 2.0-inch Panaracer RiBiMo tires? (or...what is the fattest tire that will fit?)

The price is realistic, and there are people who only want/need a "mild assist", so...good for Troy/grindz.
 
May I merge this thread with the original on teh same topic?
http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=70440

EDIT: merged with OP's permission.
 
Frame tubes appear to be steel based on minimal diameter. Anyone recognize the motor?
 
It looks like this bike hits the mark which is what is needed in the market now - an ebike that truly feels just like a normal bicycle and can be ridden just as fast without the power.
 
Definitely, though 27 pounds is a lead pig by todays standards for a carbon road bike, you can zip along fine without assist on a bike that comes in under 30 pounds. My old vintage steel road bikes come in about 27 pounds.
 
Busy Guy. ("Grindz" Last visited ES: Tue Jun 23, 2015 1:17 pm) Hope he's not TOO busy selling his bike... :?

We're tapping about you buddy.
 
LockH said:
Busy Guy. ("Grindz" Last visited ES: Tue Jun 23, 2015 1:17 pm) Hope he's not TOO busy selling his bike... :?

We're tapping about you buddy.

Dude, I've been refinancing my house and this crazy kickstarter thing, rediculous. So busy.

Out of all the PR song and dance stuff I've had to do for this, this thread is the only one that I really take to heart:)
 
He's alive! At least, has taken time enough to resurface for breath! I have always figured that "breaks are an important part of work".

Unfortunately, "PR song and dance stuff" happens to be hugely important for any business I figure (assuming product itself is good, quality-wise).

Personally, I really post anything here/anywhere in the hopes that anyone will point out "problems" and/or other ways of approach I hadn't though of.

EG in this thread alone, Horny Dude (that Mad Rhino chap from La Belle Provence) was quick off the mark questioning format re battery itself. (Suspect he was kidding re "button" format.)

I'd guess 18650 myself but figure ANY commercially available (high volume, cheapish) cells otta work. Made by Panasonic/Samsung/Sanyo maybe?

And (hasn't come up yet in this thread) but I'm sorta a "made in Canada, eh?" guy and motorwise am hoping ya went Bionx varient? Doesn't look like it, but instead geared maybe?

Back to marketing, at least ya had that "new age metrosexual" dude/actor to stand in for you in commercials! I'm now at the "half-dead old guy" stage too easy for the young to dismiss as "over the hill". :(
 
LockH said:
I'd guess 18650 myself but figure ANY commercially available (high volume, cheapish) cells otta work. Made by Panasonic/Samsung/Sanyo maybe?
Yup, 22 Pana 18650s

LockH said:
And (hasn't come up yet in this thread) but I'm sorta a "made in Canada, eh?" guy and motorwise am hoping ya went Bionx varient? Doesn't look like it, but instead geared maybe?
Sorry man, Bionx doesn't make anything light enough, and they're controllers are wonky imo.

LockH said:
Back to marketing, at least ya had that "new age metrosexual" dude/actor to stand in for you in commercials! I'm now at the "half-dead old guy" stage too easy for the young to dismiss as "over the hill". :(

Hahaha that's the Industrial Design guy John! Not an actor hahaha :) I am a particularly awkward human being to be on camera though. We filmed some stuff with me, but decided that John was better looking :)
 
If I remember correctly someone did something similar with "batteries in the tubes" (Canada maybe).
In that case the tubes had special joints that unscrewed to access/install/service the battery packs.
Can not remember what the weight was though. I do remember that particular design was patented.

2old said:
Frame tubes appear to be steel based on minimal diameter. Anyone recognize the motor?
Yep ... reading the Kiskstart page it says "brazed and lugged frame" ($5K pledge).
A number of years ago I built a motor mount for Taig lathe with a "brazed" aluminum plates. Took me numerous tries and several weeks to get it to hold together reliably. Technology has improved but brazing steel is much more practical.

I am guessing 24 volts made of 2 each battery columns of 7 cells each. Each one would be about 18 inches long and 3/4 inches in diameter. They are using a threadless stem and the head tube appears to have a cover plate on the front. So my next guess is that you remove the fork and the plate to insert the battery columns into the top-tube and down-tube. One might be able to custom engineer a 1-1/8 fork steerer with holes to slot the battery columns through.

He is a couple of thoughts:
It is possible to route all the electric cables through the tubes as well (including the ones to the motor) for a more aesthetically pleasing design.
Some tweaking might be able to allow an optional third battery column in the seat tube.
 
After 2-3 days of commuting in rainy weather, I flipped my bike upside down to change a flat. I had a pool of water drip out of the frame. (hydrofoil alum)

With these batteries in the frames and cabling/wires ofter routed there too for a clean look, how will you keep the water out? It likes to get ciphered in via the cables.
 
Bike_on said:
After 2-3 days of commuting in rainy weather, I flipped my bike upside down to change a flat. I had a pool of water drip out of the frame. (hydrofoil alum)

With these batteries in the frames and cabling/wires ofter routed there too for a clean look, how will you keep the water out? It likes to get ciphered in via the cables.

This is a real problem for sure, but it's not so much how you keep the rain out, but how you make sure that it doesn't stay there.

The battery pack, controller, and connectors are all watertight, so they're alright getting wet. The main issue is just making sure that the water doesn't get in the frame and then cannot escape due to the battery packs installation. We're going to make sure that, like most bike frames, there is adequate drainage and ventilation into the frame. It's counter-intuitive to what most peoplt think, that you want to make sure the frame is fully sealed. In reality sealing the frame in this way is unrealistic and unnecessary. Rest assured I'll make sure this thing will withstand the elements. I refuse to make toys. We're going to focus on making fully engineered and tested bikes with all the kinks worked out, for people that can't or won't build their own.
 
Troy,

I had no doubts. Thanks for addressing the potentially fatal design risk with a solid outline of a quality design effort.

Dan
 
Good luck with the campaign Troy, it looks really clean :)
I like the name too. Is that cheeky reference to cyclists who blood dope with EPO ?

If not you should totally run with it.
"If you're going to cheat with EPO make it the Maxwell EPO. At least you won't have a heart attack" :lol:
 
Hyena said:
Good luck with the campaign Troy, it looks really clean :)
I like the name too. Is that cheeky reference to cyclists who blood dope with EPO ?

If not you should totally run with it.
"If you're going to cheat with EPO make it the Maxwell EPO. At least you won't have a heart attack" :lol:

I have no idea what you're talking about..... It stands for Electric Powered Zero...... I would never.....


That's the official story.

When the battery runs out it reads "Pan Y Agua"...
 
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