Greenerwheels Cobra Redux

Those of you Portland Locals that were lucky enough to go to the PSU Earthday Event got to see my Reinvented Cobra, but no one saw it run, mostly because I hadn't finished the rear axle mount, well today its done, well never done but ride-able. I wish I could have documented the build, but I usually work alone in my shop and when I'm on a mission I have no time to put the idea down to grab a camera, particularly when I'm not sure where the idea is taking me.
But anyway today was an excellent day (we don't get enough of these days here in Portland, tomorrow and the rest of the week the forcast is normal......... translated = rain)so today was the day to take the Cobra out for a spin and snap a few photo's. Details after the break:
Ok why you ask did I do this? Well with this configuration, I don't have to mess with spoking the hub motor, I can select gearing, I can easily swap out different motors and since both sprockets on the rear axle are freewheeling, you don't have to drive through the hub motor when your pedaling, no cogging, no friction and it works.
I eventually want to use the Hub motor to drive a NuVinci hub as a jackshaft that's controlled by a small microprocessor that monitors the controller current, the processor will then drive a stepper motor to control the NuVinci hub to adjust the gearing of the hub motor for either maximum performance or efficiency. Ran out of money before I got that far, however I did leave the mount so I can add the NuVinci hub later.
Another feature of this setup, its all bolted on, I can remove it and stick it on your standard Granny trike, you could change the sprockets to pull just about anything if you could get enough traction to the rear tires. Thanks to Jason at ebikekit.com for his support and Neptronix for his gentle prodding.
I've got some video I need to edit and put on youtube and after a few shake down miles, I'll install the 12 fet controller I recently purchased from Lyen.

Thanks

Greenerwheels

I like this machine. WIsh we could do quads here.

I don't suppose you could get some good closeups of the left side of the motor setup like you do of the right?

I'm planning something similar on this:
http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=396260#p396260
and any inspiration I can glean from other designs would help.

Sorry about leaving a drive side picture out, here it is for you Amberwolf.
Oregons law regarding electric bikes is as follows:
801.258 “Electric assisted bicycle.” “Electric assisted bicycle” means a vehicle that:

(1) Is designed to be operated on the ground on wheels;

(2) Has a seat or saddle for use of the rider;

(3) Is designed to travel with not more than three wheels in contact with the ground;

(4) Has both fully operative pedals for human propulsion and an electric motor; and

(5) Is equipped with an electric motor that:

(a) Has a power output of not more than 1,000 watts; and

(b) Is incapable of propelling the vehicle at a speed of greater than 20 miles per hour on level ground. [1997 c.400 §2; 1999 c.59 §233]

Which is probably similar to what you have in Arizona, Not sure how that all plays out as we have 4 wheel pedal bikes on the coast for rental, I know several people with Rhodes cars. However I designed the rear end to fit multiple bikes, so at some point this assembly will end up on a Sun EZ-3 delta trike and then on a Sun Miami

that thing looks awsome!!!.. i like ! 8)

nice looks like an idea i had years ago for the back of my bicycle people just laughed at me for posting the idea..

who's laughing now!! it works

nice build. :wink: '

There will always be someone that says "it won't work". This is a complete solution that can be swapped between bikes in about an hour. The only thing you'd have to do to the bike after you mount the axle is put the throttle on the handlebars (check out my Revive, as I've got a solution that doesn't require you to remove anything to install the throttle). Although for other applications it still needs a pair of disc brakes, my Cobra has always had just the two front disc's for stopping power.

Greenerwheels

greenerwheels said:

Which is probably similar to what you have in Arizona, Not sure how that all plays out as we have 4 wheel pedal bikes on the coast for rental, I know several people with Rhodes cars.

Click to expand...

Pretty similar, though ours is less clearly laid out.

There are 4 wheel pedal bikes around here, too, but they are all operated only in parks or on private property, as far as I have seen. Many of them are the size of a small car, or larger, but of course don't weigh nearly that much, typically bieng just a frame and canopy and seats (sometimes mesh, sometimes padded). While it is possible they would not be harassed on the roads, they could be ticketed for using them.

Running it on 72V yet?
I got 56v lipo ( 62v nominal ) with your bike's name on it if those fatpacks can't be paralleled, hehe

Anyway i can't wait to ride this thing. Could be a real land rocket.

Top notch work indeed! We are not allowed 4 wheels here either, but seeing this really makes me want one no matter what the book says.

Well maybe I'll be going to court, because the way the law is written, does that mean my daughters bike with training wheels is not legal, or some of the new mobility scooters are four wheels are they illegal? I'm just not sure what the logic is 3 wheels ok 4 is not.

Greenerwheels

This is why i emphasize you run on 72v. They can't take you to court if they can't catch you

Better idea. Put 5 wheels on it, one that you can lift up. The other 2 are training wheels.

Well, usually the training wheels are not all in contact with the ground at the same time, so they wouldnt' matter. Plus, they're trainign wheels on a kid's bike, so I doubt anyone would give grief over them.

Mobility scooters and the like aren't bicycle-class vehicles, so the bike rules don't apply to them.

But stuff that's intended to go under the bike-class vehicles' rules tends to have to be three or less wheels (in cotnact with the ground at any one time, usually), for some reason I've never been able to fathom.

Same for motorcycles, a lot of places; again, I dunno why.

Either way, I really like your 4-wheel cobra though, and I'd love to have something like it, if I could use it here.