Best (or most common) components for a e-bike?

[CroDriver]

Hi guys.

I'm into electric cars and I have made several. Now I also want to make a cool e-bike for myself. I need a little help with choosing the components since I'm no expert in this field. I guess that Headway cells are a good option for the battery pack. The pack and BMS won't be a problem for me. But the other components are new for me. What motor and controller would be the best buy for a reasonable powered bike? I would shoot for a high voltage system that would be capable of 50 km/h.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Hyena]

You don't have to use too high a voltage to get that speed. A 48v pack will be sufficient using something common like a 9C or GM hub. It depends on how much torque you need from it. You could also go with an x5304 on 60v. A controller in the 40-60 amp range usually gives enough shove for most people who want a bike that does this sort of speed.

 

[AussieJester]

Have you spoken to Hal at all Cr driver? hes local to you (Croatia)
He would probably have complete setups laying about ready to instal. IMHO though
you should go with a non frock (hub) setup. Being a chap thats used to performance
with your lecy cars though i think your definately better suited to RC motor setup, will
give you huge power and not weigh half a tonne or compromise your bikes balance and/or
suspension efficiency.

KiM

 

[dogman dan]

Yeah, talk to Hal by personal message. It will cost a lot to ship stuff, so if you have the skills to fabricate motor mounts you might be lots better off not shipping heavy hub motors.

But the most common components are hub motor kits. Ebikes-ca ships worldwide, but buying straight from china on Ebay is generally the cheapest way to get a hub kit. But if Hal has something used he'd sell, then you could get lucky.

 

[Ariane]

Hi Crodriver,

Reaching 50 Km/h is relatively easy with any ebike set up, base on my own experience is fun to have an ebike with a better top speed than 50 Km/h if your primary goal is to using it around town.

Here in Canada the speed limit around town is 50 Km/h then my ebike with X5304 with a 18 Mosfet Lyen controller is able to shoot me at 80 Km/h but I have allot more fun running it in the car lane at 50 to 55 Km/h and following the traffic.

I use a 92 Volt 20 amps Konions Battery pack but I good pack of Headway's is also a great idea for this ebike.

It's my 2 cents, good day!
Black Arrow.

 

[CroDriver]

Thanks for the input guys!

I know Hal in person, we're almost neighbors but he's very busy so I don't want to bother him with such stuff. But I will call him tomorrow, maybe he has something he wants to get rid of.

So there are no special preferred controllers...? I just have to look for max amp rating and regen capabilities?

And is the Cycle Analist a must-have?

 

[Drunkskunk]

Cycle Analyst isn't a must have.... exactly... Beer isn't a must-have. Fine women aren't a must-have ....

Untill you try living without them!

Regen, on the other hand, realy isn't a must have. its worth 5% more capacity, average. a bit more if you have hills, but its not worth trading other features for. Ebikes lose most of there power to wind resistance, so there is little energy to reclaim from regeneritive braking as compared to a heavy car.

The best controllers are a matter of personal taste. The Inferion based controllers are supperior in every way to everything else. They are pretty much the standared controller now. I have several, But I still prefer my Analog Crystalyte controller. The throttle response and controll "feel" better to me. no regen, no ability to reprogram it, but it preforms like no other controller I've used.

What ever controller you decide on, make sure it has a connector for the Cycle Analyst. a direct connector doubles it's functionality

 

[Hyena]

Regen, on the other hand, realy isn't a must have. its worth 5% more capacity, average

I agree that regen from a regen point of view isn't really worth the fuss, but from a braking point of view it's great. Unless I'm coming to a complete stop or braking hard/suddenly regen is all I use to slow down and I really miss it on my bikes that don't have it.

 

[Demosthenes]

I almost entirely use regen as my brakes. The only time I use my mechanical is when I'm below 10km/hr and the regen isn't enough. Otherwise it's all regen all the time. As for the energy reclamation part, it's essentially energy out of nothing. Energy that is otherwise wasted as heat. Why wouldn't one capitalize on that?

Drunkskunk, best CA analogy ever.

A 16S Headway pack with a 2806 Nine Continent will get up to 50km/hr. Pair it with a 40amp Infineon controller and you'll have lot's of acceleration. Consider upgrading the phase wires, but I haven't had a problem with them yet.

 

[amberwolf]

Now that I have it, regen is wonderful for braking, with a Lyen 6-fet and 9C 2807 front.

But I don't get a lot of recaptured power out of it; the most so far is about 1Wh. Since it takes me about 39Wh to ride that route (measured on a different day), I suppose that makes about 2.5% recaptured power. I have a lot of stops (a dozen or so) that must be made, depending on traffic, but I usually coast down to a stop rather than maintaining speed right up to hard-braking distance (partly to save energy in motor and legs, partly so I have more time to observe and deal with whatever happens at the intersection/etc., since other traffic may do unexpected and unpredictable things at the last moment).

Once I finalize my brake-switch I will be doing testing of the regen by hard-braking with only regen as much as possible for at least one full ride, and see how well it works that way. Then compare my power usage during the ride with the recaptured power. If there is little extra power usage vs the recaptured power increase, taking into consideration the efficiency losses (1.5x) of recharging the NiMH, I might change the riding style where it's safe to do so.