Courier ebike project advice

[Neowise]

For best reflective visibility, make sure you use *real* retroreflective tape, like the stuff by 3M (not the bajillion counterfeits), which reflects from many angles and does so very very well; it's what is commonly used on street signage and markings.


If you like, rather tahn depending on the cars having their headlights on and pointed at you (so the reflective tape works), you could *also* use actual lighting strips. (with the reflective stuff also there for when you don't have any power, etc).

See my SB Cruiser trike for a few options for those (I think I also posted a couple better versions with built in blinkers in a post above somewhere).


I used to use just reflective tape (I still do in places) but it wasn't sufficient for the numerous places and times where a car's lights or those in surroundings (if any) weren't sufficient for them to see me, and if I had just proceeded instead of assuming they didn't see me, bad things could have ensued. And other cyclists that aren't really paying much attention and/or have no light source of their own (very common here)--the lights they see a lot farther away and constantly, rather than just the moments when enough light hits at the right angle.

Yes, the 3M reflective tape is very good! The bike will also have front and rear lights.
Maybe led strips on the side, but would love to insert them in the frame somehow, with small round holes in the steel tubes... I mean I would love the look, not sure about the strength of the frame being affected...

 

[john61ct]

And with this frame shape I have room for two 17.4wh 48v batteries

Check that math

 

[Chalo]

And with this frame shape I have room for two 17.4wh 48v batteries

Check that math

I think it's a units problem.

 

[Neowise]

And with this frame shape I have room for two 17.4wh 48v batteries

Check that math

I think it's a units problem.

48v 18 ah battery, sorry, my bad.

 

[amberwolf]

Maybe led strips on the side, but would love to insert them in the frame somehow, with small round holes in the steel tubes... I mean I would love the look, not sure about the strength of the frame being affected...

I wouldn't do it with holes in the frame. If you use strips attached to the outside of the frame, they can be very thin and look very interesting depending on the type used, and they will not compromise the frame strength.

The head/tail light accent strips with turn signals I'm talking about are made so they fit between a closed trunk or hood and the plastic housing of the light assemblies, so that the actual LEDs are hidden, and the light is piped out thru the thin edge of the assembly that shows thru that gap. The light looks fairly solid, rather than a series of LEDs.

I did not use them that way because my trike isnt' made that way, and because they're brighter (whcih I prefer) with the LEDs direclty facing out. I think your application would be fine with just the intended design usage.

 

[dogman dan]

Design is looking real good to me now. Might try to lighten up the front just a bit if possible. Make it easy to stand it up in the elevator with easily removable batteries. When standing it up, rear weight will help. Mounts on the rear rack to put the batteries there once you get home?

 

[khorse]

delivery mtb 26.jpg

delivery mtb 26 n.jpg

I made some sketches for a bike with 26" wheels and 100mm front suspension. Rear suspension would complicate the project a bit more than I can handle right now...
This way I can use parts from other bikes I don't use anymore (I have old 26" wheels, hydraulic disc brakes and a rockshox argyle)

As I see on many bikes here the safety factor is also important so I had the idea of using square tubing for the horizontal frame lines and masking them with reflective tape for high visibility at night.

Growing ever better. The front battery pack helps counter the cargo weight. I would still move the rear axle back a couple of inches, you are always going to get people who want that ring lock and also some full size fenders. And having the tyre be the furthest extent of the bike is always good when you have to move it in lifts and tight hallways.

The rack would be great for a center stand pivoting near the rear axle. You see that a lot on asian roadster bikes.

Have you put thought into the gears? The drawing looks like it's wearing a mid drive. I strongly recommend ditching rear derailleur and going for one of the modern Sturmey Archer 3-Speed derivatives. You can get them with disc brakes, drums, different widths etc, they are obscenely durable, and in the rare time something breaks (we're talking once every 20 years), you can buy the entire internal assembly for less than a good derailleur.

It'd also let you use 1/8th chain. You can get ridiculously durable chains in that size.

 

[Neowise]

Hi guys, it took me a few days to integrate many of your suggestions in my design but I am very happy I managed to do it.

First the geometry:
I wanted to be able to build the bike with parts I already have, because I have many different parts from past projects. So with this geometry frame I can build:
- 26" mtb with a 100mm suspension fork (490mm axle to crown) and have a 293mm BB height, 68.5 deg head angle. In this configuration I can use a old RockShox Argyle fork, a pair of 26" mtb wheels with hydraulic Shimano disc brakes and a cheap shimano 7 speed derailleur;
- 27.5" mtb with a 100mm suspension fork (490mm axle to crown) and have a 310mm BB height, 67.7 deg head angle. I only have some 27.5 mtb wheels without tires, no forks for this setup but its good to know I can use the frame with 27.5 wheels ;
- 28" city setup with fixed fork (455mm axle to crown) and have a 303mm BB height, 70 deg head angle. For this setup I have the forks, wheels with Shimano nexus 7 speed coaster brake rear hub and Shimano drum brake front hub, a pair of mudguards and a fork mounted front rack.
Depending on setup the seat tube angle is 71-73 deg; the wheel base is 1250-1270 mm; 470mm (18 inch) seat tube; 420mm (16.5 inch)reach and 615mm (24.2 inch) stack. I understand that a few more inches to the wheelbase would be preferable but I really want to stay within 2 meters overall length.

Building the frame with steel tubes gives it a weight of about 5.5-6.3 kg (12-13.5 lbs);

With this frame shape I can mount a ring lock on the near vertical rack stay, at the back of the bike;

I have enough space in the frame to use 75mm (3 inch) wide 26" tire, and 65mm (2.5 inch) wide 28" tires;

I will probably use a 60mm rise 690mm wide handlebar with a short, 50mm stem because it gives a familiar feeling for me, but I can try other setups in case I want more comfort, maybe use a variable rise stem to test other riding positions.

Pictures are of the 28" fixed fork setup:




Next I have to figure out all the details of the frame: brake mounts, battery mounts etc

 

[Neowise]

delivery mtb 26.jpg

delivery mtb 26 n.jpg

I made some sketches for a bike with 26" wheels and 100mm front suspension. Rear suspension would complicate the project a bit more than I can handle right now...
This way I can use parts from other bikes I don't use anymore (I have old 26" wheels, hydraulic disc brakes and a rockshox argyle)

As I see on many bikes here the safety factor is also important so I had the idea of using square tubing for the horizontal frame lines and masking them with reflective tape for high visibility at night.

Growing ever better. The front battery pack helps counter the cargo weight. I would still move the rear axle back a couple of inches, you are always going to get people who want that ring lock and also some full size fenders. And having the tyre be the furthest extent of the bike is always good when you have to move it in lifts and tight hallways.

The rack would be great for a center stand pivoting near the rear axle. You see that a lot on asian roadster bikes.

Have you put thought into the gears? The drawing looks like it's wearing a mid drive. I strongly recommend ditching rear derailleur and going for one of the modern Sturmey Archer 3-Speed derivatives. You can get them with disc brakes, drums, different widths etc, they are obscenely durable, and in the rare time something breaks (we're talking once every 20 years), you can buy the entire internal assembly for less than a good derailleur.

It'd also let you use 1/8th chain. You can get ridiculously durable chains in that size.

Managed to make room for full size fenders and found a good place for the ring lock (in the back under the tail light)because I can see how this stuff would make my life easier, thanks for pointing them out!

Also I will try a Nexus 7 speed hub and a 7 speed Shimano Tourney on the bike since I already have them. I know the Nexus works ok with a mid drive motor, haven't tried the tourney only with rear hub motor so will see how that goes but I hope a 7 speed chain is durable enough to handle a 750w peak power motor.

 

[Neowise]

Design is looking real good to me now. Might try to lighten up the front just a bit if possible. Make it easy to stand it up in the elevator with easily removable batteries. When standing it up, rear weight will help. Mounts on the rear rack to put the batteries there once you get home?

On the rack if I use one battery or maybe moving the two batteries on the sides of the frame near the rear axle, one on each side of the bike.