E-S Stealth Electric Bike Owners

[Rix]

Yah Paule, thats what I was thinging, super motard racing. Sweet.

 

[Stealth_Rider]

Tires, tires, tires.
http://www.fareinc.com/65/Bomber_MC_Tires/

Heidenau K35 "Vintage tire": http://www.heidenautires.com/vintage-motorcycle-tires
Shinko SR241: http://www.shinkotireusa.com/product/product.php?id=60

I was impressed with the Heidenau technical specs, but its a German company so I should expect it would be complete. Click on the "Tire Spec Sheet" and you'll see what I mean: http://www.heidenautires.com/sizing-speed-load-ratings

So what have we got here:

1. Shinko and Heidenau are heavy tires with about 4-4.5 more pounds of weight in the rubber than the Hookworm.

2. Pro Wheel rim is also slightly heavier than the Stealth supplied rim by about 0.5 lbs.

3. Either tire works well with a Hookworm on the front. Bike is stable and easy to handle.

4. Street ride is much smoother with the Heidenau because of the tread pattern.

5. Shinko can be used on the street but the knobby vibration is very noticeable.

6. I'm going to be using the Heidenau. It's on now. Tube size is important: 2.50-2.75x19 looks to be best. Pressure about 35 psi. I tried a heavier duty tube, 3.0 x 19 and when I inflated to seat the bead it blew the tire off one side of the rim. Moral of the story: use 2.50-2.75 x 19 and inflate to no more than 35 psi for Heidenau. Either tire will greatly help eliminate flats as they are very heavy duty. This is a big plus for going with a MC tire.

7. I can't tell any difference in performance between the three tires. I haven't been up to 45-50 mph yet on the Heidenau but I'm getting closer as my confidence builds.

8. The MC tires on a Pro Wheel rim (1.4 x 19) have almost the identical inflated Circumference as the Hookworm. Install is a drop in replacement.

The Heidenau doesn't change the look of the bike. It still looks like its a bicycle when you pedal and not like a motorcycle.

-Jim

 

[morati]

Just saw this....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2-9hPF0oEs

 

[QuestionMan]

Stealth Rider, great write up on the tires. I am looking to purchase the 19" prowheel with the shinko 241 tire for a torque raptor build. Do you think the shinko 241 really helps with pinch flats? I'll tell you, I've yet to get a normal flat just pinch flats. Even by inflating my 26" bike tire to 60 PSI before a ride I still got a pinch flat. Having to push the bike home over 5 miles was no fun either.

Are you running a prowheel up front? If not, why?

What PSI do you use on the shinko 241, and if you use 35PSI is that enough to avoid pinch flats when hitting curbs really fast?

 

[Rix]

Stealth Rider, great write up on the tires. I am looking to purchase the 19" prowheel with the shinko 241 tire for a torque raptor build. Do you think the shinko 241 really helps with pinch flats? I'll tell you, I've yet to get a normal flat just pinch flats. Even by inflating my 26" bike tire to 60 PSI before a ride I still got a pinch flat. Having to push the bike home over 5 miles was no fun either.

Are you running a prowheel up front? If not, why?

What PSI do you use on the shinko 241, and if you use 35PSI is that enough to avoid pinch flats when hitting curbs really fast?

Qman, I found that all 3 SR241 shinkos I have tried 2.75x19, 3.00x17 and 2.75x17 work best around 28PSI. With my weight, the tire doesn't really flatten out all that much so efficiency is good, and its a beautiful tire on the dirt studder bumps.

Rick

 

[Rix]

at the bottom

The bike after insall

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/48V1500W-e-bike-electric-bicycle-conversion-kit-with-48V20AH-LIFEPO4-battery-/130991608386?ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:AU:1120
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

HAHA

I am laughing my ass off too.

 

[Stealth_Rider]

Stealth Rider, great write up on the tires. I am looking to purchase the 19" prowheel with the shinko 241 tire for a torque raptor build. Do you think the shinko 241 really helps with pinch flats? I'll tell you, I've yet to get a normal flat just pinch flats. Even by inflating my 26" bike tire to 60 PSI before a ride I still got a pinch flat. Having to push the bike home over 5 miles was no fun either.

Are you running a prowheel up front? If not, why?

QuestionMan,

I'm running a Hookworm 2 ply at 45-50 psi on the front. I'm still thinking about a ProWheel up front but there is so little weight on the front wheel and I've never had a front flat so I'll just leave it as is. I am, however, strongly thinking of putting the Prowheel with the Heidenau K35 on the Fighter rear and leaving the front as is (2 Ply Hookworm).

I'm running 35 psi in the Heidenau K35 but I'll try dropping it a bit as Rix has lots of good exerience with the ProWheel setup.

What PSI do you use on the shinko 241, and if you use 35PSI is that enough to avoid pinch flats when hitting curbs really fast?

When I had the Shinko 241 on I was running 37 psi.

I, uhhh, don't hit curbs at all as I would probably kill myself :lol:

-Jim

 

[Rix]

I'm running 35 psi in the Heidenau K35 but I'll try dropping it a bit as Rix has lots of good exerience with the ProWheel setup.

Jim, I don't know much about Heidenau K35. Looks like one hell of a great road tire though. Probably less rolling resistance than the Razorback for sure. Right now I am running the Duro 307 HF and it needs to be at 31-32 PSI. I find this strange because my other tires work well at 5 PSI less. Like you, I have never had an issue with the front setup. I am guessing since I have only about 15-20% of the weight on the front when I am on the gas standing with my ass over the rear for high speed stuff, that why its held up I got over 1200 miles on the Duro now. It needs replacing but still has 100 or so miles left in it. Waiting on an email from another manufacture for an 18 x1.4 rim. I want to try this size because Shinko makes the SR241 in sizes 2.75, 3.00, 3.50 and 4.00 x18. I know the 4.00 x 18 would be way to big and wide for the swingarm, but the 3.50 may fit and definitely the 3.00 and 2.75 x 18 would fit no problem and split the difference between the 17 x1.4 I am currently running and the 19x1.4 I had on earlier this year. Just don't know, but if the only option for the 18 mc rim is the 18x1.85s I have seen out there, I will stick with the 17x1.4 I have, or maybe the 19x1.4 if I get a super torque motor.

Rick

 

[4Wude]

Rix claims the 17x1.4 is the best rim option on a stealth fighter....but then hyena says his rims are 1.6. which truly are the best, and where could I buy them and have them installed in the sydney region? can I still use my razor tyres that came with the bike or would it be best to upgrade to moto tyres as well? and do i get mousse?


was also after a rack to hold my bike on the back of my car but I don't think a regular bike rack will be able to support a stealth fighter. might have to go with a motorcycle rack

 

[MexicanBatman]

A hitch mounted motorcycle carrier would be the best

I'm getting one soon

Much better than trailering it around like I do now, it's a pain in the butt

 

[Kepler]

Rix claims the 17x1.4 is the best rim option on a stealth fighter....but then hyena says his rims are 1.6. which truly are the best, and where could I buy them and have them installed in the sydney region? can I still use my razor tyres that came with the bike or would it be best to upgrade to moto tyres as well? and do i get mousse?

Rix is not claiming anything. He is merely offering his well respected opinion. You need to make your own choice.

 

[pendragon8000]

Rix claims the 17x1.4 is the best rim option on a stealth fighter....but then hyena says his rims are 1.6. which truly are the best, and where could I buy them and have them installed in the sydney region? can I still use my razor tyres that came with the bike or would it be best to upgrade to moto tyres as well? and do i get mousse?

Rix is not claiming anything. He is merely offering his well respected opinion. You need to make your own choice.

well said Sir.
may I add; that the member that started this thread works in (or is a part owner of) a bike show in Sydney that does work on ebikes and stealths. I was lucky enough to meet and ride with him and some other great guys recently when they were in Adelaide. Voice coils aka Abraham made Rodney's Phasor wheels (mc rims on cromotor) and does all custom spoke cutting and lacing at gloworm. you lucky he is around the corner(or over the harbour?) anyway pm him and he will be able to help you I'm sure.

 

[Rix]

Rix claims the 17x1.4 is the best rim option on a stealth fighter....but then hyena says his rims are 1.6. which truly are the best, and where could I buy them and have them installed in the sydney region? can I still use my razor tyres that came with the bike or would it be best to upgrade to moto tyres as well? and do i get mousse?

Rix is not claiming anything. He is merely offering his well respected opinion. You need to make your own choice.

4Wude, Kepler said it best above, when it all boils down, all of the options out there can be the best depending on what the rider wants. For me, so far the 17x1.4 running a SR241 3.00x17 has been the best setup on the rear. This is because I am heavy, I need a robust tire that doesn't flat on the lava rock infested shit I ride, and I need all of the mechanical advantage I can get. The reason I went to the MC tire/rim setup was more out of necessity and need to solve my flatting problems than anything else. Guys I have steered in this direction are also happy with the setup. The only thing that is fact and not subjective about the 17 or 19 MC tires/rims are that they are tougher than any MTB tires/rims combos out there. Hyena likes the 19x1.6 rim running the 2.75x19 tires because those size tires are very very close to size and appearance of a 24"MTB tire. Almost exact. I agree with Hyena that the 2.75x19 tires make our ebikes look more like bicycles than the setup I am running. Another pro for Hyenas preference is increased ground clearance. But if lightweight is what the rider is after, then running the biggest toughest MTB tires and rims will shave 10 pounds off the bike that is running the lightest MC tires and rims out there. I as well as others have proven this on the scale with tire comparisons and past wheel builds. its all about what the rider wants. Also just to clarify, I haven't ridden a Stealth Fighter, only my Bomber, couple of home builds, and an Opti. I don't know how much you weigh, but If I was 100# lighter (260# ready to ride now), I would have a Fighter and stay with Stealth's stock the 24x3.00 Duro Razorbacks that come on the bike. Also like Kepler said, before you start modifying your Fighter, ask yourself, "what do I really want?" and make your own choice. If you want your fighter to be the lightest machine it can be with easy tire changes, stay away from the MC tire rim option. If you want a more durable rear wheel tire setup, the 19x1.4 Prowheel racing rim I have tested and ran or Hyena's 19x1.6 rim running the Sr241 or comparable 2.75x19 tire could be the way to go. If you want more mechanical advantage from a smaller wheel tire setup, the 17x1.4" rim and tire I am currently running could be an option. Word of caution on the 17s, tire selection is very crucial if you don't want your bike to look funny. I briefly ran a Shinko SR704 2.25x17 tire, it looked comical compared to the front. It barely measured 22" inflated outer diameter. I pulled it off after one ride and tossed it, 25 bucks flushed. The 2.75x17 SR241 and Duro HF307 and the 3.00x17 SR241 all measure around the 23.5-23.9" when inflated. These tires don't look as funny compared to the 24x3 MTB Razorback I have on the front. As far as the Mousse option goes, I'm waiting on DH Paule to comment on that, he will be trying a Mousse tube out on his 19 rim when he gets his wheel built.

Rick

 

[QuestionMan]

My take on the whole motocross rims and tires is the fact that if you ride your bike on both pavement and dirt/grass, you need to go with a motocross rim and tire.
The problem is you need a knobby tire when riding in the dirt or grass. Without a knobby the bike will be very unsafe and slip out very easily, I know this from experience and fell a few times using street tires off road.

If you buy any knobby tire made for a bicycle the compound is very soft and the tire will wear very quickly on pavement. It makes using any bicycle knobby practically useless unless you had unlimited amounts of money and time to replace them every few hundred miles.

Supposedly the motocross sr241 tire is a deep knobby tire that can last thousands of miles on pavement and dirt and wears very little.

If your driving the bike only on the street then don't waste your time with motocross rims and tires and just use bicycle rims and tires.
If you are driving the tire only off-road, then I would probably just stick with bicycle rims and tires. I don't think a bicycle knobby will wear really fast using it only off-road.

Front tires are the big question, the tires just do not wear very fast on the front so you could get away with using a bicycle knobby on the front and it will last. You also do not need a stronger rim because it hardly takes any abuse.

I am curious about Hyenas 19x1.6 rims. I believe his 19x1.6 rims are much heavier than the prowheel 19x1.4 rims.

 

[Rix]

Qman, just to clarify the Shinko SR241 is a trials tire, not a motoX tire. Its a true 60/40 Dirt/Street tire. Not the best at anyone thing, just a great all around on all conditions tire. The Shinko SR244 is a 40/60 Dirt/Street tire. Out of the 14 or so MC tires I have tried so far on the Bomber, this is the one tire I haven't tried, but the guys I know that run it like it. Hyena has this tire in size 2.75x19 on his Bat Shit Cray Super fast Fighter . So far, Hyena has seen 100KPH or 62MPH with no rear brake on his Fighter with this tire on his fast wind CROMO clone set up.

tires are the big question, the tires just do not wear very fast on the front so you could get away with using a bicycle knobby on the front and it will last. You also do not need a stronger rim because it hardly takes any abuse.

This is very true, the only reason I have went with a Moto tire on the front is I haven't had any flatting issues and I have got some great mileage out of the 24x3 Razor back on the front.

Rick

 

[Rix]

Today, I did my 3rd service on the VBoxx. This time, I squirted in 120cc of grease in each hole (4 tubes), about 5 times more than recommended by Sun Tour. Its is realy smooth now. Cant even feel the clutches in the even gears that normally have drag. I am telling you guys that the Vboxx is extremally happy full of Super lube synthetic grease.

 

[wugambino]

I didn't know there were so many haters out there...

http://forums.mtbr.com/general-discussion/electric-bikes-mtb-trails-809098.html

 

[litespeed]

The haters are always there! Find anything in life that brings you joy and someone WILL oppose it! How's that for a pessimistic Tuesday morning quote!

Tom

 

[wugambino]

The haters are always there! Find anything in life that brings you joy and someone WILL oppose it! How's that for a pessimistic Tuesday morning quote!

Tom

Pretty good!

 

[wugambino]

I guess I thought "they" were my people> I was a pedal only guy for 35 of my 41 years before I got my Fighter. I've paid my pedal dues. I call it evolution.

Frustrating is the baseless, clueless, no facts or valid points argument that:
Ebikes will tear up trails more than regular mtb's.
They will go to faster and hurt people and bunnies.
Just because an archaic sign says no motors
Ebikers will steal all of their women. Etc,etc..

Ok, maybe the last one is valid.

 

[wugambino]

Curious.... about how many stealth bikes are in the States?

 

[Stealth_Bombering]

I didn't know there were so many haters out there...

http://forums.mtbr.com/general-discussion/electric-bikes-mtb-trails-809098.html

It's hard to say for sure but it looks like the guy is located in Colorado based on his youtube video and trails he's posted. I've encountered a few haters myself usually I hear them yell out "cheater!" as I pass them on a big hill most of them are joking around. I do slow down so I don't fly by them though so I am not being rude or cutting them off. Most people I see on the trails want to know what I am riding and are just amazed. There are a few people that are just haters and always will be no matter what, I just feel sorry for them. It reminds me of when snowboarding became popular then there was this thing between skiers and snowboarders. Now when I ride I normally don't stop next to a group of people mostly because I don't want to look like I am showing off my cool toy and partly because I just want to ride and don't want to answer all the questions I get. If it's one guy or something I will sit and chat but for the most part I just wave and go on my marry way. I did allow a few guys to take pictures of my bike but now I just keep riding if I am in a state park just in case.

These same haters complain about hikers and people horseback riding as well. 99% of the people I encounter are cool.

 

[Rix]

Curious.... about how many stealth bikes are in the States?

There are thousands and thousands of Ebikers in the states. One supplier I deal with here in Texas sells about 600-700 ebike conversion units a year has been since the late 90s. Its just not as poplular per capita as places such as Australia, China, Japan, and parts of Europe. As far as Stealth Ebikers go, got to be at least 40 between the Fighter and Bomber in the lower 48s. Of course that doesn't equate to one bike per state.....yet. I also think my estimate is on the low side. Could be closer to 60 and increasing weekly.

Rick

 

[full-throttle]

I didn't know there were so many haters out there...

http://forums.mtbr.com/general-discussion/electric-bikes-mtb-trails-809098.html

I don't think a single one of them has ridden an e-bike or been on a ride with another e-biker.

As a MTBer I see their point of view and understand what they could possibly not like, but I don't agree with them.

All the group rides I've been on with many of you all I can say is there's nothing wrong with the way you ride. Well.. at least the 2-wheeled type

 

[remf]

As far as Stealth Ebikers go, got to be at least 40 between the Fighter and Bomber in the lower 48s. Of course that doesn't equate to one bike per state.....yet. I also think my estimate is on the low side. Could be closer to 60 and increasing weekly.

Rick yes I think it is on the low side. I've heard that it's WAY more than that...and that's just 2013 to date!