E-trail Riding

[The Transplanter]

Hi all

I have been looking at building an E-bike on and off for the last 2 or 3 years, but as of yet I have not made single step in making this a reality

Im a mechanic/fabricator and am armed with most tools including a MIG & TIG welder but my shortcomings are E-bike knowledge, and every time I seem to research I the goal posts move and I end up frying my brain and then give up for a bit So I thought if I actually start a thread it should encourage me enough to continue through this minefield!

The goal is to build a full suspension trail bike, so torque and range is more important than outright speed!

Cost is also a factor (isnt it always), but I do not have a set budget, but want the best for my money

I have a Carrera Banshee X (I believe its a Kona Stinky frame) to use as a recipient, and for my first venture into the e-world I think I want to use a hub motor!

So, just to recap

Carrera Banshee
High torque for trail riding
Hub Motor
Prefer a kit of sorts until I get my head around the components etc

I hate to ask questions that have probably been asked a million times but what would the latest recommendations be for a kit based on the above? Does such a kit exist? For my first venture I want something straight forward & reliable, but just so as you know, im not interested in 250w street legal motors, but want something with the power to pull 90kgs up hills!

Cheers Al 8)

 

[hjns]

What topspeed going uphill at what grade are you looking for? What range?

For example, only Cromotor/Crown will get you and a heavy bike up a 30% hill at 50kmh >6kW without overburning, and only for a limited distance only (<1km). No kit.

If you set your aims a bit lower, you could probably do very well with Kit from Cell Man (EM3EV) including high turn motor for super torque, a 12FET controller, and a triangle battery. Set your max power at 2kW and use the temp regulation feedback from the CAv3 and you are good to go.

 

[r3volved]

Bike looks like it would fit the LightningRods mid drive pretty nicely. If you're doing hill climbs I'd PM him for details with your BB width.

 

[dogman dan]

A high turn count hubmotor, that is to say, slow rpm one, will make a good trail bike. Rear hub of course. The Mac in 12t is one such motor (12 turn winding)

Long range is a relative term, but 10 mile rides can be done with a relatively small battery, 600-800 watthours. I decided last year to shorten my range just a bit, and now carry only about 500wh. The result is a better handling bike, but a slower one. I have a very very slow motor so at 48v my top speed is only 16 mph, and only 1200w of power. This makes my range long enough for a nice ride, but kept the weight down. In other words, slowing down and using less watts meant I could have decent range with less battery cost and weight. I used to do 10 mile rides with 13 pounds of battery, now I do 4-5 miles with 4 pounds.

Previously I rode with 72v and 3000w, and the bike would climb 30% for 15 min, and slopes of 20% for much longer. At that power level, pedaling was only done on slopes above 15-20%. But I decided to stop riding trails that tough when my health went bad, and now pedal the whole ride, at slower speed, and stick to 15% slopes or less for the most part.

My point is both approaches use the same motor, and both have been great trail bikes. But definitely different flavors of ride, one more like a big assist on a pedaler, the other more like a flyweight moped. So you need to decide where to start, what flavor you think you would like best. The goalposts will keep moving, but at least you can chase them with some on the trail experience.

I have been very interested in the newer bottom bracket drives such as the bafang for dirt riding, but have not tested one to find out what kind of slopes can be climbed by one. 350w sounds low, but through the lowest gear in your bike, 350w can be a lot of power. But gearing that low, you will not be going up 15% slopes at 20 mph, like I did with 3000 w.