**EDIT** Made To Order E-Bike anyone?

[LI-ghtcycle]

I have a proposition for anyone looking to buy or just wanting to add their own $0.02 in on this idea.

I have to admit I am at a cross-roads, I have made my current E-Bike heavier than I realized, and that bike needs to have a DD hub motor with lots of volts to make it the E-Motorcycle that still passes as a bike that I really crave.

Since a geared kit isn't really 72V+ friendly, rather than tear it up with over-volting, I am considering selling it in another bike frame all ready to go along with my custom 53V Dewalt battery pack on a similar frame, or another style if it proves more popular.

Here is what I will be taking the battery and electrics from:

Here is roughly what I have invested:

Amped Bikes Rear Geared Motor kit -------------------------------------------------------------------$475.00
Dewalt 28V batteries x 8 ($55 ea on Ebay--------------------------------------------------------------$440.00
Kfong's Dewalt battery interface boards x 8 ($5 ea and $10 total shipping)-----------------------$50.00
Misc Solder, diodes and resisters to build interface boards from Digikey--------------------------$40.00
50mm Ferrite Torid (Keeps the voltage from spiking too much and tripping Dewalt BMS) ------$12.00
Misc Wire, RC Bullet Connectors, Shrink tube --------------------------------------------------------$40.00
1/4" thick ABS plastic built into Dewalt battery mounts + fasteners for attaching to bike-------$60.00
(none of this is counting my labor, just parts)

Premium Quality Bike (Preferably another Trek Cro-Mo framed bike)------------------------------$300.00

Total--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$1417.00 (This isn't including The bike, drive-train, Watt Meter or Lights)

Everything is in great shape and working order. The batteries shouldn't have more than 200 - 300 cycles on them as I averaged 3 days a week riding, total of 15 miles most weeks with a few 20+ mile trips spread out every couple of months.

I haven't been well enough to ride it more regularly, and I just got over about a 2 1/2 month period where I wasn't able to ride.

The batteries have only been to the point where the LVC (low voltage cut-off) has been tripped 2 - 3 times, and the first time was when I was still learning about how everything worked, and when it did, I backed off and pedaled the rest of the way home to be extra cautious (turned out I just over-reacted and could have just waited a few minutes and started again :lol: ) The other time I remember was after a long trip and just trying to use the power a little too much for a 27 mile trip where I tried to average 20 MPH even up steep hills, and I just ran the battery down to close to LVC, didn't really trip it, and on the Dewalt BMS the LVC is very cautious, so no real risk to the batteries.

Even after I added the blinkers & Magic Shine headlight I haven't ridden it much, I feared that the battery might have lost enough range from the lights, horn and blinkers (I always over-do it with gadgets!) :lol:

Anyhow, trying to keep this short, but I always write a book! :wink:

I'm thinking of this time around going for less weight, and maybe even more of a hybrid/comfort bike frame with an emphasis on lower weight and thinner tires for more speed on the street.

What are your thoughts?

I'd also like an opinion on the used value once I install this kit on an equally nice frame with decent components? I'm really hoping for the neighborhood of $1200 including the bike of course. (This again isn't counting any of my labor into the price, just parts)

Oh, I also forgot to mention, this is a very "turn key" build, it uses the BMS of the Dewalt Batteries, a Dewalt Charger (included) and has been trouble free.

I'm just wanting to go the next step for myself and start with the more complicated "build your own" RC motored kit.

There is also the possibility that I will be able to trade my father for his DD Amped Bikes (rear wheel) kit for those who would want to do more voltage, and I could easily add onto the battery pack.

Also, if there is enough interest I can make a custom battery cover out of the Neoprene (extra thick wet suit grade) I have.

 

[dogman dan]

Keep the batteries. Very hard to convince anybody they are "good for lots more cycles" . The rest of the stuff should sell ok for about half what you paid. A local buyer might pay more though, especially for it all on a bike and working.

I've been buying everything used for a lifetime, and the rule of thumb is never pay more than half what you could pay for it new no matter how good the condition. And often looking to pay about 1/10 of the new msrp.

 

[spinningmagnets]

I have to agree with Dogman on keeping the batteries. Everything else is verifiable, but nobody will admit that they are hesitant to buy used batteries. for a potential customer to even suggest that it is a concern would imply that he thought you might be lying to him, and that would be rude, so they never "say" thats its an issue. Also, it would drop the price below the magic $999 milestone, to help it pass the "annoyed wife" test.

Let them test-ride it, and say that the price you offered doesn't include the batteries, because you just bought them, and you need them for another project, Besides the "customer" wouldn't need as much range as this pack has.

That is the kit that I have most recommended to friends who were curious. If I was near Oregon, I would buy it and slap on a Thud-Buster seat (after my house sells!)

 

[REdiculous]

If I had the money I'd probably be all over that. I kinda agree about the batteries so it might sell quicker if you offer to buy the batteries back within 3mo (6?) if they're not happy...just an idea.

 

[FMB42]

Ya, I agree with the idea of keeping the batteries. I just don't think you can ever have enough batteries (and speed controls) around. Besides, according to Murphy's law, you'd probably find a need for those batteries shortly after you sold them...

 

[John in CR]

I disagree about the batteries. Sell them to me for really cheap. Do the 28V Dewalts have the M1 cells or the 18650 cells?

Regarding the new bike, why does weight matter, do you have to pick the bike up? If not, weight matters little with an electric unless you have lots of hills, but a nice strong frame is quite important, especially with more speed. Also, the words "comfort" and "thinner tires" don't often collide in the same sentence. Strong, stable, lower, longer wheelbase, suspension, etc are the words that play well together with higher speed. Also, you'd have to pry a bike with a huge triangle like that out of my cold dead hands. Do you have any idea how much battery capacity can fit in that triangle?

 

[LI-ghtcycle]

I disagree about the batteries. Sell them to me for really cheap. Do the 28V Dewalts have the M1 cells or the 18650 cells?

Regarding the new bike, why does weight matter, do you have to pick the bike up? If not, weight matters little with an electric unless you have lots of hills, but a nice strong frame is quite important, especially with more speed. Also, the words "comfort" and "thinner tires" don't often collide in the same sentence. Strong, stable, lower, longer wheelbase, suspension, etc are the words that play well together with higher speed. Also, you'd have to pry a bike with a huge triangle like that out of my cold dead hands. Do you have any idea how much battery capacity can fit in that triangle?

No worries John, the bike it's self isn't on the block, just the kit. I too love the large triangle area... I'm only postponing the monster X-Light/RC build in the future for that bike frame when money is more available.


The weight matters only for convenience, I haven't really had a problem with my E-Bike as it sits, I'm just not the typical E-Biker in the sense that I like to pedal as often as not, and having a lighter bike means easier pedaling, that is the main reason I am so interested in the Kepler drive.

I may have a taker here in town on my offer, hopefully it pans out, never know how serious someone is until they put down the cash. :wink:

I feel foolish however since I was taking the wrong approach, instead of trying to find a bike most would like as the replacement for my Trek that currently has the kit installed, I will be putting the kit on the customer's bike!

I should know in the next few days how serious this guy is. He has some form of a 26" Schwinn that he rides now. I'm also considering selling my current car to get some start-up cash, but it's even more attractive to see about electrifying it too.

I just need to take out a small loan from the Credit Union to finance it! :lol: (As if I would, but man, might take me 5 years to save up the cash, but it would still be worth it! 8) )

 

[MitchJi]

Hi John,

Do the 28V Dewalts have the M1 cells or the 18650 cells?

8 M1 cells per pack.

 

[LI-ghtcycle]

Oh, sorry I missed that question, Mitch is correct, they are M1 cells.

I haven't been inside all of them, but I have opened a couple randomly to check for balance, and every thing is perfectly balanced, so I didn't open any others.

The only difficulty I have had is the RC bullet connectors I have loosening up. I'm thinking of putting a touch of solder on the mail side and then taking a jeweler's file and taking it down gently so they are snug again. I use the bullets since I have to series each one, and originally I wanted the option to manually put them all in parallel for long trips so I would go from a 53V (56V off the charger) 9AH battery to a 26V (28V off the charger) 18.4AH battery.

I would also possibly entertain selling just the battery pack, and adapting it to "your" frame, with no cost for labor, just raw material costs, and I am sure that I have everything purchased already to make the needed modifications, preferably someone local, but I wouldn't mind shipping the battery to another person who is handy and just giving them support for a DIY modification.