Electric 2021 Cruzbike Q45

[offGridDownUnder]

I have documented this in the Cruzbike forum with technical detail. Early in the thread, another rider gives some details of his conversion, but he also actually took a grinder to his motor over concerns the spinning brake rotor would damage the motor cable. If you read further, I detail the part my local fabricator came up with to prevent this. The approach I used involves no changes to the original Cruzbike.

This is pending sale as I write this, but the solution works very well. With the motor on the rear wheel, it has all-wheel-drive and goes up hills wonderfully, and the regen braking can stop the bike without invoking the brake pads at all (you can still use them for emergency stops).

Electric 2021 Q45

You may need to register to view the pictures - I don't know the state of things when you are reading this. But then, if you have a Cruzbike, that's not a bad idea - there is much useful other information there.

 

[neptronix]

I'd love to see more about your build here.

 

[offGridDownUnder]

I posted extensively in the Cruzbike forum at the link. Is it not accessible?

I suspect the V3 All-Axle may have done away with the need for the collar to hold the cables, but the torque arm mount solution is still relevant, as is the battery mount.

Remember, you put a 'front wheel hub' on the rear of a Cruzbike - 100mm OLD width.

I don't have this machine now.

 

[neptronix]

Just don't want to sign up for another forum to see pictures.

Why don't you have it anymore? i've personally considered getting one of these.

 

[offGridDownUnder]

I'll look into whether I have the pictures I posted on the Cruzbike forum to post here.

Cruzbikes have most of the hill (mountain) climbing records - they are very effective. Riding one is different - but quite doable.

No one "knows" how to ride a bike. Instead, they put themself on one, and then do it again, until their body and brain have worked out how to keep them on it. They can't write that down and transmit it that way - anyone else has to go through the same process with their own body and brain.

So, you must do the same with a Cruzbike, even if you "know" how to ride an upright bike, but it works fine and they are quite nice - I liked looking at the sky and trees instead of the pavement. No back pain, no wrist pain, no neck pain, no numb nuts. My trike also offers this.

There are directions of steps to work through to speed the process of being able to ride a Cruzbike - takes a week or less. They help. The best I've seen is a video of a fellow riding one along all the painted lines in a parking lot, making right angle turns back and forth at walking speed - that does take practice, but then it also gives great confidence.

The most recent iterations of the Q45s have the front leg length adjustment co-axial with the wheel/hub/cluster (as they use a 12mm thru-axle, as mine did). The same shop that helped me make the adaptations for mine also put a Rohloff and Gates belt on another (front wheel - motor goes on the rear). It turned out that the chainstay distance permitted this with good tension.

Q45 models make good gravel bikes. I wouldn't want to do air time with one, but otherwise I don't see a problem taking one off-road.

 

[offGridDownUnder]

Some pictures. The Grin All-Axle is in the rear wheel, the battery slung below the frame and attached to a grey U-section alumin(i)um channel which is in turn mounted to the Cruzbike lower pannier rack. This is distinct from the Cruzbike rear rack with a bag on it.. The Phaserunner is inside the grey bracket:

The Grin torque arm, fiipped over and mounted on the right side of the motor. Note that the torque arm mounting holes are countersunk on the intended side, and they are not on this side - but this does not matter. The torque is not borne by the screws - they just keep the torque arm seated. The torque is borne by lobes on the motor and arm which mesh, so there is no weakness. The hose clamps are special narrow band ones I found that you cut to length and assemble with included screw heads. Otherwise the rear spacing is too narrow for regular hose clamps. The two grey lumps are epoxy putty I formed and then squished into place to ensure good contact with the narrow oval section of the rear swing arms. I put food wrap around the arms so the torque arm foot didn't glue to the swing arm and then mashed it together and after it set, I removed the food wrap. So I could take the wheel out to change tires, you know.

Routing the Grin All Axle cable on the left side. Detach the cable, release the (captive) screw at the front of the torque arm, pull the 12mm thru-axle, remove the wheel. Reverse.

 

[offGridDownUnder]

The torque arm before I put the epoxy lumps on it to form to the oval swing arm section:

Transparent food wrap around the swing arm, strategic masking tape to avoid overspill, and the epoxy lumps in place and setting while being mashed together:

The weird little left side motor cap we came up with to hold the motor cable away from the spinning brake rotor. I put extensive details about the dimensions of this in the thread in the Cruzbike forum, and if you want to make one, join that forum because you have a Cruzbike. NOTE: GRIN REDESIGNED THE V3 ALL AXLE BECAUSE OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS, AND THIS PART MAY NOT BE NEEDED ANY MORE. I'm out of it - I don't own a Cruzbike now. Best of fortune to you.

 

[offGridDownUnder]

Why don't you have it anymore? i've personally considered getting one of these.

I ride the trike now due to deteriorating joints, including one ankle that I had to slam down at low speed to avoid falling over when the tire caught in a pavement crack.

I still fell over and folded the leg under me, but miraculously did not break any joints. But the writing was on the wall, and I can't easily fall over on the trike.

Otherwise, the Cruzbike Q45 was excellent. Cruzbikes in general hold many records, including climbing records. The posture is very effective at turning muscles into rolling. And the posture and view are very nice - no sore anything.

Several models are used as gravel bikes, and the Q45 has rear suspension and with the rear motor does well off-road. Not up to full MTB capabilities, but the traction is in the right end. I replaced the 650b stock rims with 26" so I could put 2" tires on.

And again, it's very nice to watch the scenery and sky without craning my neck.

 

[amberwolf]

The two grey lumps are epoxy putty I formed and then squished into place to ensure good contact with the narrow oval section of the rear swing arms. I put food wrap around the arms so the torque arm foot didn't glue to the swing arm and then mashed it together and after it set, I removed the food wrap. So I could take the wheel out to change tires, you know.

FWIW, all you should need to do with this design of torque arm (very similar to the one on the GMAC I have), is unbolt the single bolt that secures the arm to the foot. The entire foot can remain secured to the frame, by whatever mechanism you choose.

On my trike, I used the foot but my longterm plan to clean up the design (before I decided not to use the GMAC) was to weld a tab to my frame, wiht a hole in it to line up with the arm's end bolthole, instead of using the foot. One less thing to deal with unfastening/refastening.

 

[offGridDownUnder]

Yes. The Grin torque arm mount works well this way.

The hose clamps provided the semi-permanent mounting. I used the food wrap to prevent the epoxy from adhering to the swing arm - I only wanted to form an even bearing surface to spread the load onto the arm, not to attach the foot permanantly.

In the end, the buyer did not want the electrics - just the Cruzbike, and I was able to reverse it all without any permanent changes (which I tend to aim for in my conversions). I still have the wheel, motor, axle adapter.