dogman dan
1 PW
This is a summary of basic info on the Aotema brushless motor kit sold by Terry at High Tech Bikes. This thread is intended as a place for a newbie to look for basic info. For discussions and endless blather by me, see the Hightekbikes.com motor review thread. 8 pages at this time, pics and discussions.
At this time, I have 1000 miles on the hub. I power it with a pingbattery 20 ah 36v battery that has an actual voltage of 44v. Being a lifepo4, the voltage does not drop much when the trottle is maxed, unlike lead batteries that often drop below 36v in use. Top speeds are comparable to sla batteries for the first mile after a fresh charge.
I'm riding this motor on a low end mongoose MTB, the steel suspension fork kind, and the whole thing weighs around 85 pounds, and I weigh 180. This bike is modified for a very upright riding position so I lose a mph or so to wind resistance.
Front fork mounted hub motor, 792 watts based on 36v battery and 22 amp controller. 36vX 22 amps = 792 watts
Aoterma motor, very similar if not identical to Wilderness Energy brand kits.
Full throttle speed at 36v, 26 " rim, 23 mph, this is on a mountain bike, with tall handlbars giving as non aero position as possible, knobby tires. 180 pound rider.
Full throttle speed at 48v, same bike, is 27 mph. These are no pedaling speeds.
Amp rate at full throttle 36v cruising , 16-18 amps. So actual voltage of 44 v x 17 amps = 748 watts cruising at full throttle. Headwinds or even slight inclines increase cruising amps to as high as 20 amps. Tailwinds or downhill, amps can be very low even at full throttle.
Highest amp spike in normal operation, briefly 25 amps will flow when starting up, or speeding up from a slower speed.
Amp rates at half throttle are aproximately half that of full throttle.
That makes this motor very compatible with most lifepo4 in the 10 ah size, or the 20 ah size if long hills, or rides longer than 10 miles are routine.
Range at full throttle with a 20 ah 36v pingbattery 23 miles. Because of higher amp rate, range may be less than 11.5 miles with a 10 ah battery, but I'm confident 10 miles is possible with a 10 ah pack, at full throttle. Much more possible at slower speeds, and more pedaling.
Full throttle and pedaling vigorously, climbs 6% grade at 15-18 mph. Climbs 6% no pedaling at 9-10 mph. Steeper inclines can be climbed but it requires low gears, brisk pedaling, and strangely, less throttle. Too much throttle puts more power into the wheel than the slow speed can use, so less is better. That's not like a gas engine at all but it works well.
Controller is 22 amp, and provides adequate take off torque.
Sensorless type controller, but it will start itself from a dead stop if you need it to. It takes off very smooth if the wheel is rolled forward only an inch as the throttle is applied. Simpler than hall sensor motors, but works fine as long as you push off a tiny bit as you get going.
Motor weighs about 15 pounds, including rim and a thick thorn resistant tube and tire. 7 turns of wire in the winding.
Comes with thumb throttle , controller, rack, battery bag, some connectors to attach to the battery, and a spoke wrench. Mounted on a single wall inexpensive but sturdy rim. I run a 36v battery, but the controller is known to be able to run with 48v batteries. Terry also has a competitive price on lifepo4 batteries too, and an great price on a kit with a battery, as of Feb 2009.
I have been commuting on this motor now all winter a day or two a week, and finally it warmed up enough to really ride it everyday. Initial first impressions were very good. The only exeption was the rim, which needed some trueing work. I belive Terry is now doing some straightening before shipping, but even so, I find a new motor wheel needs a bit of tlc for the first 100 miles. Something about the motor twisting on the spokes, but I find they settle down after about 100 miles and then stay straight. I find the speed at 36v to be perfect, just a hair above the 20 mph federal limit with the battery I use, but not so much past it I can't claim to be pedaling for the extra 3 mph. Take off is fast enough to get me across a street with traffic coming without absoulutly having to shift down to be sure to cross quickly. It won't jerk your head when you floor it, but it will get you across a busy road, or get going on a steep hill just fine.
The motor is a brushless direct drive motor, so no gear noise. There is a slight grindy noise when the motor is working extra hard, like at startup. This is a harmless sound from the motor switching from winding to winding, and it goes away as the speed increases or you pedal enough to take the strain off the motor. Acceleration is nice and smooth unless, for some reason you stall the motor. Then the motor will jerk alarmingly, but harmlessly letting you know it needs to roll if you put on throttle. The same thing will happen if you accidentally roll backwards as you apply the throttle. 99% of the time the motor is smooth and silent.
Installing is pretty easy on a steel fork bike with rim brakes. The best forks to install on are the ones with no quick release hubs, like beach cruisers and less expensive mountain bikes or comfort bikes. The wiring kit is complete, with only connections to the battery of the buyers choice to be done by the buyer. The throttle , motor, and controller just plug in and the plugs can't be mixed up. Only bikes with alloy forks, or disk brakes are a problem to install. Most bikes can have a steel fork put on them to make installing the motor possible.
I have had not one problem with it, mechanical or electrical. With my good battery powering the motor, I can easily make trips up to 23 miles riding full throttle all the way. My record distance with a 36v20 ah pingbattery is 39 miles with lots of pedaling, riding 12-15 mph.
As for the vendor, I have found Terry a very straightforward and helpfull guy, not overhyping his product to make a sale, and very willing to openly discuss the motors capabilities and limitations as I basicly try to test it to destruction in a daily grind of 29 miles to work and back. My route is downhill to work, so I ride home uphill almost all the way, and when summer comes, I will be riding in 105 F heat for many of the rides home. See his website at hightekbikes.com for more info on products, prices and to contact him.
At this time, I have 1000 miles on the hub. I power it with a pingbattery 20 ah 36v battery that has an actual voltage of 44v. Being a lifepo4, the voltage does not drop much when the trottle is maxed, unlike lead batteries that often drop below 36v in use. Top speeds are comparable to sla batteries for the first mile after a fresh charge.
I'm riding this motor on a low end mongoose MTB, the steel suspension fork kind, and the whole thing weighs around 85 pounds, and I weigh 180. This bike is modified for a very upright riding position so I lose a mph or so to wind resistance.
Front fork mounted hub motor, 792 watts based on 36v battery and 22 amp controller. 36vX 22 amps = 792 watts
Aoterma motor, very similar if not identical to Wilderness Energy brand kits.
Full throttle speed at 36v, 26 " rim, 23 mph, this is on a mountain bike, with tall handlbars giving as non aero position as possible, knobby tires. 180 pound rider.
Full throttle speed at 48v, same bike, is 27 mph. These are no pedaling speeds.
Amp rate at full throttle 36v cruising , 16-18 amps. So actual voltage of 44 v x 17 amps = 748 watts cruising at full throttle. Headwinds or even slight inclines increase cruising amps to as high as 20 amps. Tailwinds or downhill, amps can be very low even at full throttle.
Highest amp spike in normal operation, briefly 25 amps will flow when starting up, or speeding up from a slower speed.
Amp rates at half throttle are aproximately half that of full throttle.
That makes this motor very compatible with most lifepo4 in the 10 ah size, or the 20 ah size if long hills, or rides longer than 10 miles are routine.
Range at full throttle with a 20 ah 36v pingbattery 23 miles. Because of higher amp rate, range may be less than 11.5 miles with a 10 ah battery, but I'm confident 10 miles is possible with a 10 ah pack, at full throttle. Much more possible at slower speeds, and more pedaling.
Full throttle and pedaling vigorously, climbs 6% grade at 15-18 mph. Climbs 6% no pedaling at 9-10 mph. Steeper inclines can be climbed but it requires low gears, brisk pedaling, and strangely, less throttle. Too much throttle puts more power into the wheel than the slow speed can use, so less is better. That's not like a gas engine at all but it works well.
Controller is 22 amp, and provides adequate take off torque.
Sensorless type controller, but it will start itself from a dead stop if you need it to. It takes off very smooth if the wheel is rolled forward only an inch as the throttle is applied. Simpler than hall sensor motors, but works fine as long as you push off a tiny bit as you get going.
Motor weighs about 15 pounds, including rim and a thick thorn resistant tube and tire. 7 turns of wire in the winding.
Comes with thumb throttle , controller, rack, battery bag, some connectors to attach to the battery, and a spoke wrench. Mounted on a single wall inexpensive but sturdy rim. I run a 36v battery, but the controller is known to be able to run with 48v batteries. Terry also has a competitive price on lifepo4 batteries too, and an great price on a kit with a battery, as of Feb 2009.
I have been commuting on this motor now all winter a day or two a week, and finally it warmed up enough to really ride it everyday. Initial first impressions were very good. The only exeption was the rim, which needed some trueing work. I belive Terry is now doing some straightening before shipping, but even so, I find a new motor wheel needs a bit of tlc for the first 100 miles. Something about the motor twisting on the spokes, but I find they settle down after about 100 miles and then stay straight. I find the speed at 36v to be perfect, just a hair above the 20 mph federal limit with the battery I use, but not so much past it I can't claim to be pedaling for the extra 3 mph. Take off is fast enough to get me across a street with traffic coming without absoulutly having to shift down to be sure to cross quickly. It won't jerk your head when you floor it, but it will get you across a busy road, or get going on a steep hill just fine.
The motor is a brushless direct drive motor, so no gear noise. There is a slight grindy noise when the motor is working extra hard, like at startup. This is a harmless sound from the motor switching from winding to winding, and it goes away as the speed increases or you pedal enough to take the strain off the motor. Acceleration is nice and smooth unless, for some reason you stall the motor. Then the motor will jerk alarmingly, but harmlessly letting you know it needs to roll if you put on throttle. The same thing will happen if you accidentally roll backwards as you apply the throttle. 99% of the time the motor is smooth and silent.
Installing is pretty easy on a steel fork bike with rim brakes. The best forks to install on are the ones with no quick release hubs, like beach cruisers and less expensive mountain bikes or comfort bikes. The wiring kit is complete, with only connections to the battery of the buyers choice to be done by the buyer. The throttle , motor, and controller just plug in and the plugs can't be mixed up. Only bikes with alloy forks, or disk brakes are a problem to install. Most bikes can have a steel fork put on them to make installing the motor possible.
I have had not one problem with it, mechanical or electrical. With my good battery powering the motor, I can easily make trips up to 23 miles riding full throttle all the way. My record distance with a 36v20 ah pingbattery is 39 miles with lots of pedaling, riding 12-15 mph.
As for the vendor, I have found Terry a very straightforward and helpfull guy, not overhyping his product to make a sale, and very willing to openly discuss the motors capabilities and limitations as I basicly try to test it to destruction in a daily grind of 29 miles to work and back. My route is downhill to work, so I ride home uphill almost all the way, and when summer comes, I will be riding in 105 F heat for many of the rides home. See his website at hightekbikes.com for more info on products, prices and to contact him.
