uhmwpolyethylene
100 W
Been looking at some high end fancy folders. I want something with real strength for San Francisco hills.
I emailed the helix titanium 24" guy, he says a mid drive wouldn't fit, or schwalbes. Helix - The New Standard in Folding Bikes. Big Wheels. Titanium Frame. Rides Better and Folds Smaller. Made in Canada.
Luna Folding Ebike These guys have bolted a 750w bafang mid drive to a junky taiwanese 24 lb folder with that bad mid-frame hinge design. And it's sold out currently.
I'm unsure if a brompton can fit one. Maybe a 750w direct drive and a big rack battery, but that might affect the finished size.
Saw this moulton with a small bafang added on. Disassembling it every time might be a pain though, and it doesn't exactly come apart super small, something that could fit in the back of a taxi or trunk would be cool.
I tried that electric brompton, it's junk. Front wheel 350w drive and the battery as a backpack mounted to the front, and the hi-tensile steel frame, it's so heavy and doesn't make it up hills at all, battery drained real fast too. Brompton does make a full titanium frame though that ranges 16-19lb. I do like the idea of a removable battery / battery rack, would help to charge indoors while doing delivery and taking a break.
There's also this pendix drive for a Brompton etc, but the quality looks a little eh, and 250w. 2000$ nearly too. Pendix GmbH l Retrofitting Brompton-bicycles to eBikes
taking a non-electric hummingbird bike and adding a beefier motor might work. but it folds sort of weirdly.
the VELLO looks quality, although the stock only comes with 250w, can be purchased non electric. It has that nice folding style without a bullcrap segmented tube.
MONTAGUE also has a folding 250w mid drive which makes me wonder if their standard bikes could be adapted. So heavy though. and large. https://www.montaguebikes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/M-E1-Folded-800.jpg
Then there's bike friday which is kinda like moulton.
The Tern ECLIPSE series seems like it could conceivably work. https://www.ternbicycles.com/sites/default/files/2021-06/Eclispe-platfom-ElegantlyPortableandCompact-2000*1000.jpg
And supposedly has a well made frame joint. https://www.ternbicycles.com/us/tech/471/ocl-frame-joint
this guy here did something i think with that meh 250w bafang "fun" motor Full suspension mid-drive folding ebike, oh yEs!
I like the idea of using a real high end folder like Brompton, Montague, Vello, Helix, something with a really reliable frame that's not gonna fold up. Was also looking at non folders like the Specialized Creo , Or a regular road bike with a Bikee Lightest or Bafang 750w mid added. Or maybe a folder with a 750w direct drive and some kind of removable battery pack. I wish there was like some kind of almost kid's bike style minivelo with a really low short double diamond frame and a seat and handlebars you could just pop out, would probably be a lot more structurally stable than your average folder.
Can someone also explain to me any good hub/geared hub/mid drive motors that are 250w "compliance" rated but go higher etc as far as kits go, with really low weight around 4 lb
I emailed the helix titanium 24" guy, he says a mid drive wouldn't fit, or schwalbes. Helix - The New Standard in Folding Bikes. Big Wheels. Titanium Frame. Rides Better and Folds Smaller. Made in Canada.
Luna Folding Ebike These guys have bolted a 750w bafang mid drive to a junky taiwanese 24 lb folder with that bad mid-frame hinge design. And it's sold out currently.
I'm unsure if a brompton can fit one. Maybe a 750w direct drive and a big rack battery, but that might affect the finished size.
Saw this moulton with a small bafang added on. Disassembling it every time might be a pain though, and it doesn't exactly come apart super small, something that could fit in the back of a taxi or trunk would be cool.
I tried that electric brompton, it's junk. Front wheel 350w drive and the battery as a backpack mounted to the front, and the hi-tensile steel frame, it's so heavy and doesn't make it up hills at all, battery drained real fast too. Brompton does make a full titanium frame though that ranges 16-19lb. I do like the idea of a removable battery / battery rack, would help to charge indoors while doing delivery and taking a break.
There's also this pendix drive for a Brompton etc, but the quality looks a little eh, and 250w. 2000$ nearly too. Pendix GmbH l Retrofitting Brompton-bicycles to eBikes
taking a non-electric hummingbird bike and adding a beefier motor might work. but it folds sort of weirdly.
the VELLO looks quality, although the stock only comes with 250w, can be purchased non electric. It has that nice folding style without a bullcrap segmented tube.
MONTAGUE also has a folding 250w mid drive which makes me wonder if their standard bikes could be adapted. So heavy though. and large. https://www.montaguebikes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/M-E1-Folded-800.jpg
Then there's bike friday which is kinda like moulton.
The Tern ECLIPSE series seems like it could conceivably work. https://www.ternbicycles.com/sites/default/files/2021-06/Eclispe-platfom-ElegantlyPortableandCompact-2000*1000.jpg
And supposedly has a well made frame joint. https://www.ternbicycles.com/us/tech/471/ocl-frame-joint
this guy here did something i think with that meh 250w bafang "fun" motor Full suspension mid-drive folding ebike, oh yEs!
I like the idea of using a real high end folder like Brompton, Montague, Vello, Helix, something with a really reliable frame that's not gonna fold up. Was also looking at non folders like the Specialized Creo , Or a regular road bike with a Bikee Lightest or Bafang 750w mid added. Or maybe a folder with a 750w direct drive and some kind of removable battery pack. I wish there was like some kind of almost kid's bike style minivelo with a really low short double diamond frame and a seat and handlebars you could just pop out, would probably be a lot more structurally stable than your average folder.
Can someone also explain to me any good hub/geared hub/mid drive motors that are 250w "compliance" rated but go higher etc as far as kits go, with really low weight around 4 lb
Last edited: