geared kona dirt jump frame SOLD

[bandaro]

Still working out all the kinks huh Clay? seems everyone, myself included, are running never ending projects, both hub and bb drives...

That box looks really tank-like, how much does it weigh and does it get in the way when riding at all?

 

[flyinmonkie]

bandaro... Not really working out problems. The motor lifting was something I figured might happen and only did so when under heavy load. The power supply crapping out is something that just happens. I ride basically everyday, so I charge basically everyday. It was a pretty cheap no name power supply.

I would say over all the bike is extremely reliable. I have no mechanical problems anymore and don't even think about reliability when I pull the bike out every morning to go to work. I do regular maintenance which involves lubing the chains every few weeks and cleaning the chains about every month and a half. I ride on a lot of dusty bike paths, so the chains get more dirt on them then if I only rode on pavement.

The box is all aluminum so it isn't very heavy. It looks a lot bigger than it is. It straddles the top tube so it is far smaller than it looks. It is the stuff that goes inside that adds the weight. It holds the batteries, a buss bar setup, lvc/hvc boards, the controller, and the watt meter. I pedal a lot now and i hardly notice the box when I do. It is only single speed for pedals so it is heavy to start from a stop, but pretty easy to maintain a decent speed once going.

If I were to make an assist only bike, I would go single speed for the motor and multiple speed for the pedals. I am very happy with this bike, and it does exactly what it was built for and a little more.

 

[flyinmonkie]

Got the new power supply today. Charger is all good. I think the old power supply was getting pretty tired and not putting out the amps it was meant to. With the new power supply the batteries charged a lot quicker. Nice to have them topped up in a couple of hours tops.

I'll get the new batteries balanced and checked this weekend and swap out my old batteries that have gotten a bit tired.

Clay

 

[flyinmonkie]

New batteries installed. All charged up and balanced. Old batteries set aside to see if I can balance them out individually.

Clay

 

[flyinmonkie]

The one of the old batteries was a little puffed. The other one balanced out fine but sags pretty bad.

After nearly 1500ks it is time to replace the primary drive chain. Not bad for #25 chain. I also ride on some very dry dusty paths so it is tough on the drive train.

Clay

 

[bandaro]

1500 km's you say? decent mileage, guess you have got those kinks worked out, if the primary is the only thing.

Ok, so a little OT but wondering about some market response/usability/personal preference, have you considered changing the setup, leaving the motor the same but gearing the cranks to the reduction shaft and running a single chain to the rear? This would increase pedalling resistance but give you gears for pedals and remove the second chain to the rear wheel. Or do you just not pedal enough to make this worthwhile?

 

[flyinmonkie]

The first bike I made went through the crank. I hated it. It was a lot harder to gear the motor to the crank speed. I also did not like the crank sprocket spinning while I wasn't pedaling.

With my current set up I can adjust the motor gearing and the pedal gearing independently and therefore It is much easier to make them match. It would be nice to have several gears for both the motor and the pedals though. I only have a single speed for the pedals. If I pedal and do not use the motor, then both chains from the rear wheel turn, but you do not feel much drag. I could set up a single speed for both the pedals and the motor and then only one chain would move if I was only pedaling or only using the motor.

If you went with a internal geared hub, then you could have 3 speeds for both, but they would be tied together. You would also want a slipper clutch on the motor drive somewhere to stop from munching the IGH.

Lastly, if you eliminate the freewheel crank, then all the problems of it disappear as well. You can use any bottom bracket that gives enough clearance and you do not have to worry about overrunning a freewheel.

I often pedal with the motor, but only when on the bike paths and at lower speeds. I have a lyen 3 speed electric switch and run at about 60% (I think) power on the paths. Then the pedals and the motor match very well. I can also pedal without the motor fairly easily, just not up hill. If I run full power, then I can only pedal up to about 20kph, then I can't keep up. I could easily change the gearing to suit that speed, but then I could not pedal without power. In full power, my top speed is 50kph.

Hope that answers your questions.
Clay

 

[flyinmonkie]

Finally got the last 4 batteries put in. Was super easy to just slot them in the box and plug them in the bus bars. I now have a total of 23.2 ah. I haven't had a chance to ride yet as I let all the cells even out and then balanced them.

That is it except paint, but I don't think I'll paint it. I can't be bothered tearing it all down to paint the box. It doesn't look all that bad as bare aluminum anyway. Even if it wouldn't stick out so much if painted black.

Clay

 

[flyinmonkie]

Well... it is time to sell this bike, as I am moving back to the US and it will be too much of a pain to bring it with me. It is all finished except painting the box, if one wanted too. It is a great solid bike and will be sold with an extra set of slick tires and the hyperion 1420i charger and power supply. All the the batteries are only a few months old and have low cycles. I have ridden it for nearly 1000 km with no issues. Keeping the drive chains lubed is the only maintenance needed.

So I am looking for $1800 for everything and do not want to part it out. It will also need to be picked up in Wanaka.

Sad to see it go. But, as I said I am off to the other side of the world in Oct. Then it will be time to start a new build.

You can ask questions here or by PM, and I'll post it in the sales thread.

Clay

 

[flyinmonkie]

The bike has sold. I have told the new owner about the sphere and will give him a link to this thread so he has more history. I may be quite for 3 or 4 months now, but I'll be starting a new build or 2 once I get settled in the US. Looking forward to building a couple of new bikes. they should be good with all the new stuff flying around here.

Clay

 

[Gab]

Hi flyingmonkey nice build you had their

I noticed you mentioned your cyclone kit was not noisy , what voltage where you running it at ? Did you topup the grease often or something?

Lots of people on endless sphere who have actually used them it seems say they are not noisy in reality and other the people who haven't say they are noisy ?

 

[Thecopterdr]

I run my Cyclone @ 48V and yes it IS noisy, I'm looking at the oil filled gearbox option as well as the GNG option.
I want Hub motor quiet with mid drive performance. The only thing that has really let me down with the Cyclone has been Motor Freewheel, I brought an ACS which lasted twice as long as the Dicta then finally brought a White Industries Eno but now have to machine/Modify an adaptor to fit the 16t freewheel and 20mm headline output shaft.
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=45409

 

[flyinmonkie]

Noise is subjective.

I ran mine at 50v off the charger. Yes there is gear noise from the gear box, but it was not as loud as my brushed currie motor. I have not heard a hub in person, but in all the videos I have watched, they are far from silent. The biggest difference is the pitch. The cyclone has a higher pitch whine, kind of like an RC motor but not as loud. That may make it seem louder than the low pitch sound of a hub motor. Because I was meticulous about chain line, and did not run it through the crank, there was no chain noise or freewheel noise.

I only had the stock grease in the gear box and never modified it.

So, as I said noise is subjective. Above 30kph all I could hear was wind noise. I'm sure people I passed heard the motor, but only about half looked. It depends what you want.

Thanks for the compliment. I am excited to start my next build, but it will be probably 4 months before I start. I will most likely be using a GNG for my next build for the ease of getting between the cranks.

Clay