Q128H Giant Talon build:
Goals:
1. As invisible as possible. I ride with a gravel group of almost all non-ebikes. Ebikes are seen kinda as cheating or a crutch by the competitive riders in the group. I have an ab/back injury where I can't bend over in a cycling posture, so upright and ebike is a must. However, a painfully obvious ebike, that flies up hills with zero effort catches more than sideward glances... Exposed batteries and obvious motors and wires, as well as motor noise are dead give aways. Aka, it has to look like a bike, and ride like a bike, and be welcome on bike/class1 areas.
2. 50+ mile gravel events with enough battery to spare so on 20mph windy days, and 10%-18% gravel hills, I don't run out. (yes I run ebike/non-competitive class)
3. Gears to be able to accomplish lake trails, and easy single track when not with the gravel group.
Equipment:
1. Giant Talon 2, 50mm stem + 50mm handlebar, 38T chainring, 11-42 Shimano 5100 cassette,5120m derailure, 1x11 shifter, 180mm brakes to clear motor, Ride1Up turris torque arms/plates, PakRak mini commuter bag.
2. AKM Q128HCST 36v201rpm motor,48v bag battery,25Amp 36/48v KT controller,TF01 Display,12PAS sensor, Pair of 48v10.5ah 13S3P battery in 4x10, not 3x13 configuration, plus a 2:1 battery combiner/balancer.
Configuration:
1. Rated versions of this motor yield 2800rpm core speed, so I wanted to keep rotor speed under that when overvolting to 48v. On 29" mtb tires, 23mph is 2800rpm core, so the display max speed is set to 23mph.
2. Motor is rated at 800w, I set display/controller to 50% to limit PAS 5 to 800watts (measured) and increased PAS C14 setting to high for a measured at the battery 150/250/370/540/800watts using constant current (simulated torque sensor mode) I weigh 250lbs, and run 9.2 wh/mile pas1, and 11.2 wh/mile pas2.
3. At 38chainring/11cassette on 29" tires my max cadence is about 23-24mph, motor is limited to 23mph, competitive riders in gravel group run 22mph.... aka, I can 'just' keep up and everything (me and the motor) runs out of gas at 23.
4. PAS kicks in in 1/2 pedal revolution, so no 'false starts' on the motor, no brake or shifter interrupters, as I find I don't need them. The motor shuts down quick enough and I have plenty of hydraulic brakes. I rarely am in anything other than PAS1 or 2. (pas3/4 for steep hills for a minute or so if needed)
Why did I build it:
1. I have a ride1up Turris, with an akm angle geared 125RX motor that is supposed rated at 90nm/1000watts/20amps. It is HEAVY and rides heavy, and sucks going uphill. (but the motor IS quiet) I have added eRuban Plus 27.5x2.6 tires, 1x11 shimano drivetrain, and 48v relay for extra bag battery. The only way I make it up steep kansas hills is PAS9 at 1000w generating mainly heat using 46chainring/36cassette to try to keep above 6mph where the motor gives me something. If I go down to 46/42, I'm so slow I get even less from the motor... I typically strain my knees climbing these hills with the pedal effort needed, and then the back pain.....
2. I typically ride around 14.5 or more wh/mile on the Turris at same route - same pedal effort of the giant that is 11.2wh/mile. Aka, the akm128h is much more efficient at the speeds/roads that I ride, so it takes less battery for a 50+ mile ride.
3. without bag, the giant is 40lbs. It is a breeze to load on the bike rack. It rides light, It feels light, going uphill the motor is running high enough rpm it's still giving useful output, so it climbs light. The turris is pushing 60lbs with integrated battery.... it's heavy all the time. I can climb lake trails/single track/18% grades on the giant and all I do is shift down and keep going, I never have to put in the excessive pedal effort that the Turris requires.
Things left to do:
1. Better internal cable routing / better controller mounting / eRuban plus tires. (yes those tires are the best thing I've ever seen on an ebike)
2. Colorado mountains / big events....
Goals:
1. As invisible as possible. I ride with a gravel group of almost all non-ebikes. Ebikes are seen kinda as cheating or a crutch by the competitive riders in the group. I have an ab/back injury where I can't bend over in a cycling posture, so upright and ebike is a must. However, a painfully obvious ebike, that flies up hills with zero effort catches more than sideward glances... Exposed batteries and obvious motors and wires, as well as motor noise are dead give aways. Aka, it has to look like a bike, and ride like a bike, and be welcome on bike/class1 areas.
2. 50+ mile gravel events with enough battery to spare so on 20mph windy days, and 10%-18% gravel hills, I don't run out. (yes I run ebike/non-competitive class)
3. Gears to be able to accomplish lake trails, and easy single track when not with the gravel group.
Equipment:
1. Giant Talon 2, 50mm stem + 50mm handlebar, 38T chainring, 11-42 Shimano 5100 cassette,5120m derailure, 1x11 shifter, 180mm brakes to clear motor, Ride1Up turris torque arms/plates, PakRak mini commuter bag.
2. AKM Q128HCST 36v201rpm motor,48v bag battery,25Amp 36/48v KT controller,TF01 Display,12PAS sensor, Pair of 48v10.5ah 13S3P battery in 4x10, not 3x13 configuration, plus a 2:1 battery combiner/balancer.
Configuration:
1. Rated versions of this motor yield 2800rpm core speed, so I wanted to keep rotor speed under that when overvolting to 48v. On 29" mtb tires, 23mph is 2800rpm core, so the display max speed is set to 23mph.
2. Motor is rated at 800w, I set display/controller to 50% to limit PAS 5 to 800watts (measured) and increased PAS C14 setting to high for a measured at the battery 150/250/370/540/800watts using constant current (simulated torque sensor mode) I weigh 250lbs, and run 9.2 wh/mile pas1, and 11.2 wh/mile pas2.
3. At 38chainring/11cassette on 29" tires my max cadence is about 23-24mph, motor is limited to 23mph, competitive riders in gravel group run 22mph.... aka, I can 'just' keep up and everything (me and the motor) runs out of gas at 23.
4. PAS kicks in in 1/2 pedal revolution, so no 'false starts' on the motor, no brake or shifter interrupters, as I find I don't need them. The motor shuts down quick enough and I have plenty of hydraulic brakes. I rarely am in anything other than PAS1 or 2. (pas3/4 for steep hills for a minute or so if needed)
Why did I build it:
1. I have a ride1up Turris, with an akm angle geared 125RX motor that is supposed rated at 90nm/1000watts/20amps. It is HEAVY and rides heavy, and sucks going uphill. (but the motor IS quiet) I have added eRuban Plus 27.5x2.6 tires, 1x11 shimano drivetrain, and 48v relay for extra bag battery. The only way I make it up steep kansas hills is PAS9 at 1000w generating mainly heat using 46chainring/36cassette to try to keep above 6mph where the motor gives me something. If I go down to 46/42, I'm so slow I get even less from the motor... I typically strain my knees climbing these hills with the pedal effort needed, and then the back pain.....
2. I typically ride around 14.5 or more wh/mile on the Turris at same route - same pedal effort of the giant that is 11.2wh/mile. Aka, the akm128h is much more efficient at the speeds/roads that I ride, so it takes less battery for a 50+ mile ride.
3. without bag, the giant is 40lbs. It is a breeze to load on the bike rack. It rides light, It feels light, going uphill the motor is running high enough rpm it's still giving useful output, so it climbs light. The turris is pushing 60lbs with integrated battery.... it's heavy all the time. I can climb lake trails/single track/18% grades on the giant and all I do is shift down and keep going, I never have to put in the excessive pedal effort that the Turris requires.
Things left to do:
1. Better internal cable routing / better controller mounting / eRuban plus tires. (yes those tires are the best thing I've ever seen on an ebike)
2. Colorado mountains / big events....
