Ottodog, I had some of the same problems with the Falco 500W kit. Poor instructions with the kit, loose spokes out of the box, and I found the ANT+ programming really obtuse until I got a lot of help from Rakesh. Now that I've learned how to set up the performance parameters, I like the kit, and for those of us who don't enjoy spending all day breathing solder fumes, I like having something that I can plug in and adjust. I installed the kit on a LWB recumbent, which seems to scare dealers, so I just read the instructions, such as they are, and ask a lot of questions. Followed the same procedure in 2007 with a Bionx PL350, and we've been real happy with that also. Still using that conversion kit with around 18,000 miles on it, with a few battery changes. Takes some patience and perseverance, but hey......
Having Some Problems with My Falco 500 Watt Kit...
- Thread starter Ottodog
- Start date
Ottodog
100 W
JimB said:
Hi Jim. I've been following some of your other posts. I think I saw Court do a review of a Recumbent. Was that yours by any chance? It was tres cool. I agree about the Falco kits. I'm becoming a real fan again now that I know what I'm doing and I have the USB dongle to make my own changes. No other kits allow you to dial it exactly how you want it.
I had all but decided for my next e-bike to buy a pre-made but now I'm opening my mind to doing another Falco kit. I could get a lot more for my money if I do and I trust that Falco is going to be around for a while based on my talks with the owner. They are expanding this year and based on the changes I've seen on their website, they are making a genuine effort to address some of the concerns people have had with getting adequate online support. There is a lot more information out there than there was even two weeks ago when I started this journey. Very encouraging!
Does anyone know of any good objective reviews or reports on the Falco?
I've spent a few hours in search mode, and read just about every post it turns up. Nothing. Spent a few hours googling as well. Slim pickens.
I mean the kind where people have actually rode one for a while with some feedback on power and utilization.
For example, are they any better on then the average DD (say maybe a 9 Continents 3006) on hills in terms of low speed power and efficiency?
Is there a way to connect to it without paying some form of "manufacturers tax" to upgrade settings like the 20 MPH limit?
Is there a way to replace the old fashioned screw-on freewheel with a freehub?
We're currently looking at upgrading a couple Catrike Expeditions for rides across rolling hill terrain. Hubmotors offer a slight front-rear weight balance advantage over a mid-drive on a Catrike. Much prefer one with the controller internal despite the heat issues. 10 speed with a 36-11 cassette is an absolute must.
If there is a comprehensive report on the Falco 500 watt performance it sure would be nice to see. Otherwise I suspect we'll be going BBS02 with an SRAM Dual Drive.
I've spent a few hours in search mode, and read just about every post it turns up. Nothing. Spent a few hours googling as well. Slim pickens.
I mean the kind where people have actually rode one for a while with some feedback on power and utilization.
For example, are they any better on then the average DD (say maybe a 9 Continents 3006) on hills in terms of low speed power and efficiency?
Is there a way to connect to it without paying some form of "manufacturers tax" to upgrade settings like the 20 MPH limit?
Is there a way to replace the old fashioned screw-on freewheel with a freehub?
We're currently looking at upgrading a couple Catrike Expeditions for rides across rolling hill terrain. Hubmotors offer a slight front-rear weight balance advantage over a mid-drive on a Catrike. Much prefer one with the controller internal despite the heat issues. 10 speed with a 36-11 cassette is an absolute must.
If there is a comprehensive report on the Falco 500 watt performance it sure would be nice to see. Otherwise I suspect we'll be going BBS02 with an SRAM Dual Drive.
Ottodog
100 W
Triketech said:
Not sure if it's up to your standards, but here's one I saw over at EBR: http://electricbikereview.com/community/threads/ride-report-for-falco-emotor-bike.369/
ambroseliao
100 kW
The reviewer, Bike_on, also hangs out here. There is also some info here on the Falco system.
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=49849
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=49849
TheBeastie
1 MW
There's also a fair amount of video reviews, you get a fair amount of feel just by watching these.
https://m.youtube.com/results?q=falco%20kit&sm=3
https://m.youtube.com/results?q=falco%20kit&sm=3
Cephalotus
10 kW
- Joined
- Jun 18, 2012
- Messages
- 755
Triketech said:
There are 10 speed 36-11 freewheels available, if that's an option for you...
Ottodog
100 W
Cephalotus said:
I used this 34-11 and it really helped give me a lot more top end speed. Works perfectly with my Shimano Index Shifters.
http://www.amazon.com/DNP-Epoch-Freewheel-Nickel-Plated/dp/B007A8RSTQ/ref=pd_sim_468_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=1GNASKG9W3XYC6SWBNYY
Ottodog
100 W
You also will need to download the software and have a Windows capable machine available. I ended up having to load Windows on my Mac with Parallels. The easiest thing is to call Falco and they'll walk you through it.
Ottodog said:
Ottodog, would you help me out with the basics of programming the Falco motor? I've got the 500w on the rear of a recumbent trike, and would like to adjust the parameters so that when I turn on the console ...
- -it defaults to mph
-the throttle will work fully in all "pedelec" modes, from 1 through 5
-the speed is unrestricted
-etc for other significant improvement in default settings
-all these settings will be saved as the default turn-on settings
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