Help me choose an electric Bicycle! ASAP!

[mickk]

Ok, well heres he deal, 80KG, ridden all my life, dont drive a car!

I need something that will get me up Springvale road as quickly as possible during peak hour. I can pedal it in 30 minutes and arrive in a lather of sweat.

Id prefer to do in in style with electric assist and arrive fresh! No showers at the other end you see.

Front hub, rear hub, LIon, Lipo, gel batteries, Im not a Scientist, its all a bit hard reading Newton Metres? charts etc, you know what I mean.

As much as I hate to say it, price is no object. I ride a Hybrid, 700 rims, Id prefer to adapt this than buy another bike, but if I have to, I will!

Ive been looking at

http://www.rotarybike.com/rotarybike_products.asp?type=Electric&pid=46&action=details

http://www.imtmotors.com/ebike.htm

http://zbike.com.au/

http://www.elationebikes.com.au/500W.htm

http://www.bicyclestore.com.au/Cyclone-Kit-Electric-Plus-Recommended-Bike-Package-pr-20752.html

and

http://www.evehicle.com.au/bicycle.shtml?openmenu=5# seems to have the biggest range and the most info. I plan on going there tomorrow.

Forget the 200w bizzo, I want maximum watts, the best battery I can buy.

Its worse than trying to adopt a baby, trying to choose one of these, `specially when its going to cost a grand or so.

So... any advice/opinions you can give me would be great! Im in Melbourne. BTW Id like to still be able to have a pannier or two on and I do like the look of those batteries that lock with a key.

ta and look forward to hearing from you!

 

[dogman dan]

For those of us on the other side of the world, give us some Idea of how far and how steep, or not your daily ride is. Short flat routes anything works good. Long or steep may be better with something else, and long and steep and hot, like my ride can kill a lot of systems.

 

[dazzassj6]

hey mick! i have a really good bike for you

http://stores.ebay.com.au/greenewheels

check it out the bikes only $1200, and free delivery if u're in melbourne! which you are

and its armed with a 36v 10ah lithium ion battery! best price u will ever get in australia. I was like you researching from scratch cuz i didnt know anything at all, and spent 2 weeks researching and found this. Its a good bike which i ride every day. All the parts are good quality parts.

However its a 200w rating. But it has alot of torque. But 36v x 10ah = 360w already. And if you add an extra 12volt batt like these other guys u can have it going really fast.

But i live on a steep street and i can travel up the hill on 6th gear with very light pedalling maintaining average 18 to 20km/hr. on Flat it'll go around 25 to 28km/hr (im 65kg). You can easily go over 30km/hr though.

go check out Zog's blog about this great bike from melbourne.

http://blog2.zog.net.au/

 

[zog]

yes, though bound by the 200W legal limit this bike definately is a huge help going up hills!
In fact part of my route went along Springvale Road in Melbourne until I adjusted it.. still riding around that area though (through Mulgrave to get to work).
I will be commuting with it weather permitting (yes I am a wimp and will drive if it buckets down) - so will be interesting to see how it's still going at the 1000km mark.. think I've only done about 200k so far.

 

[mickk]

Thanks boys, checking that bike now!

Its a long gentle hill, not hard, just a lot of traffic so want to get on and off it asap!

Oops, the Greenwheels store is empty!

Oops, Ive found it in the feedback section!

 

[dazzassj6]

yeh i think the item just ended. Email him if he still have anymore or just wait until he relists them. I got my one for $999 + $80 postage (sydney). But his prices varies up and down, i think his trying to see which price is best. He listed it for $900 before.

 

[mickk]

ta, will do!

 

[OneWayTraffic]

If it's rather flat, the Avanti will do fine. The motor and the bike itself are of good quality, but the controller is really limited to 200W and it lacks hill climbing torque I'm told. Also it's SLA battery. EV power Australia will sell you a LiFePO4 battery(best current tech) for it though. 200W peak.

The Wisper is a good bike with really good reviews. I'd go for the original rather than a knockoff though. Better componentry and better support. If cost is no object see if they have a local agent. I know Sydney has one. It's 200/250 continuous not peak.


200W is actually plenty if you're not either hill climbing or planning to go faster than 30km/h. If you pedal yourself and it seems like you do, then you plus bike will put out 350+wattscontinuous.

http://www.mne.psu.edu/lamancusa/ProdDiss/Bicycle/bikecalc1.htm

I found this calc very handy.

350 watts would get you going at 17mph up a 3% slope or 25 mph on the flat, if you have faster tires than knobbys.

More than that simply isn't needed unless you have hills to climb or want to do motorcycle impressions. (Suicide on a bike IMO- car drivers simply don't expect you to go so fast, and the safety gear isn't adequate for high speeds.)


I'd like Aust and NZ to go to a system of 500W continuous and a speed limit of 35km/h with assistance dropping off over 30 so you don't feel like you're hitting a wall.

Easier for the cops to enforce as well. Who seriously has a dynometer in their patrol car?

 

[Anonymous]

.

 

[Joey]

I also prefer a kit solution rather than a complete e-bike.

I really like the eZee hub kit from ebikes.ca. It is a complete kit with geared front hub motor integrated with wheel and tire, brake disc, throttle, controller, 36V 9AH Li-Mn battery with integrated BMS, battery bag, charger and all the needed wiring and switches. I installed mine on an old steel frame bike in one short evening and was ebiking the next morning. It has been very reliable and has held up well in wet weather. The only extra I decided to add on my own was a torque arm for additional safety. My kit predates the recent update to the units sold at ebikes.ca that provides compatibility with the Cycle Analyst. If I were to buy another kit, I would include a CA in my purchase. I might also consider a half twist throttle to the kit's full twist throttle.

Having assembling a second e-bike using individual components from several vendors, I have come to appreciate how well matched the eZee kit components are to eachother to provide a well balanced and complete solution. In the 36V 20A class of system, IMO, it would be hard to beat the combination of good hill climbing capability and light weight afforded by this kit. I think geared hub motors rule in this power range.

-- Joey

 

[mickk]

Appreciate the advice, I am listening. I plan on going to http://www.evehicle.com.au/index.shtml?openmenu= tomorrow if it stops rainingto have a chat, they seem to know what they are doing.

With regard to high speeds, OWT I agree with you, recently had a good tailwind and was doing 60k+ on the flat but had to slow down after 2 drivers did right hand turns infront of me, as they were expecting the usual 20k from a cyclist.

I know, says more about poor driving skills than anything else.

 

[Timbo]

Appreciate the advice, I am listening. I plan on going to http://www.evehicle.com.au/index.shtml?openmenu= tomorrow if it stops rainingto have a chat, they seem to know what they are doing.

With regard to high speeds, OWT I agree with you, recently had a good tailwind and was doing 60k+ on the flat but had to slow down after 2 drivers did right hand turns infront of me, as they were expecting the usual 20k from a cyclist.

I know, says more about poor driving skills than anything else.

You're right, Steve at EV knows what he is doing and you will get outstanding customer service. Think carefully about what speed you would like to be travelling at and see if they can match the controller/motor to that end. My current set-up is a bit slower than I would like (average speed 26km/hr), but I'm getting more than 50km from a single charge on 10aH Lithium.

 

[mickk]

My Giant Innova only died last year, the frame snapped down near the offside lug. No doubt caused by carting too many slabs over almost 15 years, Ive had 4 on the back at times.

Have a Marin now, nothing flash but does the job.

 

[zog]

I went with the ready made bike as I don't know much about them and it would be months of learning bike stuff (and justifying cost of widgets to my wife) before I would be on the road if I started building one (though it would be fun!). So far very happy with a ready made ebay bike though I might be upgrading some of the normal bike bits over time.. or maybe I just need to learn how to adjust the disc brakes properly.

btw more greenewheels bikes listed on bay now.

 

[Timbo]

I went with the ready made bike as I don't know much about them and it would be months of learning bike stuff (and justifying cost of widgets to my wife) before I would be on the road if I started building one (though it would be fun!). So far very happy with a ready made ebay bike though I might be upgrading some of the normal bike bits over time.. or maybe I just need to learn how to adjust the disc brakes properly.

btw more greenewheels bikes listed on bay now.

Looks good Zog! Let us know what sort of performance you are getting - flat speed with & without pedalling & range. Where did you collect the bike from?

 

[zog]

Hi,
Well, bike from ebay (just google for greenewheels) - I haven't ridden until flat for a proper range test but it handles my 22km round trip commute with heaps of juice left and so far my measurements confirm the sellers specs, so the claimed 50km is probably correct. 24-25 km/h without pedalling. I get 28 - 32 km/h with pedalling (max 37 on the flat for me).

Looks good Zog! Let us know what sort of performance you are getting - flat speed with & without pedalling & range. Where did you collect the bike from?

 

[mickk]

Ok, well I have had a gutful of this.

No one has anything in stock, if they do, they have just bits and pieces. Everythings out of stock, on back order or has to be ordered in. Oh sure you can buy a complete e bike, thatll be three grand sir!

So front or rear wheel kits are out the door and Ebay looks like getting my money ala greenwheels although the frames look dreadful, not very strong and those welded on supports look so dodgy....

or maybe one of these

http://www.electricbicycle.com.au/ewheelconversionkit.html


Wheel Size
26in or 700c
Double Wall High Dome Rim

BATTERY OPTIONS
Lead Acid
Charging Capacity 12Ah
Voltage 12v x 3 = 36v
Max Number of Charges 300
Weight of Battery Assembly 10kg

Lithium Ion
Charging Capacity 10Ah
Voltage 36v
Max Number of Charges 800
Weight of Battery Assembly 4 kg


DRIVE MOTOR
Max. Speed:
28kmh
Max. Distance of Travel: 40km
Rated Output: 200W
Rated Revolution per Minute: 2800rpm
Rated Voltage: 36V

Note: As the Rated Output of the motor is less than 200W - this means that this is still considered to be a "bicycle" by ALL Australian States and Territories - and therefore NO Licence or Registration is required.

*Price ex Melbourne Warehouse.
Freight must be added. Price quoted is Lead Acid version.
For Lithium version add $600

OR THIS

http://www.chitumaelectricbicycles.com.au/product-detail.php?c=16&p=51

48V 350W FOR $855.

The idea of having to fit brake handles with cut offs in them is a bit weird. Cant I just have a kill switch instead?

So its down to one of two kits or the complete bike. I need opinions please.

 

[mickk]

I went for one of the ones the blokes mentioned,

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ELECTRIC-BIKE-BICYCLE-36V-10AH-LI-ION-BATT-GEARED-MOTOR_W0QQitemZ120299964355QQihZ002QQcategoryZ22703QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

$999 on 7 day sale, so I went ahead.

Thanks for all the good advice, you can look forward to my endless posts on how to pimp it up.

 

[mickk]

My Greenwheels arrived today, dropped off by Joe who sells them, not some courier that leaves you waiting for 3 days.

It looks good, just going over the nuts and bolts and changing heights atm.

Will do a review in a few days.

 

[zog]

Cool! interesting to hear your impressions once you've hooned around a bit on it.
Yeah, was a factor for me, getting it delivered by the seller ready to go with some explanation on it's operation etc.

My Greenwheels arrived today, dropped off by Joe who sells them, not some courier that leaves you waiting for 3 days.

It looks good, just going over the nuts and bolts and changing heights atm.

Will do a review in a few days.

 

[mickk]

Continued at http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=6271