E-tilitarian
100 µW
Hello Endless Sphere! i picked up this Kona UTE for $300cad and am hoping to turn it into a versatile car replacement. I have 6x 36v 9ah LFP modules i am planning on using with it. I have not decided it if i will run at 36v or 72v. I would like to be able to go up to 45kph while unloaded.
I plan on hauling lots of gear and probably a trailer, these times i am not concerned about speed and will probably keep under 32kph. I am hoping to be able to run my small landscaping business off of this bike, as well as commuting and 'road trips'.
I am 90% sure i want a direct drive hub motor instead of a mid drive. The stock wheels are both 29". I will be replacing the front wheel with a 26" 2.8" tire. Disc brake in the front.
I understand with a direct drive i am better off having the wheel smaller. This bike has a rim brake in the rear so i dont think i can adapt it to a smaller wheel.
This will leave me with regenerative braking as my only form of braking.
Is it safe to run a bike with regen as the only rear brake?
If it is safe to do so, my plan is to run a 24" wheel with a fat tire that will mimic the rough proportions of a 26" wheel. At 26" the bottom bracket has plenty of room. The extra cushion will be appreciated by passengers and the cargo.
The motors i have been looking at have been in the 1000-3000w range. I am unsure on how many turns the motor should have.
Something else i have been wondering about is if running the batteries at 36v would allow for better efficiency hill climbing when i have heavy cargo. And then running at 72v when i am commuting. Is it worth seeking out a variable voltage controller such as the phaserunner for this purpose?
I am hoping to spend under $800cad for the motor and controller.
Would appreciate any help and direction, thanks