latest project an electric chopper

[geoff57]

Hi all
I've seen a bike at one of the cycle shops near me. I think it would make an ideal project for a hub motor. The rear wheel is 20" diameter 36 spoke with a tyre width of nearly 4", it looks like an american chopper motorbike and as an electric cycle it would be for pure fun no pratical use but then the choppers were not exacly made for practicality.

well the comments are now wanted should I go for it :lol:

I've now bought the bike, from now on the thread will be how it gets converted from a single speed pedal power with a bad riding position to an electric chopper running at 48v to start off with, who needs to pedal not me, if I could take the pedal drive off I would, but the law wouldn't like that.

Now the fun starts, at £150 thats $300 there must be some things wrong with it.

 

[TylerDurden]

Hi G,

You might consider the space behind the seatpost for a chain-drive motor:

There would be no swingarm geometry or hubmotor-width issues.

There are a lotta interesting and affordable outrunner motors that would give the bike some real "chop-chop".

8)

 

[geoff57]

Hi G,

You might consider the space behind the seatpost for a chain-drive motor:

There would be no swingarm geometry or hubmotor-width issues.

There are a lotta interesting and affordable outrunner motors that would give the bike some real "chop-chop".

8)

thanks for the input I use an external motor on my KMX I want to go for a hub motor this time so I can compare and for want of a better word its simple I have sourced out a sutable motor and had somone check by phone with a uk supplier and he has a motor that will fit the dropouts.

So what do you think of turning this bike into an E-bike?

 

[Lowell]

If the price is right, definitely go for it. What motor are you looking at?

 

[geoff57]

Hi Lowell
I've been told a PUMA will fit.
approx price list
bike £150
puma motor kit £400
batteries per 12v £ 80
this gives £550 plus the cost of the batteries

so
36v £710 max speed 17 to 19mph
48v £790 max speed 23 to 25mph
for the US double the figures for USD $

 

[Toorbough ULL-Zeveigh]

Wasn't it this type of chopper that Ken Trough smoked the Randy motor?

I'm with you geoff57. A chopper goes against everything I believe in bicycle styling, but that four inch space inside the rear rim is just begging for a massive hub motor that doesn't exist yet. Missed out picking up a Schwinn Stringray last summer when they were blowing them out for $150. I think it's inevitable I'll get one at some point if I ever find a suitable candidate for the motor first. When that time comes my excuse will be to pretend it's a recumbent.

 

[Lowell]

How about a Puma at 72v+ 8)

 

[deecanio]

A puma at 72v would really make that a hot rod
the bike looks very cool, Ypedal has a similair chopper that he's building - do you know the dimensions of the dropouts? for the puma you would hope that it was 135mm ?




D

 

[fechter]

It looks like there's lot's of room in the frame for batteries too.

Maybe not an ideal commuter, but for sheer fun, it looks great.

 

[xyster]

A high-style, aluminum or carbon fiber CVT-endowed pseudo chopper, only $3-4,000! One would think for that price it'd include a front brake too.

http://www.ellsworthride.com/
http://www.wired.com/gadgets/gadgetreviews/multimedia/2007/06/summerguide_bike

 

[Miles]

Doesn't seem to be much use as a melon slicer.....

 

[geoff57]

Hi all
that melon chopper may have the dogs gonads of manual drive but this is for electric non-pedaling except for the law and look at that rear wheel size 3" maybe 4", with a hub motor in the back and 48v of batteries we should be able to get a half moon skid

 

[geoff57]

Hi all
thankyou for all your input, I've now bought the bike and the new project starts.

 

[gwsaltspring]

http://www.staton-inc.com/photo_gallery_large.asp?PhotoID=9

Kind of looks familiar

Greg

 

[Lessss]

neat thing about a chopper like that is you have lots of opts for battery location.

 

[TylerDurden]

One would think for that price it'd include a front brake too.

Currie-ously, my Izip chopper has no front brake either. Might be a style thing, or they may be useless since there is little weight up front.

Caution is advised... choppers handle very poorly.

:?

 

[Geebee]

Front brakes are very effective due to weight transfer when braking.
The handling on all of my choppers is what I would class as superb, you have to watch them at really low speeds (sub walking pace) but from there to 50 mph you feel like you could ride with no hands.
High speed cornering is fast and thrilling as a chopper will lean a lot further than a normal bike.
With dual brakes they will stop quicker than a normal bike also as the low CG allows control even with wheels locked up, and it is close to impossible to go over the handle bars, you will need a front brake with the extra weight of the batteries.
In case you haven't guessed I like choppers.

 

[geoff57]

Hi all
I've found that the hub motor in the rear wheel is not going to give an in line drive chain,before I try and make it work how UK law stands on ebikes that have their pedels made incapable of driving the rear wheel.

 

[Miles]

Hi Geoff,

This is the relevant sentence from the 1983 UK Regulations:

"The Regulations apply to bicycles, tandem bicycles and tricycles fitted with pedals by means of which it is capable of being propelled."

Regarding the European directive, working pedals are logically implicit....

 

[geoff57]

Hi all
well it looks like most of the parts are here, time to see what I am going to need to alter to do the job.

Been looking on the evdeals site in the eye candy and found something similar to what I want to end up with this is based on a stingray

this stingray has a gray BMC as used with a USPD but it gives an idea as to what my finished chopper will look like.

 

[geoff57]

Hi all
this is a picture taken from the bike sellers web site.

First I fitted a twinleg wishbone stand for stability.

The rear wheel has been removed and the hub, spokes,rim and tire have been seperated.
The puma has been offered up with a 5 speed block fitted so the pedel drive train still has something to work with.

It fits with enough thread on the outside for the nuts that came with the motor, I will have to fit some nuts inboard of the stays so the outer nuts have somthing to work against.I'll post a picture as soon as I can.

The next is to find the length of spokes required, can anyone help how many crosses should I go for one I would think or should I go for two remember the rim is 20" with a puma(BMC)hub motor.

 

[Lessss]

So the motor is going to get drenched from the cast off from both the front and back tire?

 

[deecanio]

Hi Geoff,

nice looking bike there, the chops are really cool looking, Ypedal has one too im looking forward to seeing - did you get your puma fom Mark? what batts are you planning to use ? sorry if you've posted these details but i'm having a sneaky look at work

cheers

D

 

[deecanio]

ahhhh sorry you got it posted from the US - written in my own thread too,doh sorry geoff didn't read it properly, where did you buy it from if you don't mind me asking? also im not sure about the spokes - my BMC puma came pre-laced and a cracking job the guy did too - i dont think its that hard to find out what you need, the lbs near me made me a mtb hub with a bmx rim and laced it no problem, the guy told me he could pretty much lace anything it's just a case of cutting down spokes or using a die to add more thread apparently.
where abouts are you in uk?

cheers

D

 

[geoff57]

ahhhh sorry you got it posted from the US - written in my own thread too,doh sorry geoff didn't read it properly, where did you buy it from if you don't mind me asking? also im not sure about the spokes - my BMC puma came pre-laced and a cracking job the guy did too - i dont think its that hard to find out what you need, the lbs near me made me a mtb hub with a bmx rim and laced it no problem, the guy told me he could pretty much lace anything it's just a case of cutting down spokes or using a die to add more thread apparently.
where abouts are you in uk?

cheers

D

Hi D
I got the PUMA in the UK from Team Hybrid it came unlaced as I have a rim I want to put it into. This chopper is one weird bike.
the batteries are NiMh 12v 13ah packs total 48v, I have done a mockup of what the chopper will look like,black boxes are battery packs the blue is the controller. this is a NO rain bike.