Archer said:
Marc,
You definitely could add battery boxes on each side just under where you sit attached to frame.You obviously want equal weight on each side and too the weight would be low and centered.
The real issue isn't adding everything you need to go electric.But rather can your trike frame handle all that extra weight and increased speed with that weight?
I'm sure your no stranger to trikes built for speed vs those built for touring with cargo.
Just something to keep in mind.
Thanks Marc.
Tim.
Hi Tim,
Like I wrote, currently I've got two 10s12p batterys mounted on each side of the seat in my 'old' ICE Sprint (the one with the nose fairing). They weight about 12lbs each. A third 20s5p battery is mounted on the front boom. Thats an other 10lbs... The batterys will get used on both trikes.
I regularly reach 42mph top speed on the flat and the ride is very stable. The ICE front suspension does help. The ICE Sprint 26 is a very versatile trike with great handling out-of-the-box. I've build sturdier wheels and use a wide 24" rear wheel to account for the higher speed. Here is a summary of the Sprint: http://www.bentrideronline.com/?p=7141
Braking is very good as well, thanks to the bigger 90mm Sturmey Archer drum brake hubs at the front. Drum brakes offer plenty of braking power in 20" wheels but need way less maintanance than disk brakes and don't change braking power in rain. Their 'British' design is a bit crude, though.
Braking at these speeds in rain is an issue. Fortunately the Schwalbe Big Ben provide really great traction on wet roads. I hardly notice any difference in braking distance in rain.
To better support the frame with the seat, I'm using stronger clamps between seat and frame and will add a third mounting point in the middle. Fortunately I'm rather light weight and don't exeed the max rider weight even with the batterys mounted to the seat.
Pedalling at 45mph was not possible before using a 65 tooth chain ring. Shifting between the 42t, 52t and 65t chain rings works ok, but it took some fiddeling to set-up the front derailleur.
Hence the new trike will get a 2speed Patterson Metropolis crank drive with a 1:1.6 overdrive and I like to mount two chain rings to it as well. http://pattersonbike.com
With the Patterson, 38 tooth and 53 tooth chain rings will give 61 tooth and 85 tooth 'virtual' chain rings in overdrive. That should take care of my pedaling cadence at top speed AND will give me a nice low gearing if I have to limp home without, ahem, electric 'assist'.
A side note about the Patterson Metropolis:
The brushed finish is really bad. Inside its a pretty well designed 2speed planetary gear with good sealing.
The chain ring is actually freewheeling!
Changing the stock 28t chain ring to the 130mm chain ring adapter is pretty easy. http://pattersonbike.com/product/pulley-spider-adapter
Customer support from Sam Patterson is great.