My Cannon Full Suspension

[csmarr]

I have put together an e-bike, finally. I have been studying these groups and have wanted to build one for a long time. Here is what I have put together.

I chose for the bike a GMC Topkick that I was able to pick up on discount.
I wanted a full suspension bike. I want the suspension for the rough roads not for off road.

I picked a motor kit from ATIV Solutions. It is a Crystalyte with a NIMH battery and a Crystalyte 36 volt -20 amp controller.
The bike runs at 22 mph. Acceleration is good. Pedaling is easy with very little drag.
The longest run so far has been 13 miles. The low battery light started coming on during acceleration. When I checked the voltage the pack was down to 36 volts. I originally hoped I would be able to mount the battery pack into the frame but it would not quite fit. The rear rack has worked out well and does not upset the balance of the bike. The e-bike weighs in at 62 pounds
I am very pleased with the bike in all respects. I had never even seen an e-bike, let alone ridden one. Friends and family who have ridden the bike always come back with the ev grin.

 

[TylerDurden]

Looking good!

The topkick was very high on my list of bikes to convert too. I'm glad you got a discount price, I thought the regular price was a little high.

Your setup is very tidy and it seems your range is quite good.

I remember seeing your handle when you joined (sounds like csmott), glad to see you've stuck around and joined the ranks of grinners.

 

[BiGH]

very nice indeed!

good to see the big guns (cannons) coming out here 8)

 

[D-Man]

I wanted a full suspension bike. I want the suspension for the rough roads not for off road.

I hear you about the rough roads. :x
All you need now is some slicks.
Good job on the bike.

 

[agent86]

Nice setup. Did you use the battery bracket attachment supplied by ativ to put the battery on the rack? Their website implies it's 'only' for the Old Man Mountain racks, but I always figured it could be adapted to something else by drilling some holes.

 

[csmarr]

I have added a speedometer, lights front and rear and rerouted the wiring bit since the photo. The new tires are on my to do list but the knobbies ride better than I expected. The tread pattern avoids the usual buzz. The front disc brake is great although it took about an hour to get it adjusted to my taste. Does anyone have a recommendation for a handlebar bag? or fenders?
I attached the ATIV battery bracket with a couple of #8 metal scews. On reflection I may drill through and use nuts and bolts.
Will the Crystalyte 36v/20 amp controller handle 48 volts (Boost pack)?

 

[agent86]

I think I'd encourage using nuts and bolts to hold the battery on - you don't want the screws ripping out while taking a corner.

I just got some Planet Bike full coverage fenders for about $27 as I recall. They say 'hardcore' but they're just polycarbonate with no metal reinforcement. Still pretty strong though - when I installed them I had to loosen the front struts that attach my rear rack to the bike frame and forgot to tighten them back up. Result - I rode 25+ miles with the rack rotated back and resting on the fender (with my laptop and a couple of books in a pannier.) No cracks or anything, so I'm impressed. I used to have clip-ons which do fine at keeping the spray off my back but wouldn't protect the wiring on the kit at all.

I also just got a Wald rack for the front instead of a bag. Since it has struts that connect it to the front forks as well as the handlebars it should be more solid than a bag that just hangs off the bar. Haven't installed it yet though.

From comments on this site I think the 36V20A controller will handle 48V (but not higher). You do lose the protection of the low voltage cut-off so getting a battery meter of some kind becomes an even better idea. I'm planning to go to 48V myself - have the batts, just have to solder up the wires. If it blows up I'll let you know!

 

[numberonekiwi]

I used to have the same controller

The 36 v controller has 55v FETS so a fully charged 48v pack may get very close to this figure (or even just over) I had thought about doing this myself at one stage but decided against it.

 

[agent86]

Huh - just looked at the wikipedia article on NiMH's and it says a fully charged cell can be 1.35 - 1.4V ... at 1.4V that would be 56V total for 40 in series (54 for 1.35 each). Mmm - now I'm wondering if I want to pull apart my 12V booster pack and pull out a cell just to be safe. Or I can just risk it and maybe get my excuse to upgrade to a 72V controller sooner

 

[D-Man]

Mmm - now I'm wondering if I want to pull apart my 12V booster pack and pull out a cell just to be safe.

I wouldn't worry about that. I have a 36 volt controller and the limit suppose to be 55 volt according to the fets inside. I've run mine at 42 volt sla's plus 8.4v boost pack for 50.4 volt under load and at rest its 55 volt. For my controller, the fet specs say the "min" volt is 55 so who knows what the max really is. I'm thinking of getting a bigger boost pack and run it at 55 volt under load and 59 volt at rest. I think as long as your in spec under load, it won't blow.

 

[agent86]

Thanks for that D-Man.
Just now dawns on me the full coverage fenders I was going on about probably won't work for the FS bike. The rear rack already gives some protection to your backside - I'm not sure you can to much more back there. At least the controller and wiring get some protection from the seat tube. You may need something like the shockbord
http://www.bikemannetwork.com/biking/p/FE1050 for the front.

 

[Johnbear]

Nice Bike! I would like a full suspension - but so little battery mounting options.

Performance data on the Cannon still seems limited, a site calles it the 408 v2. Does anyone have any more specs on this motor. How much better is it than a 408. Can it handle more amps/volts?

Thanks

 

[kyakdiver]

New to the board and thought I'd mention that I also have this same kit coming. I'm sure it may be limiting but for me that is ok for a first ebike. Where I live I have never seen one in person... NEVER!... So for me it's important that it work... I plan to give a full report on mine when I get it installed. I will be putting it on a 700C wheel with 7 speed rear and rear hub motor on my hybrid style bike.

I can see this getting way addicting in the future.... way...

anyways... hello to you guys here... This site has given me a bunch of information that I couldn't get first hand. I like the cannon kit pictured here and I hope I'm a happy camper.

 

[BiGH]

hello!

it does get adicting - you begin to progress to the bike culture kind of way which can be very rewarding indeed. Its great for getting fit and healthy. Ebiking has been my main source of cardio workouts. everyone is noticing a difference! its fantastic! hope yuor bike comes in soon! Its great, but unlike doing up a car, once you've done the mods to your bike there isn't much you can do lol.

take care!

 

[kyakdiver]

UPS has informed me that my hub motor is out for delivery :lol: :lol: :lol: ... Wonder what I'll be doing tonight after work until the wee hours of the morning Pictures to follow.

 

[BiGH]

excellent!

do you have a powersource?

 

[Johnbear]

If you have a fairly accurate bathroom or other scale, could you weigh it and let us know? I am curious if it is lighter than the regular 400 series.

Thanks.

 

[kyakdiver]

I'll try and do that tonight... I'm still at work and ups says it's sitting on my porch.... 30 minutes and I'm on my way home

 

[BiGH]

i bet your excited!

got batteries?

 

[kyakdiver]

Well.... The kit arrived and it's been so far a pain in the ass.... The kit came in great shape... now the rest of the story. Installed hub without a hitch... Installed controller... Time to install the throttle which has the wires all coiled up and jammed inside the throttle. Well I pulled on it and bam... two pieces in my hands and little bits and pieces of plastic falling to the floor.

At this point I'm like... HMMM scratching head and yelling at the walls the floor and myself. Manage to put it back together and all seems well....

Now for the crappy part. After charging the battery fully and installing I'm all ready to go for a little moonlight run since it's about 9:30 pm by this time. Well the thing seems funky is the best way I can explain it. Turn throttle and it just kind of shudders like it's trying to do something but it isn't. So I lift the back wheel and give the wheel a spin and it's kicking ass so I'm like hmm. Get on the bike and give a little push on the peddle and it's kinda shuddering and kinda pushing me along.

Now this doesn't seem right since my kid has one of those electric razor scooters which I've jumped on before and rode around the neighborhood. The Razor feels like a Ferrari in comparison. Motor shudders like it's only getting some power but not all. Keep in mind that from a dead stop on flat ground I'm lucky if I could get the thing to 10mph. This is with a 700C rear and this motor which is supposed to be a 408 plus(whatever that means). It positively will not climb any hill..... I'm not talking steep stuff either.... very gradual stuff brings it to full manual boat anchor heavy cursing weight.

Now I'm thinking it's the throttle so I take it apart again and it has only one way back together from what I can see. In order for the half twist throttle to work it can only go in one way and in one orientation. Put it back together and same old stuff. Doesn't pull but will seem to give a little power if it's really flat and I'm going pretty fast peddling first.

So now I'm thinking that it's not the throttle at all. I'm thinking it's the controller. But at this point I have no idea. Funny thing is that if I twist the throttle nothing happens. If I twist the throttle and lift the back tire of the ground again nothing. If I give the wheel a little kick/spin it takes off.
Could I just cut the damn throttle wire and connect it together to eliminate the throttle so I can eliminate it from the problem? Maybe there is more than two wires so it's a bad idea....

Super long post but I was trying to to explain what it's doing and maybe just maybe someone has an idea since you've been through it before.

Help..... and thanks for reading if you've made it this far.

 

[kyakdiver]

Also.. I should add that Eric from ATIV received my email and called my on my phone when I emailed the problems I was having. He's sending me out a replacement throttle and I'm hoping that is it. Just wonder if this seems like it might be the case.

 

[ngocthach1130]

Check your hall sensor. I think they're not connected or maybe the wire broke some. They tell the controller the position of the wheel. So that's why if you get it moving it work like normal.

 

[kyakdiver]

Alright.... now where do I find it and how do I fix it .... please please.... help.

 

[kyakdiver]

I wiki'd hall sensor so I got the basics of those... could it just be a bad wire/connection from the controller to the motor? Or a bad controller? I really don't want to have to send the hub back...

 

[kyakdiver]

Hot damn............ I don't know what was up... I got pissed and took it all the way off and then connected it together not on the bike.... Well I'm lucky I didn't send the sucker right through the wall since I had taken the throttle apart again and it was in the on position when I turned the battery on.. .... Now we are talking... Full report and more tomorrow with any luck.