New bike build

[Mackerel]

Hey everyone,

I'm excited to be a part of this group! Trying to soak up all the information I can. Originally wanted to build a ebike for hunting and hauling out meat. Just ordered a Crystalyte T80 Crown motor kit from ebikes.ca and eight 5s 5000mAh LiPo batteries from Hobby King. I'm also getting the CA v3. I'm still trying to figure out my charger setup. I can get a hold of some 300w PSUs and some 500w PSUs. I also will need to figure out how Im going to wire the batteries. I think I will get one balancing charger for now and worry about bulk charging later. After looking at the Pikes Peak races I would love to start some type of race in New Mexico. Maybe a race to the top of Sandia Peak or a desert endurance race. I would love to meet up with anyone who lives in the Albuquerque area. Anyways here is the bike I'll be using. I'm sure I will upgrade the tires.

 

[Nanoha]

I recommend hyena's super awesome isolated charger that very quickly and accurately balances up to a 6s pack.
I normally bulk charge with a bmsbattery.com bulk charger and balance once a month with that charger.

 

[oldtown169]

Welcome from one newbie to another!

What kind of meat are you planning on hauling out?

 

[Mackerel]

Hunting Elk near Chama this year.

 

[ken1645]

Hey everyone,

I'm excited to be a part of this group! Trying to soak up all the information I can. Originally wanted to build a ebike for hunting and hauling out meat. Just ordered a Crystalyte T80 Crown motor kit from ebikes.ca and eight 5s 5000mAh LiPo batteries from Hobby King. I'm also getting the CA v3. I'm still trying to figure out my charger setup. I can get a hold of some 300w PSUs and some 500w PSUs. I also will need to figure out how Im going to wire the batteries. I think I will get one balancing charger for now and worry about bulk charging later. After looking at the Pikes Peak races I would love to start some type of race in New Mexico. Maybe a race to the top of Sandia Peak or a desert endurance race. I would love to meet up with anyone who lives in the Albuquerque area. Anyways here is the bike I'll be using. I'm sure I will upgrade the tires.

Go for the 500W PSU. For wiring the batteries that will depend what voltage you want to run, 48V or 72V controller? If 72V then I'd go with 20s2p, if 48V go with 15s2p and only use six packs.
This parallel battery adapter on eBay is what you want to do to parallel your batteries for wiring. I bought 8 which works well, also buy some 4mm bullet connectors if you have to replace any of the connections. So far I've replaced like 6 connections..

I am really liking my Thunder balancing chargerwhich handles up to 12S lipo, needs 12V-15V to power and so far I've charged 10s4p at 8A which is pretty quick.

 

[Mackerel]

What is the widest width you guys have found comfortable regarding a triangle bag? Will 10 cm (4 inches) be too wide? I think I'll try to make a mockup. It seems that dimension will allow me to have all eight lipo packs in the triangle . I plan on making a bag. Otherwise I will have to do 4 in the triangle and 4 on a rack. http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__15008__Turnigy_5000mAh_5S_20C_Lipo_Pack_USA_Warehouse_.html. Where do you think the best spot for the controller is if I want to be stealthy?

Here is my bike. Mine is the 19' frame:
http://www.diamondback.com/2012-sortie-1

 

[wesnewell]

How to wire your pack. I'm assuming you will run 20s2p for a typical 74V pack for a 72v controller. Disregard the orange jumpers.

To parallel the packs use 4 of these.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__27079__JST_XH_Parallel_Balance_Lead_5S_250mm_2xJST_XH_.html

 

[dogman dan]

I think you will need to go find the guys with the gasoline quads to haul an elk out. Lugging that much weight slow will murder a hubmotor in no time at all.

But for sure, a hell of a great way to cover ground very silent while scouting your hunt.

If you ever get down near Las Cruces, give me a shout. I'll race you one on one, street or dirt anytime. A crown should kick anything I haves ass, but I'd still love to make a run at ya. I should be in Albq for a few days in August, with at least one of my bikes. Mabye we could get together and ride up to the crest if your bike is running by then.

 

[Mackerel]

I have a friend who lives in Las Cruces who I visit 1-2 times a year. I'll bring the bike for sure. I hope to be up and running by the first week of August and I definitely want to try Sandia Peak. Where I am hunting (Bill Humphries WMA near Chama) there is not any motorized vehicles allowed. I have two other friends with mountain bikes hunting with me so we will probably have to make multiple trips hauling out the elk.

If I take the elk out in quarters, with each deboned quarter being 70-100 lbs, how do you think that motor will do hauling a BOB trailer?

 

[Mackerel]

How to wire your pack. I'm assuming you will run 20s2p for a typical 74V pack for a 72v controller. Disregard the orange jumpers.

To parallel the packs use 4 of these.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__27079__JST_XH_Parallel_Balance_Lead_5S_250mm_2xJST_XH_.html

Thanks for the diagram!

 

[cal3thousand]

Nice truck!

Now, you need a Fox rear suspension and front fork to match your car's suspension

 

[Mackerel]

Nice truck!

Now, you need a Fox rear suspension and front fork to match your car's suspension

I was wondering if anyone would notice. Thanks!

 

[dogman dan]

Not uphill. You will need to keep your speed up around 15 mph to avoid overheating the motor. You'll get er hot just riding up hills near Chama without the load.

Even the super slow motors I have run for dirt overheat on real mountain trails. I've been cooking off a motor a year pretty regular. Often the real problem is more a matter of can you even hang onto the bike at all climbing a rocky trail at 15 mph. Slow down to gather yourself, and then you do yet another punishing uphill start on 15% grade. The problem is that when the motor slows, all 3000w turns into heat. 3000w will glow a wire in the motor fast!

But chances are, you gotta climb to get that elk, so you might be able to haul out quarters downhill. Even if you end up hauling out quarters by pushing the bike, using just some intermittent power to get up the hills, it will beat the hell out of carrying it out backpack. I used to just get small deer, but from places that were a rock climb area. Dragging out 80 pounds was a challenge, standing on a 12" ledge on a cliff.

Nit picking, no motor vehicles means an Ebike is legal. ( what is an ebike?) No motorized means an ebike, which is motorized is illegal. FWIW, New Mexico law does not define an ebike in any way shape or form, and your bike will blow away the fed definition anyway even if it did. Ebikes in NM are Mopeds. Fortunately nobody in the state seems to give a shit. If the ranger comes by while you are riding in Chama, chances are he will think you are just a bike. Don't forget to pedal like a clown when you see them.

Definitely bring your trail bike to LC someday. We have some great trails. Miles of mountain trails very close by ( where we can get away with motoring), and 8 miles of flat desert trails right by my house that I built. No motor rules on my trails, so racing there is fine. Also know a place where a street race could be held, if we could get competitors to come.

Not sure if you mean ride Sandia trail up the west side, or the street up the east side. West side will cook off a hubmotor guaranteed. I'd love to ride up the street on the east side, then bomb the XC ski trails down though.

 

[dogman dan]

Backtracking , 4" wide is plenty comfy to pedal around. Two packs side by side is fine. 6" is not so bad, but by 8" it gets pretty awkward to pedal.

This bike with 5" wide, maybe more, is awkward. With lots of power, it didn't get pedaled much, but I melted lots of motors using 3000w.

You won't fit 72v 10 ah in your triangle, but get what you can there. Mabye the rest on a front fork mount, leaving the back with just motor weight. Top of the tube is fine for street, but on trails you'll wish you have more clearance when you get bucked off.

 

[Mackerel]

I'm debating about battery placement. Tell me if it is wise to try to fit all of the batteries in the triangle. Im worried about how to stabilize the batteries on the top right without having the corner crush itself.

I can do half in the triangle and half on a seatpost rack.

I could put some of the batteries on the front fork. I'm just wondering how to camouflage it. I have the fabric to cover a pelican case to look like a bike front pack Would also make the triangle bag.

Maybe I can make a battery bag to go in a front basket like this
http://dominionproject.net/2010/06/05/mountain-bike-hunting/

What about placing some of the batteries under the frame?

 

[wesnewell]

I got 12 hard packs on mine. Took an old aluminum sign and made an upside down U with wings on bottom. Put 6 on each side and it fits over top tube nicely. A small frame saddle bags should work fine for just 4 packs. 2 on each side. Search ebay for 'front tube saddle bag'.

 

[dogman dan]

It will be hard to do all on or in the triangle for 72v 10 ah. Defintiely you can fit 4 packs in that triangle I think. Make a custom box for it most likely. I've done some nice ones from hardwood 1/2 inch thick for the ends, and aluminum sheet for the sides. Lucky me, the previous owner of my house left a pile of old signs in the garage when he left.

The other 4 packs will not be hard to carry on a rear rack. But if you can carry all your batt up front, then you can carry other shit on a rack. Look up some builds by Oatnet in the pics. He's done some really nice things with battery boxes for the handlebar carry.

You can carry on the bars with small flat soft lunchboxes. But make a hard box for inside. I just wrecked a pack carrying naked packs in a lunchbox "just this one time".

Other good options are mold your own fiberglass box, or Masonite, paneling, etc sides. Some have done cool things with plastic raingutter as a starting point. I have a few things around the house you might be interested in. Steel U channel just about the width of a 5s pack, and some smaller chunks of signs that might be good for a 4 pack square box.

The easiest to build, but hard to pedal around will be something in a saddle bag type box on the frame, as seen in that pic above. Open on the top makes it easy to load, and waterproofing it is just drape a cover over it secured with packing tape.

Once built, even fabrics can be painted camo. So whatever you make can be covered with a camo bag, or just painted with flat green and brown in a camo pattern.

I can't wait to check out your crown motor. They look very interesting since you can't get a 5304 anymore. The ideal hunting motor would be an old 5306, if you ever see one on for sale used.

 

[cal3thousand]

Go all in the triangle and do as Dogman says about some protection. Then use the fabric as a quick cover. You could also spray on that NeverWet stuff as per John in CR's recommendation. That will make it somewhat waterproof depending on how well you wrap it up.

If you have the time and skills, consider a mid-drive through the chains. Since you want to be able to haul out carcasses, you'll need to gear it down and let the motor spin.

My next project is a Longtail cargo bike (2014 Edgerunner) and I will go through the chains so I can haul some serious weight without burning my motor out immediately.

 

[Mackerel]

Bike is at Fixed and Free Custom bike shop in Albuquerque. Seems we are having a tough time getting the brake caliper to fit in the disk brake. The Crown hub pushes the disk too far laterally to where it rubs on the brake pad. Also I just got my icharger 3010b in the mail. I also have two spare ATX 500w PSUs lying around. Should I go ahead and convert or should I try to find some server PSUs?

 

[cal3thousand]

Bike is at Fixed and Free Custom bike shop in Albuquerque. Seems we are having a tough time getting the brake caliper to fit in the disk brake. The Crown hub pushes the disk too far laterally to where it rubs on the brake pad. Also I just got my icharger 3010b in the mail. I also have two spare ATX 500w PSUs lying around. Should I go ahead and convert or should I try to find some server PSUs?

IceCube57 sells them at a very good price for the PSU that you get. I got a 36V (yes, that's 3 PSUs in series) setup from him for less than $100.

 

[Mackerel]

Finally got the bike up and running. I'm having problems flashing the CAV3. I'm waiting to hear from ebikes. Flashing with beta firmware reads correct voltages but the later firmware gives me strange readings. I just connected the throttle directly to a lyen 24 FET controller. Trying to run 74V at 100 amps. Holy crap this bike is fun! Grin from ear to ear. Its impossible not to do a wheelie from a dead stop. Had a friend try out the bike and he flipped it on himself. Will post some pictures soon. Torque is amazing. Cant wait to have a working cycle analyst for the bike. I think I will end up doing a pelican case battery mount in the front to balance the bike. I love all the stares I get from people when they see some guy flying by on a mountain bike. I pretend to peddle to confuse them.