SUITABLE FULL SUSPENSION FRAMES?

[friendly1uk]

I agree, it's not ideal. But torque arms/plates solve the problem.

We might be talking about different things.
It's somewhat like using an I-beam on it's side. A bpm (for instance) has an 80kg load limit. If you mount it on it's side I imagine it would be pointless

This looks good, but falls down almost as badly. 45 degree dropouts on this £200 offering

Flat dropouts, so maybe some doctor bass torque arresters with inbuilt gear hangers could work. It is steel though, so you can fix it other ways. Same bike is 1kg lighter in alloy (16kg)
I was sorely tempted as the poorly angled dropouts mean the axle is at it's toughest bouncing up curbs. This much angle might not actually effect the amount of material present in the vertical plane, but I would have to see it for myself to say that.
Better pics with zoom: http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Search/searchTerms/MUDDYFOX+COUNTRY+.htm Green is alloy, yellow steel.

 

[friendly1uk]

Leaving the idea of frames that hold batteries, I'm thinking of building around this: http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_811611_langId_-1_categoryId_165499#tab2

Steel frame with flat dropouts ready to mount bmsb torque ...snails. The top bar can take a pannier. The seat tube is low enough to take a frog-box or other post mounted carrier. The weight rather good at 16Kg and it looks alright. £150

The gears and brakes are a little challenging. It's going to need new shifters and hidden brake wire sensors. Although a thumb throttle might work, to save changing shifters. I'm thinking of a top tube pannier for 5Ah of hobby king and an s12s. It would hide the brake cables, where a spoke magnet and reed switch might be the answer to hidden brake sensing.


I have done a lot of looking with weight and then price as my main criteria.

 

[upek]

According to page 2 of this thread I was lucky enough to buy one of these:

After conversion:

 

[NeilP]

HAS ANYONE HAVE A GOOD IDEA FOR A SUITABLE (MEANING LOTS OF FRAME AREA FOR BATTERIES) FULL SUSPENSION FRAME?...I really like the Pivot Firebird but batteries must be placed on rack which is not ideal

Since this thread has totally diverged from the OP's original request for frames with open frames triangles with plenty of space for batteries...I have started a new thread


http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=59415

 

[jateureka]

Scott Reflex FX35 2006 / 2007

 

[spinningmagnets]

Giant Trance 2013 or older, the newer models have a curved top-bar, older model shown...2016 model when new is $2700 (2015 Giant "Anthem" size large also has a similar very large triangle)

Commencal Meta, same story, older models (2005-2011) have a straight top tube and the shock linkage shown, newer models are curved with a different shock placement.

 

[rider95]

A 2003 intense tracer is one of the best FS frames to use I won,t bother to post pics I already have many a time , But I love mine its a blast to ride the trails with sadly most on here never consider the weight or placement of there battery when building a e bike .

 

[spinningmagnets]

1997-98 (plus or minus) Giant ATX 970, tall top bar, but good for a rectangle battery pack on top of the downtube, available in different sizes. Straight downtube for BBS02, BBSHD

 

[rider95]

I use a 2000 Intense tracer its been great a 12.5 52v HPC battery pack fits perfectly , carries the battery low and solid , I have about 2yrs now on it almost all my riding is done on XC MT bike trails . You can find whole used Tracers for $600 I have I replaced the air shock with a fox vanilla went from a 300lb spring too 1000lb . Instead of using a cheap wally world bike or one I found in a dumpster I looked at good used top brands that I thought would be easy to place a battery in to the frame and this is one of the best .

 

[BSATOM]

Late 1990s GT LTS1 LTS2 LTS3 frames have a full front triangle for a battery box. They came in 4 sizes. A 14.5, a 16, an 18, and a 20". This refers to the seat post length. The 20 inch long seat post version is best because it has the largest triangle up front. I really like the "4 link" rear suspension. I run a Cane Creek air shock on it now. They take a rare 5.5 inch shock, the only drawback.

 

[motomech]

5.5" shocks aren't rare.
A quick look at Ebay had dozens.
Here's a new Fox Vanilla R Coil spring for $100;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Fox-Vanilla-R-Bicycle-Mountain-bike-Rear-Shock-140mm-DH-FR-XC-Enduro-NOS-/121916907652

I have a Float R air spring on my 2003 Rocky Mountain and love it. I added a "Heavy Rider" tuning kit and only need to add air every other week or so.

 

[rider95]

you can led a horse to water but you can,t make it drink

 

[Sean9002]

Unless your building a (strictly) commuter based bike, I wouldn't go near a unified rear triangle frame. Its a shame they are so perfect for battery placement!! :wink:

 

[spinningmagnets]

I wouldn't go near a unified rear triangle frame

I hadn't heard that phrase before, what makes it a "unified rear triangle"? and...what are the drawbacks?

 

[rider95]

What is a unified rear triangle frame ? this is a tried and proven design

 

[BSATOM]

People! Posting negative things about others posts, with zero reference or proof of your negative statement is an inferior trait. My bike hauls ass, is tight in the corners, and rides very good. Just another negatively oriented comment with zero basis in reality.
I just looked on Ebay and there are a total of two 5.5 inch rear bike shocks in the size selection sidebar. If you search all of Ebay for ther term bicycle shock 5.5, there are three. Two are crap coil spring shocks and there is one Fox Float for $320. Please provide a link to the "dozens" of 5.5 inch shocks on Ebay. Searching for 140mm shocks showed the same results. That Fox shock you linked to will not fit either. My frame in not made for the the trunnion mount style, but an eye mount like most shocks. That link you provided is one of two shocks shown when I searched all of Ebay for "140mm shock". Please stop posting horribly incorrect info with a link to a non fitting part, just to try and prove me wrong. You came up short. Negative posters read my signature!

 

[motomech]

People! Posting negative things about others posts, with zero reference or proof of your negative statement is an inferior trait. My bike hauls ass, is tight in the corners, and rides very good. Just another negatively oriented comment with zero basis in reality.
I just looked on Ebay and there are a total of two 5.5 inch rear bike shocks in the size selection sidebar. If you search all of Ebay for ther term bicycle shock 5.5, there are three. Two are crap coil spring shocks and there is one Fox Float for $320. Please provide a link to the "dozens" of 5.5 inch shocks on Ebay. Searching for 140mm shocks showed the same results. That Fox shock you linked to will not fit either. My frame in not made for the the trunnion mount style, but an eye mount like most shocks. That link you provided is one of two shocks shown when I searched all of Ebay for "140mm shock". Please stop posting horribly incorrect info with a link to a non fitting part, just to try and prove me wrong. You came up short. Negative posters read my signature!

Lighten up.
Ok, maybe not "dozens" now that I see the fitment constraints.
The fact that you have deemed the Rox Shock "crap" or are too cheap to spend the money on a Fox, does't make them rare either.
There was nothing "negative" about my post. The whole idea of this forum to discuss options and open new possibilites.
Like this;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rear-Shock-Adapter-for-GT-LTS-7-25-or-7-5-shock-CNC-AL-6061-/141921502658

But I guess with your snooty nose so far up in the air, you can't see what's right in front of it.
This adapter looks like a brilliant solution that would that would allow for that "dozens" of shocks to be fitted those frames and maybe someone can benefit from this info in the future.

 

[Sean9002]

What is a unified rear triangle frame ? this is a tried and proven design

Single pivoting triangle sharing its hinge point with the bottom bracket. Great to avoid chain shrink as the swing arm moves up, but has more or less been done away with due to inefficiencies in the pedalling action. URT badly executed can cause suspension lock out (see Klein Bikes) while pedalling or worse...pedal bob. Lower models of URT frames, even from big brands like giant, trek etc...just don't work well. Adding battery weight, motor weight....things gets worse. At the other end of the spectrum is four link, but that means no room for decent batteries

 

[rider95]

LOL my days when I could peddle hard enough on my Pro flex to induce peddle bob is long long gone , and a e bike dosen,t get peddled hard enough for peddle bob.I sent intense pics of my bike 2yr ago they was not encouraging in there reply but then most bike manufacturers and bike shops are not of E bikes . I had my doubts too if the linkage would hold up I weight in at 265 with the added weight of the elec kit n battery I did replace the air shock with a oil/spring shock but had to use a 1000lb spring . After 2yrs of riding I am happy to report nothing in the rear suspension has broke ,cracked, or even needed retighten I ride it like any normal xc mt bike just a little faster . I run a Mac 10 @ 52v = 30 a or I run a HPC BMC striker geared kit which is just a little faster but totally unreliable , for a LOW power E bike it has far exceed my wishes .

 

[2old]

A unified rear triangle (URT), in general, refers to a design in which the crankset is part of the rear triangle, and the rear of the bike has a pivot with the front triangle (look at castellanodesigns for an excellent example). This style affords the entire front triangle available for batteries. It lost favor for several reasons not the least of which was that when standing and pedaling, the rear suspension was effectively locked out. I had a couple many years ago and one nice feature (TO ME) was that you could have a single speed full suspension bike since there was no chain growth when the suspension was in motion. The only other way to accomplish that (AFAIK) is to have the crankset and rear pivot for the suspension concentric (Wilderness Trail Bikes - WTB - produced a frame like that 20 or so years ago).
BTW, Steve Potts (look him up - a genius with a torch) still makes them AFAIK from Titanium for Castellano --- $3,000 - $4,000 for frame only though)

 

[2old]

BTW, this years GT Helion and Sensor bikes have the shock and linkage very near the bottom bracket. Looks like plenty of room for batteries on larger frames.

 

[LadyDarkKitten]

german(?) cyclecraft csp, from here:

OMG I want it! That's exactly what I wanted for my BBSHD build... but the company no longer makes it and I can't find one used...

 

[Lizard King]

OMG! I just stumbled upon this thread and was very much surprised when I found my picture of my own bike on page 2...

I bought this frame used off ebay for 150,- EUR in 2010 and made a nice mountain bike out of it. In 2012 I bought a new bike and haven't been using this one much ever since. Then guess what: Last summer I got the idea to convert it into an ebike. I never knew that this exact frame has already been discussed here.

This is how it looks now:



It has 130 mm of travel in the front and 120mm in the back. At the time it was made this was considered to be a freeride bike. By todays standards it is still a pretty decent All Mountain / touring bike and it rides great as an ebike!

Greetings
Chris