Electric Bike questions!

[bennelson]

OK, I am barely finished with my teardrop and already I want to start another project.

I was at the MREA Renewable Energy Fair this last weekend in Custer, Wisconsin.

I saw a guy with an electric bike, which was just a regular bike with a hub motor wheel kit added. Looks real simple, just mount the thing and add batteries and go.

Here is a link to the product:
http://www.goldenmotor.com/
"Click on e-Bike DIY Shop"

Does anyone here have any experience with electric bikes/mopeds? Any good resources or thoughts on this?

And yes, I know that the batteries will cost as much as the motor kit.

Thanks for any response.

-Ben

[asianflava]

Not too bad of a price for such a complete kit.

[Arne]

This guy knows about as much as any retailer I know... There are some individuals who have done incredible work on electric bikes. Now that NiMH batteries are replacing Sealed Lead Acid batteries, the weight has come down... SLA weighed 24 pounds, NiMH about 1/2 that.... go to yahoo groups and do a search on 'power-assist' and join the group... In the picture below, the battery is under my seat, and the motor is in the silver can behind the rear axle.

Most Asian hub motors are crap.. good ones are expensive.. speed controllers also cost a few bucks. My Currie kit was about $400 a few years back.... good for 25 miles of 'assist' on slightly hilly terrain.

http://www.evdeals.com/

[48Rob]

Hi Ben,

I have a Currie drive electric, and a gas powered.
Both are a lot of fun!

I've been looking into another electric (for more speed and hill climbing ability) there are a lot of different options available.

Here is a link just for bikes, that you would fit a kit to.
link

Here is a link to a review of best to worst kits and complete bikes.
link 2

And this one is for the best kits I've found, pricey, but check out the speeds...
fast kits

Rob

[bennelson]

Thanks for the links guys!

Arne, I love the photo. I was talking to a guy at the bike shop who told me a recumbent with a windshield and electric conversion would be slick. Looks like that's what you have.

I saw a racing trike at the same bike store a while back. That would be perfect for conversion. Nice and low, with lots of room for batteries.