Got a deal on electric scooter, need to know if I can use the parts to power a bike

bossman

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Mar 6, 2011
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Guys,Gals,
I took my wife shopping at the thrift stores yesterday and I found a freedomscooter.com model 946 electric scooter, no charger or keys, sold for parts only for $25! couldnt pass it up. The scooter is complete and looks to be almost new. The charger isnt an issue, I can make one or order the proper charger for $20 online. I`ve replaced the key switch for a standard toggle switch until I get a key switch and I`m charging the batteries right now, they seem to be taking a charge.
A breakdown of the parts I nabbed is listed here:
http://www.partsforscooters.com/Vehicle-Type/Freedom-946-Electric-Scooter-Parts
The motor is 24v, 250watt and 14 amps.
My question is this:
Can I use these components to power my diamondback ascent mountain bike?
Will the motor be strong enough to give at least 20mph? (the scooter website says the scooter is capable of 22 mph)
Will I need some type of gear reduction unit due to the different wheel size? where would I get the proper unit?
I have access to a sturmey archer 3 speed hub, I want to power the front wheel and leave the rear wheel as is with the derailleur system.
I have access to as many 12v 5ah lead acid batteries as I need, I could make a 24v battery pack with as many Amp hours as I need to get the range I want.
I`m quite new to this but I am a good tinker and have a good knowledge of electronics/bike repair and maintenance and I have rebuilt many motorcycles so I believe I have the mechanical aptitude but I need help with the technical aspects of this project.
Any help or advice is appreciated,
Bossman
 
in a word, i would say yes.

the first ebike build i did(which i still have today) used the guts of a razor e200 electric scooter. it scoots along and gets me up to 22 mph.

my gear reduction system is hobbled together from recycled bike parts because the original gear reduction system didnt gear it down enough.

if you go this route, you might have to get clever with it and be ingenious to get it to work.;)
 
I would not have been able to pass that up either for the price. Unless you are planning a friction drive, you will need to fab a motor mount. They usually make an L shaped bracket. One side of the L bolts to the face of the motor and the other clamps to the frame.
Unless you are slightly built, I don't see you getting 20 mph from a 24v/250w system without pedaling along.
 
What about using the scooter wheel as a friction drive wheel to roll on the tread of the front tire? Then you don't have to worry about gear reduction, as the gearing stays the same.
 
There is a guy on the other forum that builds ebikes by using the scooter drive wheel as a friction roller on the rear wheel. He uses BMX bikes with 20 inch wheels so that the gear ratio is favorable.
 
What about using the scooter wheel as a friction drive wheel to roll on the tread of the front tire? Then you don't have to worry about gear reduction, as the gearing stays the same.

If the front and rear tires on the bike are the same size, how would it make any difference whether he put it on the front or the back ?
 
If the front and rear tires on the bike are the same size, how would it make any difference whether he put it on the front or the back ?

dont get too picky...it wouldnt matter what diameter the wheels are anyway. it just may be easier to set up on the front wheel, where theres more room.

using the scooter tyre as a roller in friction drive is quite sensible, they can still grip when wet, but...

run the motor at 36 or even 48 volts. they will take it. i even fiddled with neodymium magnets on one motor, and depending where they are placed, it will bog down or speed up... extra power :D

get rid of the (presumably) stock SLA batteries, and replace them with ni-mh/ni-cd packs, custom built from a battery place (ebay...i was quoted $90 i think for a 24v 3Ah pack...good value i felt)

they will tolerate more abuse and heavy discharges than the lead acid ones will.

lithium ion/polymer batteries are just too fiddly to mess with... theyre great, but nasty! the cells need balancing wires/plugs, you need a fancy charger for them, you need a fancy speed control for them... etc etc... search youtube for "lipo exploding" for an idea of nasty...

speed controller can be as basic as a switch,on or off, or hi lo off, or a fancy throttle...
 
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