Anyone see an electric bike in their future?

Happy Valley

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I wondered where the best place was for this but thought General Discussion better than the Electric Motors and Components forum......it's really directed at electric neophytes like myself thinking that maybe an Ebike may feature somewhere down the road in their future, (though if you already have an electric feel free to join in).

I see a lot of creativity happening here on this site in the Ebike forum with innovations in different motor configurations and high output electric RC motors and battery tech. I'm following along there somewhat and a few other places and it seems technology is advancing and some of the things that initially held me back might be falling away. Still, there's the cost factor, though that might be dropping too.

I'm curious to see the thinking with members here on this and their reasons ....whether due to changes that might come about in regulations, the next challenging step in motorizing a bike or what have you?
 
I love my china girl, but I'm moving to Texas, where gas bikes a both tolerated and ticketed, depending on jurisdictions.
I will probably build an electric powered beach cruiser with a hub motor. Motors up to 750watts are legal, but I haven't seen a 48v 750watt motor kit available. I weigh close to 200lbs, so I need the 48 volts.
 
Yeah, I am thinking more about doing a friction drive electric on a stretched frame with the Greyhound 79 and alternator as an in frame genset.
I am becoming less afraid of the reliability of the controller and throttle since bieng over at Endless-sphere for a while. Looks like a plug and play deal.
 
Yeah, I am thinking more about doing a friction drive electric on a stretched frame with the Greyhound 79 and alternator as an in frame genset.
I am becoming less afraid of the reliability of the controller and throttle since bieng over at Endless-sphere for a while. Looks like a plug and play deal.

Why not just power the bike directly with the gas engine instead of losing all kinds of power due to system ineffciencies converting mechanical energy to electricity and then back to mechanical energy?

As far as the subject of the thread goes - electric bike? Maybe when battery storage (range) and cost are comparable to a ICE (internal combustion engine) powered bike.
 
All replies are from those without electric bikes, so far.
As Al.Fisherman said, 'My HT is a toy'. Note, Ron, I didn't quote the next bit.
My 2-stroke bike is a toy, but my electric is my real] transport.
Guess which is most reliable?
To me, both have their place. My little 2-stroke is fun to ride, reasonably quick at 50kph, about 120-150km range with 3L tank, but I wouldn't consider it reliable, by any means. (Besides the fact that anything over 200W is illegal here. Lucky for me, locally, the cops use discretion.
On the other hand, 200W electric, (yep, only 200W), no fun to ride, not quick at 30kph, but reliable as you could ask for and with front and rear suspension, like riding a mattress.
More power would be good, but I'm amazed at how much torque it has when compared to my ~2kW 2-stroke. Not that much difference, but no monos, (wheelies), on the electric.
Much as I like both, if I were forced to give up one, I'd keep the electric.

My 2 cents worth,
... Steve
 
I am a wild enthusiast of all things 2stroke. I have loved dirtbikes since I was a small child. I am thrilled by the sound of them and like the sensations of the vibrations they make. some people like Harley type engines (deep lower RPM sound wide pipes.) I like the scream of a 2cycl 2st engine wide open throttle.

But I could enjoy the quiet rush of an electric bike.
I am interested in the most practical and simplified vehicles. I think Electric bikes are coming along fast, like computers. The walmart electric bikes look like rotten 15mph junk to me.

When I learn more about them, I plan to build one, to use like I use my HT: for personal expression, for gas savings, for avoiding paying the insurance tax and registration taxes.
i think the (relatively) quiet sounds of electric bikes would be welcome as I commute at hours-before-dawn.

So far, the biggest turn-off to me is battery cost. I also have a serious phobia of electric shock. Weight is also a problem on some types. "Electric bikes are pigs" someone said" and I imagine I would agree if I had to lug it into my dwelling every day.
 
Arcguy, I am NY, where only E-bikes have recently become legal. I didn't want to deal with batteries and controllers. Well, just one 12v battery for the field circuit.

My plan is to do a gas (roller drive) on one of my bikes, but I would not use it to go to a certain town where I work (where the police collect money for the town via tickets). And still do the gas/electric on a different frame where I can put it down in the frame and use the HF 79 (sweet engine!).

If I lived in a motorbike friendly state, I would NEVER consider an e-bike.
Right now, I am pulling the gas/alternator stuff off ( it was successful but 'way too heavy up top). So it becomes a normal home built Ebike again. Guess I"ll have to buy a 24volt charger for it.
 
....batteries are toxic...he said...so is petrol...
but anyway, i know we will be having this same conversation in 20..40..years time...
maby batteries will by then not be toxic anymore...but petrol will still be....
and maby we will have the problem with 'RANGE' sorted by having eg. what the israelies propose (for cars)...a quick and easy battery swap at every petrol station....
and maby the batteries will be so small and powerful that an ebike will be as light as a petrol one....AND with a range of 150km...
and a home charging system that charges in 15 minutes....
and maby petrol will by then be so expensive that it will cost the same to run a MB as it cost now to run a car....

you might think i am a ebike user....far from it
i do trips where i need nearly 3 litres of petrol (gx31, 4 stroke) to get me 'there' and home again and i go off road on that trip as well (gold nugget hunting with metal detector...) and a ebike would be totally useless for obvious reasons...
but for pure road use, (i do weekly or once every 2 weeks a day road ride of 150km) i could imagine a hybrid electric/petrol where the gas motor charges the batteries when they get to a certain discharge and i would like a aero dynamic tadpole design (more comfortable) for that with weather protection....
then the petrol engine would last longer (have worn out my gx31 in 2 years and 15000km (hard use))...less pollution in the city with the e-setup, no worries with limited range... etc. etc.
 
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