Possible Electric Bicycle ? [ trolling motor ]

[darwin]

Anyone notice the OP post date? 13 years ago.

 

[Frogslayer]

Shhh, your not supposed to read that part lol.

 

[Betabrain]

Trolling Motor -> e Bike - Great Idea, I love it !
I have a 34Lb Watersnake trolling motor, a Pulse Width Modulator (PWM) & a 50Amphr Lithium Ion battery. - PWM is probably similar to Battery Saver Circuitry. I intend to be able to move the motor & battery on both my boat & bicycle.

A few thoughts: -
1. Cooling: the motor may need cooling - To add air cooling fins is easy - a slip-over with cooling fins attached, AL or steel cylinder with thermal conducting paste inside. Remove when boating. I notice this has been discussed earlier.
2. Add a throttle: The cheap but excellent Watersnake does not have a Variable Pulse Width Modulator (PWM) so I paid $20AU for one & got the local JayCar gadget shop to add a 900mm (~30 inch) electrical cable extension to control the motor from the cockpit of my sailboat - a Hobie Tandem Island. The PWM with throttle extension would allow a much better battery range at non max speeds & on a bike, a handlebar control.
3. Battery life & weight:
Li Ion battery recharge cycle of 500 to 1000 times - Lead/acid deep cycle ?
so I can't see the Li Ion cell being worn out on my Tandem Island and bicycle

Li Ion battery weighs 7kg (~15lbs). - Lead/acid deep cycle (~20kg /44lbs)
Li Ion battery size 200x450x40mm (~8x18x2") - Lead/acid 350x250x200mm(12x10x8")
It is easy to move & house on a bicycle & doesn't increase bicycle weight by much

Please correct me if I'm wrong but, compared to deep cycle Lead/Acid heavy batteries, the Li Ion doesn't mind discharging to ~10% which makes it really a 50 minus 10 Amp hour battery - Lead/Acid batteries really, really dislike discharges less than about 50 or 60%. so a 50Ahr Li Io is fairly similar to a 80 hr Lead/Acid battery (~20kg /44lbs).
4. Watersnake motors are about 1/3 the price of Minn Kotas because they do not have an inbuilt VPM. - about $200AUD + $20AUD for a PWM)
5. PWM: You can easily run the PWM on any trolling motor - you leave the motor on full forward & connect the PWM between the battery & the motor. This gives you a throttle to have on your handlebar (& of course you keep the reverse for, as mentioned, giggles)
6. So if you have a Lithium Ion battery, using it on your bike would not wear it out. It is quite small (200mm x 450mm x 40mm /~8" x 18" x 2") & much lighter.
7. Pandemic Lockdown Project, - I have a 180W flexible lightweight detachable solar panel & a battery charger on the stern of my Hobie Tandem Island for almost continuous motor-sailing - I'm thinking of adding panel attachment to my bike trailer for almost continuous ecycle-motoring - now that's a good Coronavirus lockdown project !
As for speed - under motor, the Hobie Tandem Island non planing but wave piecing hull in calm conditions easily hits 10kmh to 15kmh (~12mph) It starts to "sort-of plain" under sail at these speeds & up to about 25kmh before you start breaking things.
- Perhaps during the Coronavirus Lockdown, which here in the state of Victoria Australia, looks like to be August or September, I might just sneak out at dusk & maybe learn to ride the e bike in reverse? While observing social distancing & of course while essential food gathering - just kidding!

Pic of PWM with the entended cables for throttle & switch (forward, backward & stop) Battery in & motor out attach on the top side of the pic. All cabling & electrical junctions sit in waterproof casing (100mm = 4inches I think)

 

[Betabrain]

I am curious what if the said bicycle was a quadricycle with a belt drive and a thrilling motor head on "dash" next to steering wheel with handle facing you and the motor is behind the seat. I mention this because I am making a quadricycle from blueprints I got when I was i n boyscouts 20 plus years ago and I wanna build a small camper trailer out of canvas and travel with it while using solar and pedal+alternator to recharge the batteries 1 for motor 1 for accessories. Hit me up on email oldfartpappy@gmail titled quadricycle and I'd like to get in touch with so.eone and change the future of travel.

Hi Jason, I have a post on page 15 re modifying my sail boat trolling motor, a 180W flexible solar panel, solar charger & a Pulse Width Modulator. I was thinking of using /making a single wheel bike trailer to hold the solar panel & perhaps some beer.
If you build a ultra lite caravan, you could place the solar panels on its roof. Also, have you seen the flexible foam filled insulation with Aluminium both sides Kingspan Air-cell Insulshed- would be great for a bike a van? I'm working on an ultra-lite car trailer that looks like a box trailer but has a solid roof that lifts up & the solid sides fold up & lie inside the trailer when down. The idea is to have a box that just holds the matteress when towing. It keeps the windage down heaps but for me it means I can have this box under my Hobie Tandem Island sail boat. I fold up boat supports, winch the 90kg 5600mm / 18 ft Hobie TI up, lifting the sleeping pod's roof at the same time. I then fold up the hinged sleeping pod's sides & have a sleeping area. You of course wouldn't need the boat jacking posts.

 

[Betabrain]

Trolling Motor I put one on my Fishing Kayak saltwater Minn Kota 45 Lb thrust
Works great I use a Gel battery and stay out on the Ocean for 6 Hrs
Lot's of good fishing here in So Cal. I like to chase the Calico Sea Bass.
Just some pictures to give an idea of what can be done with a Trolling motor
Love to see one on a bike. ALOHA

Yeh - a motor on a Yak works well - I have a 34lb Watersnake on my Hobie TI & a solar panel for almost unlimited motor sailing. I have no idea how to catch fish - perhaps I will try this during the Coronavirus lockdown - if the Victorian (Australian) state government ever allows food gathering on our Gippsland Lakes.

 

[Savagesound]

Savage sound mount wheel from a moving dolly to motor shaft make cart to hold battery and motor lever from old front throw mower to lower motor till tire contacts road pull up to to disengage

 

[Wrench]

Savage sound mount wheel from a moving dolly to motor shaft make cart to hold battery and motor lever from old front throw mower to lower motor till tire contacts road pull up to to disengage

Theory or ya making one?