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Electric Scooter Bicycles

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by Fibb222, Mar 23, 2007.

  1. Fibb222

    Fibb222 New Member

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    I'm planning on getting a electric scooter bicycle (such as the one seen here) for a 40km round trip, daily commute. Does anybody have any experience with these power assisted bicycles? It has a 500W brushless hub motor and up to 100 km range. Apparently it can climb hills pretty well, unlike older models of a few short years ago..

    [​IMG]
     
  2. itsme

    itsme New Member

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    I dont know about that type but here is one I built and it has both a gas motor and electric also pedal power so you will get where you need to go.

    http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n210/ou...z2/0dd9efe4.jpg



    cost including bike and both motors around 500.00 but I think the cost have gone up since 2 yrs ago
     
  3. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    I have no experience, but there was a thread about these a while back, and the concensus (not unanimous) was that they are so heavy that once the battery runs down they're virtually impossible to pedal.

    Try one before you buy it. Make sure that its range is adequate to get you where you need to go. Make sure that its acceleration is adequare for safe travel in traffic. Make sure that its speed is adequate for safety. Then pedal it without the electric motor so you know what it would be like if you run down the battery. Oh, yes, and try it on a hill if your commute inclused hills, to make sure it can really handle them.

    Most people felt that you'd actually travel easier, with less work, on a bicycle. I do not believe it is really capable of 100 km (62 miles!) on battery power.
     
  4. Fibb222

    Fibb222 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(regenme @ Mar 23 2007, 11:56 AM) [snapback]411057[/snapback]</div>
    Wow, that' quite the machine!
     
  5. itsme

    itsme New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Mar 23 2007, 04:47 PM) [snapback]411164[/snapback]</div>
    thanks, I get about 40 or more mpg best was 46 mpg and thats with the bags full.
     
  6. Fibb222

    Fibb222 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Mar 23 2007, 03:47 PM) [snapback]411164[/snapback]</div>
    Thanks for the good advice. The sellers have told me that you shouldn't and wouldn't want to pedal at all except to assist the motor in a steep uphill climb. They say it really isn't meant for pedaling because a) it really is too heavy and B) the sprocket ratios are all wrong for pure pedal power. Basically they admit that if you run out of juice that you will be walking it home.

    I like it because it is legally classified as a bike and can legally go on shoulders and bike paths which would be handy in my town as there is a long paved trail to work. It is electronically restricted to a top speed of 32 km/hr (20 mph) in Canada.

    I searched for posts on electric scooters but didn't find anything.

    The 100 km range is probably referring to a light person going only 10 mph on flat terrain or something.
     
  7. Mirza

    Mirza New Member

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    Would you consider an electric bicycle?
     
  8. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Fibb222 @ Mar 23 2007, 05:02 PM) [snapback]411212[/snapback]</div>
    You should've dropped by EPIC Vancouver last weekend for the sustainability expo. They had electric scooters and bikes on display.

    Cost was $1,500 for both. The reason why the scooter was the same price as the bike was because the scooter had Lead-Acid batteries and was made in China. The electric bike uses Li-polymer batteries.
     
  9. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(regenme @ Mar 23 2007, 04:58 PM) [snapback]411210[/snapback]</div>
    Regenme: Your bike with the motor is an entirely different animal than the scooter in the OP's thread. Yours probably weighs 1/4 as much, and is designed to be able to pedal. You add a very small, relatively lightweight motor, and you burn gas, which is much lighter than batteries for the energy carried. Your motorized bicycle looks like a very serviceable machine.

    My comments were directed to the OP and the electric scooter.

    Although your 46 mpg "best" and 40 mpg typical seem awfully low, when most folks get mid-40's or considerably better in their Priuses. And if that engine is a two-stroke, Priuses are much cleaner as well.
     
  10. itsme

    itsme New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Mar 23 2007, 08:00 PM) [snapback]411259[/snapback]</div>
    It has a front hub motor as well and three 12 volt 12 AH batteries on rear rack total weight is around 70 pounds for bike and motors etc.. plus my heavy arse 295 pounds of steel( ok a little steel) lol thats why it's lower mpg if I weighed 150 pounds 80plus mpg easy
    but I can do 30 mph uphill no pedal on either gas or electric motor
    I also wasn't comparing the two just another alternative.
     
  11. Fibb222

    Fibb222 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Mar 23 2007, 05:56 PM) [snapback]411228[/snapback]</div>
    I heard about it afterwards. One of the companies I might buy from (e-ride) was there with their motorino units. Pretty nice scooters. They offered me the expo price ($150 off). I wish they had a store in Victoria. It's not easy getting one back on the ferry.


    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mirza @ Mar 23 2007, 05:12 PM) [snapback]411218[/snapback]</div>
    I hadn't really but maybe I should. I like these scooters cause they are still legally a bike but they are more like a motorcycle. I don't mind the idea of getting a little exercise though. I thought it would be nice to be able to take my wife for little trips - as the scooters actually seat two and aren't really all that much more expensive.

    I wonder how much I'd have to peddle one on my 40 km commute. Maybe also nothing.
     
  12. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Fibb222 @ Mar 24 2007, 12:29 AM) [snapback]411405[/snapback]</div>
    Note that their most expensive model, the Motorino BTr, has a range of 24 miles, at a top speed of 19 mph, based on a 176-lb load. With a passenger, the speed and range will be reduced.

    This is slower than a NEV.
     
  13. Mirza

    Mirza New Member

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    Hi Fibb,

    I've spent quite a bit of time researching electric bikes (so that I could get one to replace my Ford Th!nk electric bike). The system I ended up picking was an ecospeed 750W kit... with batteries and accessories from www.electric-bikes.com (Brian Howell - who basically did everything for me). I got a used Sun bicycles EZ-1 SX recumbent - which was upgraded with some new stuff like a fairing and whatnot. Becareful though - I ended up spending at least $2k more than I had wanted to (original budget for the bike was about $1k lol) - for all sorts of accessories and a superhuman electric kit. The guy sells at least 4 different kits... 2 ecospeeds, some hub motor kits, and an electrodrive kit - any can be made w/ any combo of batteries to get the performance/range you want. The one I'm getting has a range of ~40 miles without pedalling.

    An ecospeed 36V Li-polymer (or ion - forgot which) 750W will go to a stop speed of 35-45 mph (w/o pedalling) on a Sun EZ recumbent w/ a range of ~40 mi also w/o pedalling. The same battery for an electro drive I think will go somewhere from like 25-28 mph. An ecospeed 600W is a bit faster than the electro drive given the same battery setup.

    Hub motors aren't geared - your options there are thus far less selective - and even though they can be a lot cheaper initially - for your kinda range - and with no gearing - you may need double the batteries and whatnot - and don't really end up saving by going this route. (now if you had said 20 km or something - now that's a different story).

    You can check out ecospeek kits at www.ecospeed.net, and also click on the betterbikes tab on www.electric-bikes.com.

    (not associated with them - I promise! I'm just a huge fan of electric bikes!)

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Mar 24 2007, 11:05 AM) [snapback]411467[/snapback]</div>
    For about the same price as that Motorino - you can get a recumbent bike w/ an electro drive kit that would go at least 22 mph (higher for 36V - like 25 or something) - and be easier to maintain, far lighter, faster, and perhaps just as good if not longer a range.

    -----------------

    Fibb,

    Just saw where you said you wanted to take your wife with you. There are also tandem recumbent bikes:

    http://www.electric-bikes.com/betterbikes/styles.html

    http://www.sunbicycles.com/sun/recumbents/...em/ezTandem.htm

    (Sun is one of the preferred beginners' recumbent bikes)

    With a tandem, it seems the price really goes up for the bike itself.

    http://www.blackbirdbikes.com/pricelist.htm

    I am not familiar about adding a kit to a tandem, but I am sure Brian Howell of electric-bikes and Brent Bolton of ecospeed would know.
     
  14. Mirza

    Mirza New Member

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  15. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

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    Well, you blew the budget on that one, didn't you, Mirza? :) Please show us some pictures once you've got everything together. If we might borrow a little of your research, did you find any electric bicycles that use regenerative braking? I'm thinking this feature would give be a big...um...'boost' to the range.

    Fibb, if your commute is only 20km each way, what is it about a pedal powered bike that doesn't work for you? Victoria has some beautiful off-street trails (I hesitate to call them 'bike paths', because they're really 'multi-use'), as I'm sure you know, but even if a 'Zap-Ped' is legal, I hunch it may not be well accepted by the cyclists. Especially if that slow top speed means you're in their way. :blink: Assuming your purchase fits in a Prius, I might be able to give you a hand getting it home.
     
  16. Mirza

    Mirza New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hyo silver @ Mar 24 2007, 01:35 PM) [snapback]411506[/snapback]</div>
    LOL! My imagination got carried away with this one! I went from wanting a simple add on hybrid or hub motor electric kit for my cheap mountain bike to a radically different recumbent setup w/ custom electric kit and accessories such as a tailsok!

    I've attached the 'before pics' below! I bought the bike used for $600 - I think new the bike model itself is around $700 - but with the fairing and fork/wheel size upgrade and whatnot - to get this setup brand new with those accessories probably would've been $1200 or so. I will be posting pics the moment I complete it! I get the batteries and most accessories in on Monday or Tuesday (assuming I'm home when the shipment arrives!). The motor comes in 2-3 weeks or something.

    [attachmentid=7069]
    [attachmentid=7070]
    [attachmentid=7071]

    By far the best kit w/ regeneration that you can add onto ANY kit (it's a hub kit) is the Bionx...

    http://www.jvbike.com/eps_kit.htm
    (a Canadian seller; and they sell complete bikes w/ the system installed and whatnot... website gives a lot of details about the kit)

    and is available from the US from actually quite a few sellers including:
    http://www.nycewheels.com/bionx-electric-bike-system.html

    If used properly, it WILL give a mild to moderate range boost. People actually like the regen more for the enhanced braking ability! I myself know how good regenerative braking is in ice - I live in the Appalachian region. I'm sure it's saved my Prius from a couple of wrecks vs using the mechanical brakes in icy conditions.


    ------------
    And Fibb, I would suggest having/taking a charger to work - then absolutely no worries about range and you can have a lot more fun w/ the ride - no matter which vehicle you go with it.
    ------------
     

    Attached Files:

  17. Mirza

    Mirza New Member

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    I can also give an idea of how my bike will look like afterwards... the following are pics of Brian Howell's electric recumbent... now note this thing is SWEEEEEEEEET... it's a frikkin' 2 wheel drive power electric recumbent - the thing goes like 55 mph, w/ some 100+ mile range. It's got a hub motor in front for acceleration and an ecospeed kit in the rear for top speed... the thing is an absolute BEAST of a bike - and it weights less than 90 lb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    :blink: :blink:

    [attachmentid=7076]

    [attachmentid=7077]

    [attachmentid=7078]

    PS
    The yellow thing on the rear is a Tailsok... and they have a "firefly" light that makes the bike look like a firefly at night!
     

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  18. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mirza @ Mar 24 2007, 10:14 AM) [snapback]411495[/snapback]</div>
    That's impressive! But I'd be scared to go anywhere near that fast on a bicycle. I had my road bike up to 30 mph once on a long downhill slope, and it scared the sh!t out of me! 20 mph was the fastest I felt safe, and I think my average fun-cruising speed was 15 mph.
     
  19. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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  20. Fibb222

    Fibb222 New Member

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    Thanks for all the advice and links everybody. Today I went down to GWEV in Victoria to look at what they have and now I'm not so sure that I want an electric scooter type bicycle. I might get a more traditional looking electric bicycle. They are cheaper and might allow me to get a bit of a workout. I can still sit back and let the bike do the work if I want to I can power the whole thing with pedal power or any combination of the two. Google GWEV and check out the Super 9. Dorky basket and all!