Hi,
I'm new to the group- so this may have been covered already. Looking for an electric mountain bike- or something similar. I don't want a kit.

LOCK was kind enough to suggest a company in CA. -waiting to hear from it.

Any other suggestions? I travel all over Ontario...so if you know of a dealer outside GTA..I'd appreciate hearing.
Thanks,
CC

Hi CC

...doubt yer gonna find a ready-built ebike in Ontario that is a good hill climber. Retailers only offer 500W continuous rated urban machines... The Ontario market for off-road/trail vehicles is pretty limited, and no solution will be cheap when ya consider the size of the battery ya need for decent range and performance on high Wh/km trail riding...

Ya have to look outside Canada if you insist on ready-built. Any jurisdiction where the authorities are more enlightened plus a supplier that will disassemble and ship the bike as "bike parts" (to get it into the country.)

Much, much cheaper just to add a kit to a decent steel frame. Although you are considering a *system* including motor and controller and battery and each component must be able to deliver the watts ya need if you want to travel up steep hills with any real speed and still have decent range.

I left you that link to Ypedals pages re the Cyclone option... He's in New Brunswick and could build you a real trail bike... There are others closer to home also.

Cheers
l0Ck

...a dual suspension Downhill MTB and use a Li-Polymer battery...

Ya can't convince me LiPo is ready for prime-time Joshua:
http://www.youtube.co...

Don't wish to see our friend CC on the 6 o'clock news...


lOcK

I thought we had a new Member of this Group with a Cyclone motor system but on a Downtube DF bike?

Cyclone IMO is a good choice once you get beyond the noise of it and you should avoid Olsen and buy direct from Paco in Taiwan. Get the 500W or 1KW Motor with the External Controller.

Hey Joshua and All.


Yeah, that's my Downtube with a Cyclone mid mount kit. Awesome little folder that is quite a handful at WOT. Downtube designer never had in mind a 1200watt motor kit and 25 lbs of LIFEPO4 sitting in the back wagging off a seatpost rack. Its like riding a wet noodle. I would recommend the 900 watt motor for good torque and civil power consumption. Gear whine is audible till the wind noise overwhelms it when you get up to speed.

As Joshua mentioned, deal with Paco directly. I've only good things to say from my buying experience with Cyclone Taiwan.

If you have some mechanical inclination you'll do fine to use a Cyclone kit. I'm building a second bike platform for another Cyclone kit. Stay tune...

Cheers,

Norman

What I am now telling people is IF they carefully monitor the charge/discharge cycle, charge with a blast shield and encase the pack in a safe case with a BMS and use a Cell Balancing Cherger---> then Li-Polymer are the chemistry to use if your Controller can handle the mega Amps Li-Polymer gives.
PS EVcomponents just went tits up yesterday in the States.

...ya see that big IF there Joshua? It's just that when LiPo "things go wrong" it's a pretty freekin' major EVent. A blast shield (EVen a LipoSack) otta be a clue that there's an element of risk. When ya hang out w/a buncha knowledgeable hobbiests ya can overlook the other 99% of the world that will not be so careful?

Yah, sad about EVComponents... The guy gathered a great EV team together, quality products (ok, Headway BMS's were a problem ) then totally blew it.
Lock

...1200watt motor kit and 25 lbs of LIFEPO4 sitting in the back wagging off a seatpost rack.

Hehe... Ya Norman, sounds like a handful... upload bigger pics please

Careful `bout that seatpost rack. Lots of stories out there about racks that fail under the strain of heavy packs...
Lock

...1200watt motor kit and 25 lbs of LIFEPO4 sitting in the back wagging off a seatpost rack.

Hehe... Ya Norman, sounds like a handful... upload bigger pics please

Careful `bout that seatpost rack. Lots of stories out there about racks that fail under the strain of heavy packs...
Lock

Thanks Lock! I got my eye on that rack with an extra support strap attached to the seat itself just in case.

Dunno why I cannot get images posted. I'll keep trying tho....

Cheers,

Norman

Thanks Lock! I got my eye on that rack with an extra support strap attached to the seat itself just in case.
Dunno why I cannot get images posted. I'll keep trying tho....
Cheers,Norman

Here's one example where the rider added two tubular bars from below.


I expect added support from above would work as well and in the pic above adding the supports from below perhaps just kept them out of the way of the pack mounted on the top of the rack...

Re pics, ya need to host them somewhere on the web first eg Flickr but ya can upload to the pics albums here in this MeetUp group as well.

Either way, once on the web a right-click to grab the pics URL or "Copy Shortcut" ya can then paste into the pic icon option offered here in a list above the message text input field after you select to add or reply to a message...

Lock

U just DON'T use a fron suspension fork for a Hub Motor unless you like riding in an Ambulance.

Well Joshua, the guy's built about 15 ebikes so far and that was number eight... but most of his builds do have front shocks, and most of his bikes are used on rough trails... and that is an Axiom rack ya see reinforced there!
Lock

No pics necessary Joshua... I'm sure yer right at least that any shocks are not designed with hub motors in mind! EVen forks w/out shocks need to be "beefed up" w/torque arms...

I do know the bike shop on Avenue Road north of Lawrence got burned this way. Years ago sold an ebike to a family for their young son and the front wheel detached... He got taken to court over that, which left him a bit gun-shy about ebikes. I was pleased to see him though on the lawn outside Queens Park that day when the Minister announced the ebike pilot project.

Must stop by some time and see if he has dipped his toes in the ebike waters again...
lLok