As for which Motor to get.

Unless you want to build up your leg muscles avoid any Brushless Hub Motor with excessive Cogging. In Direct Drive hub motors the more Cogging you have the greater hill climbing torque you have but with the power turned off that Cogging is like riding with a flat tire.

If you can afford it get a BMC or eZee Brushless hub motor with Gearing = Zero Cogging and so the motor Freewheels like it isn't there. If you cannot afford the eZee or BMC get a BaFang or Cute Brushless/Geared Mini-Hub Motor.

I prefer Front Wheel Hub Motors but only if you have a Steel Fork. With a Front Hub Motor you now have Dual Wheel Drive and Motor Front---> rider in the middle and batteries at the rear (hopefully low to the axle for C of G) and the bike is well balanced.

Added Bonus to Front Wheel Drive is you get to keep your Internally geared rear wheel Hub and 8, 9 or the new 10 speed Cassettes.

Rear Hub Motors use 1970's era style Freewheels with limits on what Teeth you can have. Better to use a Cassette and you'll have a wider selection of Teeth.

With Brushless/Geared Hub motors you really don't want to go above 48V of power and at 48V you'll have 25 to 30 mph and if you need more speed---> Pedal Assist.

Controllers---> Infineon 48V X 25A is fine with a Geared Motor.
Infineon Controllers can be reconfigured on a PC and they offer Regen and have lots of pretty Fets for cooling.

Brakes---> if using a Front Hub Motor with Gears use Hydraulic Rim Brakes (not wheel Disc Rotors). Simple reason is you hit Hydraulic Disc Brakes on a Front Fork even if is Steel and you can have your fork snap at the Crown.

Use Hydraulic Disc Brakes on the Rear Wheel.

Use a CycleAnalyst if no other reason to reset your Amp Draw to extend your Distance. Say your batteries deliver 25A Continuous and your Hub Motor likes 25A but now you have twice the distance to travel than normal and you know you'll run out of battery energy far too soon, you set the Amp Draw to say 50% of Normal and you go a bit slower but you'll get there on your battery pack. Most Hub Motors do okay on only 13A so why feed it 25A.

Throttles---> Full Grip (like a MC) or a 1/2 Grip like a SRAM Attack Shifter. Thumb Throttles can result in painful Hitchhiker Thumb syndrome.

Cruise Control is fine but I just stretch the spring in the Throttle and replace it so there is far less Spring Back on the Throttle.

On/Off Switch is good but most are only rated at 15A

ATC Blade Fuses are a MUST have (carry spares)

As for Horns------> I got one from a Harley Davidson MC at 130 db.

A friend who is 81 and a Recumbent trike Dealer in Toronto has an Air Horn on his trike with 3 Trumpets and an aircompressor. It is the same system used on Mack Truck 40 foot Tractor Trailers. When he hits the switch the Horn creates the same effect as a Leaf Blower pushing out air....quite an awesome Horn and NEEDED in the City to wake up SUV drivers who fall asleep at 30 mph with their windows up, the AC on and their 300W Stereo on full blast.

Thanks for all the input so far guys. Wondering what you might think of an idea like this.

http://electricbicycl...

-Vic

I think it's a terrific concept if ya need cargo capacity *sometimes* and not others, where ya can disconnect the trailer and are OK with a pedal-only bike... One negative, without weight in the trailer the drive wheel can lose traction... On ice and snow, if ya are not gentle with the accelerator, the bike + trailer could jack-knife? Maybe. Not sure. But losing traction w/no weight on the drive wheel is a problem.

Lock

Yawn

Lock

Jackknife is possible if the Pusher is longer than the one in the video.

I have been a big fan of Pushers for years going back to the Moto-Bob in 2004 from Thunder-Struck EV in CA.

I may yet start building a version of the Moto-Bob in Saskatchewan. A fellow Dealer and friend since 2003 recently retired and is giving up making Pushers in Texas. His do 38 mph and take hills up to 24% Grade.

Another chap I trade email with makes Pushers (40 mph version) in New Mexico.

As for Vic

If you want a really simple and low cost Pusher just get a thing called a Trail-A-Bike off Craig's List. They average about $75.00. They are made for little kids to ride behind a parent. You remove the seat and handlebars and chainring/cranks. Add a Hub Motor and a Rear Rack and hang Panniers off the rack and place your batteries in the Panniers.

Thanks for all the input so far guys. Wondering what you might think of an idea like this.

http://electricbicycl...

-Vic

I really really like that one.