Author Topic: Cheap Electric fatbike  (Read 95676 times)

paddlejones

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #210 on: March 25, 2017, 07:09:21 AM »
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/alex-rims-shimano-e-bike-motor-miranda-xmod-crankset-taipei-cycle-show.html

Shimano is sliming down the e bike motor...

Usually the new product is not on the cheap side...
but a cheap e bike seems to run 1200+

With a cheap gas motor at 125 + bike

PonoBill

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #211 on: March 25, 2017, 08:10:32 AM »
Interesting motor. The comments are typical, so many bike guys are whiners and fashion freaks. "You're not doing what I do--that's bad". Sissies. I think it comes from having that lycra tucked up their asses.
« Last Edit: March 25, 2017, 08:12:33 AM by PonoBill »
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

PonoBill

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #212 on: April 18, 2017, 08:46:58 PM »
Cool thread.   This inspired me to look into chain drives, I was previously scared power driving the chain would be dangerous.

My electric bike was stolen out of my garage earlier this year, I wrote about it here:
https://clayisland.com/trusting-bike-thieves

I love my new replacement bike, a lot of the comments here resonate with me.

I learned 2 things with my old rigid frame electric:
1- even minor bumps are bone jarring and teeth rattling at 15+, some kind of shock absorption is crucial in front.
2- hub motors suck and chain drives are a huge upgrade, faster, lighter, and more effeciant.

My new bike is just plain fun, I ride it like it's a full suspension MTB and it's a blast on any terrain.   It's so fun I ride it more often and look for excuses to take it out.  There's a great farmers market 10 miles away and I enjoy the ride back even with a heavy fully loaded backpack.

Also makes DW shuttle runs twice as fun.

I drive a lot less, so it will eventually pay for itself.  I had my old bike for 2 years and it paid for itself in fuel savings.

Highly recommend   ;D

Clay whats the frame manufacturer and wheel size you have there? Searching  craigslist for a 29er with a good quality fork for my daily commuter. I like to have the ability to off road the beast a bit , but will be used mostly to get to the train station a couple miles away.

Thx

CLTSUP - It is a Specialized Fuse with 650bx3.0" (27.5+) tires.  I wanted an XXL frame and a slack headtube so that narrowed my choices really quick  :)

I had a flat last month and the tire went completely flat but it didn't come off the rim like happened to Beasho.  Tire was on there good and there was a trick to removing it.


Clay, you were absolutely right, my bike is a specialized Fuse as well. I have no idea why I thought it was a Trek. Only took me half a year to figure that out.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

outcast

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #213 on: January 31, 2018, 06:02:56 PM »
Reviving this tread....great info here
Ready to pull some kind of e-trigger so a couple of questions re the bafang builds

I am most worried about time, and would do a workover on my Elllsworth Truth if i could slap things on , but  don't really want to give in more than a few hours and not equipped for machining

The alternative is the FLX Trail which has an integrated 750 Bafang an 17A
 like the idea of later being able to later cannibaize that if i don't like it, and the frames not  horrible, but i guess i wouldn't have the motor casing...etc

Anyway, what i do't want to do is get into machining, a new chain, etc so it is about time.....Thoughts on the FLX as a starter platform for  newbie????

I have a Schwinn Stingray with a rear hub 500  waiting , but needs the works and a new front fork
Too many for the rack
Some in the shack
Some under decks
Some have straps

PonoBill

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #214 on: January 31, 2018, 09:52:10 PM »
So here's the thing about Bafeng conversions--they do fine with slapdash. The drive slips through the bottom bracket and snugs into place. You need to get the fit reasonably snug but beercan shims work. Steel cans are better than aluminum, but that's the limit of sophistication required. And no, you don't want a 750, you want a 1000HD. Get it from LunaCycle. The owner (Eric Hicks) is a nut, but he's my kind of nut.  A nut who makes good shit, and stands behind everything to a ridiculous degree unless he doesn't like you.

If by machining you mean you don't own a hacksaw, then measure the bottom bracket of your Ellsworth carefully and order the right width Bafeng. Luna has shim kits and sprocket alternatives. Start with stock unless you see something you just have to try. Gearing when you have 1500 watts available and lots of torque is kind of not a huge deal. My Piece-o-shit Mongoose has decided the first two gears are not reachable. I'm sure I could fix it but why? Incidentally, the seriously cheap Walmart Mongoose has proven to be seriously tough. I've beaten the shit out of it, rode it hard and put it away wet. Anything that can rust, has, and it works perfectly--except for those two low gears. Which probably need two minutes and a screwdriver to fix.

Luna's new battery packs are very high tech. Get the biggest you can afford/fit. Everyone thinks about eBikes in bike terms. 100 miles is something you do once or twice a year on a bike. On an eBike, it's any old time--four to six hours. My minimum ride is thirty miles. When you're doing 18mph up a six percent grade the whole world changes.
« Last Edit: January 31, 2018, 10:07:02 PM by PonoBill »
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

outcast

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #215 on: February 01, 2018, 07:28:11 AM »
Think I just needed that push...Thanks....I've had bottom bracket rebuilds that took too long, so it is a mostly a time thing for me

Beer can shimming is a known art to me.

If I told you that the Ellsworth is the Vincent Black Shadow of the Mountainbike world it might pique your interest...I think it will be a good platform, so Thanks
Too many for the rack
Some in the shack
Some under decks
Some have straps

PonoBill

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #216 on: February 01, 2018, 07:35:23 PM »
The bottom bracket rebuild in this case is knocking everything out, pushing the Bafeng through and tightening the lock nuts. So simple. I converted my Fuse back to standard bike (I liked riding it in Post Canyon better as a non-eBike) and installing a new BB took FOREVER. The day after I finished it got stolen. If it had still been an eBike it wouldn't have been where it was.

If you love your Ellsworth as it is, then don't convert it. Get a cheapo Mongoose. The standard mtn bike ones are even cheaper than the fatbike. I think less than $200. The shitty loose ball BB and junk pedals wind up in the trash.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

yugi

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #217 on: February 03, 2018, 09:52:36 AM »
Elllsworth Truth is a classic holy grail of light and long travel. Will always be a classic. Classics has esthetic quality and holds value in the hearts of connoisseurs.  Don't change the frame and do keep the original groupo. Classics have mroe value with original groupo.

Anyone ever ride a VeloSolex? I loved those things. The lightest and fastest of mopeds. So old school, exquisitely simple and 10x the milage of even a moped. The gas tank was like a quart. 

I grew up always more of a cyclist than a thottle-head but nevertheless spent time on mopeds.  As mopeds got better they got [speed] limited by law. I remember a time when cops were keener on catching suped up mopeds than drunk drivers. They'd do moped roadblocks and test moped speeds in a van equipped with a speed test bed for 2 wheelers.

VeloSolex were already old school. The cheapo clunker of mopeds. The like motor assist was no crazy acceleration but always there as a bonus thoughout. No top speed so on flats faster than mopeds.

I just came across this:
   https://www.add-e.at/en/technical-information/

Silly price. Too bad. 98% of the VeloSolex charm was it cost worlds less than full moped power.



« Last Edit: February 03, 2018, 10:36:01 AM by yugi »

Beasho

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #218 on: February 08, 2018, 12:47:27 PM »
Need some help:

My BBSHD Phat Tire Bike is Phantastic. 

However 16 months in my chain started skipping. 

I replaced the Entire Chain, and the entire Rear Cassette.  BUT the chain still skips.

I can see wear on the front ring (all Steel) and I am willing to change it out as well but What the Heck is going on?

When the bike was new it would skip if I was in a large rear sprocket going up a goat trail.  Otherwise it was rock solid.  Now if I start from a stand still, and am in a small rear sprocket it will skip and the chain will come off 30% of the time.  I have to shift to a larger rear every time to avoid this.

It is a 10 speed rear, and obviously a skinny chain.  I would be happy to just get it back to New Operational State. 


ChefBoyRD

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #219 on: February 08, 2018, 03:22:12 PM »
ALoha Beasho,
I was having similar problems with my e bike as well,
I switched the  to the  "bling ring" from Luna cycle  and this made the   difference, no more skipping 
As P Bill mentioned Luna cycle is the place I go for my ebike parts, anyway that helped me.
 

PonoBill

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #220 on: February 08, 2018, 06:10:26 PM »
Common problem. Make sure the derailleur is well adjusted, especially the high and low gear stops, and make sure there's adequate derailleur tension. You can shorten your chain to increase derailleur wrap as long as you don't go too far and get to the point it can't shift. Realize that any sprocket or chain wear means only the first few teeth are handling the torque. I generally change gearsets and chains at the same time though I didn't after I broke my chain. The stock front sprocket is generally OK, but Luna Cycles has alternative sprockets that have better teeth. The zooty ones with alternate long and short teeth are particularly good for retaining the chain. Don't go too low on the ratio unless you want to climb walls. 40+ teeth. If I was in HR I'd send you my Luna 30T sprocket to try--worthless for me, but it might be great in sand and on trails. They also have KMC chain which is supposed to be good stuff. The ten speed rear cassette takes the most narrow and wimpiest chain and has the wimpiest, most narrow sprockets. You can convert your rear cassette to eight speed and be a bit more sturdy or go all the way to five-speed. The rear cassette on my Mongoose looks like a piece of crap, but so far it's been bulletproof with no maintenance. I've broken the chain once, and after reading your post I went out to count gears (seven-speed) and realized my rear cassette is completely filled with mud and grass between the gears. It's been working just fine. Something to be said for getting cheap shit. You can get a cheapo Shimano five- or seven-speed cassette/freewheel for less than fifteen bucks then switch to the appropriate chain. Worthwhile beefing these things up though you can accomplish a lot with just adjusting the derailleur.

If you want to go all-in you could replace the derailleur with an Alfine hub, or a Rohloff. or even a nuvinci and then use single speed sprockets and chains, or even a Gilmer belt drive. That's what I have on my trike. The most bulletproof option is a Sturmey-Archer internally geared hub, it's what most rickshaws use. Cheap, but hard to get--they only sell to OEMs. I've been trying to get one of their eight-speed hubs for some time.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

eastbound

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #221 on: February 15, 2018, 07:21:50 AM »
check the deraileur tension spring before you throw doughola at this, beash--i am not an ebike guy, but that'd be something i'd check on a normal dreailleur equipped bike, where things seemed to be sdjusted properly, yet chain kept a skippin
Portal Barra 8'4"
Sunova Creek 8'7"
Starboard Pro Blue Carbon  8'10"
KeNalu Mana 82, xTuf, ergoT

Weasels wake

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #222 on: August 23, 2018, 08:47:04 PM »
I reanimated this old (not that old) thread because when it first got started, it even further peaked my interest in these.  Been following, waiting for the right time, and the right type of bike that I didn't have to build myself, and one with a good reputation, as far as I can tell, and not over priced.
So, I just pulled the trigger in this bike the other day, the "Rover" from Rad Power Bikes, from Seattle.
7 speed, 5 power ranges, 26" wheels, w/ a 750w hub motor.
25 to 45 miles/charge, depending on power used, 20mph tops w/ the stock gears, but others have been changing those out and getting them to go about 45mph, as if you'd want to, I don't.  I just need the power to get my ass up a cardiac hill that goes up to my street w/o having to peddle if I don't want to.  I hate that hill.
My cost was $1499, no tax, free delivery, but the prices on all their models went up $200 just today due to tariffs, so they say.
I don't have it yet, it's being shipped, but I'll give my feedback after I get it and use it for awhile, pretty stoked.
Go to their website for more info if you want.

P.S.  I don't plan on doing any serious boondocking, this is mostly for checking out the surf conditions up and down the coast, asphale to dirt roads, and dirt parking lots, some trails, not too interested in salty sand, all rural.



« Last Edit: August 23, 2018, 09:09:13 PM by Weasels wake »
It takes a quiver to do that.

PonoBill

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #223 on: August 23, 2018, 09:12:10 PM »
Rad power does a nice job. I still prefer mid drives to hub motors, but the hub motors have been getting better. They outnumber mid drives far more than ten to one since they are the simplest and cheapest way to electrify a bike.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

digger71

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #224 on: April 30, 2019, 08:43:29 AM »
Reviving an old thread is search of some direction. Getting ready to place orders for my build and have a couple questions.  Build info is below:

Saw this at costco and it looks pretty solid for the price.  Thoughts?
Northrock fat tire bike from Costco for $299 (in store price)
https://www.costco.com/Northrock-XC00-Fat-Tire-Bike-.product.100467336.html

Fourth Anniversary BBSHD Mid Drive Kit Special (Details below)
https://lunacycle.com/bbshd-kit-special/

The bottom bracket measures exactly 100mm.  I've read that the 120mm BBSHD should be fine with spacer.  Does that sound correct?  The smaller version is not available at this time.

Is the Brake Cutoff something I need?
How about the Gear Sensor?
Programming cable?

Can't wait to get started!

Choose Your Programming Level: Hot Rod Program (For Off Road Use Only)
Bottom Bracket Size: 120mm (Extra Fat)
Display Options: Luna 750c Full Color Display for BBDHD and BBS02 $45.00
Throttle Choices: Bafang BBSxx Universal Thumb Throttle
Optional Ebrake Cut Offs: Hydraulic and Disc Brake Sensors with Cut Off (Pair) $20.00
Battery Options: 52v Luna Wolf 30q 12ah $200.00 (Highly Recommended)
Upgrade Your Included Charger: Standard Barrel Charger
Install Spacers and Helpers (Highly Recommended): Luna Install Helper - Spacer and Adapter Kit $10.00
Optional Programming Cable: Bafang Programming Cable $19.95
Add Luna Tool for Installs for only $10.00: Luna Wrench $10.00
Add a Reccommended Gear Sensor: GearSensor for Derailers and Internal Geared Hubs $45.00
Add a Luna One 36T Chainring at a Special Price!: Anodized Black $50.00

 


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