Author Topic: Cheap Electric fatbike  (Read 95681 times)

PonoBill

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #225 on: April 30, 2019, 11:52:40 AM »
The Bafeng kit comes with cutoff-equipped brake levers for mechanical brakes. Those disks are probably mechanical, if that's so you don't need them. The color display is nice. I have it on my HR el-cheapo fat tire. Spacers for sure, and I prefer the 120mm for flexibility though it spaces the pedals an extra 20mm wide. Not a huge deal, but noticeable if you're an experienced bicyclist.

I'd go for the Luna chain ring. You might find 36t a little low geared, but it's a reasonable size and will work better than the stock.

As far as the bike goes, it looks fine from the pictures. I like the idea of an aluminum frame. My Maui Mongoose is rusty in places where I've bashed it. I've done my best to break this thing without success, but the Maui air might dissolve it.
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.

paddlejones

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #226 on: May 21, 2019, 12:17:03 PM »
https://www.fezzari.com/wirepeak

For a bike that is pretty dialed right out of the box... Not cheap, but it is a value compared to the big bike brands. Pretty close to the new MTB GEO

and for a review...

https://reviews.mtbr.com/fezzari-wire-peak-elite-e-bike-first-ride-review

Chan

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #227 on: May 21, 2019, 01:53:43 PM »
That looks amazing.  Have you tried one?

paddlejones

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #228 on: May 21, 2019, 05:39:31 PM »
No not this one, I got to try my neighbors giant full suspension e bike, it was great. But I would like the 29” wheel option of the Fezzari

PonoBill

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #229 on: May 21, 2019, 08:07:12 PM »
Five grand for a bike with a 250 watt motor and a 500 wh battery? Umm, okay, I understand I'm not the guy this is aimed at, but I don't get it. That's a big shot of why bother. If you're going to actually use an electric bike you need some power to spare and a big enough battery so you don't wind up at the bottom of coronary hill with a dead battery and a 50 pound bike.

If you want to spend that kind of money for an eBike then at least get one with some serious specs.


This thing ships with the motor limited to street-legal in 50 states 750W, but two minutes with a screwdriver takes the limiter off and gives you 6000 watts. That isn't some kind of hop up that going to fry the controller and motor, it's a 6000 watt mid drive motor with all the drive components sized to live with that power. It's also a pure sine controller which means the motor is quiet and smooth, and it has adjustable regen braking. Or leave the limiter on and it's three times more powerful than the Fezzari. Take the limiter off and it's 24 times more powerful. The battery is 1920 wh. $3600. 40 mile range on the limiter or if you don't spend all your time being a hooligan.
« Last Edit: May 21, 2019, 08:35:12 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.

paddlejones

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #230 on: May 21, 2019, 08:53:56 PM »
Bill for me it’s the the mountain bike design. It’s what I am riding without the motor.

I bet that specialized fuse was a great bike with and without the e motor.

Looks like the shimano motor has room to improve. Also why Specialized is claiming big improvements this year... but at a huge cost
« Last Edit: May 21, 2019, 09:09:54 PM by paddlejones »

surfsupla

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #231 on: May 21, 2019, 09:51:50 PM »
Bill. My bro in law has that bike. It is amazing. And at $3600 i think is the best value electric bike out there. But its honestly more of a motorcycle. Great for commuting. But would get kicked of mtb trails in a heart beat. The way i see it is the pedal assisted bikes are more for the trails and less for commuting. 

PonoBill

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #232 on: May 21, 2019, 09:56:44 PM »
I don't see the weight listed, but you can be certain that thie Fizzari weighs two or three times more than a quality mountain bike--probably at least 30 pounds and maybe 50. With that kind of weight, does the bike remain useful and fun? To my thinking there just isn't enough power and capacity to bother with--a 250 watt motor will be stressed getting you up a modest grade. This looks to be positioned as a mountain bike with occasional electric assist, but does that really work? Is that small amount of power worth the added weight?

I took the motor back off my Fuze because I enjoyed the bike more without the motor, the weight difference made the bike nasty to ride on a challenging singletrack. On the road and in less challenging terrain it was great--but it had 1000 watts and 1200wh of battery capacity. I think you need to gain enough capability to make the added weight worth it, and I can't see how 250 watts would do that, unless the entire drive system is miraculously light.

Yeah, you don't need to go as crazy as the Sur Ron, but you need some beans for eBikes to be worthwhile. 250 watts isn't a lot of beans.
« Last Edit: May 21, 2019, 10:05:47 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.

paddlejones

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #233 on: May 21, 2019, 10:26:43 PM »
Yes 30 lbs for a mtn bike


50 lbs for an e bike. I’m wondering how that feels to ride on the trails.

I wonder if the bike manufacturers are sticking with the 250 watts in order to keep them from being banned from the trails

Admin

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #234 on: May 22, 2019, 04:57:13 AM »
A lot of people are having an amazing time on the mountain bikes trail riding, jumping, etc.  They consider it a different sport...but they are smiling.  The big complaint is that they are burning through drivetrains.  All that torque comes at a price.  Dinky chains, rings, etc. that are adequate for human legs are no match for these electric motors when they are being ridden for sport. 

Beasho

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #235 on: May 22, 2019, 06:58:52 AM »
The big complaint is that they are burning through drivetrains.  All that torque comes at a price.  Dinky chains, rings, etc. that are adequate for human legs are no match for these electric motors when they are being ridden for sport.

Agreed! The weird thing is that I haven't broken any chains yet.

I have stretched plenty of them.  About ~ 18 months they need replacement.  And my chain rings get all toothy.  But never broken a chain.  And I have a few thousand miles on the BBSHD from Lunacycle.  Plenty of power.  1,800 watt motor.

Prior to the BBSHD Fat-Tire I had a 500 Watt iZip.  Stretched those chains and broke almost every other part on the bike but the frame including snapping a rear axle.  But no broken chain.   

PonoBill

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #236 on: May 22, 2019, 07:40:26 AM »
A lot of people are having an amazing time on the mountain bikes trail riding, jumping, etc.  They consider it a different sport...but they are smiling.  The big complaint is that they are burning through drivetrains.  All that torque comes at a price.  Dinky chains, rings, etc. that are adequate for human legs are no match for these electric motors when they are being ridden for sport.

It's probably more of a weight factor than torque. It's not just human legs, it's standing on a pedal and putting full weight on it. For a 200 pound guy and a 6" crank that's 100 ft lbs of torque. A 1500 watt ebike motor at 500 RPM generates 10 ft lbs of torque. If it was generating  full torque at 50 RPM (unlikely) that would be 100 ft lbs. The benefit of a motor is that it can generate that torque all the time and can therefore generate a lot more power. But power doesn't break stuff--torque does. Power wears stuff out. Simplistic way of thinking about it, but it's true. And it's why Beasho and I don't break chains but stretches them (actually, wears them out so they get loose and therefore are longer).

Bicycle gear is marginally strong to begin with. Anyone wanting an e-bike to last has to pay attention to manitenenace. I don't bother, I just replace the worn-out stuff. It's cheap and easy.
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.

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #237 on: May 22, 2019, 02:50:40 PM »
One of the attractive things about e bikes for trail riding is powering up steeps.  That is just fun.  Guys are out riding up stuff that legs don't like, particularly old legs :).  This is now possible even from a silly-steep 0 mph start.  That is where the torque comes in.  It puts a lot of strain on the parts.  Stretch, wear, or break, the service shops are delighted.  It seems like a much more robust drivetrain is needed for mountain biking. 

This incoming Flyon motor is really cool.  The video below is a fun watch.  The Haibikes (that will be coming with the Flyon's) are pretty expensive but I like those plenty.  That is why Chan is posting about "more reasonable" options.  :)






https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3wbkdyBWT4
« Last Edit: May 22, 2019, 04:22:30 PM by Admin »

paddlejones

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #238 on: May 22, 2019, 04:42:58 PM »
I wonder if Luna Cycle would come out with a direct bolt in swap for the shimano e-bike motor...

Not much standardization yet with e-bikes

I have seen the SRAM NX Eagle group noted as e-bike rated, not sure if it means anything

PonoBill

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Re: Cheap Electric fatbike
« Reply #239 on: May 22, 2019, 11:00:53 PM »
All the big bike company stuff seems to be designed for European regs. which is largely 250 watts which is just hardly worthwhile. The US max for 50 state legal is 750 watts, which is more like it, but still kind of weenie. The relatively ancient Bafeng HD weighs 13 pounds and is capable of 1500 watts all day long. You can build a bike with a cyclone mini with 2000 to 3000 watts with a motor assembly that weighs 7 pounds. Where you put the battery is up to you. If I wanted a stealth MTB it would have a fully hacked cyclone motor and a backpack battery/controller. Ten pounds heavier than a standard MTB with four Lance Armstrongs on drugs helping me pedal. You'd never know it had a motor until some geezer blew by you and tossed dirt in your face.

The production bikes are built to satisfy weenie regulations in places like Finland or Wales that don't apply once you hit the dirt anyway. It's real simple, if it's less than 1000 watts, why bother?
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.

 


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