e-assist motor
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
e-assist motor
Has anyone installed one of these and what is your experience? I'm not interested in turning my trike into a go-cart but get on top of a bigger gear at a higher cadence. Like riding with a strong tail wind or riding in a fast pack-heart rate increases and leg muscle strain decreases and you go a lot faster. I think the key to this is a good torque sensor system and that is an issue. Bionx is in bankruptcy and may not survive. Falco looks like a good system but it takes months to get the product, after they charge your credit card, and with this poor business practice may follow Bionx. I don't think you can buy the Shamino Steps off the shelf. The Golden Motors Edge and other systems that require a bottom bracket torque sensor have a problem now that the Thun torque sensor is no longer available and the other BB torque sensors may not function properly with a recumbent bottom bracket location. Hopefully someone will modify a torque sensor bottom bracket to work properly with a recumbent-may require a CA V3 firmware update to do so. So my research doesn't look good for the present as to a quality torque sensor system. But I'm interested in any experience you may have had.
#2
Insane Bicycle Mechanic
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: other Vancouver
Posts: 9,839
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 806 Post(s)
Liked 708 Times
in
378 Posts
I think you will get better answers in the electric bike forum:
https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/
https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/
__________________
Jeff Wills
Comcast nuked my web page. It will return soon..
Jeff Wills
Comcast nuked my web page. It will return soon..
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Buckhorn, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 217
Bikes: Rans Screamer, Catrike Expedition, Specialized Montain Bike, Cannondale Quick SL1
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Four years ago, after many years of research, we installed a Bionx system on our recumbent tandem. At first, we just ran into obstacles that we weighed, and when the company came out with a wider hub than 135 mm, we decided to give it a go. The drawbacks are there, of course. The system adds 16 lbs to the total weight of the tandem. We lost our Arai drum brake which we needed to scrub speed on downhills. While the regeneration mode gives you some braking, I believe it is not adequate and so now heavily rely on the rim brakes, front and rear. It is necessary to "feather" the brakes on and off as too much friction on the rim can blow a tire from over-heating. On the positive side, we love the set up and we are riding our tandem more than before since going electric. The system has worked flawlessly, we are still getting 70 km on a single charge using levels 1 and 2 and that's a heavy team (bike + two riders = 430 lbs.) The battery takes about 4-5 hours to fully charge even after many, many charging cycles. Bottom line is we're both happy and we'd do it again, although we're sorry to learn the company may fold. Mike
#4
Senior Member
Thread Starter
We may learn this month whether Bionx has been bought out and "rising from the ashes" or is toast. It is expensive but probably my best option if they go back into business.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Kansas
Posts: 2,248
Bikes: This list got too long: several ‘bents, an urban utility e-bike, and a dahon D7 that my daughter has absconded with.
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 363 Post(s)
Liked 66 Times
in
48 Posts
I put a bafang BBS02 on my trike for my long trip. I am in the process of building up another trike for a similar trip. Because I will be going up over the rockies I will still be using a mid drive, which allows the motor to go through the gears. I am looking at a cyclone; but I really don't need that much power and will probably go with a bafang again.
#6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Robert I have a Catrike which is made of Al. and Catrike doesn't recommend using a mid-drive system. Although Utah Trikes sells and installs them on Cats.
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,992
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2495 Post(s)
Liked 738 Times
in
522 Posts
After all is said and done, a recumbent is still 90% of a bicycle (and vice versa). What will work for one will work for the other. Of course there are exceptions. Still, I would not think without trying it, that a bottom bracket sensor system ... any bottom bracket torque sensing system would not work in a recumbent orientation. Mid-drive (crank drive) systems are a bit different, but I do see that successful crank drive systems have been fitted to recumbent bikes and trikes. All that said ... I don't know ... the Copenhagen Wheel just looks better and better and better to me every time I think about an e-assist.
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
After all is said and done, a recumbent is still 90% of a bicycle (and vice versa). What will work for one will work for the other. Of course there are exceptions. Still, I would not think without trying it, that a bottom bracket sensor system ... any bottom bracket torque sensing system would not work in a recumbent orientation. Mid-drive (crank drive) systems are a bit different, but I do see that successful crank drive systems have been fitted to recumbent bikes and trikes. All that said ... I don't know ... the Copenhagen Wheel just looks better and better and better to me every time I think about an e-assist.
#9
Newbie
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 2
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Hi
I have a Catrike Trail and am thinking about getting a Falco electric system, since I can't find a Bionx system for a 20" wheel anywhere. Does any one have any experience with a Falco. E5.1 system.
I have a Catrike Trail and am thinking about getting a Falco electric system, since I can't find a Bionx system for a 20" wheel anywhere. Does any one have any experience with a Falco. E5.1 system.
#10
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Easyrider1
Electric Bikes
33
11-15-17 01:22 PM
NoPhart
Electric Bikes
29
04-27-16 07:42 AM