All this started 15 years ago when I first saw the prius. I believed that electric vehicles were going to be the future (aka jetsons). I had bought a 4 wheel drive truck which I wanted to convert to a electric drive vehicle with the option of using gas. Unfortunately it needed a timing belt change which would have cost more than what I paid for the truck. After Changing the timing belt the truck ran for a month and had to be sent to the cemetery. (BTW toyota makes vehicles that run forever truck had almost 200k miles). Rithvik had been talking about how we have spoiled the earth and need to have clean mode of transport which triggered the old idea and we bought a kit from amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/electric-Bicycle-Conversion-HOMEMADE-Modified/dp/B01DBK1UJ0/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1529903616&sr=8-6&keywords=250w+electric+bike+kit&dpID=51kAPLOcbUL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
Now I did not realize that it did not come with a battery and it was meant for a bike with a rear axle which would accomodate a sprocket on the other side to allow for pedaling and electric drive.
Being the cheapskate (cost efficient) I figured it can be modified to accomplish the electric bike.
Rithvik had the awesome idea to hold the batteries in a basket on the handle. We found a office CD box in walmart that would do the trick. We went to several battery places to find a right battery (24V) and finally had to settle for two 12V deep cycle battery with 7AH so that we can have atleast 30 minutes run time.
The kit was mad for a 26" bike, and it wouldnt fit our mountain bike so we adapted Rithvik's bike.
The maiden run by be went ok, but when Rithvik's rode it, his enthusiasm the motor torque twisted the bracket and broke five spokes.
Another run to homedepot and with fender washers installed the bracket held and Rithvik had a blast riding it after I test rode it.
The batteries are deep cycle gel lead acid batteries to stick to our budget (Li-ion batteries would be better but 4 x the cost but are lighter). Lead acid have more history of data and I have a state of charge circuit from 16 years ago that will allow us to estimate the health of battery unlike the iphone.
To do:
- add a speedometer, maybe even a gps receiver to show where this bike has been.
- add a cool oled display to show state of charge and speed and time left
- modify or add freewheel to be able to pedal if out of charge.
https://www.amazon.com/electric-Bicycle-Conversion-HOMEMADE-Modified/dp/B01DBK1UJ0/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1529903616&sr=8-6&keywords=250w+electric+bike+kit&dpID=51kAPLOcbUL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
Now I did not realize that it did not come with a battery and it was meant for a bike with a rear axle which would accomodate a sprocket on the other side to allow for pedaling and electric drive.
Being the cheapskate (cost efficient) I figured it can be modified to accomplish the electric bike.
Rithvik had the awesome idea to hold the batteries in a basket on the handle. We found a office CD box in walmart that would do the trick. We went to several battery places to find a right battery (24V) and finally had to settle for two 12V deep cycle battery with 7AH so that we can have atleast 30 minutes run time.
The kit was mad for a 26" bike, and it wouldnt fit our mountain bike so we adapted Rithvik's bike.
The maiden run by be went ok, but when Rithvik's rode it, his enthusiasm the motor torque twisted the bracket and broke five spokes.
Another run to homedepot and with fender washers installed the bracket held and Rithvik had a blast riding it after I test rode it.
To do:
- add a speedometer, maybe even a gps receiver to show where this bike has been.
- add a cool oled display to show state of charge and speed and time left
- modify or add freewheel to be able to pedal if out of charge.
