Specialized Big Hit FSR with midmount

[Animalector]

awesome.. love the 'Angel Eye'

[El Duderino]

Balls!

I thought I was the first to use LEDs like that for the back light. Guess not. I've incorporated a microswitch on my brake levers (cyclone controller) to cut power on braking and am considering using it to control a brake light function with the same string of LEDs.

Keep it up!

C

[Tench]

Balls!

I thought I was the first to use LEDs like that for the back light. Guess not. I've incorporated a microswitch on my brake levers (cyclone controller) to cut power on braking and am considering using it to control a brake light function with the same string of LEDs.

Keep it up!

C

Hi Dude, nice find ar'nt they these lights if you are going to use 2 of these, 1 for a brake light then you can lower the brightnes of the 1 used as a rear light by adding a resistor in the supply, dont ask me what value, i just tried a few i had untill i got the brightness that looked right! I think they are intended to be used as additional brake lights as they are very bright, too bright
In some of my previous pics you may be able to see a white one fitted to the front of the bike, but yes the dc dropper smoke'd it! they are upto the job of a front marker light so you can see and be seen if you cant use the main beam.

Simon.

[rui_fujino]

I thought I was the first to use LEDs like that for the back light. Guess not. I've incorporated a microswitch on my brake levers (cyclone controller) to cut power on braking and am considering using it to control a brake light function with the same string of LEDs.

The rear brake light idea has been around for a long time as far as i know :p
I love what you did with your ebay light! did you hook it up to the CA?

[Tench]

I thought I was the first to use LEDs like that for the back light. Guess not. I've incorporated a microswitch on my brake levers (cyclone controller) to cut power on braking and am considering using it to control a brake light function with the same string of LEDs.

The rear brake light idea has been around for a long time as far as i know :p
I love what you did with your ebay light! did you hook it up to the CA?

Hi Rui, it was your use of led strips on the frame for back lights that i remebered seeing, so thankyou for sharing your idea, i copied it!
I did have it hooked up to the CA using the dropper that came with the ebay light but i found the output voltage went to high when i tried to run just the rear light and my low beam which blew them, so i did away with the dropper and mounted 2 very small 3s packs parralleled to power the lights as they are all 12v items.

[El Duderino]

Ah,

I am sooo last year!

Rui, it was the LEDs rather than the brake light (I'm a bit wary of setting up the brake lights, for fear of attracting too much attention from plod. You dont see bikes with brake lights round here). I didnt want to use the main battery. My thoughts being that I want lights even if I kill the battery on an over long journey (like you'd have with a car)... plus the headlight I'm in the middle of building is using a couple of high power LEDs that would cause an unnecessary drain on the main battery. I have a stock of a couple of hundred 18650's left over from a research project that is now steadily being eroded for stuff like this...

Keep it up Tench. I am in awe.

C

[Hyena]

Actually a similar thing is used on that stupidly expensive carbon fibre ebike, the blacktrail - which has been out for about 2 years so you're even more behind the times



I use a couple of bright red cree star boards stuck directly to the back of a small phone charger (dc/dc converter) which is on a bracket strapped to my seat post with what is normally the AC input running back to my main pack voltage. It kills 2 birds with one stone - mounting the DC-DC converter somewhere and how/where/what to stick the LEDs to.

But I've been playing with the surface mount versions of a similar thing to what you're using around your headlight Tench. You get them on ebay too and they come in a variety of spacings from 30 to 125 leds/metre and also in a waterproof version with a soft epoxy stuff over them. Now that it's dark when I'm commuting home I'm going to run them down the back of my frame and also put a strip around my helmet. I'm tempted to do my jacket too but it might look a bit tron (they're alot brighter than the EL ones I've seen done though)

[Whiplash]

OK so you use the phone charger just as is? I like the idea! Will it work for a 10W headlight? you just run power into where it would plug into the wall socket?

[Jimbo]

Just stumbled across this thread and I'm blown away.

I didn't have the skills or the balls to consider chopping my big hit, hats off to you for doing a proper job. Did you heat treat the frame after welding or just go as is?

Massive respect for a professional build, you are a very talented chap!

[crusoe]

Wicked work! What exactly is that rear led light strip called? Something along the lines of http://www.lightdepot.ca/product_info.php?cPath=26_85&products_id=299

[iamsofunny]

If anyone is wondering, the recommended heat treatment is baking for 1 hour at 400F.
I didn't heat treat the frame I made because it's strong enough without.
As long as the head tube is well gusseted and the material is thick enough it won't break.
The material properties for 6061T6 are 62,000 psi whereas postweld heat affected zone is about 15,000-40,000. Post retreatment it's about 50,000.
My bike has 1.5" downtube .125 so the 0.625 total wall thickness would need over 10,000 pounds of force to break. Fatigue over time is another issue, but over the time metal regains most of its strength anyway. That's why the heat treatment is called 'artifical aging'.

[M1k3]

So pleased to see this build resurface,is there any news upgrades/test reports.really would love to get a build like this but just waiting to hear some more about mid mount hub motors

[Tench]

So pleased to see this build resurface,is there any news upgrades/test reports.really would love to get a build like this but just waiting to hear some more about mid mount hub motors

Hi M1k3, other than fitting a voltage monitor to my lights batteries it is still the same, this little device has a tri-colour led which indicates the SOC of the battery to prvent me from draining them too far, thats it, it is all finished. There was a motor mounting alteration which is on the previous page, oh and i need to get the programing cable so i can update the software to the latest version in the V3 CA it now has.
I have had a few days out on it now, mostly gentle stuff out with the wife on hers, i work from home so dont commute. I had one day out on my own slowly increasing the severity of the terain and steepness of banks etc, it took everything in its stride i need to get a rack on the car so i can take it upto the peak district to ride some of the severe rocky trails i used to do on the enduro bikes. On saturday i did about 20 miles going at the wifes pace (17-18 mph) and averaged 18 watts per mile, with over 1000w to play with in the battery that would equate to 55-60 miles.

I am designing another bike now, i think i enjoy building them more than riding them!

Simon.

[M1k3]

Thanks Tench glad this build is holding up,you really have a tall order to top this one,but I can't wait to see what you come up with.

[BATFINK]

Please show us how you made that cool angel eye light?

[Tench]

Hi Batfink, i was sure i replied to you earlier but the post does not seem to be here so i will do it again,

Here are some pics, they show the back of the ring and one of the two grub screws securing it onto the outside of the ebay light, you can also see the wires coming out the back, the other pic shows the led string that fits in the rebate i machined into it for them at the front. I hope this shows how simple it was to do, i would'nt be without a lathe at home now, how i managed before i dont know!

[BATFINK]

Thanks that's great. Cheers

Sent using Endless-Sphere Mobile app

[courcheval]

Simon, i dont know how to express my admiration for your skills...i m a fan

[pdf]

Still one of the best build's I've ever seen...

[Xanda2260]

Not sure how I missed this beast!
Simon, fabulous work. You've done the UK proud. Best build I have ever seen, and has convinced me that my trike needs some mid-drive awesomeness.
If you ever sell this thing, let me know

[jateureka]

Amazing build!

[MitchJi]

Hi Simon,

Awesome bike

D, building a frame is not as straight forward as it might seem, every aspect of the bike has an influence on the frame, to do a good job the bike has to be designed as a whole, the choice of motor, controller, batteries, cable routing, cable securing, wiring routing, sufficient space for the the wiring all these things have to be taken into consideration and integrated into the design, basically the whole bike has to be designed down to the last detail before any of it can be built, that is if you want to build things the way i like to. i have about 3mm clearance between my pedal cranks and the motor mounts on either side so even the motor spindle could not be designed until i had chosen my pedal cranks and BB, those details dictated the motor offset which dictated the design of the front sprocket carrier and the chain run. Finding the right cranks to cut the spiders out of to allow me to fit it all between the pedal cranks whilst keeping it looking central and getting the chain where i wanted it. on this build everything just fits. To build a frame would involve designing a whole bike and making many more components than just a frame. I started this one by cutting some cardboard templates of the motor, batteries and controller, then i taped them to the bike frame, i spent a couple of evenings moving them around thinking of all the possible implications associated with that layout until i found the layout that i have now, then i stuck them in place and sat with a note pad and a couple of rulers, i try to think of every single small detail and how i will do it, when every single problem has been solved and i know exactly how i am going to do it down to the last tiny detail i will set about it with the hack saw and get stuck in.

Now what was the question,,oh yes,,how much for a frame ,,, priceless!!

Might make sense to either sell copies of your existing frame or your next build (build more than one).

[courcheval]

I think Simon's plan is to build frames capable to recieve any kind of engine and batteries to help building finely integrated mi drive electric bikes...

I just acquired Simon s prototype and i can't believe my luck...it s incredibly well thought, easy and simple to use, no loose wire anywhere...and a pure joy to ride. In Calais, the guy responsible for the mountain bikes department at Decathlon who let us plug the charger had stars in his eyes...he got a ride and you could feel how enthousiastic he got...

Thanks Simon for leaving me your bike, as i told you, i almost feel i dont deserve it since i m a total newbye regarding electric bikes...

[tedcs]

Wow
My braincell exploded

[Tench]

Might make sense to either sell copies of your existing frame or your next build (build more than one).

You hit the Nail on the head. I am designing a new frame with the intention of making it suitable for a multitude of different motors from hubbies in the wheel to a variety of mid mount options. I am going to build several complete bikes all with different motors to work out the finer design issues and then when i am happy i will produce a batch of frames.
It will of course have to look like which ever motor is used that it was made just for that motor, i wont be happy with the design untill i achieve this. It also has to be able to accomodate a multitude of battery options and controler sizes.
I allready have the basic design planned out, i just need to buy several motors now to work out the finer details.