Luke's commuter bicycle. What Non-hub is all about.

[GITech]

If I end up with enough torque that I can't hold a hub in this very strong custom made wheel, I might try a disk wheel or something, but this wheel my friend Jamie made from good parts seems to handle it like a champ. Thin little spokes FTMFW. They are 14 or 15gauge IIRC, and that lets them deform enough to effectively share the torque loads over a wide area of the rim, which larger spokes can't do effectively (unless they are in a motorcycle wheel where they can actually be properly torqued without collapsing the rim).

That's good news for me! I was a little worried 14awg spokes might not be up to the task of ~5kw through the 20"BMX rim with a 16x2.5" Bridgestone TW9 Trail Wing Dual Sport tire. Thanks for the post!

BTW: YOUR BIKE IS WICKED!!!

Later,
Jay

[parabellum]

That's good news for me! I was a little worried 14awg spokes might not be up to the task of ~5kw through the 20"BMX rim with a 16x2.5" Bridgestone TW9 Trail Wing Dual Sport tire. Thanks for the post!

BTW: YOUR BIKE IS WICKED!!!

Later,
Jay

Spokes to spokes is big difference, choose right ones.

[Cowardlyduck]

Looks like you might have some competition Luke.
http://www.gizmag.com/kleinschmidt-danielson-alltech-electric-motorcycle/21299/

Cheers

[Arlo1]

Looks like you might have some competition Luke.
http://www.gizmag.com/kleinschmidt-danielson-alltech-electric-motorcycle/21299/

Cheers

LOL not even close!

[GITech]

That's good news for me! I was a little worried 14awg spokes might not be up to the task of ~5kw through the 20"BMX rim with a 16x2.5" Bridgestone TW9 Trail Wing Dual Sport tire. Thanks for the post!

BTW: YOUR BIKE IS WICKED!!!

Later,
Jay

Spokes to spokes is big difference, choose right ones.

Which ones?

[parabellum]

johnrobholmes can get/make quality spokes.
I personally damaged large quantity of chinese spokes or spoke nipples 14-12awg by just hitting pothole or jumping over drainage from sidewalk to road.

Which ones?

[liveforphysics]

I'm using 14 gauge Sapim with brass nipples.


This is straight off the page for Sapim wheels:

"It is not correct to think that a thicker spoke makes a stronger wheel.A stronger wheel is obtained by using a thinner (more flexible) spoke,- for hubs with large holes, use Sapim Leader Ø 2.30 mm spokes- when the spokes in the wheel show a mis-alignment to the nipple, use Sapim Strong Ø 2.30 mm spokes, butted to 2.00 mm; very often they improve the spoke-nipple alignment."

[John in CR]

How often do the wheels need truing if you go that route compared to going with moto rim/spokes? I love the idea of the wheel itself being able to dissipate some of the torque shock loads, but otherwise I'll gladly take the few extra pounds for the sturdier wheel for a bike meant for the streets. If the wheel stays true I might have to rethink that position.

John

[parabellum]

Backing up Lukes comment, most truing I did was on 17" motorcycle wheel with 3.2mm spokes (Hx hub), normally every large pothole has potential to loosen section of spokes. Thinner spokes like 2.55mm and bicycle wheel seem to be flexible enough (in same bike) to take much more bumps before loose tension. Have no experience, how differently they take uniform torque in boundaries of Lukes build.

[rearengine]

Luke ... Did I miss your post of the 1/4 mile , and top speed runs at the track??? Are they coming up. or not going to happen ? If yes , don't forget your helmet & leathers Bill

[GITech]

Hi Luke,

You posted a link to dirt/pocket bike brakes and it's got me interested. Can you give us more info and maybe some closeup pics of how you fit them up?

A few questions:
- Can you use regular bike rotors, or..?
- Did you have to make custom mounts/adaptors?
- Good for front? = http://www.partsforscooters.com/Hydraul ... gory=77226
- Good for rear? = http://www.partsforscooters.com/Rear-Hy ... gory=77225

BTW I'm thinking of using these rotors, at least for the front, (I have fox-40's): http://67.192.138.90/detail/17757-115_H ... dapter.htm

Any thoughts you have on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jay

[lostrack]

Hi Luke,

You posted a link to dirt/pocket bike brakes and it's got me interested. Can you give us more info and maybe some closeup pics of how you fit them up?

A few questions:
- Can you use regular bike rotors, or..?
- Did you have to make custom mounts/adaptors?
- Good for front? = http://www.partsforscooters.com/Hydraul ... gory=77226
- Good for rear? = http://www.partsforscooters.com/Rear-Hy ... gory=77225

BTW I'm thinking of using these rotors, at least for the front, (I have fox-40's): http://67.192.138.90/detail/17757-115_H ... dapter.htm

Any thoughts you have on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jay

Hey Jay,

Funny - I run fox 40s and hayes stroker 203s. They're powerful brakes but the foxes do dive under heavy braking. Need to get them setup for the extra weight. A little spongey.
FYI. (Although I'm sure an extra inch will make all the difference...that's what she said, whey.)

[liveforphysics]

I have some brake pics. It's a floating rotor from a superbike with a twin-piston motorcycle caliper.

Making brake disk adapter.


Figuring out where to put the caliper.



Modding caliper to not hit the spokes, and to let me make my mount bracket simple.



First bracket setup.



Ended up swapping forks, and now it has a little different mounting setup, but same concept.

[Thud]

off topic,

Luke, I am going to be at the international motorcycle show in Indy this saturday.
Will Zero be there? I'll be Looking for your team buddy!

back on topic Ya'll!

[GITech]

Thanks Luke,

So bike rotors will not work, ie too thin?

Have you (ever) used the calipers in the links posted?

Nice mod BTW!

Jay

[liveforphysics]

off topic,

Luke, I am going to be at the international motorcycle show in Indy this saturday.
Will Zero be there? I'll be Looking for your team buddy!

back on topic Ya'll!

I know they were just in Chicago last weekend for a show, and likely will be at Indy. I will tell them to let you have a rip (if they have the opportunity to give test-rides at least) if you like my friend. I recommend you take the DS model, it's my personal favorite of the 2012 lineup. Pretty damn nice machine.

[liveforphysics]

Thanks Luke,

So bike rotors will not work, ie too thin?

Have you (ever) used the calipers in the links posted?

Nice mod BTW!

Jay

Bicycle rotors always had excellent stopper performance and feel, for about 1 aggressive stop from >80mph. On the second stop, they are warping badly... and by the 3rd or 4th stop, they are generally wadded up into junk.

[lostrack]

morevideospleasethankyou:)

[Scott]

This is my favorite electric bike by far. It took 3 days of my minimal free time to read through all the post.

The question I have is: how are you charging all of your batteries? Do you charge them separately or do you charge them all together? If you charge them all together what charger are you using or how are you doing this?

Also would you mind posting some pictures of your real wheel and how you have the chain set up and are able to fit the rear brake in?

[Dauntless]

I think u should have to earn this the hard way!

My ticket price to get here was around $10,000usd in parts turned to smoke. That includes ~$2,000usd in wasting my time with. . .a couple of minutes of my riding. Then going to bigger ebike controllers, of which, the only ones I never killed were . . . beyond there limits. Smoked a number of motors that cost - - -5lbs motors to 15lbs motors to 25lbs motors, each time finding - - - it just ends in fickle designs that constantly break and smoke.

You're driving me CRAZY! WHY haven't you written a damn BOOK about this already? Do you think the rest of us are really going to get it just from your posts? If I asked people to respond to this to encourage you, there'd probably be 30+ posts in 24 hours. . . .


I mean, even after reading this stuff posted here, I'm going to be working with some of those small motors. (I notice how damn big the various about halfway to 1kw brushed motors are, even if it's supposed to be a kids' toy.) Believe me, I've seen a lot of what's published, most of which is a waste of time. But the books keep selling. Like that old song, the readers are holding out for a hero.

[
In the end, the simplicity and durability is just worth it to carry an extra 10-15lbs of motor around.

Now if you're excuse me there's still 3 months worth of this I have to read to get caught up. (Note how old the post I'm quoting is.) You've got me about ready to buy this toasted motor Chinese sportbike that's for sale around here even if it is overpriced, so I can . . . .

[gor.]

We had rain storms last weekend... no 1/4mile videos yet... maybe sunday.. fingers crossed.

how you doing, Luke? is your bike stil alive? semms like you broke it already - any times, recrds, dyno data left?

[silverrich1]

that's because she's a moneymaker. you can bet you could race her against most bikes / cars and win betting her.

I've had 2 nibbles all ready, but since I'm giving away $9,500 of the $15,000 asking price to other well deserving folks, I'm not really willing to compromise on the price, and I'm not in any hurry to sell her, because I don't know that I've ever owned a vehicle that puts a bigger eat-to-ear smile across my face and leaves me white-knuckled and shaking after every ride.

[deVries]

Sat Jan 28, 2012 2:36 am We had rain storms last weekend... no 1/4mile videos yet... maybe sunday.. fingers crossed.

I did not cheat & skip to the end of this thread to get the results, but when I did get there/here...

No 1/4 mile.

Luke must be doing waayyy tooo much overtime at ZERO?

I haven't seen Luke so hyper-expressive about "the power" & "control" he wields at such extreme accelerations or slow speeds climbing stairs. Is it really an e-"bicycle" -seriously. When it gets fried it is.

Maybe that's what happened to the 1/4 mile ... something fried or snapped.

Luke, take a break from work & run the quarter. Enough already.

[The Mighty Volt]

I just bought a pretty expensive Welder, this is where I hope to be someday, great work Luke, keep it up, cheers.

I also like the idea of harvesting parts from Chinese dirt bikes.

Great work fellows.

[Bazaki]

Luke, any exciting stories you would like to share ? If it is still your daily commuter then I wonder how many cars and bikes you have slaughtered at the traffic lights.