Folding mid drive conversion options?

[nicobie]

The guy in the pic above might be a midget?

Never trust marketing.

 

[uhmwpolyethylene]

if the main (only?) criteria is to fit in a car, then i repeat my earlier comment that a folder is not necessary.
A compact frame, 26” wheel, MTB, with QR hubs and a mid drive (Bafang etc) can be quickly dismantled ( seat post , wheels out) and will fit in a mid size sedan trunk, back seat, or small hatch back.
this will give a better frame, better wheels $ tyres, better choice of motors, and a better ride all round than any folder.

Yeah I'm really starting to think something like a 20x2.3 or 16x4 minivelo with a low geometry and long seatpost would kick all kinds of butt.


Just train myself to get good at disassembling the stem and fork.


I dunno where I could find a compact 26 frame. Most minivelo frames like orange neutrino are too tall, but I could have something fabricated. What is a QR hub?

There's also this contraption that puts out 1000-4000w with a 7lb motor and 24" dirt jumper wheels. Something even more compact might be better though and idk about motor reliability. All titanium construction tho

 

[uhmwpolyethylene]

A compact 26? You mean like this? Haha

 

[uhmwpolyethylene]

The orange neutrino minivelo is sweet and has up to 2.3 clearance but too tall really. If you're going full disassemble mode some 16x4 or 20x4 tires would be great, so hard to find anything performance or puncture protection besides Tannus armor heavy crap though. I like 16x4 more. I asked le reddit about any performance fatbike hubs and components and or tubeless tires that would allow you to run super low psi and act like slime also

 

[A-DamW]

What is a QR hub?

Quick Release hub.

 

[uhmwpolyethylene]

Quick Release hub.

Do they have any super lightweight internal gear hubs like that? Do I even really need a quick release? I always feel like I mess up putting them back on. Was looking at the sturmey archer at least to not mess around with reaffixing derailleur
If you have big bucks it's impressive how light hubs can be though but I'm not sure the compatibility, I've seen Dura ace and ultegra cassettes and derailleurs I think on minivelo though

 

[uhmwpolyethylene]

The moulton also looks as tiresome as just disassembling a bike not to mention the oddball size with no puncture protection.

I wonder though if going the fabrication route with one of those PNW or China outfits if rear suspension and rigid fork would ride well vs just doing a suspension seatpost, or if I could even find a super long suspension post lol. They do say that it can reduce certain forces 24-48x over

 

[uhmwpolyethylene]

Kuwahara gaap

 

[uhmwpolyethylene]

Wheelsport Fantasy Mini Velo: Full Dura-Ace 9000 Groupset

Hands On Bike is a blog that focuses on sharing tips about bicycle upgrading, especially for folding bikes.

handsonbike.blogspot.com

 

[A-DamW]

Do they have any super lightweight internal gear hubs like that?

I have not seen any internal gear hubs with quick release, all the internal gear hubs I know of, need the axle locked to the frame with torque washers/arms.

 

[uhmwpolyethylene]

Wonder also the structural integrity of a non folding single tube design or this weird suspension. Especially if it will survive a BBSHD and battery.
Seems like fabrication of a very low double diamond is the only way to get one, almost like a trial bike with seatpost support

 

[uhmwpolyethylene]

Toob

 

[glennb]

Or dispel the need for any dismantling by going with a towball or roof-mounted rack.

 

[uhmwpolyethylene]

Or dispel the need for any dismantling by going with a towball or roof-mounted rack.

Yeah but it's so bad for your AERODYNAMICS and a compact bike to tool around in the city or conceivably take indoors would be jammin

 

[uhmwpolyethylene]

Or dispel the need for any dismantling by going with a towball or roof-mounted rack.

 

[uhmwpolyethylene]

I wonder if these type of frames specifically made for bafang ultra are really any safer than just slapping the BBSHD on whatever. The tern factory vektron build is similar. Would definitely make any build less future proof

 

[glennb]

Have you ever ridden a small wheeled bike that you liked?

After trying a few you might give up on the concept and buy a scooter.

I don’t know what it is about them - I couldn’t tell you why they’re compromised or what’s wrong with the geometry - but there’s something off, and you feel like a clown riding one.

 

[99t4]

"A hitch with two bikes resulted in a 25% MPG reduction."

Yeah, I'm going to call BS on that, based on personal experience. My old Volvo wagon gets 36 MPG avg. Two bikes on the rear hitch mount carrier has never resulted in 27 MPG, never. Maybe 35-34 MPG (~5% reduction). What was their test setup? Can't believe everything you read.

glennb gave good advice to try some small wheel bikes, see if you're even going to be happy with the ride experience. I tried a bunch; the Moulton was the only one that felt stable, sturdy, and firm enough for my riding style at the time. NONE of the ones with a tall unsupported steerer tube gave me any confidence.

 

[uhmwpolyethylene]

BAFANG power for the folding Montague for the airplane

I started the process today, and unless I am missing something, it would appear the Montague is a prime candidate for a mid drive BBS02 (or similar) type of drive. After finally realizing the sprocket side bearing retainer nut was left hand threaded, it was pretty quick and simple. Keep in mind...

endless-sphere.com

Some people reported the changebike fold isn't suitable but maybe this is, although change bike is ISO rated and Montague is not

 

[uhmwpolyethylene]

Do 26/29 x 22.5 maintain their momentum better than 20x2~ / 20x4 when a motor is added to the equation

 

[uhmwpolyethylene]

Eyeballing my friends 20 inch e luxe folder it's actually kinda hard to imagine using any tire bigger than 16 if you were to go rigid, 16 x 1.35 schwalbe marathon plus being probably your main tire option or with foam guard

 

[uhmwpolyethylene]

Bike Friday All-Packa. Folding Bikepacking Bike | Bike Friday

Our bikepacking travel bike. With mounts for all your bikepacking gear, plus tire clearance to 2.8" and geometry tweaks for better loaded off-road handling

bikefriday.com

This has double diamond geometry folding and supports up to 20x2.8
can anyone eyeball it to tell wehter it might work for mid

 

[uhmwpolyethylene]

Also as far as hub motors , what are the most premium weight/power ratio? can they be run at 72v or even higher? What is the riding experience of AWD? I mean the BBSHD is like 13 lb, maybe two 7 lb hub motors could balance weight well towards the bottom but I feel like it would be terrible for rotational weight and need too much extra power, maybe cause more flats? I Supposed 20x2.8 has enough clearance for a big rear one though. what kind of hub motor would fit that?

 

[uhmwpolyethylene]

I imagine fabrication of something like this 16" kids trial bike from titanium, alu or steel could be extremely light . But would the narrow double diamond be stronger than just having one tube, or a rear triangle and front tube etc.. I hate internal battery tubes but maybe this could be a good case use for one, do they even make generic tube ones, or a stronger single front tube with battery mounted underneath idk. I mean, as one single tube maybe you could make the front fork and steering ultra tiny. Trying to visualize that... Like a seatpost scooter but with pedals.

Wacky elliptigo sub conversion https://m.facebook.com/story.php?st...5ABU6KmiMl&id=613804531978401&mibextid=Nif5oz

 

[docw009]

My Sundeal mini, One of the online bike dealers closed them out at $155 in 2017. Didn't have to be FWD, but it was one of my only bikes with a cassette,