Hyak
10 mW
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2019
- Messages
- 20
Goal was to build a bike capable of completing this route starting and ending at the top of a 400 foot hill while carrying a cargo load of groceries without arriving sweaty and to be able to haul a 35 pound dog without using a trailer. It would be locked in front of a market or a park bike rack for an hour or so regularly and needed to survive the Seattle rainy season.
I considered modifying my old mountain bike. It wasn't up to the cargo task. Then I went over to Radpower Bikes in Seattle for some test drives. The geared hub models would climb a hill on the test route similar to my commute but they were all fat tire models with smaller cargo capacity. The 72lb Radwagon with a DD hub wouldn't go up the hill. I thought a 20" wheel model like Xtracycle or Sweet Curry with a DD hub added might work but $2200 seems to be some kind of arbitrary magic number for these folks which would put the whole bike into the same price category as a turnkey Bosch from a dealer. Bike Friday were playing hard-to-get with the haul-a-day. The Tern at $4-$5K was not something I'd want to street park.
Then, the $750 Mongoose Envoy became available in the US. Ordered it and got a nicely packed bike within a week. Specs as shipped were different than on Mongoose web site. 180mm front brake was nice. Lots of lugs on the rack and fender. Comes in at just over 40lbs with the lower rack assembly and cargo bags removed. Added a BBSHD, 48v Jumbo Shark, Lekkie 42T chainring and some eBay 48v lights for a total cost of $2100.
Worked out well. Climbs a half mile of 12% grade with the dog on the back at 10mph without hesitation. Max speed on the flat with moderate pedaling is 28mph. Tucking my head and arms close to the bars without pedaling actually goes faster at 30mph. And with the battery removed I feel comfortable leaving this for a few hours locked on a city street.
BBSHD Install notes for the Envoy:
- Drilled a hole in the down tube to re-route the rear shifter cable from below to above the BB
- Had to extend the speed sensor by patching in 6" of new wire
- The BB is 73mm and fits the 68mm BBSHD well without shims/spacers. Perfectly centered cranks.
- Chainline with either Lekkie 42T or stock steel 46T is perfect. Luna 42T will rub tire.
- Empty front shifter frame cable routing leaves a good spot for lighting wires
- Added an 8sp rear shifter to use the Bafang ebrake levers and removed existing shifter/levers
Next step is to make some better panniers and add a proper switch for the lights.
I considered modifying my old mountain bike. It wasn't up to the cargo task. Then I went over to Radpower Bikes in Seattle for some test drives. The geared hub models would climb a hill on the test route similar to my commute but they were all fat tire models with smaller cargo capacity. The 72lb Radwagon with a DD hub wouldn't go up the hill. I thought a 20" wheel model like Xtracycle or Sweet Curry with a DD hub added might work but $2200 seems to be some kind of arbitrary magic number for these folks which would put the whole bike into the same price category as a turnkey Bosch from a dealer. Bike Friday were playing hard-to-get with the haul-a-day. The Tern at $4-$5K was not something I'd want to street park.
Then, the $750 Mongoose Envoy became available in the US. Ordered it and got a nicely packed bike within a week. Specs as shipped were different than on Mongoose web site. 180mm front brake was nice. Lots of lugs on the rack and fender. Comes in at just over 40lbs with the lower rack assembly and cargo bags removed. Added a BBSHD, 48v Jumbo Shark, Lekkie 42T chainring and some eBay 48v lights for a total cost of $2100.
Worked out well. Climbs a half mile of 12% grade with the dog on the back at 10mph without hesitation. Max speed on the flat with moderate pedaling is 28mph. Tucking my head and arms close to the bars without pedaling actually goes faster at 30mph. And with the battery removed I feel comfortable leaving this for a few hours locked on a city street.
BBSHD Install notes for the Envoy:
- Drilled a hole in the down tube to re-route the rear shifter cable from below to above the BB
- Had to extend the speed sensor by patching in 6" of new wire
- The BB is 73mm and fits the 68mm BBSHD well without shims/spacers. Perfectly centered cranks.
- Chainline with either Lekkie 42T or stock steel 46T is perfect. Luna 42T will rub tire.
- Empty front shifter frame cable routing leaves a good spot for lighting wires
- Added an 8sp rear shifter to use the Bafang ebrake levers and removed existing shifter/levers
Next step is to make some better panniers and add a proper switch for the lights.