Philistine
100 kW
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2010
- Messages
- 1,736
So I had been running two (at least working) builds, one a Greyborg, with 20S@40amps, and a Commuter bike (Giant) with 10S@40amps, and when I wanted to move my two older kids (4 and 2) around I was using a two child trailer. I was never that comfortable with the trailer, both due to handling, and just the feeling of having my two precious bundles hanging off the end in that way, I would pretty much restrict myself to bike paths, which made life difficult. Also, it was in the end towing the two kids in the trailer, with the Greyborg that cooked my 8x8 9C.
So although the Greyborg was the equivalent of my sports car, I needed something that would be like a family station wagon.
I chose the Yuba Mundo.
Specs on the build are:
Motor: X5304 (non-disc) - all I could get in the X5 range at the time
Batts: 13S Turnigy Lipo 20ah (soon to be 40ah)
Controller: Lyen 12 Fet
Battery housing: 50 Cal. Ammo boxes (total credit on this goes to ES member Kiwi - I patently stole the idea from his builds)
Torque arms: Again, Kiwi
Brakes: Shimano discs on front (non-standard, added by me) - Ebrake on rear
Kids seats: "Peanut Shell" seats, each seat rated for up to 5 year olds/22kg.
Kiwi generously gave me his V3 torque arms, which on the V4 (which this frame is) are too short. Being too short means the torque arms starts to rotate. But Kiwi has been hard at work, and he is about to make available V4 torque arms (the V4 frame only being recently released in Aus and NZ) - these will be a perfect fit for the V4 frame. Anyone with a V4 Yuba Mundo should be PMing Kiwi to get hold of his new flash torque arms. He has designed them as a triangle against the frame line, so they work both forward and in regen mode. Kiwi is a legend, and I can't say enough good things about dealing with the guy - typical of those Kiwis - every bone in your Aussie body wants to make disparraging comments about them and their proclivity for sheep, but their ingenuity and talent means you have to settle for stealing all their great ideas, and claiming all the talent they produced as your country's own (Russell Crowe - Crowded House, INXS - Split Ends.... They're all Aussies by the way, I swear to god).
I patently stole Kiwi's idea with the Ammo boxes, and they work a treat. I have bolted them against the frame, and used old tyre tubes to give cushioning between the boxes and the frames.
I will tell a very funny story on another thread, about why Ammo Boxes are the perfect housing for lipo batteries (but that is another whole thread in itself).
I now intend to put on another two sets of 50 cal ammo boxes behind the two I have, to have 40 AH of Lipo. I will then be able to almost completely cover my city (obviously not end to end, but around the places I would ever want to go) without charging. The kids love it. They scream with joy when Daddy says we get to go out on the bike. This thing is a life changer. I am extremely happy with the handling. Probably my only issues are the handle bars and the rigid forks (but I am hesitant about how sus forks might effect handling? Curious on other Yuba owners thoughts/experiences on this?). The V4 Frame (from what I have seen in photos) compared to the V3 frame certainly seems Chinafied, but the rigidity and cheapness (I paid $1,280 Aus delivered, nearly fully built) is astounding.
The other issue I would note is the insane crash safety of the Peanut Shell kids seats I have on there. A few weeks ago I was taking my two year old to a park. Near this park for some insane reason, the council has inserted a 3 inch high steel belt that edges the bike path. It was wet that day, and being only 3 inches high, I didn't see it. As I hit at a slight angle, being wet, and with Maxis Hookworms on, my wheel did an effective rail slide, and the front just went straight down like a rock. I had my two year old daughter only on the back right behind me. We hit the deck hard at maybe 20kph. My beautiful girl was completely protected by the side protection of the peanut shell seats. She didn't even have a scratch. Obviously she was shook up and in shock, but I had a busted elbow, scabs all over my ankle, elbow and hand. I was in shock at first because of the thought of hurting my daughter, but she didn't even touch any part of the ground at all (the cargo side bars and ammo cases helped with this as well). Obviously I never want to be in that situation again, but I was so relieved and impressed by the protective nature of the bike and the peanut shells.
If you are looking for the station wagon of Ebikes. This is your bad boy.
So although the Greyborg was the equivalent of my sports car, I needed something that would be like a family station wagon.
I chose the Yuba Mundo.
Specs on the build are:
Motor: X5304 (non-disc) - all I could get in the X5 range at the time
Batts: 13S Turnigy Lipo 20ah (soon to be 40ah)
Controller: Lyen 12 Fet
Battery housing: 50 Cal. Ammo boxes (total credit on this goes to ES member Kiwi - I patently stole the idea from his builds)
Torque arms: Again, Kiwi
Brakes: Shimano discs on front (non-standard, added by me) - Ebrake on rear
Kids seats: "Peanut Shell" seats, each seat rated for up to 5 year olds/22kg.
Kiwi generously gave me his V3 torque arms, which on the V4 (which this frame is) are too short. Being too short means the torque arms starts to rotate. But Kiwi has been hard at work, and he is about to make available V4 torque arms (the V4 frame only being recently released in Aus and NZ) - these will be a perfect fit for the V4 frame. Anyone with a V4 Yuba Mundo should be PMing Kiwi to get hold of his new flash torque arms. He has designed them as a triangle against the frame line, so they work both forward and in regen mode. Kiwi is a legend, and I can't say enough good things about dealing with the guy - typical of those Kiwis - every bone in your Aussie body wants to make disparraging comments about them and their proclivity for sheep, but their ingenuity and talent means you have to settle for stealing all their great ideas, and claiming all the talent they produced as your country's own (Russell Crowe - Crowded House, INXS - Split Ends.... They're all Aussies by the way, I swear to god).
I patently stole Kiwi's idea with the Ammo boxes, and they work a treat. I have bolted them against the frame, and used old tyre tubes to give cushioning between the boxes and the frames.
I will tell a very funny story on another thread, about why Ammo Boxes are the perfect housing for lipo batteries (but that is another whole thread in itself).
I now intend to put on another two sets of 50 cal ammo boxes behind the two I have, to have 40 AH of Lipo. I will then be able to almost completely cover my city (obviously not end to end, but around the places I would ever want to go) without charging. The kids love it. They scream with joy when Daddy says we get to go out on the bike. This thing is a life changer. I am extremely happy with the handling. Probably my only issues are the handle bars and the rigid forks (but I am hesitant about how sus forks might effect handling? Curious on other Yuba owners thoughts/experiences on this?). The V4 Frame (from what I have seen in photos) compared to the V3 frame certainly seems Chinafied, but the rigidity and cheapness (I paid $1,280 Aus delivered, nearly fully built) is astounding.
The other issue I would note is the insane crash safety of the Peanut Shell kids seats I have on there. A few weeks ago I was taking my two year old to a park. Near this park for some insane reason, the council has inserted a 3 inch high steel belt that edges the bike path. It was wet that day, and being only 3 inches high, I didn't see it. As I hit at a slight angle, being wet, and with Maxis Hookworms on, my wheel did an effective rail slide, and the front just went straight down like a rock. I had my two year old daughter only on the back right behind me. We hit the deck hard at maybe 20kph. My beautiful girl was completely protected by the side protection of the peanut shell seats. She didn't even have a scratch. Obviously she was shook up and in shock, but I had a busted elbow, scabs all over my ankle, elbow and hand. I was in shock at first because of the thought of hurting my daughter, but she didn't even touch any part of the ground at all (the cargo side bars and ammo cases helped with this as well). Obviously I never want to be in that situation again, but I was so relieved and impressed by the protective nature of the bike and the peanut shells.
If you are looking for the station wagon of Ebikes. This is your bad boy.