Endless Sphere

My business email is michael@backusstudio.com. If you don’t get a prompt response please PM me through ES.

I don’t sell controllers. The ASI, Nucular, and PowerVelocity FOC are great controllers and fully compatible with my motors. Maximum power depends on a lot of variables. The Motoped drive uses my largest motor, the “XL” Big Block. I’ve run it at 16kW with no signs that it was stressed or getting hot...

Pete Ellsworth (bike shown above) used an alloy 19” moto rim with 14 ga spokes. It works great and has been solid in a couple of months of banging around. 38759908-399B-415C-A91E-23C549470FB3.jpeg 8F3991D6-3146-4DBE-8BE9-38EF26D01398.jpeg Pete is set up to lace this setup right now. He has 13 ga spo...

Short answer- yes. Long answer- because bicycle tire sizing is so bizarre this 24”x3.00” tire has an O.D. of 26”. 24” should represent the O.D. of the tire. Which it did when it was a 2.00” tire. Only now it’s a 3.00”. Got it? The actual rim size is 20”. In the saner world of motorcycle sizing it wo...

Hi Jon, Any 157 boost with a 12mm through axle should work. I want to try a Novatec hub just because they’re so affordable. I make a custom 4130 chrome moly axle that is 12mm diameter over the width of the hub and then steps down to 10mm at the dropout. This axle also has to be 165mm dropout width i...

Most of the mid drives on the market are at least 1/3 planetary reduction. The Cyclone 3000 for instance is larger and heavier than my Big Block, but is 1/2 the actual motor. Lots of reduction is only necessary for little motors that need to run through multiple gears to have any power or speed. Eve...

The reduction ratio is about 8:1. The kv of the motor is 62. So motor rpm of around 5000 divided by 8 = 625 wheel rpm. That’s good for 48 mph. Good all around gearing. Thanks for checking in!

The Qulbix swingarm drive continues to evolve. Thanks to the new internal permanent magnet motor and the new crop of FOC controllers the Big Block is now running at an eye popping 10kW. This particular Q76 belongs to Pete Ellsworth. He's running a Nucular 12F controller and a LiteSpeedBikes LiIon ba...

Here is my Lightning Rods Facebook page. You’ll have to go back a few years, but there are lots of photos of these legacy drives. https://www.facebook.com/Lightning-Rod ... 531978401/

I used to have YouTube videos showing how to put these disassembled “kits” together. I took them down about five years ago when I started shipping the drives fully assembled. People were seeing the videos and then getting the incorrect impression that I was still shipping disassembled. I checked my ...

We’re at 10,000 watts right now. It’s amazing to me, but we’re running over 120 amps at over 80 volts. On a sub 100 lb bike it runs like a light motorcycle.

Here’s a YouTube Video of the swingarm drive running on the street. Not an exciting video but it shows the drive effortlessly accelerating to 50 mph up some steep hills. https://youtu.be/x_BEwiEnQzM This video was made with my old external magnet motor. The new IPM motor is quieter and revs higher w...

Hey I’m here and glad to help. I don’t sell the original steel drives any more but still have parts and will make the bits I can. What do you need?

After working with the Motoped for a few months, the swingarm is the heart of the design. It’s a nice piece. The jackshaft is right on the pivot point which is perfect. The pedal system is pretty ridiculous. It’s really just for compliance. I’ll make drives available to people who want them. I never...

I have Motoped brackets. I can also get more made. If the company were still in business I’d get a bunch made. I already have plenty of expensive laser cut metal laying around.

Yes I’ll sell you two XL motors. $325 each plus shipping.

The completed drive and jackshaft. Overall reduction is a bit over 10:1.

Progress photos on the XL Motoped. Just waiting for the controller at this point.

I run these motors both clockwise and counterclockwise in my various builds. It’s as simple as changing the hall and phase wire sequence. I can give you the sequences for the Lyen and PowerVelocity controllers. I’ve never seen a 219 sprocket with a bicycle 6 bolt rotor pattern on it. Which is why I ...

Hey Matt, Thanks for stopping by! I can't imagine someone beating on one of your beautiful works of Art with a hammer. Some people have no mechanical empathy at all. They should never touch tools or attempt to work on anything themselves. I have to confess that when I started building drives it neve...

If a customer needs information I’m here for them. If I have parts I’ll provide them. If I know where you can get what I don’t stock I’ll send a link or contact info.

I’ve agreed to repair old drives in the past and have been horrified to receive parts that look like they were off of a Japanese Zero that had been in the ocean since 1943. I don’t do that any more. It takes way more time than building a brand new drive. I don’t make the original steel 2 stage drive...

There are hundreds of these mid drives still out there running, the oldest about 7 years old. If you found a NOS big block drive it should have years of service in it. There’s nothing to worry about. Get the primary belt tension and alignment set up right and go have fun.

I have the parts available for two complete drives right now. I want to sell these parts as complete drives since they’re all that I have on hand and it will take time to get more. I am going to order more bracket sets. I’ll post here when they’re in. Alan Hu resurfaced today saying that his NXT pro...

Have fun and be safe. Can’t wait to see your build!