MikeFairbanks
100 kW
In a previous thread, posted about five weeks ago, I shared that I had won a grant from the local utility company to build an electric tricycle.
The grant was for $1500 and I promised the following criteria would be fulfilled:
1. A bicycle or tricycle would be assembled by fourth and fifth grade students.
2. An electric wheel would be added to the tricycle, assembled by the students.
3. Here comes the interesting part: The teacher (me) would conduct a six-month study on the cost/benefits of commuting to work/school by bicycle instead of car.
I knew when I wrote the grant that it was well-written, and I figured it might win (I compared my grant proposal to previous years and felt it was both unique and beneficial to the electric company, since they provide electricity). The grant's requirements are that it teaches the students. That was easy because fourth grade students in Georgia study motion, force and simple machines (bicycles are perfect to illustrate this) and fifth grade students study basic electrical theory and circuits).
So, on October 28 the grants were announced, and I got one. I was thrilled. They came to my classroom (and by then...two months after writing the proposal, it had left my mind) and the people of Fayette/Coweta EMC (the utitlity company) awarded me a gigantic check for $1500.
I then had to consider what products to order that would work effectively and be able to be put together by the students. I also wanted to consider this current economic situation our country is facing, so I worked to find American-made products. I chose to order a custom-made Worksman Industrial Tricycle. The people of Worksman Industrial Bicycles bent over backward to accomodate our needs. A special thanks to Heidi at Worksman. She voluntarily put a rush order on the trike (they only make them to order) and what would normally take three weeks plus shipping only took two weeks with shipping. She also knocked off 5% to help fit my budget. This was no small potatoes, since the tricyle, including shipping, was $973. It felt good to send money to New York instead of China.
Next, I called up Ebikekits.com (New Jersey--hub motors and wheels assembled in the USA) and ordered a front wheel with hub motor and a 36volt sealed lead acid battery pack (basically the complete kit). I chose Sealed Lead Acid because the commute is short, the trike is rated to carry 500 pounds, the battery is 30 pounds (but on a trike that makes little difference) and it was significantly less cost than a Lifepo battery pack. NOTE: If you are making a bicycle, spend the extra money on the lightest battery you can. A SLA battery pack is heavy. Like I said, on an industrial tricylcle it's not even an issue, but on a two-wheeler it would be very heavy and awkward.
This past Monday, while my students were in the library, a huge 18-wheeler truck pulled into the school parking lot. That never happens, so I knew it was the trike. Sure enough, it was. I helped to unload it, put it on a flat cart, and wheel it down to our elementary school's science lab (an empty classroom that we call the science lab).
Everything, including the Ebike kit:
Then, as the week progressed, kids kept asking me, "who will put it together?"
"You," I would reply.
Unfortunately, I injured my right foot last weekend, and by Tuesday was in pain, by Wednesday was in agony, and after visiting the orthopedic surgeon that day, he said "no activity for two weeks" and put a boot on my foot. My boss brought me crutches, and the next day I was hobbling around telling tall tales of how I hurt my foot (even though I eventually told everyone the truth that I hurt my foot dancing with my 9 and 11-year-old daughters in the family room--you know how dads will let their little girls stand on their feet while dad dances? Well, it's cute until someone gets hurt, and that someone was me.
Anyway, by Thursday afternoon I was going nuts, so this kid who stayed after school and I went to the "science lab" to tear the box apart and unpack that trike. I just couldn't wait any longer.
We dragged all the pieces back to my classroom, and then I went home to boohoo over my continuing hurt foot. I went to bed early (and throughout all this my dog had puppies, so the week was awash in terms of working on the project much......until the next day.....).
Friday morning: Students come in and, oh boy, you would think it's Christmas morning. They see that unassembled tricycle and Ebike Kit and start climbing on it, trying to move it, playing, yelling....general kid excitement (they are 9 and 10 and really good kids). So, I'm a little grumpy (I'm always a little grumpy in the morning before the caffeine kicks in) and am saying, "hey, take it easy....don't climb on it...put that down...don't break anything...get to your seats....get to your seats....go sit down....on 10, 9, 8..... (that always does the trick. I have no idea why). The whole time I was trying not to break out in a huge smile (believe it or not, if the first fifteen minutes of the day are crazy, the whole day is crazy. Normalcy is a religion in elementary school. )
After school announcements some of the kids left for enrichment classes (gifted) and I had about twelve kids left over. I took the bag holding the plastic pedals and tossed them to a kid. You would think I tossed him a bag of money the way his eyes lit up.
I sat back in my chair (remember, I'm in a boot--a plastic removable cast for my foot) and watched. I knew they'd struggle with the pedals, but you have to let kids learn. I asked, "are both your shoes the same?" They said, "no." I asked, "are bike pedals like that too?"
They are smart kids, so they instantly scoured the pedals for an indication of left and right. Once they figured that out one of the kids actually started turning the pedal the wrong way. But it was the right way because the left and right pedal aren't threaded the same way.
Next, I started opening bags: Handle bars, gooseneck (that's what I call it--the handlebar stem), bearings, washers, nuts, bolts, and other things. I had to borrow this tool and that from various teachers, and none of the tools were ideal, but the kids each got to put something together and then I tightened it to the best of my ability with the tools I had. It was funny watching the kids try to put the grips on the handlebars, and only got it once I suggested some water and a little soap. Then, of course, we realized that with the gears, brakes and other attachments (plus sliding the handlebars into the stem) that we should have waited on that. We had to pull the grips off and do it again.
Eventually it all went together, but one washer was left over (huh?) and one bolt was missing. So I took the whole class to the science lab and we scoured the empty cardboard boxes and trash for that missing bolt (for the gear shifter). And by golly, we found it. That surprised me.
So, back to the classroom. We finished the tricycle and took it outside for a spin. I rode it a bit with my boot on the foot, but that didn't stop me or make it difficult at all. Then, each fourth grade teacher took it for a spin around the small 1/10 mile running track built for the kids. One teacher took a turn too fast and learned that a tricyle doesn't corner like a bike. Luckily, the only consequence was her running off the track into a patch of grass. No crash.
Finally, I rode it around the track (slowly). And what's cute is that half the fourth grade students ran with us as we each rode around the track. I should have filmed it but I don't have a video camera (one arrives in the mail Tuesday from Amazon). I'll film next week.
Unfortunately, no matter how much we searched the building we could not find a bike helmet, and so I refused to let the kids ride it. Monday I'll bring in some helmets from home so each of the kids can try it (after a thorough lecture on safety, of course).
WHAT'S NEXT: part two: The motor and power.
More Photos:
Does this look like a bike wheel to you? Looks more like a motorcycle wheel.
Now THIS is a bicycle chain. Heavy Duty
Five Hundred Pound Capacity:
American-Made/Kid-Assembled/Teacher-Approved
The Assembly Team:
Look for Part Two sometime next week as we attempt to electrify this thing and hopefully part three (testing) will commence, followed by part four (the daily commute).
SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES FOR THEIR GRANTS, HELP AND DISCOUNTS:
FAYETTE/COWETA EMC (the utility company that gave us the grant): http://www.utility.org/ForYourCommunity_OR_BrightIdeas.aspx
WORKSMAN INDUSTRIAL BICYCLES: http://worksmancycles.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/index.html
EBIKE KIT: http://www.e-bikekit.com/
And thank you to Uncle Ron and others who have provided so much excellent advice these past five weeks. Thank you.
The grant was for $1500 and I promised the following criteria would be fulfilled:
1. A bicycle or tricycle would be assembled by fourth and fifth grade students.
2. An electric wheel would be added to the tricycle, assembled by the students.
3. Here comes the interesting part: The teacher (me) would conduct a six-month study on the cost/benefits of commuting to work/school by bicycle instead of car.
I knew when I wrote the grant that it was well-written, and I figured it might win (I compared my grant proposal to previous years and felt it was both unique and beneficial to the electric company, since they provide electricity). The grant's requirements are that it teaches the students. That was easy because fourth grade students in Georgia study motion, force and simple machines (bicycles are perfect to illustrate this) and fifth grade students study basic electrical theory and circuits).
So, on October 28 the grants were announced, and I got one. I was thrilled. They came to my classroom (and by then...two months after writing the proposal, it had left my mind) and the people of Fayette/Coweta EMC (the utitlity company) awarded me a gigantic check for $1500.
I then had to consider what products to order that would work effectively and be able to be put together by the students. I also wanted to consider this current economic situation our country is facing, so I worked to find American-made products. I chose to order a custom-made Worksman Industrial Tricycle. The people of Worksman Industrial Bicycles bent over backward to accomodate our needs. A special thanks to Heidi at Worksman. She voluntarily put a rush order on the trike (they only make them to order) and what would normally take three weeks plus shipping only took two weeks with shipping. She also knocked off 5% to help fit my budget. This was no small potatoes, since the tricyle, including shipping, was $973. It felt good to send money to New York instead of China.
Next, I called up Ebikekits.com (New Jersey--hub motors and wheels assembled in the USA) and ordered a front wheel with hub motor and a 36volt sealed lead acid battery pack (basically the complete kit). I chose Sealed Lead Acid because the commute is short, the trike is rated to carry 500 pounds, the battery is 30 pounds (but on a trike that makes little difference) and it was significantly less cost than a Lifepo battery pack. NOTE: If you are making a bicycle, spend the extra money on the lightest battery you can. A SLA battery pack is heavy. Like I said, on an industrial tricylcle it's not even an issue, but on a two-wheeler it would be very heavy and awkward.
This past Monday, while my students were in the library, a huge 18-wheeler truck pulled into the school parking lot. That never happens, so I knew it was the trike. Sure enough, it was. I helped to unload it, put it on a flat cart, and wheel it down to our elementary school's science lab (an empty classroom that we call the science lab).
Everything, including the Ebike kit:
Then, as the week progressed, kids kept asking me, "who will put it together?"
"You," I would reply.
Unfortunately, I injured my right foot last weekend, and by Tuesday was in pain, by Wednesday was in agony, and after visiting the orthopedic surgeon that day, he said "no activity for two weeks" and put a boot on my foot. My boss brought me crutches, and the next day I was hobbling around telling tall tales of how I hurt my foot (even though I eventually told everyone the truth that I hurt my foot dancing with my 9 and 11-year-old daughters in the family room--you know how dads will let their little girls stand on their feet while dad dances? Well, it's cute until someone gets hurt, and that someone was me.
Anyway, by Thursday afternoon I was going nuts, so this kid who stayed after school and I went to the "science lab" to tear the box apart and unpack that trike. I just couldn't wait any longer.
We dragged all the pieces back to my classroom, and then I went home to boohoo over my continuing hurt foot. I went to bed early (and throughout all this my dog had puppies, so the week was awash in terms of working on the project much......until the next day.....).
Friday morning: Students come in and, oh boy, you would think it's Christmas morning. They see that unassembled tricycle and Ebike Kit and start climbing on it, trying to move it, playing, yelling....general kid excitement (they are 9 and 10 and really good kids). So, I'm a little grumpy (I'm always a little grumpy in the morning before the caffeine kicks in) and am saying, "hey, take it easy....don't climb on it...put that down...don't break anything...get to your seats....get to your seats....go sit down....on 10, 9, 8..... (that always does the trick. I have no idea why). The whole time I was trying not to break out in a huge smile (believe it or not, if the first fifteen minutes of the day are crazy, the whole day is crazy. Normalcy is a religion in elementary school. )
After school announcements some of the kids left for enrichment classes (gifted) and I had about twelve kids left over. I took the bag holding the plastic pedals and tossed them to a kid. You would think I tossed him a bag of money the way his eyes lit up.
I sat back in my chair (remember, I'm in a boot--a plastic removable cast for my foot) and watched. I knew they'd struggle with the pedals, but you have to let kids learn. I asked, "are both your shoes the same?" They said, "no." I asked, "are bike pedals like that too?"
They are smart kids, so they instantly scoured the pedals for an indication of left and right. Once they figured that out one of the kids actually started turning the pedal the wrong way. But it was the right way because the left and right pedal aren't threaded the same way.
Next, I started opening bags: Handle bars, gooseneck (that's what I call it--the handlebar stem), bearings, washers, nuts, bolts, and other things. I had to borrow this tool and that from various teachers, and none of the tools were ideal, but the kids each got to put something together and then I tightened it to the best of my ability with the tools I had. It was funny watching the kids try to put the grips on the handlebars, and only got it once I suggested some water and a little soap. Then, of course, we realized that with the gears, brakes and other attachments (plus sliding the handlebars into the stem) that we should have waited on that. We had to pull the grips off and do it again.
Eventually it all went together, but one washer was left over (huh?) and one bolt was missing. So I took the whole class to the science lab and we scoured the empty cardboard boxes and trash for that missing bolt (for the gear shifter). And by golly, we found it. That surprised me.
So, back to the classroom. We finished the tricycle and took it outside for a spin. I rode it a bit with my boot on the foot, but that didn't stop me or make it difficult at all. Then, each fourth grade teacher took it for a spin around the small 1/10 mile running track built for the kids. One teacher took a turn too fast and learned that a tricyle doesn't corner like a bike. Luckily, the only consequence was her running off the track into a patch of grass. No crash.
Finally, I rode it around the track (slowly). And what's cute is that half the fourth grade students ran with us as we each rode around the track. I should have filmed it but I don't have a video camera (one arrives in the mail Tuesday from Amazon). I'll film next week.
Unfortunately, no matter how much we searched the building we could not find a bike helmet, and so I refused to let the kids ride it. Monday I'll bring in some helmets from home so each of the kids can try it (after a thorough lecture on safety, of course).
WHAT'S NEXT: part two: The motor and power.
More Photos:
Does this look like a bike wheel to you? Looks more like a motorcycle wheel.
Now THIS is a bicycle chain. Heavy Duty
Five Hundred Pound Capacity:
American-Made/Kid-Assembled/Teacher-Approved
The Assembly Team:
Look for Part Two sometime next week as we attempt to electrify this thing and hopefully part three (testing) will commence, followed by part four (the daily commute).
SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES FOR THEIR GRANTS, HELP AND DISCOUNTS:
FAYETTE/COWETA EMC (the utility company that gave us the grant): http://www.utility.org/ForYourCommunity_OR_BrightIdeas.aspx
WORKSMAN INDUSTRIAL BICYCLES: http://worksmancycles.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/index.html
EBIKE KIT: http://www.e-bikekit.com/
And thank you to Uncle Ron and others who have provided so much excellent advice these past five weeks. Thank you.