new member looking for advise

[RonS]

Hello all,
This is my first post here on this forum.

My name is Ron, I am 55 years old, and live in southern California.
I am new to this forum, but have been on many others for various interests, and am a moderator on one forum for a different hobby/interest.

I am interested in learning about adding an electric motor to my senior citizen mothers (78 years old) recumbent trike. I am searching for information and advice for this build, and I'd greatly appreciate any input from those of you who have experience and knowledge.

I am not looking for high performance or high speeds. I am just looking for a reliable electric upgrade to add to her existing trike. I have all the mechanical skills and tools necessary to do the build, but I have no previous experience with E-bikes, so that is why I came here to gain some knowledge and insight, and recommendations.

Her trike is a Trailmate Joyrider. it is a very basic recumbent style, that is designed for handicapped and special needs people. it is a single speed that has a single chain drive from the pedals to a live rear axle. one wheel is the drive wheel, and the other rear wheel is a coaster wheel. both rear wheels are 24" "beach cruiser" type wheels. The front wheel is a 12" rim/tire with a single band type brake. There is currently no rear brake on the bike.
( I will try to post some pics, but I'm not sure how the forum is set up to do that yet, so I may or may not do it right this first try.)

It does have a factory bracket installed for an optional single speed or 3 speed hub with a coaster brake,... and I MAY be adding that upgrade to it at the same time, to provide more braking capacity for her. I am also interested in the possibility of adding a disc brake to the rear axle in lieu of the coaster brake/hub.

I have seen a 12" hub motor kit from " leafbike.com " that looks like it would be a simple installation. it is a 250w 36v kit, with a LeFePO4 battery. (I have no clue what that means in terms of batteries, other than i's the "Good One" to get).

hopefully these links will work:
http://www.leafbike.com/products/diy-bike-conversion-kit/12-inch-electric-hub-motor-kit/12-inch-36v-250w-electric-bike-kit-front-wheel-877.html

http://www.leafbike.com/products/diy-bike-conversion-kit/12-inch-electric-hub-motor-kit/12-inch-36v-250w-electric-bike-kit-front-wheel-877.html

As I previously mentioned, I am not looking for high performance, high speed, or exceptional range.
Se will be driving this around in a closed Seniors community, mostly on sidewalks, and VERY occaisionally on the private community streets. NEVER out in public streets... so most of the time it will be at VERY LOW speeds. (think of dodging senoirs using there walkers and canes),... so yeah,... VERY slow speeds.(4-7 MPH)
when she DOES occaisionally ride in the closed community streets, she will never need to go more than 10-15 MPH.
ALL the driving will be on flat and level surfaces, concrete, asphalt, etc. No grass, No hills ever.
She weighs approx 150lbs, and I doubt if the bike weighs 40-50lbs itself.

my first question is, Will this 12", 250w, 36v kit, be sufficient for her ? (it only basically needs to run about the same or a little more than a "Mobility scooter", 9and not as fast as a typical electric Golf Cart). It probably won't see more than 3 or 4 miles at a time, but I would like to have some reserve power in the battery, so lets say a 20 to 25 mile range, per full charge.

I've read a couple of things about "fast wind" and "slow wind" motors, but I really have no clue as to what all of that means right now... so the best way for me to describe the intended use is Flat Level ground, Fair weather, low speed.

so can anyone here give some insight on this kit, for this application ?
is the controller and all other components good enough for this ?
or do the wires and battery gt too wovr worked / stressed out for this application ?

would some sort of electric drive be better if it was driving the REAR axle instead ?
I am looking to do this on a Very limited budget, but at the same time, I do not want to see melting wires, or circut board burnouts.

thanks for any advice and input.
Ron

 

[wesnewell]

You got the right idea, but you can find cheaper options I think. Maybe a 24V setup from here.
http://www.conhismotor.com/Diy_eBike.asp

 

[dogman dan]

Both the leaf and conhis kits will be plenty of power for her needs. No big hills to climb, or anything like that.

Cool that they both have it in the 12" wheel. E bike kit can't offer the trike kit in anything less than 20" at this time. So we have trouble fitting our kit to the Sun trikes with 16" front wheel.

For sure, a front wheel kit is your only easy option for that trike.

 

[RonS]

Thanks for the reply's so far and please keep them coming.

I google searched for some reviews on the leafbike kit, and read where someone was saying the wiring harness was too small of a gauge wire, resulting in wires overheating to near melting point.
Is this a common problem with the leafbike or conhismotor ready made kits ?
Is this something I need to be concerned with ?

I am trying to check out the conhismotor link but am a bit confused by the DIY selections.
(sorry I'm new to all of this).
It wants me to specify things like:
Controller type, (heck, I don't know which one I would need)
Control Panel (3 speed, 5 speed, PAS(?), etc.)
Pedelec Sensor ( I have no clue what that is)
Battery with "BMS" upgrade ( what is this, and do I need/want this?)
then more battery "Upgrades" ( 30a, 60a, no battery, )

and some other stuff.
I don't think I'm making all the right option/equipment choices as it is asking.

Do they offer up a ready made kit (complete) for the 12" front wheel, 250w, 36v, and then just choose which battery capacity I want ?
I'll try to dig around on their site some more to see if I can find such a kit that is a complete package, either with or without the battery/charger... but any help from you experienced guys is greatly appreciated.

As I'm sure you realize, I want to avoid ordering someting from far away sellers, and have it come in the wrong thing or incomplete, (because I did not know what I was doing) when placing an order.

I'm Sorry to be such a pest with all the newby questions, (but I know how that goes on the other forums I moderate).
Sometimes it gets repetitive and monotinous, but we try to help the newby's so that they make good and informed decisions before making their choices and purchases.

My mother does not know yet that I am going to do this for her, and the last thing I want is to try and surprise her with the arrival of the kit, (and then have it be wrong or incomplete), preventing me from doing the installation.
You know,.... gotta take care of Mom,... and not have it be a disappointing thing ! haha.

Help me out here guys, I want to make it a special thing for her.
Thanks again,
Ron

 

[wesnewell]

I'd select 24V 250W mini motor, 12" front wheel, 24V 10ah lifepo4 battery pack, no pedalic (PAS), and no upgrades if I were you. That should get you a complet4e system with battery for <$350 + shipping. If you want the fancy display and other things then add $50 and select them.

 

[dogman dan]

Stuff like overheating the wires won't be a problem the way she will be using the bike. poor wiring plugs can overheat though, at low power levels. One option would be to buy the cheap kit just to get that 16" motor, then adapt it to use a more reliable controller and wiring. or you could do something like just replace cheap plugs with better ones, or even just eliminate plugs altogether.

It will be worth it, if you upgrade a less expensive kit just a little bit. So she never has a plug jiggle loose and give her and you grief.

 

[Drunkskunk]

For the motor, 350 watts. It costs no more than the 250w, but is 50% more fun. Seriously. This is a no brainer. If the ice cream shop offers you a second scoop for free, would you turn them down because you think your mom might only want one? 350w is still not very powerful. To give you some perspective, many light mobility scooter wheelchairs use two 200w motors (400w total). So a single 350w motor is still less power, and it's geared for bicycle speeds, not low speed torque.

the controller, might as well get it LCD compatible. the LCD is like a digital dashboard. it might be more information than you mom needs or wants, but get the option for it now. you can always get the LCD later if she wants it. This option costs nothing, but gives you more options in the future.

Throttle option = twist. It works just like a motorcycle. No complications, no hassle.

Pedelec Sensor = none. This is for a pedelec system, which would add power based on how hard she was pedaling. Cheap versions like this are more of a pain in the arse than anything, so leave it off.

LiFePO4 Battery. A basic 36v 10Ah will get her a minimum 10 miles, and if she rides slower than 20mph, probably a lot further. Increasing the AH increases the range.

LiFePO4 is $20 cheaper than the Li-ion, but a bit larger and heavier. The Li-ion will be easier to mount.
Either battery is fine. I chose LiFePO4 on the above example because it's cheaper. I'd probably pick Li-ion for my self, though.

BMS. You need one for the LiFePO4 to function correctly. The minimum size offered is more than the little 350w motor will ever need, so it's fine. The Li-ion battery already includes one.

 

[RonS]

For the motor, 350 watts. It costs no more than the 250w, but is 50% more fun. Seriously. This is a no brainer. If the ice cream shop offers you a second scoop for free, would you turn them down because you think your mom might only want one? 350w is still not very powerful. To give you some perspective, many light mobility scooter wheelchairs use two 200w motors (400w total). So a single 350w motor is still less power, and it's geared for bicycle speeds, not low speed torque.

the controller, might as well get it LCD compatible. the LCD is like a digital dashboard. it might be more information than you mom needs or wants, but get the option for it now. you can always get the LCD later if she wants it. This option costs nothing, but gives you more options in the future.

Throttle option = twist. It works just like a motorcycle. No complications, no hassle.

Pedelec Sensor = none. This is for a pedelec system, which would add power based on how hard she was pedaling. Cheap versions like this are more of a pain in the arse than anything, so leave it off.

LiFePO4 Battery. A basic 36v 10Ah will get her a minimum 10 miles, and if she rides slower than 20mph, probably a lot further. Increasing the AH increases the range.

LiFePO4 is $20 cheaper than the Li-ion, but a bit larger and heavier. The Li-ion will be easier to mount.
Either battery is fine. I chose LiFePO4 on the above example because it's cheaper. I'd probably pick Li-ion for my self, though.

BMS. You need one for the LiFePO4 to function correctly. The minimum size offered is more than the little 350w motor will ever need, so it's fine. The Li-ion battery already includes one.

First off, I want to say THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH ! for taking the time to help me choose a kit for this project.
I can't describe how much it means to me, for you to take the time and help to make this a good thing for my mom.

OK,... so yes,... I had originally said I wanted to do a budget build,... but at the same time, I don't want to just hold that as the limiting factor, and I am willing to go a little more than just a "Bare Bones" kit.

36v 350w motor ? ? ?,.... um,... OK, fine with me, and besides I do ride it once in a while too, but normally will just grab my Sun EZ-3 for more comfort (and having gears and better brakes to boot).

I do like the suggestion of going with a controller that is compatible with a LCD panel.
I think she can handle that (maybe), but also, I'd like for it to be there if for only me to monitor battery strength/charge, and/or, for her to know what speed and distance she has ridden.
SO,... Yeah,.. the LCD panel is a given.

now onto the Battery, you say you would probably go for the Li-on battery if you were doing this build for yourself.
Is that simply because it is a little lighter weight ? (i can't imagine we are talking about a huge weight difference here ?)
or is there a difference the the battery performance and/or max cycles lifespan, or re-charge time, or something else I am ignorant to ?
I was googling these LiFePo4 vs Li-on batteries, and unless I misunderstood what I was reading, I THOUGHT it was saying the LiFePo4's gave a full strength power delivery for longer than the Li-on batteries, but that when they ran low, they would shut down, as opposed to a Li-on battery would begin to "fade down" before they would completely "shut-down".
(I hope I'm describing that correctly)

If there is a significantly good or better reason, (ie- longer life, less rate of failure, or generally more dependable), I have no problem with going with the Li-on battery.
I was just under the impression that the LiFePo4's were a "latest and greatest" improved upon Li-on type.
(shows why I came here to get the scoop from you experts, Eh ? ? ?) lol !

So now with all of that,
what do you think of this configuration below ?
I'm willing to spend what it takes for this to be a solid and dependable kit. It just does not need to be a "Ricky Rocket, Time Warp, Wormhole Space/Time Jumping, rig) :lol: :lol:

AND,... the below configuration can easily be changed over to the Li-on battery if you guys say so.
Her cool new ride, (and my wallets fate), is in your hands !

now one more thing before I finish this post...
Is there a reasonable way to add a better brake to the rear axle ? (disc maybe ?)
I have seen where I can get a single speed or 3 speed hub with a coaster brake to upgrade her existing straight chain drive.
if you guys think the coaster brake is sufficient, then that is fine with me.
if you think it NEEDS to have some sort of Disc brake configured to the real axle,.... well then, OK to that too.
(obviously, I want her to be able to stop effectively and safely).
Keep in mind, as it stands right now, the ONLY brake her bike has is a crappy little "Band Brake" on the front wheel ONLY,...
(and we know that is going to go away, with the installation of the new hub motor front wheel)

so here is what i'm thinking for now,... (and again, the battery type can change to what you guys think is best) ...

Motor Type: 36v 350w mini motor
Rim Size: 12" casted mini motor
Wheel Type: Front wheel
Controller Type: Controller (LCD Control Panel compatible)
Control Panel: LCD control Panel (5 speed mode PAS, Speed, Distance)
Speed Throttle: twist throttle
Pedelec Sensor: no pedelec
LiFePO4 Battery:
LiFePO4 Battery BMS Upgrade: Standard 30a max, (60a peak) No LiFePo4 Battery BMS Upgrade
Li-ion Battery:
Order Quantity:
Total Cost: $535.99
Note: Shipping cost will be calculated after you add to cart and finish your register information.


and BTW,..
you guys have been GREAT with all my NOOB-NESS !

If you ever want to get the low-down or advise on Modern, High Precision, Long Range, Airgun's (yes,.. there is such a thing)
I will be GLAD to help you out. (That is the forum type where I am a moderator).
I am also a Youth Shooting Sports Leader for my kids 4H club, teaching the kids proper and safe gun handling, ethical and responsible conduct.
and when I'm not shooting with the kids, I do some pretty impressive "pesting" on Ground Squirrels at some local farms.

It's a service that my buddies and I do for the local land owners. They get rid of vermin pests, and we get a safe legal place to shoot.
It's a win-win for all (except for the GS's of course !) haha.

just exactly What is High Precision, and Long Range in an Airgun you ask ? ? ?
Would you think consistantly hitting walnut or egg at 150+ yards,... or shooting 10 shots at 50 yards, with only 1 hole in the paper very good ?
yeah,... the modern ones are not what you had when you were a kid ! lol!

 

[ddk]

unless your mom is used to coaster brakes, and has the leg strength for it, use something else.
-personally I'd recommend something else
I like the rear coaster brake on my Trailmate Lowrider but it is used as an emergency brake only.
The Lowrider's D(irect)D(drive) (or gearless) front motor, a 16" Golden Motor Magic Pie, is used as the main brake, supplemented by a caliper brake. I welded a bar across the front fork for a simple caliper brake mount.
You can also get stud mounts welded on for V-brakes, which are iMO the best brake for a bike/trike. Your LocalBikeShop (LBS) should be helpful is this regard if you can't handle it... Or at least get them to steer you to the welding shop they use.

Disc brakes will also require welding up brackets for the caliper mounts, if you chose that option.
Either or, you're gonna have to do something about brakes.

 

[LewTwo]

I believe that trike has a 'live' rear axle. People have been known to adapt a disk brake to it.

 

[ddk]

on second thought.
I likes simple solutions.
The simplest solution for that trike is to add a sprocket to the rear axle and drive it using a small geared hub motor.
I do this on all three of my trikes, including the lowrider.

The axle looks to be 15mm. If it is you won't need custom parts, as Sun makes a 28 tooth sprocket for a live axle in 15mm.

Solves the brake issue.

Take care...

 

[dogman dan]

Maybe I'm confused, I thought she had been riding the bike, and knows how to use the brakes.

The distance she will be going, lead will be fine. But she will need to know that even after the short rides need to recharge every time.

lithium better, if the situation is more like she needs to ride a week, then you charge it. She'll need to turn the thing off when she parks it overnight, either way.

 

[RonS]

Maybe I'm confused, I thought she had been riding the bike, and knows how to use the brakes.

The distance she will be going, lead will be fine. But she will need to know that even after the short rides need to recharge every time.

lithium better, if the situation is more like she needs to ride a week, then you charge it. She'll need to turn the thing off when she parks it overnight, either way.

yes she has been riding the trike as it is. She has had it about 3 or 4 years now.

It currently only has the Band Brake on the front wheel.
That brake is not very good in the first place, and I have never really been happy with it. (and yes, I have checked it, adjusted it, to insure it functions properly and to the best that it can.) It is really a junk brake that does not stop the trike very well. I have always wanted it to have a better brake on it... and if we end up going with the front hub motor, then there will be no brake, so I WILL need to either do the rear hub with coaster brake upgrade, OR figure out some way to add a disc to the rear live axle.

I would prefer the battery to not need to be recharged after every small ride.
Plugging it in each evening or every two or three days would be fine. .. and turning it off after each ride would be fine too.
Thats no problem... I'll just need to mount the battery in such a way, that she can easily get to the switch without having to get down on her knees (or something like that), to do it.

so with that scenario, do you all think the Li-on battery is the better choice, over the LiFePo4 ?
I'm thinking I want to spend a little extra on a battery with maybe 20 ah (?), to help facilitate only needing to charge every 2 or 3 days (?), would that be a good/correct assumption ?

I'm going to take a good look at my Sun EZ-3, and do a few measurements on the bracket for the hub under the seat. It is NOT a coaster brake,.. but it DOES have a disc brake there. Possibly I could fit the same type (or similar ) to hers ?
I'll go take some pics of that to share with you all for your opinions on it... and yes I realize that I will probably need to weld some mounting points for a caliper.

to be honest, I was hoping that I could get the front hub motor WITH a disc brake, but it appears that is not an option on the little 12" wheel/motor kits. grrrr.

ok,... so I'll go take some better pics of the brackets now, ( on both hers, and my EZ-3 ), and will post them up in a while for you guys to see.
Stay tuned... :wink:

 

[dogman dan]

Oh fudge. if you take off the front wheel, no brakes. That is a problem. Now I get it.

Re the battery, any lithium battery with a bms will be fine. Lifepo4 still a great battery, just a bit heavier than NMC, the more recently popular li-ion. BTW they are all li-ion.

Many kit motors now have a disc brake mount, but I don't know if those 12" mag wheels do.

If they have a disc mount, it would be a task, but you can fairly easily make a disc brake mount, and weld it to her front fork. If, the fork is 100mm wide. If it's not, most motors won't fit.

At some point, would it make more sense to just go with a recumbent sun trike? one that has a 16" wheel and good brakes? Or is this just too hard for her to ride?


Could she be ok with a more upright adult trike, one with a regular saddle? Those are easy to electrify, and keep the good brakes.

 

[wesnewell]

Use electronic braking on the front wheel. Not regen braking. It's powerful and will bring the bike to a complete stop.

 

[RonS]

Oh fudge. if you take off the front wheel, no brakes. That is a problem. Now I get it.

Re the battery, any lithium battery with a bms will be fine. Lifepo4 still a great battery, just a bit heavier than NMC, the more recently popular li-ion. BTW they are all li-ion.

Many kit motors now have a disc brake mount, but I don't know if those 12" mag wheels do.

If they have a disc mount, it would be a task, but you can fairly easily make a disc brake mount, and weld it to her front fork. If, the fork is 100mm wide. If it's not, most motors won't fit.

At some point, would it make more sense to just go with a recumbent sun trike? one that has a 16" wheel and good brakes? Or is this just too hard for her to ride?


Could she be ok with a more upright adult trike, one with a regular saddle? Those are easy to electrify, and keep the good brakes.

question-
At some point, would it make more sense to just go with a recumbent sun trike? one that has a 16" wheel and good brakes?
answer-
Well, no, not really. I had thought about that when considering a bike for her. A "delta style"
(like mine), is simply not a good choice for her. ( I already have a Sun EZ-3 like in you pic, myself).

Mom had a hip replacement years ago, and it is giving her some trouble now.
I do not think it is a good idea for her to have a trike (like mine), where she has to step over the frame before sitting in the seat.
The LAST thing I need is for her to be trying to put her foot over the frame,... catch her shoe/sandal/foot on it as she is trying to get on,... and take a hard fall. That would NOT be good.
(and besides,... yeah,... she can be a bit clumsy).
it's not a matter of IF it would happen,.. it IS a matter of WHEN it Will happen.
(Hence,.. the choice to get her the Trailmate Joyrider).

It has the OPEN side frame, where she keeps both feet on the ground,... basically "walks in", and sits in the seat, WITHOUT having to lift her leg over a center frame bar. This is a MUCH better and more physically compatible configuration for her. (trust me :wink: ).

question-
Could she be ok with a more upright adult trike, one with a regular saddle?

answer-
No, still not good. (see above haha) clumsy, and hip, and often complains of sore back (due to hip stuff).
open frame recumbent Joyrider is the BEST/(and only), reasonable choice for her.


ok so here's some better pics of what we are dealing with here, and why such a simple motor mod is presenting certain challenges...

This is the underside of her joyrider. Simple Single speed, direct chain from pedals to rear live axle.
The "unused" blue bracket you see, ( in the top right corner of the pic), is for an optional "Coaster Brake TRIKE Hub", (which is readily available). but are about $100 bucks them selves. They can be single speed, 3 speed, or even 5 speed in some cases.

here's another angle...

(note- the lower "slotted hole in the bracket, lines up directly with the "carraige bolt" on the chain guard. This is where the Coaster Brake hub would mount to).

IF,... I was to go that route,... the single speed would be easiest, due to no need to run another shifter cable, teaching her how and why to use gears, and using up valuable handlebar space. (there is not much room on those tiny handlebars for much more junk as it is already).
SOoooooo,....
a single speed trike hub with coaster brake would be the EASIEST way to go there. then comes the issue of " Remember Mom,... we've changed it up a little now,... there is no more Hand Brake Lever,.... and you gotta use the PEDALS now to stop.... so you gotta remember to let off the throttle,.. AND push the pedals BACKWARDS"... yeah,.. I'm confident she can do it,.. it's just that when she gets accustomed to one thing,... it's a bit of a challenge for her to change it. It's just an "old folks thing" :wink:


now,... with all that said,...
IF,... i can mount a hub similar to the one on MY Sun trike,... WITH a disc brake,.... Then she would retain the already familiar HAND Brake Lever.

here is a pic of how it is set up on MY EZ-3.
I'm picturing something like this, (to be fitted to HER Joyrider),.. except WITHOUT the Cassette Gears, and Derailer

here is a pic of the current JUNKY Band Brake on her Joyrider
(this thing has been sub-standard, (i.e.- POS), since the day it was made !)

The thing is,...
she really LOVES her Trailmate Joyrider. and she really gets a lot of compliments from all the other seniors in the community when they see it.
It is somewhat unique, and no one else has one around here, so it's kind of her little "Special Thing".

I just want to make it even MORE special for her,... and at the same time,... make it where she can enjoy riding it,
(and showing it off to all the other old foegies here) hahaha,... for as long as she CAN enjoy it.
it's one of very few things she has that she LIKES, and gets a kick out of.

Sorta like if I had a tricked out '57 Chevy Convertable !.... This is kind of her,... 3 wheeled Model T peddle-car ! :wink:

 

[RonS]

Use electronic braking on the front wheel. Not regen braking. It's powerful and will bring the bike to a complete stop.

OK,... what is this beautiful thing of Majic, of which you speak ? ? ? :wink:

is this available on the conhis kit ?

provide a link PLEASE !

 

[wesnewell]

It's exactly what I said it is. It's part of the controller. I have no idea what controllers have it. My $35 shipped 72V 1500W controller does. Ask Conhismotor.

 

[LewTwo]

The old British made SA hubs used a bronze band for their coaster brake and could lock up the wheel at any speed or load.
The modern Asian manufactured ones use a different material (steel ?) and are hard pressed to bring a modern cruiser to a halt. (I supplemented mine with rim brakes for that reason). I would suspect the modern single speed coasters are not much better.

IMO (worth nothing) your mom would be better served by figuring out how to put a mechanical disk brake in the rear.

 

[ddk]

The Trailmate front fork is likely 123mm, which becomes an issue for some motor hubs as they are mostly designed around 100mm dropouts.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Motors can be had with wider axles to support the use of band brakes and will fit the trikes' dropouts. This can be effective if the motor assists the band brake. (EBS)

Motor braking is an effective brake for older adults. Think: power brakes in a 1970s Oldsmobile LOL.
Regen used as a brake is NOT motor braking, as it will fail to completely stop the bike. Either method, regen or electronic brakes requires supplemental mechanical brakes*.
BUT... The forces created by motor brakes is significantly larger than what (most) bicycle dropout are designed for. (never anticipated)
-The fork dropouts of mom's trike is likely fashioned by flattening the tube ends and imo requires additional strengthening because otherwise they will fail or fracture with motor brakes. It's happened on two of my trikes with similar fork construction.

*Due to the age of the rider I'd suggest good disc brakes for mechanical leverage applied to the rear live axle. SO...

You need to measure the rear axle.
It should be 15mm by the looks of your photos.
If 15mm:
you can use the same Sun parts as your ESX for mounting disc brakes and are readily available online, or the LBS
If 5/8":
5/8" trike axles have generally been replaced by 15mm. If 5/8" you can adapt go-kart brake parts, industrial trike parts from manufacturers such as Workmans, and Lowrider trike parts.



small note about the hip thingy:
if you've yet to do so
you should get mom checked for metal poisoning.
... as suggested by some internetz stranger somewhat familiar with similar issues. (me)

 

[RonS]

Hello all,
didn't want anyone to think I fell off the planet, it's just that sometimes "daily-life" gets in the way of our projects.
Been crazy busy, but have been still working towards the goal of motorizeing Mom's Joyrider.

I've searched the web so much for info, that I think my fingers are numb.
I've been to a few bike shops to get their take on the project too.

(side note- it's amazing what the attitude of some of these places is !)
holy cow ! try to walk in and say "I'd like to buy some trike parts", and it's like you pizzed in their cheerio"s !
One guy said "We wont sell the parts, and if you want them, just drop the bike off, we"ll "Engineer" it our way at $55 per hour"...

anyway, back on track here, I did talk to one shop owner who was Very helpful, courteous, and plesant. so I'd like to give a shout-out to Richard of Richards Cyclery in Garden Grove. Nice guy, very helpful, and will get all of my business in the future, just because he took the time to talk and actually showed an intrest in what I am trying to build for my Mom.

SOOoooo,.... I have now ordered the single speed coaster brake hub and once it gets here, and installed,... I will be moving forward with the hub motor conversion.
Will keep you all posted as it progresses, and THANK YOU ALL so much for helping on this.
Cheers,
Ron

 

[The fingers]

I use Richards too, the only local bike shop that is ebike friendly that I've come across. They can get pretty busy on Saturday though.

 

[dnmun]

you should put in your order for a lifepo4 pack with the sun-thing guy on ebay since it takes 6 weeks to arrive for free shipping by surface freight.

 

[RonS]

GRrrr,....

Just got an email from Trailmate saying that the coaster brake hub kit, (which they ORIGINALLY said would be complete WITH the front sprocket), will need to have an additional fixed/solid sprocket, and that will cost an additional $30 bucks.
So now, it's costing $160 bucks, just to get the Joyrider fitted with a simple rear coaster brake,... BEFORE I can even get started with the hub motor mod.
Of course,... I said OK, add it to the order so we can get this project going.

GRrrr.... just had to vent I guess.
Almost feels like a "bait and switch".

Moving on,...
will look into the hub motor kit some more now, and see if I can get that ordered in the next day or two.
ddk raised the question of fork width, and the possibility that some hub motor kits may not fit.
I think it will be a good idea, when I get home tonight, to pull the front wheel off and measure the fork width, 100mm vs. 123mm (or ?), to verify the hub motor will fit correctly.

mom has been going for nightly rides lately with her friend who rides a electric mobility scooter.
She is enjoying the rides but does complain a bit about being tired or a little sore afterwards.

(and before anyone asks...)
Yes, I had previously asked her if she would like to have a mobility scooter similar to her friends, to which she said "no thanks, I don't need one of those things".
(that is kind of the reason I am going into this project in the first place )

 

[LewTwo]

Hmmmmmm ...
The trike coaster brake kit on Amazon must be missing a lot of pieces parts:
http://www.amazon.com/Conversion-Coaster-Chrome-bicycle-lowrider/dp/B00GYC7ZGA