Please recommend a bicycle to add a motor to...

[Link]

Back to the subject of racks. Bear in mind that if you put the rack on the rear swingarm, it's sprung weight. I'm no expert on the handling effects of this, but this I know. I want my expensive as hell battery on the part of the bike that doesn't bounce around all day. Maybe it's not that fragile, but I do like the idea of the battery on the frame somewhere, where the shocks do some good to cushion it when I get airborne. I carry a 15 pound lifepo4 on a good seatpost rack and have no problems with it whatsoever after 1400 miles. there are about 15 water channels built into my bike trail route that become jumps when you hit em at 30 mph so it's not like I baby it. I doubt I could carry much more weight than 15 pounds, like if I tried to put sla's back there, but for a 15 pound lithium its ok so far. That small a weight, I barely feel it at all.

Unsprung weight. Not supported through the spring = unsprung. :wink: And, yes, that wouldn't be good for a fast ebike with even a relatively light pack. Just too much strain over a hard bump.

If you don't mind having no rear suspension, a Rans dynamik pro is a good base bike. Ride is comfy and no need to dismount and remount at traffic lights, etc. Mount all the batts in the center frame, controller in a rear rack or behind the crank.

I don't like mounting batteries in a seatpost rack, even on a rear swingarm arm rack unless you like performing in a circus and turning your rear into a wiggle stick - like the battery mounting in the "High-Power?" Cycles bike .

That IS a nice bike. I'm afraid to ask how much it costs.

As a guy with like 45lbs of batteries and motor on the back of his bike, I can say it's really not THAT bad. Yeah, I'm sure DocB's pseudo-motorcycle handles way better than mine and I wouldn't want to try racing it around a twisty track, but you shouldn't have issue with it after you've ridden it for a while.

Still, if at all possible, get the batteries into the frame. It's just a better way to mount them. Period.

 

[Miles]

If you don't mind having no rear suspension, a Rans dynamik pro is a good base bike. Ride is comfy and no need to dismount and remount at traffic lights, etc. Mount all the batts in the center frame, controller in a rear rack or behind the crank.

Yes, I've always thought the Rans crank-forward bikes had great conversion potential - loads of room for a motor behind the seatpost...

Also the mini-velo type bikes:

 

[dogman dan]

Thanx for the correction Link, one of the things I love about the forum is the way you can't get away with posting something wrong. And I am wrong plenty, but then learn from it.

That is one sweet way to mount the battery Shinyballs, but I doubt it would fit that way for a 20ah 48v pack. I still want to see more bike frames on the market that have a back rack that is built right into the frame, and some nice steel dropouts on a good suspension fork. This stuff will come in time, but for us earlyish adopters, we just have to Mcguyver what we can. There are frames out there with a 10ah pack space behind the tube from the seat to the crank, but I don't know if 20 ah would fit there or not.

 

[Jerome Daoust]

Thanks for all the good ideas guys.

If you don't mind having no rear suspension...

Absolutely gotta have front and rear plush suspension.

 

[Jerome Daoust]

I tried a Cadillac AM2.4 today and I liked it: Plush suspension with ample travel and works well with my bike rack (top clamp not a problem as it meets only with loose cables)

Normal Retail is $1599.99. The Sale price is $899.99 .

 

[dogman dan]

They do make a cadilac with good mileage. 10 mpb, miles per burrito.

 

[shinyballs]

I tried a Cadillac AM2.4 today and I liked it: Plush suspension with ample travel and works well with my bike rack (top clamp not a problem as it meets only with loose cables)

Nice! much lighter than the old model...

 

[dogman dan]

Holy smokes where do you guys find this stuff! Now that has style!

 

[recumbent]

Although that cadillac body, cleverly fit over the bike frame is a little over the top, I like it.

If made from carbon fiber, lined with sound proofing foam, molded (lockable) trunk covers, and front clear fairing, this might be the look of bikes in the future. Made more streamlined, of course. Or not

 

[johnrobholmes]

Think about riding that full bodied bike with a few horsepower underneath it! Would be a bear with a crosswind, but I bet you could make it pretty fast and comfy!

 

[nicobie]

That Cadillac sure looks nice.

Most hub motors don't have room for disc brakes so I'd make sure it has tabs for V brakes if you plan to run a rear motor. With a front motor you can always change out the forks to ones that have the tabs.

Nick

 

[Jerome Daoust]

That Cadillac sure looks nice.
Most hub motors don't have room for disc brakes so I'd make sure it has tabs for V brakes if you plan to run a rear motor. With a front motor you can always change out the forks to ones that have the tabs.
Nick

Hi Nick,
The one I rode on Sunday had the new BMC 600 W motor in the rear wheel, and there was a disk brake (and also in the front). Similar to the attached picture taken from Hi-Power Cycles. Not sure if the disk brake was from the bike or came along with the motor, but it braked nicely. Before riding it, I anticipated to be underwhelmed by non-hydraulic disc brakes, but was pleasently surprised by the feel and control of these cable-operated disk brakes. If one was using the bike for downhill racing, then hydraulic disk brake would probably be justified.

 

[Tom]

You might want to look into the Fantom DS series from bikesdirect. Similar frame, but may have better components than the Cadillac bike you are considering. It looks like the Comp DS has hydraulic brakes and is under a grand including shipping. I ended up going with a 700DS as I got a good deal on ebay for under $500 but I probably would have sprung for the Comp DS if it had been available at the time.

Motobecane 2008 Fantom Trail DS Mountain Bike - $799.95

Motobecane 2009 Fantom Comp DS Mountain Bike - $999.95

 

[nicobie]

Hi Jerome,

Thanks for the info on the new 600watt BMC rear hub motor. I am thinking about buying one of them once the smoke clears and we get a few more reviews . It's good to know that a disc will fit. That pretty much makes up my mind.

Nick

 

[Jerome Daoust]

Hi Jerome,
Thanks for the info on the new 600watt BMC rear hub motor. I am thinking about buying one of them once the smoke clears and we get a few more reviews . It's good to know that a disc will fit. That pretty much makes up my mind.
Nick

Hi Nick,
I have that setup (Cadillac AM2.4 + new BMC 600 W + 20 Ah 51.2 V LiFePo4) on order and will write a review with my experience when I get it and start putting miles on the bike.

 

[Cackalacka]

I realize this doesn't meet about 4 of your conditions, but I've found that modifying the Raleigh Venture series bike extraordinarily versitile in applying a motor/batteries to. This thing has threaded holes all over the place and practically screams: mod me.

 

[totals]

I have always been a fan of Norco. You would not be disappointed by any of these:
http://www.norco.com/bikes/mountain/all-mountain/

Rory

 

[Toshi]

I've put a bit of thought into the subject of the proper platform for electrifying, and here's what I've concluded:

1) You must decide whether you want a motorcycle or a bicycle.

2) If you want a motorcycle then it doesn't make sense to be hobbled by a bicycle's platform, what with the disadvantages of hub motors' unsprung weight and the difficulty in mounting adequate battery capacity in a central location. Although some like the Aussie (iridebikes? I think) have made a good stab at it, the downhill-frame-with-huge-hub-motor concept just doesn't make sense to me. Plus such machines aren't technically legal in most locales.

3) If you're going to have a bicycle then make it a bicycle: ie, 4-series Crystalyte class motors so as to not weigh the bike down insanely and to limit you to speeds low enough such that air resistance doesn't mandate the use of a ginormous 1 kWh pack. I'd either go with a hardtail with just front suspension if going with a rear hub motor or a fully rigid bike with a steel fork with torque arms and a front hub motor, as I did. See the thread in my sig for details. (I also chose to use a Nexus internally geared hub but that's up to preference.)

4) Like I mentioned battery mounting is a huge headache. I broke the first rack on my bike, and it wasn't even a seatpost mount! I wouldn't trust those one bit... I ended up with a Tubus Cargo rear rack. Tubular cromo, rated for 80 lbs, highly recommended, available at REI.

Since the below photo I've changed the panniers, upgraded the rack to the Tubus after the old aluminum one failed quite spectacularly, and upgraded the fork to a steel one with welded-on tabs for steel torque arms on both sides:

 

[E-HP]

If the budget is so high, you can consider higher-end bicycle brands, such as spam removed and spam removed , which can basically meet the needs you mentioned above. There are also many styles, just choose according to your needs. Or you can also consider electric scooters, the spam removed I am using is good.

It's interesting that all of the websites you linked have almost the same look a feel. I noticed things like the delivery policies are the same, word for word, for the last three. Almost like their all the same company. m

 

[nicobie]

Yep, it was just spam. Gone now.