I am looking to convert our recumbent tandem trike to an e-trike. It is a hefty brute and it is hard for us to average more than 10 which makes it hard to ride with others. It is currently an 8 speed with a triple in front. I would like to be able to be able to cruise with friends on normal bikes or tandems so looking at 15-20 mph. I am hoping for assisted range in the 35-45 mile ball park. The trike has a 20" rear wheel with drum brakes all around. Combined weight of the 2 of us plus the trike is around 400 pounds. I am not looking to climb mountains with it but I do want to be able to do tours that include some hills like in southern Indiana. Dependability is a big factor for us. We have done 30 miles with the trike on flat rail trails before at a slow and steady pace.
Has anyone converted a tandem? I have been considering either a BBS02 500/750 watt version or a geared rear hub like the Mac 10. Which would be our best option for the kind of load we are dealing with? Is a 52 volt battery the best choice? How many Ah should I be considering? I see some sub $500 units on Luna Cycles in the 13 Ah range but I don't know if that will give us enough range. I am leaning towards the BBS02 right now. If I do go with the BBS02, how small should I go on the chainring? My first thought is to keep it small like a 34 or 36 (with an adapter) I typically shift quite a bit and keep a decently high cadence. The ideal would be to keep at least a double chain ring on, if that is even a possibility with the Bafang. Our budget is in the $1000-$1100 range for a complete system. I have built many bikes from frames and have no problems with the bike side of the build. I am the handyman type and do most of my own home and car repairs. Thanks for any help you can offer!
Has anyone converted a tandem? I have been considering either a BBS02 500/750 watt version or a geared rear hub like the Mac 10. Which would be our best option for the kind of load we are dealing with? Is a 52 volt battery the best choice? How many Ah should I be considering? I see some sub $500 units on Luna Cycles in the 13 Ah range but I don't know if that will give us enough range. I am leaning towards the BBS02 right now. If I do go with the BBS02, how small should I go on the chainring? My first thought is to keep it small like a 34 or 36 (with an adapter) I typically shift quite a bit and keep a decently high cadence. The ideal would be to keep at least a double chain ring on, if that is even a possibility with the Bafang. Our budget is in the $1000-$1100 range for a complete system. I have built many bikes from frames and have no problems with the bike side of the build. I am the handyman type and do most of my own home and car repairs. Thanks for any help you can offer!