Tom's BEAST

Awesome build. Some how I missed this thread entirely.

I really wanted a FS bike but the chainline issues you dealt with is exactly what I feared. I am happy to see your solution working out for you.

I agree with you on the twist throttle. the Maguras are great for a street bike, but make controlling off road dificult. What I found worked best for me on my 3220 mountain bike http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=16705&p=244317#p244317 is a finger throttle made by Bladez. They can be tough to find and before ordering from a store call and ensure they actually have them in stock. I am pretty sure they are no longer in production. This store is showing as having it http://49ccmotorscooter.com/product_info.php/bladez-throttle-lever-p-3040

I am looking forward to more videos!
 
Cheers Drewjet - I've just ordered some thumb adaptors from Matt Shumaker so I can use the throttle by twisting thumb only. Grip gets cut down.
I like the magura as it doesn't fail to WOT and seems to have a good reliability repuation.

Cool build by the way!

On an aside, this was posted on www.pedelecs.co.uk and I've had 4 pages of replies since this morning... :eek:

There are some choice replies in there, most people finding it interesting, some belt-and-braces types with some quite amusing responses.
 
Great vids, updates, and batt box! :D

It really seems to get up and go lostrack!

I can't find your bike post in that link? Where is it?

Later,
Jay
 
Most of them are concerned with using everything within the legal limits...or to be shunned by the rest of the community!

Glad it's not like that over here...

Here's the link

http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/11369-toms-beast-9-000-watt-dh-bike.html
 
OMG that is 15 minutes of my life that i can never get back. Why did i follow that link to the other stupid ebike site with all the goodie goodies on it.

I luv you ES community.

Scruff
 
Lol, your brave, posting on that site. They almost lynched me a few years back when I showed my KMX - think they even deleted the post so no one else would try to make one..
 
Ha ha yes

You were brave matey :p there are quite a few trouser clip wearing guardian readers over there that for sure look down the side of their monocle at folks that dare even run 300W! heavens above 300W, the hilarious thing is pretty much every so called legal ebike kit and controller can be stalled and made so that the peak and or continuous power will exceed 250W ha ha its quite amusing.

The points about riding fast or riding at all on pavements though are valid,I have never been a fan of that and I have 2 little kids too so am more aware of it, I do ride on paths sometimes but do so very slowly and pretty much slow to walking pace if i pass anyone.

Your bike is a great tool, I hope that you get the throttle issue sorted out, it was always the problem with Deecs bike and thats what threw him over the bars on the infamous video that we did a couple of years ago (crikey doesnt time fly) so I do understand, even with the thumb throttle it was a twitchfest.

There are a few things that you can do to help stay on the right side of the law if you get stopped, I use inline potentiometers so I can dial down the amp limit and make the bike totally anaemic and road legal and of course this is how I ride it on the road anyway ahem cough, and then wind the pot up when I am on private land.

Hope you get the throttle gremlins sorted out soon.

Knoxie
 
Hey man just read this thread, Wicked build! 8) Choosing to go RC on a Downhill bike was a very brave move but at least you reap the benefits or mass centralisation. My Giant DH with a HT35 hub feels really heavy and weird with all the weight in the back wheel. hopefully once I've got my full pack on the frame it should bring back the balance a little but I'm sure it won’t be anywhere near as good as yours for jumping and the like.

I second what you say about the throttle controlling speed not power, I've had a few friends throw themselves off the back of the bike because they’re not expecting nothing nothing nothing... Max power. Ideally I'd like the throttle to control the ampage and regen so It could simulate engine braking when you close the throttle.

I like the temp monitors where did you get them?
 
RichiePA said:
Hey man just read this thread, Wicked build! 8) Choosing to go RC on a Downhill bike was a very brave move but at least you reap the benefits or mass centralisation. My Giant DH with a HT35 hub feels really heavy and weird with all the weight in the back wheel. hopefully once I've got my full pack on the frame it should bring back the balance a little but I'm sure it won’t be anywhere near as good as yours for jumping and the like.

I second what you say about the throttle controlling speed not power, I've had a few friends throw themselves off the back of the bike because they’re not expecting nothing nothing nothing... Max power. Ideally I'd like the throttle to control the ampage and regen so It could simulate engine braking when you close the throttle.

I like the temp monitors where did you get them?
Click to expand...

Hey man, thanks!

Temp gauges were from eBay. Try and get them from a local seller to avoid greenhouse emissions unnecessarily, they sell these everywhere.

They run on +5V, backlit, and have waterproof gauges which go to 100'C.
Perfect! (and £5.50 now)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230707700076&ssPageName=ADME:L:OU:GB:1123

Oh, and I just installed the temp gauge with some silicon 250'C sealant on the motor windings. Wasn't as hard as I'd thought.

I had to drill a hole in the 3220 (!) and add a waterproofing grommet, so had a few practice runs on spare aluminium before going for it.

I set up a vaccuum cleaner on the drill bit, and some sticky tape on the stator magnets, pointing backwards, to catch any flying pieces of metal before they got sucked onto the stator.

This 3220 is so small! I'm shocked by the power of the magnets though, they're nuts.

drilling.jpg drilling with vaccuum
View attachment 1 gluing
held in by a match.jpg match holding pressure with the windings
end termination ok.jpg - as some people have had shorted end terminations, I checked this - it was fine. Thankfully!
 
Can anyone with RC CA experience chip in?

I checked the wiring from a few forum posts and my assumptions were wrong re: the cable colourings on the Magura. Everything is now plumbed in correctly.

I have made a few measurements as it occasionally jumps into life (when I short something on the board when probing voltages) but not on the throttle yet. Here are my readings

5v = 4.94v

4.03v is float between the 5v and the throttle measured from the points in the board.

0.89v is between ground and wiper when throttle in stop position.

4.93 between ground and wiper when throttle fully pulled back.

(4.04v throttle range)

My Aux thresh is set to 0.87, is this correct? All other settings follow the posts from the RC CA thread.

Thanks for your help!
 
Any weird beeps or flashes from the hv160? Your aux thresh should be set higher than the v at the throttle stop position.

You measured 0.89?? So just set it for 0.95, that way you will know its not the issue. I think from memory the hv160 will flash red constantly or fail to arm at all.

Hope that's all that's wrong


Rodger
 
rodgah said:
Any weird beeps or flashes from the hv160? Your aux thresh should be set higher than the v at the throttle stop position.
Click to expand...

Yes - I was getting the arming tone like, 3 times, and then 5 beeps and constant red flashing. Not good times!

These things always start like a 15 minute job in my head, and evolve into 2 day epics. Ahh, learning curve, you sly dog.
 
RC CA firing up now, seems to work. I'll take it out for a test.

I plugged in the Hyperion charger today - is it me or does one cell look like it has high internal resistance?

Is this going to be OK - just need balancing more often?

Is it safe?

I will cry if I have to take the battery box apart again

charge.jpg



*edit* - I think I was reading 'output current' as a cell. thank f**k for that. Still not holding its balance like the last pack though
 
Cool, got it working. Had to reset my CC HV160, then it jumped into life.

started on 30 amps, nice, no acceleration.
50 amps, same
100 amps, bit more, no wheelies
250 amps, it's fun now. Same power potential as the servo teser. Just as twitchy to start.

There's much more resolution, and you can tune the throttle response.

RC Cycle analyst is cool - it's helpful having it interact with statistics such as current draw. I went for a 250watt ride/pedal home, it barely made a difference. The legal system should measure 250watt output at the wheel, rather than current draw.

It's much easier to wheelie on the RC CA - it feels more natural. It's no less twitchy or aggressive to ride though. I guess that's what you get without complex throttle modelling. Bring on CA v3.

Just waiting on the thumb throttle from Matt Shumaker and I think it will make things easier to handle. You still get arm pump. After that - I don't know what. I can start making it look prettier, but I can't really be arsed. It works. It's heavy - but shaving grams off won't make a difference when you have 10KG of lipo.

Top speed is fine in the woods, in a straight line it's not much - but I can't ride on the roads anyway, so not bothered about that.

Well, a landmark I guess!
 
Not changing much really, just riding it.

Chest mount vid helps to show how much you have to hang on to this thing!

[youtube]twedZbpXRWI[/youtube]
 
RichiePA said:
Hey man just read this thread, Wicked build! 8) Choosing to go RC on a Downhill bike was a very brave move but at least you reap the benefits or mass centralisation. My Giant DH with a HT35 hub feels really heavy and weird with all the weight in the back wheel. hopefully once I've got my full pack on the frame it should bring back the balance a little but I'm sure it won’t be anywhere near as good as yours for jumping and the like.

I second what you say about the throttle controlling speed not power, I've had a few friends throw themselves off the back of the bike because they’re not expecting nothing nothing nothing... Max power. Ideally I'd like the throttle to control the ampage and regen so It could simulate engine braking when you close the throttle.

I like the temp monitors where did you get them?
Click to expand...


+1. my aline is fun, but lacks the excitement that having a balanced bike and good rear suspension would bring...

how much power are you running normally (ie in your last vid)? that looks like the kind of acceleration I want! :twisted: still 70km top speed? and whats the weight of the bike now? Love the build mate. Cant wait to do similar with my own FS bikes, though I'll have to settle for 80100's, which I'm sure will ruin the experience completely :wink: .
 
sn0wchyld said:
RichiePA said:
Hey man just read this thread, Wicked build! 8) Choosing to go RC on a Downhill bike was a very brave move but at least you reap the benefits or mass centralisation. My Giant DH with a HT35 hub feels really heavy and weird with all the weight in the back wheel. hopefully once I've got my full pack on the frame it should bring back the balance a little but I'm sure it won’t be anywhere near as good as yours for jumping and the like.

I second what you say about the throttle controlling speed not power, I've had a few friends throw themselves off the back of the bike because they’re not expecting nothing nothing nothing... Max power. Ideally I'd like the throttle to control the ampage and regen so It could simulate engine braking when you close the throttle.

I like the temp monitors where did you get them?
Click to expand...


+1. my aline is fun, but lacks the excitement that having a balanced bike and good rear suspension would bring...

how much power are you running normally (ie in your last vid)? that looks like the kind of acceleration I want! :twisted: still 70km top speed? and whats the weight of the bike now? Love the build mate. Cant wait to do similar with my own FS bikes, though I'll have to settle for 80100's, which I'm sure will ruin the experience completely :wink: .
Click to expand...

Hey man,

I'm running about 100 amps (4.5kw) in that video. It heats up the motor less (you can ride for longer) and doesn't rip you off the bike as easily. Just as easy to wheelie, this way you change your weight distribution to help it, rather than just pulling the throttle.

Top speed is still the same, the gearing at the moment is so low that it could get up to top speed on 1/5th of the power (probably). Lots of acceleration

At the moment it's in the shed for a month as it's been too much of a distraction from work and I was getting addicted to this forum. It's so easy to get sucked in :)

It's about what you do more than what you have! Enjoy the Aline:)
 
Came back to the bike and 3 cells, paralleled 3 times (ie 3 whole packs) now have dead readings.

I'm not going to try and rescue them, as I don't think I could ever trust them again.

In the bin they go.

Anyway, I'm interested in buying a pre-made pack.

Two output cables, and two Hyperion balance cables. That's it.

Does anyone offer this service?

thanks

Tom
 
So Endless Sphere...long time!

The bike was sitting, with dead cell batteries for several months, and a forum member Matt 'idontwanttopedal' has kindly offered to take a look at it, while helping his build, get it up and running and have some fun on it when it's all fixed. As he's much faster and more confident than me on the electronics side, I am sure he will take this in his stride.

I haven't had much time/inclination to spend on the fixing the bike as it was affecting my work/life balance, so I'm totally pleased Matt's offered to help. I'm really excited thinking it's going to be up and running again...and better than before.

Cheers Matt!

Watch this space!

Tom
 
I miss riding this thing.

Here's a video I took a few months ago. The power was dialled down to 100 amps and ran cooler, went for longer, and was generally more fun (wheelies not flips).


[youtube]JxFhQ45t0LU[/youtube]

*video replaced with sound*
 
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