Britain's greatest invention: The bike? - Page 7 - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

12-03-2004, 02:43 PM

On Fri, 03 Dec 2004 21:36:11 +0000, Just zis Guy, you know? <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>
wrote:

> On Fri, 03 Dec 2004 12:23:27 -0800, Bill Baka <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote
> in message <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].com>:
>
>> I was thinking of charging going down those sometimes tedious
>> long slow downhills, and to some extent braking duty coming
>> up to a known slow down point. Putting enough charge in the
>> it could be used for something else, not a whole electric mo-ped.
>> Just an idea.
>
> I think the real utility here will come when we can get decent
> conversion efficiency with rechargeable batteries and that will let me
> charge my headtorch battery on the morning commute (when I don't need
> it). The chances of getting enough power out of a bike-driven
> generator to push the bike along? Low at present, for my money.

Guy,
Charging a set of batteries for night time commuting should be next to
nothing. Regen braking, charging while coasting down to a stop sign, and
stuff like that should do it for lights. Pushing the bike might mean
plugging it in at night or putting <really geeky> solar cells on it to get
any tractive power, but it was just a stray thought.
Bill
>
> Guy
> --
> "then came ye chavves, theyre cartes girded wyth candels
> blue, and theyre beastes wyth straynge horn-lyke thyngs
> onn theyre arses that theyre fartes be herde from myles
> around." Chaucer, the Sheppey Tales

--
Bill (?) Baka

12-19-2004, 05:02 PM

What is the best electric bicycle sold today?

Oddly enough, for most people, the answer is likely to be an ebike
made, not in China or Taiwan, but in Montreal albeit with many offshore
parts. The EPS "Smart-E" electric bike, from Quebec.

Here's my 2-cents' worth comparison chart, as of December 2004,
comparing bikes that I have either owned, or used: Lash Out, Currie,
Smart-E, Wavecrest Tidalforce M-750

LASH-OUT 2003 CURRIE SMART-E M-750

Approx. lbs. 70 75
45 70
Top Speed KPH 33 30 31
33
Range KM 20 20
30 20
Brushless motor? Y N
Y Y
Hub motor? N N
Y Y
Battery type SLA SLA
NiMH NiMH
Durability in rain Fair Fair
VG NA
Regen braking? N N
Y Y
Hi/Lo power mode? N N
Y Y
Power by Throttle ? Y Y
Opt. Y
Pedalling Req'd? N N
Y N

Discussion and analysis: Today, most electric bike builders agree that
"direct drive hub motors" are more durable, less finicky than those
(e.g. Lash Out) with external motors that require belts or chains.
However, a brushless hub motor will not require periodic internal
cleaning (during which you could crush your fingers, imho) like
"brushed" hub motors.

Too bad the EPS Smart-E electric bike doesn't get mentioned in electric
vehicle reviews because it deserves at least one consumer test, or
review.

I didn't include other electric motorbikes sold that I haven't owned
nor tried extensively, which include: Giant-LaFree, Iaccoca's E-Bike
(Global-EV's EBike?), Crave, Charger, Merida (out of production?), or
the 20+ brands/models of Chinese "Motorino" Vespa-with-pedals ebikes
from Greenwit.com)

For others, a D-I-Y ebike may be better. Look at the electric bikes
made by smart students at [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] which seem to outperform
store-bought models. And, you may even be able to power the bike with
supercapacitors or ultracapacitors.

12-19-2004, 05:02 PM

What is the best electric bicycle sold today?

Oddly enough, for most people, the answer is likely to be an ebike
made, not in China or Taiwan, but in Montreal albeit with many offshore
parts. The EPS "Smart-E" electric bike, from Quebec.

Here's my 2-cents' worth comparison chart, as of December 2004,
comparing bikes that I have either owned, or used: Lash Out, Currie,
Smart-E, Wavecrest Tidalforce M-750

LASH-OUT 2003 CURRIE SMART-E M-750

Approx. lbs. 70 75
45 70
Top Speed KPH 33 30 31
33
Range KM 20 20
30 20
Brushless motor? Y N
Y Y
Hub motor? N N
Y Y
Battery type SLA SLA
NiMH NiMH
Durability in rain Fair Fair
VG NA
Regen braking? N N
Y Y
Hi/Lo power mode? N N
Y Y
Power by Throttle ? Y Y
Opt. Y
Pedalling Req'd? N N
Y N

Discussion and analysis: Today, most electric bike builders agree that
"direct drive hub motors" are more durable, less finicky than those
(e.g. Lash Out) with external motors that require belts or chains.
However, a brushless hub motor will not require periodic internal
cleaning (during which you could crush your fingers, imho) like
"brushed" hub motors.

Too bad the EPS Smart-E electric bike doesn't get mentioned in electric
vehicle reviews because it deserves at least one consumer test, or
review.

I didn't include other electric motorbikes sold that I haven't owned
nor tried extensively, which include: Giant-LaFree, Iaccoca's E-Bike
(Global-EV's EBike?), Crave, Charger, Merida (out of production?), or
the 20+ brands/models of Chinese "Motorino" Vespa-with-pedals ebikes
from Greenwit.com)

For others, a D-I-Y ebike may be better. Look at the electric bikes
made by smart students at [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] which seem to outperform
store-bought models. And, you may even be able to power the bike with
supercapacitors or ultracapacitors.

12-19-2004, 05:02 PM

What is the best electric bicycle sold today?

Oddly enough, for most people, the answer is likely to be an ebike
made, not in China or Taiwan, but in Montreal albeit with many offshore
parts. The EPS "Smart-E" electric bike, from Quebec.

Here's my 2-cents' worth comparison chart, as of December 2004,
comparing bikes that I have either owned, or used: Lash Out, Currie,
Smart-E, Wavecrest Tidalforce M-750

LASH-OUT 2003 CURRIE SMART-E M-750

Approx. lbs. 70 75
45 70
Top Speed KPH 33 30 31
33
Range KM 20 20
30 20
Brushless motor? Y N
Y Y
Hub motor? N N
Y Y
Battery type SLA SLA
NiMH NiMH
Durability in rain Fair Fair
VG NA
Regen braking? N N
Y Y
Hi/Lo power mode? N N
Y Y
Power by Throttle ? Y Y
Opt. Y
Pedalling Req'd? N N
Y N

Discussion and analysis: Today, most electric bike builders agree that
"direct drive hub motors" are more durable, less finicky than those
(e.g. Lash Out) with external motors that require belts or chains.
However, a brushless hub motor will not require periodic internal
cleaning (during which you could crush your fingers, imho) like
"brushed" hub motors.

Too bad the EPS Smart-E electric bike doesn't get mentioned in electric
vehicle reviews because it deserves at least one consumer test, or
review.

I didn't include other electric motorbikes sold that I haven't owned
nor tried extensively, which include: Giant-LaFree, Iaccoca's E-Bike
(Global-EV's EBike?), Crave, Charger, Merida (out of production?), or
the 20+ brands/models of Chinese "Motorino" Vespa-with-pedals ebikes
from Greenwit.com)

For others, a D-I-Y ebike may be better. Look at the electric bikes
made by smart students at [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] which seem to outperform
store-bought models. And, you may even be able to power the bike with
supercapacitors or ultracapacitors.

12-19-2004, 05:02 PM

What is the best electric bicycle sold today?

Oddly enough, for most people, the answer is likely to be an ebike
made, not in China or Taiwan, but in Montreal albeit with many offshore
parts. The EPS "Smart-E" electric bike, from Quebec.

Here's my 2-cents' worth comparison chart, as of December 2004,
comparing bikes that I have either owned, or used: Lash Out, Currie,
Smart-E, Wavecrest Tidalforce M-750

LASH-OUT 2003 CURRIE SMART-E M-750

Approx. lbs. 70 75
45 70
Top Speed KPH 33 30 31
33
Range KM 20 20
30 20
Brushless motor? Y N
Y Y
Hub motor? N N
Y Y
Battery type SLA SLA
NiMH NiMH
Durability in rain Fair Fair
VG NA
Regen braking? N N
Y Y
Hi/Lo power mode? N N
Y Y
Power by Throttle ? Y Y
Opt. Y
Pedalling Req'd? N N
Y N

Discussion and analysis: Today, most electric bike builders agree that
"direct drive hub motors" are more durable, less finicky than those
(e.g. Lash Out) with external motors that require belts or chains.
However, a brushless hub motor will not require periodic internal
cleaning (during which you could crush your fingers, imho) like
"brushed" hub motors.

Too bad the EPS Smart-E electric bike doesn't get mentioned in electric
vehicle reviews because it deserves at least one consumer test, or
review.

I didn't include other electric motorbikes sold that I haven't owned
nor tried extensively, which include: Giant-LaFree, Iaccoca's E-Bike
(Global-EV's EBike?), Crave, Charger, Merida (out of production?), or
the 20+ brands/models of Chinese "Motorino" Vespa-with-pedals ebikes
from Greenwit.com)

For others, a D-I-Y ebike may be better. Look at the electric bikes
made by smart students at [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] which seem to outperform
store-bought models. And, you may even be able to power the bike with
supercapacitors or ultracapacitors.