
I
like the idea of using gasoline and electric motors, but not if you
MUST have the gasoline to run the electric motors. Best to save the
gasoline to charge the batteries when there is no sunlight. Carry
flexible solar voltaic panels rolled up with a foldable frame work.
I
have been thinking
more about what it would really take for a bike that can be driven
from city to off road mountains. There are at least a couple that
use gasoline, but you can't keep gasoline for very long without it
turning to varnish. [If you know of a way, let me know.]
There
is still a lot of misinformation about lithium-ion batterys out
there. Like “they do not last long” (very wrong, it depends on
how the pack is built.) And a silent “field oriented” controller
will give much better hill climbing power by automating the phase
advance process so that the motor is driven at optimal timing; giving
more thrust when needed.
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=65031&hilit=phaserunner#p976242
To
build a pack that will last longer you must think about what
stresses batteries. Making them run cool is essential; that requires
having a large enough C rate (more cells in parallel). The right way
is to build a pack is to design in much more Amp hours than you
actually need. Like I need twice the amp-hours my pack has just to
get to town and back with out pedaling. And when hauling a total
combined weight of 450lbs or more pedaling is useless. So I need at
least 3 times my packs 700Wh capacity to keep my battery pack cool.
2100Wh and more like 2400kWh, yet even more would make them last even
longer.
Samsung
29E cells are the longest lasting Lithium-ion 18650 cells but a
little unpopular with speed bikers that can't handle any extra
weight. The pack of 240 cells I am working on will be only about 8”
deep by 9”x10”. Lithium Iron Phosphate [LiFePO4] will last even
longer but you will need many more of them to get the Watt hours
needed.
And
if I were to drive up mountains and haul twice the weight, I may
start wishing for gasoline. But good design will solve that problem;
get a medium sized battery at first then after testing the bike fully
loaded with a Cycle Analyst meter to know how many amp-hours-per-mile
is needed, you can build a much larger pack. My largest Watt hours
per mile use per trip was up to 75Wh/m recently, but usually never
goes over 57Wh/m with my smallish 1500w at 52v nominal motor [3000w
at 72 volts]. And you will need more like 6000watts for that much
weight on steep terrain. Get a controller for each motor, with heat
sensor so you don't burnout the Brushless motors. Two motors are
better than one, especial if you must use hub motors set in wheels;
because a wheel is like a higher gear ratio than you can build with a
separate motor. Even if the hub motors can work at a slower speed.
You
will need to calculate as many variables as you can; like what your
lowest gear ratio should be, having two different low ratios would be
a big help. Big 3 to 4” wide motorcycle tires and plenty of rack
room to pack every thing all in one trip. You may need to get off the
logging roads. So a short bike with a heavy duty trailer will be
needed. And flexible roll-up solar panels with charge controller will
be needed.
Knobby
tires are not good for the road because they are nail magnets. I once
got a large nail right through the middle of my MTB tire. But you
will need traction off road. Forget about turning an old bicycle into
one of these vehicles. You need to start from scratch and use
motorcycle tubes and parts. Like stainless steel not aluminum rims
and all airplane steel tubing. Don't build it like some kind of race
machine, heavy duty tubing is needed. And extra low motorcycle gears.
Better to crawl than to burnout your motor. If the tires will not
stand up without air they are not thick enough. The first time I used
my 4 ply front tire, it was flat down to 7.5psi And I did not even
notice it. It was nice soft ride but I was able to go to the food
bank and bring home about 40lbs of food [total combined weight of at
least 400lbs] so a round profile steel belted 4ply would be the
thinnest tire to use. And large spoon shaped tire irons are the best
thing for removal of tires. Don't even try bicycle tire irons.
Improved CycleTruck
Only
a few small tools are needed to build a bicycle [besides a welder]




I
need some one to build a frame that will hold a large battery pack in
the center of the frame so it won't bounce around. But I still need a
usable crank with chain drive and large box rack on the front and
rear. And the rear should have a 16" rim 2.75" to 3"wide
motorcycle tire with 2.25" on the front. The rear rim should be
a steel motorcycle rim, while the front could use an aluminum BMX
rim. Although I am not sure there is any point in using an expensive
bicycle rim. High tech metals seem absurdly over priced unless you
are a weight weeny. And there are too many people brainwashed by the
bicycle industry; resulting in people thinking they should build
cargo bikes with one inch tires to lower the rolling resistance. Even
though they will wear-out 10 times faster than a 4 ply motorcycle
tire. A tire made for large amounts of weight will ride higher on the
tarmac than a tire made for light weight, even at a higher PSI.
converting-off-road-motorcycles-to-electric