Frugal and Energy Efficient Living

Fumesucker

(45,851 posts) Wed Mar 6, 2013, 03:17 PM Mar 2013

My new(ish) electric grocery getter

About three months ago I got this electric assisted folding bicycle off Craigslist for a very nice price, it had been painted flat black in an effort I think to make it less likely to be stolen since I got it from a rather bohemian area.

The seller told me it was "a couple" of years old but I found a 2008 date on it when I was checking out some of the parts after I got it home.

The 36V 10Ah lithium battery being that old is missing some of the original zip but still works to a decent extent, particularly when fresh off the charger. I've found that the bike will run about 12 mph on the no wind dead level without pedaling, I can pedal it to maybe 14 mph on the level but even in the highest of the six gears that's about as fast as I can comfortably spin. Pedaling really is necessary up anything other than a very slight incline but the bike makes you feel at least twice as strong as you are as long as you keep it moving at a decent clip, hills that are real leg burners to get up without assistance I can top without even breathing hard. Range under my conditions, biggish guy with trailer full of groceries pedaling moderately on everything but downhill seems to be about 12 miles, enough for me to get to the store and back and have a little reserve.

Handling is a bit twitchy, I wouldn't want to go much faster than it already will, rear brake is pathetic but the front brake is pretty decent.

7 replies

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My new(ish) electric grocery getter (Original Post) Fumesucker Mar 2013 OP

I'm jealous. rrneck Mar 2013 #1

I have about 500 feet of climb in 9 miles to the store and back, net change only 6 feet Fumesucker Mar 2013 #2

Cool ride! pengillian101 Mar 2013 #3

With that battery weight, studded tires, ConcernedCanuk Mar 2013 #4

Information? - make/model/price etc. ConcernedCanuk Mar 2013 #5

I have no idea of the make or model since it was painted over and I didn't get any paperwork Fumesucker Mar 2013 #6

They're very popular in Austin TexasBushwhacker Mar 2013 #7

rrneck

(17,671 posts)

1. I'm jealous.

Reply to Fumesucker (Original post)

Wed Mar 6, 2013, 03:28 PM

Mar 2013

I've got a fifteen mile commute to town with a twenty five hundred foot elevation change.

Fumesucker

(45,851 posts)

2. I have about 500 feet of climb in 9 miles to the store and back, net change only 6 feet

Reply to rrneck (Reply #1)

Wed Mar 6, 2013, 04:22 PM

Mar 2013

You would need a good bit more battery than I have, probably double at least.

pengillian101

(2,351 posts)

3. Cool ride!

Reply to Fumesucker (Original post)

Wed Mar 6, 2013, 05:53 PM

Mar 2013

What a nice setup

ConcernedCanuk

(13,509 posts)

4. With that battery weight, studded tires,

Reply to Fumesucker (Original post)

Sat Mar 9, 2013, 10:51 PM

Mar 2013

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that bike would be pretty good on ice or light snow!

oh yeah you can get studded tires for pedal bikes.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=studded%20tires%20for%20bicycles&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US fficial&client=firefox-a

ConcernedCanuk

(13,509 posts)

5. Information? - make/model/price etc.

Reply to Fumesucker (Original post)

Sun Mar 10, 2013, 02:52 PM

Mar 2013

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or just a link or two where I can find out for myself??

Thanks

Fumesucker

(45,851 posts)

6. I have no idea of the make or model since it was painted over and I didn't get any paperwork

Reply to ConcernedCanuk (Reply #5)

Mon Mar 11, 2013, 06:01 AM

Mar 2013

I can give you a few guidelines though and a few links as well.

If you get an e-bike direct from China you need to be somewhat handy and knowledgeable about bikes in general because assembly is usually rather haphazard even if the parts are decent.

I would definitely go with a 36V motor-battery setup, 24V systems just don't have the grunt that the higher voltage units do (all else being equal).

It wouldn't surprise me if a front motor would be better for your situation (ice, snow, studded tires) because you will be pedaling the rear wheel while the front is motorized which gives you two wheel drive. I also think in your situation that 26" wheels might be better than 20", larger wheels would tend to work better in low traction situation than smaller ones. The last link to Ebay has a 26" wheel folding e-bike, reading the entire listing on that bike will tell you more than I have time to relate here and the text seems to be fairly accurate, particularly about most of the e-bikes for sale being inexpensive machines with an e-kit installed that are selling for two or three times the cost in parts.

Prodeco seems to make some of the nicer affordable e-bikes out there and since they are a US company communications/parts/service are at least possible, in my experience Chinese companies are really bad at those things but I'm very handy and don't need as much support as the great majority of people.

If you have any more questions I'll be happy to try and answer.

http://www.sportinggoodscentral.com/products/view.aspx?sku=9917354&af=1727&cse=1727&gclid=CMCSkJi19LUCFQo3nAodyAgApw

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_11151_10001_1024708_-1?ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=1024708&cid=sc_googlepla&gclid=CIj43oa79LUCFQnNnAodE2UAvA#.UT2yx9a-o6w

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_11151_10001_1288650_-1?cid=chanintel_google&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=1288650#.UT2zUta-o6w

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Prodeco-Technologies-2012-STRIDE-36V-250W-6A-LiFEPO4-Electric-Bicycle-Bike-eBike-/271075265757#vi-content

TexasBushwhacker

(20,672 posts)

7. They're very popular in Austin

Reply to Fumesucker (Original post)

Mon Mar 18, 2013, 12:41 AM

Mar 2013

Even if you're in good shape, the hills can be a bitch. The electric bikes give you a little boost of power that makes it a lot easier, especially if you have bad knees like me.

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