Electric Bicycle Video Demonstrations

For anyone interested in buying or building an electric bike, YouTube.com is a gold mine of information. 

Here's what we found in a few minutes of searching.  You will find a link to a video followed by some comments:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h_XPz-GKS4&feature=related

This run was to test ultracaps/supercaps - the 12V 50W solar panel is not able to drive the vehicle at significant velocities, also because it has a 24V motor. First the efficiency of the solar cells has to be doubled at least to become a viable alternative for batteries. A second panel would be an option but it increases the weight by another 7kg and the mounting is not so easy as fort the first panel.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YmgVcd_aAE&feature=related

This is my custom electric bicycle. It's a 26" stretch cruiser with a triple T chopper fork. The engine is a skywhawk 48 volt 600 watt front drive brushless engine. 4 SLA batteries and the controller are located in the rear custom mounted leather saddle bags. The graphics are hand painted by Retna. On the dashboard: Leather grips, throttle with power indicator, dual rearview mirrors, Airzound horn, iPod mount, digital speedometer, brake w/engine kill switch. With all the weight, it tops out at about 21.2 MPH and about a 15-17 mile distance on a charge. I'm planning a NiMH upgrade with 72 volts soon and expect the bike to top 30MPH+

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h_XPz-GKS4&feature=related

On Oct. 22nd 2007, Hyperbike was presented in Vienna at the Forschungsforum chaired by the Austrian Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology. The video features the show bike, where the solar panel charges the supercaps. Measurements have validated that 8 supercaps (EDLC) with only 176 grams are sufficient to accelerate from still stand.  Learn more here: http://www.hyperbike.cc/Vorlage.phtml

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d9qXGf-yiw&feature=related

Took the Mongoose Cruiser out for a today, I had a huge 50lb load on my back in my duffle.(see picture, it's HUGE!) The bike was struggling, I think it could have made it on it’s own at a slower speed of course, but I helped out a lot just to get over hills and such, the motor did get hot to the touch but nothing major like a laptop battery. I probably shouldn’t expect it ot carry this much weight. Battery gauge finally went down past the top green light.  Oh,  I didn't mention the battery gauge, it is 3 LED lights - the top two being green (good or full charge) and the bottom being amber (GET TO AN OUTLET SOON!). I guess the nice thing is that even if the battery dies you can revert to the old pedals and huff and puff the 90lb bike home. Recharge times seem to be at the stated 6-8 hours, I also hear there’s a 2 amp charger that drops that in half.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKKvP9wWrlY&feature=related

Well, I spent last weekend building the ultimate electric hybrid bicycle for Seattle riding. My first bike was more or less a prototype that taught me all I needed to know to put this one together.

Note how similar this bike looks to the $7,000 bike featured in a recent New York Times article. Similar design parameters usually lead to similar designs. That is why most airliners have two wings, engines mounted on pylons under those wings, and three tail feathers. However, this bike only cost $1,600 and I suspect it will outperform the expensive one in every way imaginable.

   1. I chose a full-suspension mountain bike frame because the roads and even the bike trails here are so bad. I wanted to isolate the batteries, controller and my butt from the shocks. I also jump off curbs a lot.
   2. I wired pairs of 36-volt Dewalt power tool batteries in series to get 72 volts and then wired each of these pairs in parallel. I can carry two, four, or six battery packs, depending on how long the trip will be.
   3. I replaced my 36-volt, ten-amp controller with a 72-volt, 35-amp version. It also has immediate start, which means the controller does not wait until the wheel is rolling before it puts power to the motor. This lets me get through intersections faster and safer (although I have to be careful or my front wheel lifts off the ground).
   4. I used a rear wheel motor because front wheels here tend to get bent by potholes and fixing one can be expensive if you have a motor mounted in it.

By doubling the voltage I gave this bike twice the power of my first one. That is a 100 percent increase in torque and speed. It is an incredible machine -- efficient, fast, carbon neutral, and flexible.

High gas prices will give electric bikes a major boots.  Why aren't you riding one?

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Ride With The Wind...
Trey Taylor
Electric Bike Guy

Electric Bicycle Video Demonstrations