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Show HN: Long Range E-Bike

jacquesmattheij.com

261–270 of 626 posts

Re: Show HN: Long Range E-Bike

#261

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the USA the situation is much more risky than here. I don't like riding in traffic mostly because drivers tend to have a short fuse for anything that isn't exactly at the limit, but on bike paths everything works just fine. The problem is that s-pedelecs are technically lumped in with the scooters, even though there is no throttle and there is absolutely no way you are going to sustain 40 Kph+ for anything but a v…

I have an e-bike and I disagree with your assertions. I'm a fat asthmatic and I have absolutely no problem maintaining 40kph for long stretches of time on my bike. The fastest I've done on it (on a large hill but still) is 42.7MPH (~68Kph). Average cruising speed on flat land can easily be 30-33mph(48-53kph). Not all e-bikes are capable of this, but they are certainly not some kind of rare expensive impossibility - m…

Power assist cuts out at different points, depending on design choice (and jurisdiction). Norwegian e-bikes, for instance, disconnect their power assist above 25kph and you need to pedal like crazy to go significantly faster than that.

Re: Show HN: Long Range E-Bike

#262

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And scooters, electric-scooters, and sit-down electric scooters. And electric wheelchairs, and non-electric wheelchairs and mobility assist carts with handlebars. We also have to delineate between a daydreaming cyclist who's top speed is slow, and a hard-core cyclist with a $3000+ bike that can hit 40 mph in the right conditions. Those cyclists should be banned from using the same paths as the first kind of bicyclist…

Eh, this is just extending the argument into absurdity I feel.

I didn't see it as absurd at all - there is a huge contingent of bicyclists who should never be on a sidewalk, while at the same time there are massive numbers of casual e-cyclists who should never be riding in traffic.

Ann Arbor recently changed it's laws to reflect that - and I think the cyclists who are aware they shouldn't be on sidewalks, and the e-cyclists who stick only to the sidewalks know who they are.

Re: Show HN: Long Range E-Bike

#263

We really need a terminology to differentiate better between pedal-assist only e-bikes ("pedelec") and electric motorbikes. A "bicycle" that can accelerate without the need to pedal at all is an electric motorcycle, no matter if you put pedal on it or not. I see the two as totally different things: I've tried pedal-assist e-bike and they're great. But... Although I have nothing against motorbikes I'm not cool at all…

Moped?

Re: Show HN: Long Range E-Bike

#264

Interesting reading this as a US resident that modded an existing bike with some parts from Grin and other places. The battery I bought has 17Ah which supposedly has ~50 miles of range which is more than enough for my needs. I'm also able to throttle control and pedal cadence control and hit top speeds of 30+ mph. It's unfortunate that modern e-bikes are so locked down and restricted because the DIY route is a lot of…

True potential for what exactly? How do you see them being used if the limits were removed?

Re: Show HN: Long Range E-Bike

#265
Awesome project and 500 km range is a cool achievement! Kudos to OP for all the effort and research that went into this.

I’ve run into the same issue that standard battery packs on eBikes are just not enough. The problem is not so much needing to do super long trips but if you forget to charge one day, you’re going to be stuck the next. Luckily it’s become more common for OEMs to offer dual battery setups with the piece of mind of extended range but also having a warranty! We own two cargo eBikes in the family and both have two Bosch batteries. Range varies from 80 to 200 miles depending on level of assist and is more than enough for our daily ~20 mile errands.

Re: Show HN: Long Range E-Bike

#266

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As long as they'r not causing problems for other cyclists And if a frog had wings, it wouldn't bump its ass when it hops. "Other cyclists"? They're not cyclists, they're motorcycle riders, for starters. Now any jackass can zoom down the bike path at 25-30mph, but yeah, as long as that doesn't cause problems...

You realize it is not hard for a cyclist to hit 25-30mph without motor assist, right?

I'd argue 25-30mph is not an easy cruising speed for most bike commuters. Unless I'm on the wrong forum and everyone here races Cat 1/2 in their spare time.

Re: Show HN: Long Range E-Bike

#267

We really need a terminology to differentiate better between pedal-assist only e-bikes ("pedelec") and electric motorbikes. A "bicycle" that can accelerate without the need to pedal at all is an electric motorcycle, no matter if you put pedal on it or not. I see the two as totally different things: I've tried pedal-assist e-bike and they're great. But... Although I have nothing against motorbikes I'm not cool at all…

Not sure where you are located but they already do have this. I have a class one pedal assist which cuts out at 20 mph. Allowed on most Mnt bike trails and to do 20 for any amount of distance requires substantial effort. I get passed on the paved bike trails all the time by road bikes with way more gears. Then class 2 which has a throttle and can go 30ish. Then class 3 with a throttle and speed is essentially whatever you can do. 2 and 3 are not allowed on any Mnt bike trails and depending on city, county, are crazy to ride on the paved bike trails, not legal, but do see every now and then. Most people that own them respect the rule.

Re: Show HN: Long Range E-Bike

#269
I built a stretch cruiser ebike out of parts, including a bafang / 8fun mid drive and 52v “shark” style battery. It does pedal assist and straight up throttle to danger in lickety-split.

This is a cool project, however, I wouldn’t have gone this route because:

It isn’t a great idea to lock up an ebike, but there are circumstances where you might want to and you’ll want to take the battery with you when you do.

If you need added capacity, I’d recommend a second battery to swap in during a longer ride. This can limit the size of the extreme failure should that occur, and let’s you choose less weight for shorter trips.

Finally, there are some quality battery builds out there, in a variety of shapes that include enclosures offering some resistance to shock.

Besides all the testing and perfect wiring here, you can rely somewhat on the seller to back up their work.

Re: Show HN: Long Range E-Bike

#270

We really need a terminology to differentiate better between pedal-assist only e-bikes ("pedelec") and electric motorbikes. A "bicycle" that can accelerate without the need to pedal at all is an electric motorcycle, no matter if you put pedal on it or not. I see the two as totally different things: I've tried pedal-assist e-bike and they're great. But... Although I have nothing against motorbikes I'm not cool at all…

And scooters, electric-scooters, and sit-down electric scooters. And electric wheelchairs, and non-electric wheelchairs and mobility assist carts with handlebars. We also have to delineate between a daydreaming cyclist who's top speed is slow, and a hard-core cyclist with a $3000+ bike that can hit 40 mph in the right conditions. Those cyclists should be banned from using the same paths as the first kind of bicyclist…

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