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Long Range E-Bike (2021)

jacquesmattheij.com

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Re: Long Range E-Bike (2021)

#291

Post by jacquesm »

rsynnott wrote: post #268
jacquesm wrote: post #129

So, this got posted again I see. A few years later: the pack is still going strong and has not - so far - shown any signs of wear. I've put close to 15000 Km on it now and there is no degradation worth mentioning, though I suspect that if I do a precise capacity measurement that it would definitely show some reduced capacity. The really neat thing is that at the end of a long ride the cell groups still track to withi…

> I hope this article will inspire people to look at e-bikes as potentially commuter car replacement, to send Bosch and other e-bike technology manufacturers a message that if they won’t supply what people need that they are going to have to live with people hacking their stuff Did this ever happen?

Commercially, no, but I have been asked for a lot more details and pack building advice over the years and there are quite a few of these now, as far away as Japan and the United States, and of course not everybody will contact me so in that sense it was a success. The pictures tell the story, really, the most important thing is to handle the balancing wires correctly, that's a 'minor detail' that unfortunately even professional designers often get wrong with really bad outcomes as the result.

Balancing wires and physical damage to the pack because of insufficient rigidity of the shell and a lack of shock absorbing material are the main causes of pack problems, water ingestion and bad materials / manufacturing defects are also a real problem.

The balancing wires, shell rigidity, shock absorbers and seals are all on the manufacturer, how you treat the pack and monitor it is on the user.

The worst are the pannier mounted ones, I personally think these should all be recalled and replaced. I've seen more than a few of those that had internal signs of fire damage and that must have come within a hair of thermal runaway.

Re: Long Range E-Bike (2021)

#292

Post by lostlogin »

freeopinion wrote: post #183
Tostino wrote: post #170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You know who generally stops at a stop sign or stoplight? People on an e-bike, compared to people riding for sport or commuting on road bikes. It's not a big deal to stop and get started again when you have a motor. It's a pain in the ass when you're trying to make it to work on time with your legs. Why is having a license plate even relevant here? Most traffic enforcement is done when an officer sees something happe…

How else will a witness be able to report the get-away bike in a bank robbery?

‘He’s is on a bike carrying 7 large sacks of cash’.

Re: Long Range E-Bike (2021)

#293

Post by lukan »

jacquesm wrote: post #287
lukan wrote: post #243

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On a flat road I disagree, but uphill you notice it a lot of course, but way worse is carrying the heavy bike. I take mine into trains a lot and unfortunately there are often lots of stairs and no escalators involved.

I would never take this one into a train. I'm pretty sure it is a better pack (and much better monitored) than a store bought one given what I've seen inside of those but still, the amount of energy stored in there is pretty impressive and just the thought of it going into thermal runaway is enough to ensure that will never expose other people to it.

That is very considerate of you, but my bike has a very small standard battery (in comparison). Still, it would be good if trains offered a way to store the bikes in a special place away from people (at the end of the train for instance) so this won't be an issue.

Re: Long Range E-Bike (2021)

#294

Post by jacquesm »

lukan wrote: post #293
jacquesm wrote: post #287

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would never take this one into a train. I'm pretty sure it is a better pack (and much better monitored) than a store bought one given what I've seen inside of those but still, the amount of energy stored in there is pretty impressive and just the thought of it going into thermal runaway is enough to ensure that will never expose other people to it.

That is very considerate of you, but my bike has a very small standard battery (in comparison). Still, it would be good if trains offered a way to store the bikes in a special place away from people (at the end of the train for instance) so this won't be an issue.

Have a look at some videos of what it looks like when a pack lights off in an enclosed space. You'll come away equal parts impressed and horrified, especially at the speed and the intensity.

Re: Long Range E-Bike (2021)

#295

Post by lukan »

jacquesm wrote: post #294
lukan wrote: post #293

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is very considerate of you, but my bike has a very small standard battery (in comparison). Still, it would be good if trains offered a way to store the bikes in a special place away from people (at the end of the train for instance) so this won't be an issue.

Have a look at some videos of what it looks like when a pack lights off in an enclosed space. You'll come away equal parts impressed and horrified, especially at the speed and the intensity.

Will do that, but since I life in a mountainous area with only a rudimentary network of public transport, the alternative is taking the car.

Re: Long Range E-Bike (2021)

#296

Post by jacquesm »

lukan wrote: post #295
jacquesm wrote: post #294

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have a look at some videos of what it looks like when a pack lights off in an enclosed space. You'll come away equal parts impressed and horrified, especially at the speed and the intensity.

Will do that, but since I life in a mountainous area with only a rudimentary network of public transport, the alternative is taking the car.

Yes, that's a nasty spot to be in. I'm not sure how well this setup would work in more mountainous regions, here it is pretty flat except for the roads around Arnhem, especially the Gelderse Vallei where it feels - to my dutch legs anyway - pretty steep. But that's the only bit of hills that are worthy of the name, the rest is a flat as the proverbial pancake.

As for those videos: beware, there are also fake ones (there are about anything that gets clicks these days), but also many genuine ones. Not for the faint of heart.

Re: Long Range E-Bike (2021)

#297

Post by carlosjobim »

loeg wrote: post #145
MagicMoonlight wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not safer than a motorcycle. Motorcycles have lights and signals and can accelerate away from danger. Plus the riders are generally covered head to toe in safety equipment, whereas nobody is ever going to wear leathers on a push bike.

The speed limiting alone makes them safer than motorcycles.

Only if the rider is bad. If the rider is good, the opposite is true.

Re: Long Range E-Bike (2021)

#298

Post by lostlogin »

jacquesm wrote: post #211
Theodores wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am impressed by your solution and I took have at least one bad leg. I have decided against batteries in favour of a basic bike that I can park anywhere and carry up stairs. I want the little and often mobility with a few longer rides over summer. I also have a neighbour in his late seventies that rides 'naturally aspirated' with a buddy that is two years older. His buddy has an ebike and he is giving it a couple of…

I'm 60+ it was either the e-bike, wreck my leg even further or take the car. That was an easy choice :) Be careful with what you've got... I wish every day that I could do the day I messed up my leg again without making that particular mistake. I rode a low racer recumbent at speed and had a nasty case of leg suck when hitting a (new to me) speedbump.

> leg suck

I’d never heard of this and looked it up. It sounds awful.

https://www.utahtrikes.com/ARTICLE-119.html

Re: Long Range E-Bike (2021)

#299

Post by nielsole »

haritha-j wrote: post #260

I personally don't agree with the 25kmph is not enough logic. I live in Cambridge, which has fairly decent cycling infrastructure. In my experience, I''m nearly always faster around town on my bike than my friends driving around, once you account for finding parking as well. I never cycle above 25, certainly not inside the town. And I dont think I would want to share cycling lanes with people doing more than that eit…

We have speed pedelecs (45kmph) where I live with extra restrictions compared to normal ebikes which are capped at 25kmph. On the countryside 25kmph just doesn't get you places fast enough.

> And I dont think I would want to share cycling lanes with people doing more than that either

The regulation I wish for is for speed pedelecs to be allowed to use cycle paths whenever the street has a speed limit > 50kmh. Being on a 70-100kmph road as a 45kmph bike is needlessly dangerous when there's a usually idle bike path next to it.

Re: Long Range E-Bike (2021)

#300

Post by oblio »

oceanplexian wrote: post #159
oblio wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is it even legal to import illegal bikes into a country? Shut this thing at the source, make Amazon & co liable for ebikes that don't respect national legislation. The entire problem disappears in 6 months.

What national legislation are you even talking about? One that prevents consumers from buying an electric motor and some batteries to run around their own property on? Good luck with that!

I doubt most people buy a motor and batteries and install them. I'm willing to bet 99% of accidents happen on cheap Chinese built ebikes.
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