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Invalido posted:Some of the suffering of the bakfiets. This is what killed the old motor, rim and the original fork. Yikes, I'm happy that's all that got killed.
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Jun 3, 2021 15:37
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It wasn't super dramatic honestly, very low speed collision where I had come to a complete stop, though not in time so part of the bike was poking out into the intersection where an oblivious driver slowly ran over the front end during a turn without even looking. I got paid to do the repairs and the new hub and fork are better than what I had before so it wasn't all bad in retrospect, though I admit I was shook and angry when I took that picture. Good news for now is that I indeed had suitable wheel bearings at home. Bad news is that it isn't super easy to completely disassemble the hub and get both the old bearings out. Things are crusty. I'll have to gather my courage and maybe build a support thingy before I bring out a bigger hammer so I can hopefully fix this. I hope to avoid using the torch since the paint isn't half bad but you gotta do what you gotta do.  E: There's the problem. Extremely sloppy, I can't believe I didn't notice it before it got this bad but the slop in the steering linkage masked it I guess. The other bearing felt fine but I replaced both. Fire and ice made them slip in and out nicely. The steering feels super solid now for the first time in a long time, but there's some drag from the new rod ends that I don't quite like. I'll get used to it and hopefully it goes away with a bit of wear. Invalido fucked around with this message at 20:59 on Jun 3, 2021 |
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Jun 3, 2021 17:06
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More e-trailer progress featuring improved safety: I added an emergency stop switch to pull the throttle down to 0v along with a simple on/off:  Also made the drum brake arms longer for more mechanical advantage:  I also changed out the old ebike throttle to an automotive throttle position sensor.  Todo: Implement an intuitive reverse button or a brake lockout because pushing a trailer with surge brakes backwards is hard.
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Jun 3, 2021 21:02
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Your trailer is fantastic. I've thought about building something similar many years ago but never went beyond a few sketches.CopperHound posted:Implement an intuitive reverse button or a brake lockout because pushing a trailer with surge brakes backwards is hard. I got curious how it's possible to reverse with surge brake equipped car trailers which are common here. I found this video. I'm sure you know how it works already but I sure didn't: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwYRgFA2vBc Since you have drum brakes it should at least be possible in theory to implement such a reverse mechanism, but I'm sure it's not an easy thing to make work right.
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Jun 4, 2021 08:26
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Safety Dance posted:I'm at my office and I forgot headphones today, so I'm trying _very_ hard to avoid well-actually-ing my way into a conversation about ebike battery chemistry. ADHD can suck it. No Problem. Day 6 Been a while since I had a ride on the EUC. Life gets in the way. I turned it on this afternoon to check the state of charge, and after about a week or so in a cold garage in winter it lost approx 10% of charge with no use. Not a big deal, but it would probably benefit from being kept indoors in a more temperature controlled environment when not in use. Today I decided to go on a proper journey. I'm staying with my parents while I'm in the process of buying a house, and I decided to ride from my parents house to my new house via the park trails that link them. The trails are reasonably maintained tarmac, but the terrain is very hilly. There and back is approximately 13km. The trip there had a fair bit of stopping and starting as I reacclimatized myself to riding. One thing I've learned is that it is imperative to get off the EUC either to the side of it or behind. Instinct tells you that sometimes you have to step off forwards if things are getting dicey but you still have some forward momentum. If you do this, you will have the EUC drive itself into the back of your ankle or calf. This hurts. I expect bruises tomorrow. Other than that, things went quite well. On the way back, I basically rode continuously without stopping unless I chose to (e.g. dog off leash approaching, or my feet needed a rest because my posture needs work). My launches without support are improving, as are my braking maneuvers. A good start to the weekend. Battery went from about 81% to 62% over the course of the entire trip. Total ride time was about 90 minutes. Total distance travelled so far about 32km since I bought it. Still no intention to charge it. Total ride time since I bought it - about 6 hours. My stops and starts aren't seamless enough that I'd be happy to ride around a city with a lot of pedestrians, but the bike trails I ride are occupied but I feel safe enough to use them. A little more practice and I feel like I'd be getting to the point where I'd be happy to commute on it. Carth Dookie fucked around with this message at 09:23 on Jun 4, 2021 |
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Jun 4, 2021 09:18
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They said it couldn't be done, but somehow I've made my ebike more dorky!  I designed and 3D-printed a little bracket to hold my big rear end lock to my rear rack. And it only took me... 22 hours (The holes in the first bracket were a couple mm too far apart, and I adjusted them in the wrong direction on the second try). The little ears that hold it to the bike are brittle as hell, but now that the design is good I can get it made out of ABS plastic or even wood. If the bracket doesn't snap off, this means I can go somewhere without taking a pannier with me.
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Jun 4, 2021 17:34
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Is that nail polish on the lock so you can match it up to a key?
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Jun 4, 2021 17:41
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Yeah exactly. I have another kryptonite lock (gray nailpolish) that I don't carry very often, because it goes with an extremely heavy chain.
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Jun 4, 2021 17:46
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I decided to order a RadRunner 1 to use at the state parks to get from my campsite to the lakes to fish. I'm going to build my own rear basket since their large basket has no ETA to ever be back in stock according to their forums. I'll install fishing pole holders on the sides and make sure it fits my cooler on the back. I ordered a front basket from them that will hold my fishing tackle bag. Pretty excited! However... My wife and I almost always go camping together so I'm thinking of getting a less expensive electric scooter for the other person not riding the bike. I don't see a thread for e-scooters unless I'm not going far enough back. I have to start my research over in scooters now! Having two RadRunners or just two e-bikes in general would be great, but I am trying not to fill the bed of my truck up with bikes taking up room for other gear. The scooter can get tossed inside the camper trailer, but the bike I'll probably want to make a mount inside of the bed of the truck to secure it better.
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Jun 7, 2021 19:32
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Pitre posted:I decided to order a RadRunner 1 to use at the state parks to get from my campsite to the lakes to fish. I'm going to build my own rear basket since their large basket has no ETA to ever be back in stock according to their forums. I'll install fishing pole holders on the sides and make sure it fits my cooler on the back. I ordered a front basket from them that will hold my fishing tackle bag. Pretty excited! What about a folding bike as a second bike? I think that the small wheels of a scooter are going to be pretty unpleasant on anything but perfectly paved roads, and a folding bike would take up a lot less room.
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Jun 7, 2021 19:43
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Good point, but our lake camping trips are always at state parks around Arizona so almost always well paved roads so I thought a much less expensive scooter would work okay. I'll wait to do anything until the RadRunner gets here and we mess with it for a few weeks. It may wow us and we just decide to get another one of those or perhaps their folding model.
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Jun 7, 2021 20:08
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I got my radrunner about a month ago and I love it. Fun to ride, fun to accessorize.
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Jun 8, 2021 01:46
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Just got back from a fun 22-mile ride on my Allant. It's great to have the freedom to explore a new route without risking being utterly walloped by a series of hills halfway through. Then can turn the assist off/down and still get as much of a workout as you're looking for. My area's bike network is a bit labyrinthian, though, with the bike lane occasionally hopping to the other side of the road randomly. I guess it's still better than most American cities  My employer actually just announced a subsidized ebike leasing program for bike commuting employees, though only for Van Moofs. Being able unable to adjust the level of assist while the bike is in motion seems like a ridiculous deal-breaker to me.
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Jun 13, 2021 01:21
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Van Moofs are very much transportation bikes. They get you around town just fine, and that's all they need to do. The four speed automatic gearbox puts me off, but I'd buy one for my mother if I thought she'd get any use out of it. There are a lot of rides -- commutes, grocery runs, etc., -- where I just set the assist level somewhere in the middle and forget it. I absolutely feel what you mean, though. If I'm on a fun/workout ride, I'll crank up the assist to go over a bridge, and then drop it back down on the other side. That's what I did today actually: I took a seven mile ride up to Randall's and Ward's Island, and found a nice spot to read a book near the wastewater treatment plant. I've got a little folding camp stool that I threw into my pannier and used as an ottoman. I might do it again with a hammock soon. 
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Jun 13, 2021 03:45
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EUC learning experience continues. To summarise the experience recently: 
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Jun 13, 2021 06:34
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Carth Dookie posted:So the EUC turned up earlier than expected. Congrats on your Kingsong. I have an ebike and a few e board (all dead now) and a scooter. If I am not married and have a kid I definitely would have brought an EUC instead of a boring commute scooter. Check out Kujiroll's channel he makes the best EUC videos IMO.
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Jun 13, 2021 12:57
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Safety Dance posted:Van Moofs are very much transportation bikes. They get you around town just fine, and that's all they need to do. The four speed automatic gearbox puts me off, but I'd buy one for my mother if I thought she'd get any use out of it. Hah. My mom literally started asking me about electric bikes on the phone today.
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Jun 14, 2021 02:51
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I bought a used e-bike for my mother-in-law some years back, five maybe? She's not in the greatest shape and lives on top of a sizeable hill when she's in country. I got it very cheap considering the market at the time. Since then it has needed a new battery. New cells in the old battery case and it's like new. It's a very basic bike, just three speeds, coaster brake and manual throttle combined with pedal sensor. She loves it though and goes on pretty long trips with it. She pretty much only uses the motor for hill climbs so she gets great range even with the small battery (something like 11Ah 36V IIRC). Now she's out of country for several months so my wife uses the bike for local errands since she finds it more practical than her hybrid. Wife wanted a box on the back so I made a hackjob with lots of zipties and an antique plywood beer case that I we had laying around. It's a bit too big IMO but it's what she wanted and seems to work well enough for light loads.
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Jun 14, 2021 09:01
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That looks like an earlier version of my 3 speed ebike right down to the rear wheel lock  . I went the MASSIVE pannier route though 
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Jun 14, 2021 09:07
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Basil team represent. I am *~*girl goon*~* so I went with the Magnolia flower print.
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Jun 17, 2021 16:28
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Check these out! £15 on eBay basil tiny 22l child sized panniers on my eMTB. Will take a bag of shopping/pack lunch/coat/U lock without getting in the way. 
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Jun 17, 2021 16:38
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I received my RadRunner upgraded LCD controller and front basket. I'm itching for the bike to ship! A couple of days after I ordered mine online, I saw one come up on Craigslist for $1,000 but it was a 2019 model so I didn't want to take the risk of a worn out battery ($549).
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Jun 17, 2021 21:42
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Gratuitous lake shot
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Jun 21, 2021 13:03
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A Good Bike, learningcurve
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Jun 21, 2021 18:20
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Take the battery off and it’s still the nicest bike I’ve ever owned.
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Jun 21, 2021 21:53
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A lot of the bike companies are either increasing prices or already did this year. I just got an email from my bike maker that they are increasing their prices by an additional $200 starting in August. Tariffs and disrupted supply chains are a bitch.
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Jun 21, 2021 22:39
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halokiller posted:A lot of the bike companies are either increasing prices or already did this year. I just got an email from my bike maker that they are increasing their prices by an additional $200 starting in August. Tariffs and disrupted supply chains are a bitch. And increased demand. Bikes (especially ebikes, as I understand it) took off in popularity in the states during the pandemic.
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Jun 21, 2021 23:47
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In the U.K. it’s the cruise ship old couples (thousands of them) spending the £10k they saved in 2020 on very expensive top of the range ebikes, and tbh it looks like they are having more fun on the bikes than they would have had on the ships.
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Jun 22, 2021 06:40
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 Here’s my handlebar Basil with the Klickfix mount. I also have an 18L pannier pack perfect for little trips.
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Jun 22, 2021 13:17
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I put together an ebike over lockdown, it's a 72v gng middrive. I just started riding it last week, pretty happy with it but the acceleration leaves a bit to be desired, I think I'll try a Kelly KBS-X controller and see if I can change the settings around to improve acceleration (The stock controller has no configurable options.) Also the Kelly controller would fit in the frame triangle which is what I wanted to do originally. Also I need to clean up the wiring, but all-in-all a hoot to zip around on! 
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Jun 28, 2021 02:21
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ColonelMoutard posted:I put together an ebike over lockdown, it's a 72v gng middrive. I just started riding it last week, pretty happy with it but the acceleration leaves a bit to be desired, I think I'll try a Kelly KBS-X controller and see if I can change the settings around to improve acceleration (The stock controller has no configurable options.) Also the Kelly controller would fit in the frame triangle which is what I wanted to do originally. Also I need to clean up the wiring, but all-in-all a hoot to zip around on! Neat Do you have any resources / links you could share for DIY ebikes? I think it'd be useful to add that to the OP
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Jun 29, 2021 15:10
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Work recently announced a second subsidized ebike lease provider, which would be awesome, except that it's a company I've never heard of. Their website this morning was literally just an "under construction" splash page, which has since been updated with a bare minimum of details. Their two offerings will be more than double the expense of the Van Moofs already on offer, with no listed specs and availability starting Jan 2022, so there's been some skepticism. It's not like there aren't major established manufacturers to contact with!
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Jun 30, 2021 02:24
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Ah but are any of those established places owned by the brother of someone high up in the company who is willing to give it a go, how hard can it be?
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Jun 30, 2021 18:27
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Safety Dance posted:Neat Just endless sphere forum, where all electrical questions are answered
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Jun 30, 2021 20:17
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ColonelMoutard posted:Just endless sphere forum, where all electrical questions are answered
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Jun 30, 2021 20:33
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CopperHound posted:There is a ton of good technical information on that forum, but I have to remain dubious about what those forum regulars consider an appropriate amount of power for an ebike. More.
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Jun 30, 2021 20:35
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Did an awesome 48-mile ride on my Allant today. Manual for 99% of the first half, then gradually bumping up to eco and then touring as the trail became hillier and my endurance started petering out. Was a great way to scope out a route I'd like to try on my normal bike without risking exhausting myself. However, I'm trying to get to bed and am now suffering what I've noticed after my other rides: a persistent phantom sensation of being propelled forward. It's not sickening or anything, just highly distracting. The only comparable experience I've had is getting off a boat only to find the sensation of being rocked by waves sticking with me for hours and hours.
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Jul 4, 2021 07:51
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Here is my new Radrunner getting ready for its first lake trip! The front basket holds my giant rear end tackle bag fine. The rear basket is never in stock and who knows when it will be so I made a wooden crate from Home Depot work for now. I mounted fishing pole holders on either side for up to 6 poles. The rear crate is big enough for my beer cooler and another small bag. The stock Radrunner seat sucked rear end so I got a cheap suspension seatpost and a Cloud 9 seat. Much better!
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Jul 5, 2021 16:51
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My Radwagon 4's kickstand springs have thoroughly, fully failed at about 9 months of age. Would anybody with a Yuba with their wide centerstand be able to post some close-up photos of their spring setup? I'm trying to understand how I could rig up the Radwagon's to be more robust. https://radpowerbikes.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360058022653-RadWagon-4-Kickstand-Spring-Replacement-Guide
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Jul 7, 2021 15:57
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I'm curious, how did they fail? Could you post pictures of the failure? My Gazelle has a goofy center stand that folds on two axes, but I could get a picture of that and try to see how it's different from Rad's implementation.
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Jul 7, 2021 16:10
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