Electric Bike Conversion System - FRONT w/ LiFePO4

Speed: 20 MPH / Range: 12-30 miles
Charging Time 2 Hours 45 Minutes with 3.5amp Charger

The E-BikeKit™ Complete Conversion System offers the ultimate electric bicycle conversion solution. The complete system has everything you need "out of the box" to convert your conventional bike into a high-quality electric bike.

The Complete System Includes Both the E-BikeKit™ Conversion Kit and the E-BikeKit™ brand LiFePo4 battery and charger.

With this system you can expect to go from 12-30 miles on a full charge depending on the weight of the rider, the amount of pedaling and the route.

This complete conversion system with LiFePO4 battery pack offers both e-bike novices and experienced electric bicycle riders safety, power, convenience and reliability. Engineered to comply with USA Federal guidelines the E-BikeKit™ system is "Dealer Friendly" and requires no insurance or licensing in most states. If you are deciding whether to convert your existing bike or to buy a complete electric bike you should know that bikes converted with the E-BikeKit™ Complete Conversion System are comparable to complete electric bikes costing more than $2500. The E-BikeKit™ Complete Conversion System is simply the best conversion system available.

PLEASE NOTE: Front wheel conversions require a bike with steel forks.

Front Wheel: w/ 500-750 Watt Brushless Hub Motor
Rim:Flat profile double-walled
Spokes: 13 Gauge
Hub Weight: 14 Pounds
Hub Width: 85mm / 3.35 Inches (requires standard 100mm width between fork dropouts)
Top Speed: 20 MPH
Power/Torque: 36V/500W/430 RPM No Load
Range: 12-30 Miles
**All dependent on battery type, weight of rider, amount of pedaling, route and weather conditions.

E-BikeKit™ Conversion Kit Includes:

1 x Front Wheel w/ 500-750 Watt Brushless Hub Motor
1 x 36 Volt 22 Amp Intelligent Motor Controller (works w/ any 36v or 48v battery pack)
1 x Twist or Thumb Throttle & Matching Grip
2 x E-Brake Handles w/ Electric Cutoff Switches
1 x Battery Harness Wire (for connecting any 36v or 48v battery)
1 x Universal Stainless Steel Torque Arm (a must have for safety)
15 x Black Zip Ties (3 sizes for neatly securing wiring to the frame)
1 x 2.5mm Metric Hex Key (to mount the throttle)
1 x E-Bike Spoke Wrench
1 x Owner's Manual & Installation Instructions
1 x E-BikeKit™ T-Shirt
*Standard Anderson Powerpole 30Amp Connectors

E-BikeKit™ 9AH LiFePo4 Battery & 2.0 Amp Charger Standard:

1 x Smart Charger (Constant Current 2.0A – Constant Voltage 43.6V)
1 x 14 AWG battery wire harness
Battery Weight: 9 Pounds

Industry Leading 18 Month Warranty

LiFePo4 Battery Packs are warranted for a period of 1 Year or 18 months from the date of purchase depending on the battery purchased. A pack will be deemed defective if it fails to deliver 80% of nominal capacity within 1 year of purchase when discharged at 1.5C with a static resistive load following full charge with an approved charger. The E-BikeKit™ 36v 10ah Prismatic LiFePo4 will be deemed defective if it fails to deliver any discharge within 12-18 months of purchase when discharged at 1.5C with a static resistive load following full charge with an approved charger.

The Factor 001e from bf1 Systems

I have been getting quite a few emails lately about the Factor 001 bike from bf1 Systems. A couple of emailers cited this recent Autoblog post, which has apparently has stirred new interest on the web in the last week or so. Some of you may remember that I first mentioned the bike in December of 2007. At the time, I was skeptical about the design, but I was still glad to see a company from the motorsports industry investing design and engineering resources into the development of a bicycle. Regardless of my initial impression of the bike, I was certainly interested to hear what would come of the project. As of late 2009, custom fitted, Dura-Ace Di2 equipped Factor 001e bikes are available to order for £27,000 (about 40,000 USD) with the full electronics package (£22,000 for the Factor 001s base model). The production design does look better than the prototype that I posted a couple of years ago, but that $40K price tag is still a bit unbelievable to me.

I shouldn’t be surprised though. Obviously this bike is not intended for everyone. It is certainly geared toward a narrow (and very affluent) segment of the custom made, high-end recreational bike market. The bike was not designed to comply with UCI requirements, a fact that one of the designers pointed out in the comments section of my 2007 post:

“The Factor 001 is not designed for UCI sanctioned mass-start races – Just as a car such as a Bugatti Veyron isn’t designed with FIA regulations in mind. So super-quick wheel changes take a back seat to having the best braking option. It is a fast road machine rather than a ‘racing’ bike. The frame ‘architecture’ was arrived at simply because it offers the best lateral stiffness with the least mass, not to fit with UCI regs”

Bf1 Systems bills the bike as training machine, pointing out that it can provide the rider with a wealth of data via the integrated touch screen console. Highlights of the system include:

• Integral, back-lit, high contrast touch screen display embedded in Factor001e handlebars
• Display page switching via integrated control lever switches
• Individual left and right crank torque measurements
• Integrated crank position sensor with an accuracy of one degree of rotational position
• Embedded rear wheel speed sensor
• Optional medical grade ECG system via Bluetooth

The spec sheet goes on to list around 80 specific data channels including everything from rear wheel speed and interval targets to skin temperature, breathing rate, and core body temperature. It is a longer list than I care to repeat on a Friday afternoon, but suffice it to say the electronic capabilities do sound impressive. Just who needs that much data is another question? I suspect that the majority of prospective factor 001e buyers will not use the bike for training (for competition anyway), but will be older wealthy individuals who are drawn to the bike’s integrated high tech features as well as to the exclusivity of owning such a bike. I could be wrong though…I would love to hear about any customers who have already ordered one of these bikes.

Joules, the electric stoker

I talked a bit about electric bikes in my last post, so today I will share a different take on that subject. Meet Joules, the stoker on Carl’s home built electric tandem. Carl challenged himself by asking, “Could I build an electric tandem based on actually pumping the pedals?” The result is a design that is indirectly driven by a PMG-132 electric motor through a linkage that simulates the motion of human legs pedaling. Carl points out on the Endless-sphere E- bike forum that:

“The fun part was coming up with a drive linkage that would use human-proportional legs to pedal in a circle matching the pedal cranks. The linkage delivers force tangent to the crank circle through the whole pedal revolution.”

I think this really is an interesting project and an impressive build by Carl. See the additional photos on his forum post and be sure to check out his video of Joules in action. Now if he could only get Joules to carry on a conversation, he would make a great robotic tandem partner.

Since this post is about an interesting and unusual creation, I will direct you to one other. The Hopworksfiets, as this Bike Portland post points out, is a “party bike complete with wood bar, kegs on tap, pizza rack, sound system, and mountains of mojo.” Looks like fun…and it is probably no surprise that it was made in Portland.

Urban Mover UM26S U Terrain Folding Electric Bike

Specification

* Fully folding light alloy frame design
* (19.5kgs with battery)
* Unique quick lock folding handle bar system
* High impact polycarbonate mudguards
* Dahon® advanced folding frame mechanism
* Rear torsion suspension
* Folding pedals
* Front sprung strut suspension
* Optional heavy duty carry bag
* Colour – Titanium Metallic

Detailed Specification

* Ultra light double heat treated alloy frame
* Fully sealed bearing systems
* New UM™ control module – Power on/off – Eco/High
* Kenda® puncture resistant tyres and tubes
* High quality Tektro® V type brakes
* Advanced Lithium battery
* Long range (35km)
* Long life (1000 full cycles to 80%)
* Ultra light – only 2kgs
* Powerful UM™ Brushless motor
* Sturmey Archer® 5 speed hub gears & shifter
* VPAC advanced PCM motor control system

All our Urban Mover Bikes are delivered fully assembled in our own custom made full size bike boxes. Many other dealers supply Urban Movers bikes part assembled and leave the customer to pick through the pieces. We fully build & test each Urban Mover so you simply have to pop on the pedals, turn the handlebars and charge the battery!!

IZIP Via Lento 2010 Gents Electric Bike

Via Lento Specification:

* MOTOR: 450W of Power from a DC Earth Magnet Motor
* BATTERY: EV Rated SLA Type, Rear Rack Mounted, 24V / 10AH Pack, (2) 12V / 10AH Valve Regulated, Rechargeable
* CHARGE SYSTEM: UL Listed Currie Smart Charger with LED Status Display
* CONTROLLER: Exclusive Currie Electro-Drive, 24 Volt Fully Potted with Power Gauge Function
* TOP SPEED: Up to 15 mph / 24 km (Rider Weight, Rider Input and Terrain Contingent)
* RANGE: Up to 15 - 20 Miles / 24 - 32 km with Normal Pedaling (Rider Weight, Rider Input and Terrain Contingent). Easily Add an Optional Second Battery Pack to Double the Range
* DRIVE: Patented Currie Electro-Drive System, Shimano Acera Rear Derailleur, SRAM Grip Shift, 7-Speed Drivetrain
* BRAKES: Alloy Linear Pull with Alloy Brake Inhibit Lever
* WHEELS: Alloy 26 x 1.75" Rims with Stainless Steel Spokes
* TYRES: Currie Comfort Tyres 26 x 2.00" , Slime Self-Sealing Flat Tyre Prevention System
* HANDLEBAR / STEM: High-Rise Bar and Alloy Adjustable Angle Stem, Dual Density Grips
* FORKS: Suspension w/Alloy Crown and Legs
* USER CONTROLS: Power On/Off Switch, Easy Access Charger Port in Removable Battery Pack, Twist Throttle w/ TAG + PAS Function & Battery Gauge
* SADDLE: Velo Suspension Comfort and Micro-Adjust Suspension Post
* FRAME: Exclusive Currie Aluminum Comfort Design, Fender and Rack Mounts
* CRANKS AND PEDALS: Alloy 44T Crankset, Double Chainguard, Resin/Rubber Non-Slip Pedals
* NET WEIGHT: 62 lbs / 28 kg
* RIDER AGE & WEIGHT LIMIT: Young Adult to Adult / Do Not Exceed 240 lbs / 109 kg
* All our Izip Bikes are delivered fully assembled in our own custom made full size bike boxes. Many other dealers supply Izip bikes straight from the distributor and leave the customer to pick through the pieces. We fully build & test each Izip so you simply have to pop on the pedals, turn the handlebars and charge the battery!!

Powacycle Powablade Electric Bike

Triple - Mode of Operation
width= Runs like a bicycle with a power booster
width= Motor will power the bike to 10mph
width= Cycling only - go any speed you like

High Spec
width= Independent twist grip throttle
width= 200W hub motor with brush
width= Front Calliper and Rear Band Brake
width= 12 inch wheels

Battery Performance
width= Lead Acid battery – 24V 10Ah=240 Watt hours
width= 12 miles per charge with gentle pedalling on flat surface
width= Full battery recharge in 6 to 8 hours - 300 recharge cycles
width= Battery weight only 2.1Kg

Physical Features
width= Adult sized leisure frame
width= Suitable for ages 14-99
width= Handlebar height - 91cm to 101cm
width= Saddle height - 83cm to 91cm
width= Length of bicycle - 110cm
width= Weight including battery 30kg

Extras included
width= Bell
width= Battery Charger
width= Kick stand

Note: Use on Public Highway is restricted to riders 14 years over

Why choose an electric bicycle

Just the other day, as I was returning from Kyoto late at night, I felt sympathy towards a foreigner who'd somehow managed to get into the Hankyu train station... with his very expensive looking racer. There aren't any ‘no bicycle' signs located in any of the train stations in Japan (that I've noticed anyway) so I could understand how he might have assumed that it was okay to take his racer with him. Unfortunately, although he had gotten as far as the tracks without anyone noticing, one of the station attendants did spot his bicycle before he was able to board the train. I overheard a bit of their discussion where the foreigner was explaining that he'd cycled to Kyoto from Osaka! Just thinking of the time and distance separating Kyoto from Osaka really impressed me. The downside was that he'd ridden all the way to Kyoto, burnt himself out, and didn't have the energy to make it back again.

I can think of several times where the same thing happened to me in Canada, where I'd been riding for several hours and exhausted myself before starting off on the return trip. The only difference is that in Canada it's okay to take your bicycle onto the public transportation system so long as it isn't during rush hour.

The station attendant looked surprised to hear such a story, and it wasn't hard to believe considering the matching cycling attire that the man was wearing and the fact that he looked absolutely exhausted, but rules were rules. Much to the dismay of the cyclist, he was forced to leave the station with his bicycle because bicycles are not allowed on the trains. Well, now I know why I've never seen a bicycle on a train.

I think that if that man had been riding a bicycle equipped with an electric-powered unit, he could have switched over to it upon wearing himself out. Some people that I've talked to think that those types of bicycles are for lazy people while others claim that they're useful in such a situation. While opinions are divided on electric bicycles, I think that having the option available could be a lifesaver if you ever find yourself with a leg cramp or lost in the middle of nowhere. After all, you can use the bicycle as you would a normal one when the electric power is not in use so it isn't so different from a regular bicycle. In fact, if I had such a bicycle, I might find myself venturing off further into the far reaches of Japan, and more often. It might just provide a sense of security that will encourage people to use bicycles to travel greater distances and more frequently.

In terms of pollution, regular bicycles are completely harmless to the environment so they seem like the logical choice for keeping the planet green and clean. They're also fun and help me stay active so I prefer cycling about as opposed to worrying about the traffic and gas consumption of driving a car. If I had my way, I'd have 3 or 4 bicycles in my possession for different purposes. One for shopping, another for racing, one more for going through rougher terrain, and an electric one for long unguided treks

7200+ WSD

Frameset
Sizes	Lowstep 16, 19"
Frame	Alpha White Aluminum
Front Suspension	RST Sofi T, preload adjustable, 50mm
Wheels
Wheels	Silent Drive 350 watt rear hub/motor, alloy front hub; Bontrager 750, 36-hole rims
Tires	Bontrager H2 Plus w/puncture resistant belt, 700x35c
Drivetrain
Shifters	SRAM MRX Comp twist, 8 speed
Front Derailleur	Shimano M191
Rear Derailleur	Shimano Alivio
Crank	Shimano M191 48/38/28 w/chainguard
Cassette	13-32, 8-speed freewheel
Pedals	Dual density platform
Components
Saddle	Bontrager Boulevard
Seat Post	Alloy, adjustable suspension
Handlebars	Bontrager Approved, steel, 50mm rise
Stem	Alloy, adjustable rise
Headset	Threaded w/semi-cartridge bearings, sealed
Brakeset	Tektro V w/Tektro alloy levers, Kraton inserts

Valencia+

Frameset
Sizes	15, 17.5, 20, 22.5"
Frame	Alpha Black Aluminum
Fork	Alloy w/lowrider mounts, straight blades
Wheels
Wheels	Silent Drive 350 watt rear hub/motor, Shimano disc front hub; Bontrager Nebula Disc, 36-hole rims
Tires	Bontrager Race Lite Hard-Case, 700x32c
Drivetrain
Shifters	Shimano Acera trigger, 8 speed
Front Derailleur	Shimano M191
Rear Derailleur	Shimano Deore Shadow
Crank	Shimano M361 48/38/28 w/chainguard
Cassette	13-32, 8-speed freewheel
Pedals	Soho, alloy body w/alloy cage
Components
Saddle	Bontrager H1
Seat Post	Bontrager Nebula
Handlebars	Trek Urban, alloy
Stem	Bontrager SSR, 10 degree
Headset	Aheadset Slimstak w/semi-cartridge bearings, sealed
Brakeset	Shimano M416, mechanical disc w/Shimano EF50 levers

Tips For Buying Kits, Batteries, and Fully Assembled Electric Bicycles

As gas prices rise across the globe, so does the interest in electric bicycles and other Light Electric Vehicles (LEVs). These LEVs are perfect for those who are tired of sitting in traffic or being cramped into crowded public transportation. But like any major purchase, it’s worth doing right. Here are three things you should keep in mind before making your purchase.

Bike or Motor Kit?
One of the first questions you’ll face when upgrading to an electric bicycle is whether to buy a separate bicycle or upgrade your current one. To upgrade your current bicycle, you can purchase a motor kit designed for this purpose. This might seem intimidating – but don’t let it be. All the best electric bicycle motor kits come with easy-to-follow installation instructions. Installation is quick, too. You could get your kit and be riding your new bike in the same day. For those who prefer to be hands off, there are plenty of options for buying ready-to-go bicycles. Both of these options function just like a normal bicycle except with some extra battery assistance. You won’t be getting the same speed and power as you would from a motorcycle.

Know Your State’s Law
If you’re planning to purchase an electric bicycle to use in the United States, you need to be aware of your own state’s laws. Most states hold up the national policy that electric bikes must operate under 20 mph and have a limit of 750 watts. However, the companies who produce these bicycles are not regulated. This means they could produce a bicycle or motor kit that could be illegal. Also, most states don’t require you to get special insurance for your electric bicycle. But you’ll want to check the Internet for any changes in policy that might occur. Since electric bicycles are relatively new, the laws and regulations around them could change very quickly.

Choosing a Battery
When purchasing an electric bicycle or a motor kit, you’ll come across various options for the battery power. More than anything, the choice of battery depends on how you will be using your bicycle. Riding in hilly areas or adding additional weight by pulling a trailer will drain battery power faster. Your best selection would be a Lithium Ion (Li Ion) battery as it surpasses all other battery types in the number of recharge cycles it can go through. Basically this means that you can go longer without having to purchase a new battery. Also, just like all other batteries, these batteries come in different voltages. Though the higher voltages will cost you more money, they will last longer and perform better.

Purchasing an electric bicycle for the first time can be a confusing experience. However, deciding whether you want a new bike or a motor kit, knowing your local laws, and choosing the best battery for your needs will help you make the best purchasing decision possible.