Motor-Assisted Bicycle Question?

Mary R

Can anyone out there tell me if they know of a motor-assisted bicycle (brand name and model) that would fit the following requirements;

* is fitted with pedals that are operable at all times to propel the bicycle;
* weighs not more than 121 lbs. (55 kilograms);
* has no hand or foot operated clutch or gearbox driven by the motor and transferring power to the driven wheel;
* has a piston displacement of not more that 20 cubic inches (50 cubic centimetres); and,
* does not attain a speed greater than 31 mph (50 km/hr) on level ground within a distance of 1.24 Miles (2 km) from a standing start.

Thank you in advance to anyone who can give me an answer.

Answer
My dad used to have something like this (they're called mopeds and are rare, haveing been superseeded by the motor scooter). It had a 1 cylinder 2 stroke air cooled engine with a centrafugal clutch and IV (Infinately Variable) gearbox (effectively a simple automatic gearbox).

You won't find anything like that that doesn't need a lot of TLC to keep it going though.

Far more common nowadays are electrically assisted bikes (using an electric motor and batteries).

What is riding one of the electric power assist bicycles like?

Q. The only thing I've heard is that they even out hills a little. What else have you heard? Are they worth the high price?

Answer
You can buy a nice shop quality bike for the same price as a cheap electric bike. You will benefit from the exercise and be a lot healthier. Don't expect the batteries to last long on the cheap bikes so you end up with a 70 lb bicycle or ending up pedaling harder then a regular bike. Expect to buy a new battery pack every 6 months or so.

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Motor-Assisted Bicycle Question?

Mary R

Can anyone out there tell me if they know of a motor-assisted bicycle (brand name and model) that would fit the following requirements;

* is fitted with pedals that are operable at all times to propel the bicycle;
* weighs not more than 121 lbs. (55 kilograms);
* has no hand or foot operated clutch or gearbox driven by the motor and transferring power to the driven wheel;
* has a piston displacement of not more that 20 cubic inches (50 cubic centimetres); and,
* does not attain a speed greater than 31 mph (50 km/hr) on level ground within a distance of 1.24 Miles (2 km) from a standing start.

Thank you in advance to anyone who can give me an answer.

Answer
My dad used to have something like this (they're called mopeds and are rare, haveing been superseeded by the motor scooter). It had a 1 cylinder 2 stroke air cooled engine with a centrafugal clutch and IV (Infinately Variable) gearbox (effectively a simple automatic gearbox).

You won't find anything like that that doesn't need a lot of TLC to keep it going though.

Far more common nowadays are electrically assisted bikes (using an electric motor and batteries).

What is riding one of the electric power assist bicycles like?

Q. The only thing I've heard is that they even out hills a little. What else have you heard? Are they worth the high price?

Answer
You can buy a nice shop quality bike for the same price as a cheap electric bike. You will benefit from the exercise and be a lot healthier. Don't expect the batteries to last long on the cheap bikes so you end up with a 70 lb bicycle or ending up pedaling harder then a regular bike. Expect to buy a new battery pack every 6 months or so.

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What are the electric scooter laws in California?

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Al Francis

I'm unable to get a licence so the best I can really do is get a scooter. I'd like to at least get around town easier without relying on public transportation. I've done a little bit of research in which people say its possible to ride a scooter that clocks out at a speed of 20 mph and no more without a licence. The kind of scooter i'm talking about looks like a gas powered scooter but is actually just an electric assisted bike. there's so many places on the internet to look but I just want to hear someone from California to confirm what I can ride. I'd greatly appreciate your help`
the type of scooter i'm looking at is electric and does not require gas. it has slip on pedals and has no exhaust.

Answer
http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/motors.html is useless -- does not cover the new electrical scooters. Not to mention that the CHP sometimes ignores the law. It you want to be legal, read the law from the Legislature: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/calawquery?codesection=veh

A CVC 407.5 "motorized scooter" is a stand-on vehicle, such as a Razor or Go-Ped. Such is legal on the streets, requires a driver's license of some sort. See CVC 21220-21235.

You want something that looks like a motor-scooter, that looks like a Vespa. That will be a CVC 406 "motorized bicycle" or "moped." If electric powered it can do 20 mph if it can also be pedaled, or if no pedals it can do 30 mph. To be legal on the streets you need to have a Class M2 motorcycle driver's license.

You say you cannot get a license? You are up sh*t creek -- there is *NO* motorized vehicle you can legally ride without a driver's license. Why not? Under age or what? If 18-20 years of age you can take the CMSP class, go to the DMV and pass the written and eye tests and walk out with a motorcycle permit. If 21, don't even need the CMSP class.

Otherwise, about all you can do is get a pedal bicycle. Legally. You can buy a bicycle wheel with a motor in the hub and a battery in your panniers and ride in stealth mode, illegally.

Can Exercise equipment be used to generate electricity?

photoguy19

A lot of the aerobic equipment at the gym creates it's own electric current for the displays. Why can't this be wired into the system to assist with the electricity the gym uses?

Answer
While it could be done, it would probably take a hundred years to pay back the investment in the electric machinery it would take to recoup any energy from exercisers. Let's think it through...

A person exercising fairly hard can generate perhaps 300 Watts averaged over an hour. Lets say your generator is 70% efficient. That means 200 Watts per treadmill or bicycle - perhaps if there are 50 machines there are only 30% (15) being used at a time so 15 times 200 equals 3000Watts. 3000W*1 hour is 3kW hours which costs about $0.25 (a quarter) So your exercise generator system makes you $4.00 per day, assuming that 30% of the machines are in use 16 hours per day (which is really optimistic) Your system would make the bikes or treadmills more expensive and you would need to install equipment to be able to use that energy, lets optimistically say that adds an extra $100000 for 50 special bikes/treadmills and a battery inverter system and all the necessary wiring, etc... So it would take 25000 days or 68 years to pay back the added cost of machinery...based on the assumptions I made.

You can make different assumptions and write a report on it ;)

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What is the best electric bicycle out there?

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Tim

Looking for an electric bicycle for commuting...range isn't too crucial as long as it's greater than 10 miles. Affordability is important.

Answer
There are now many electric assist bicycles out there. Some come complete and some kits you adapt to your own bicycle. A great place to start might be here: http://www.electricbikesreviews.com/

There are two general types of electric assist bicycles. They are hub motors and friction motors. For either one the motor and batteries will add weight to the bicycle.

Features you will want to look for should include:

Light with a good power to weight ratio.
The added weight of the batteries should be well placed for the design of the bike and not simply put anywhere.
Ability to remove the battery for charging inside the home.

Regenerative braking captures inertial energy and tries to convert that back into electricity to charge the battery. Bicycles are much lighter than a car and so have less inertial energy to capture. Batteries can't accept a massive influx of energy at once. As a result batteries are not so good to capture inertial energy. The good news is that while this may not be an extremely useful feature it virtually comes free with an electric motor

A fairing of some sort will extend range probably more than regenerative braking. Because of its lower wind resistance an electric recumbant makes some sense: http://www.recumbents.com/wisil/e-bent/default.htm

how much does it cost to maintain a motorized bicycle?

emp_symph0

i'm trying to buy the cheapest commute transportation possible to maintain for a year. i have about 2000 dollars to buy with. speed isn't a big factor (15 to 40 mph is fine) so i'm considering buying a bicycle and putting a motor on it (either gas or electric). i figured something small would be cheaper to buy/ maintain/repair but i dont know. if you have advice that doesn't directly answer my question- that would still be welcome.
thankyou.

Answer
It depends on your state. MOST states allow a bicyce to have an ELECTRIC motor with a maximum power of 750watts, if the motor stops propelling the bike at 20mph, above that then its legs or gravity. This is a federal law called HR 727 and was passed Nov 2002. States can opt out, but most don't. This is not for gas powered bikes, just electric!

The "Ebike" must have pedals that work and can have 2 or 3 wheels and weigh less than 100 lbs. Then they (legal low powered electric assist bicycles) are allowed most places bicyles are legal and illegal where they are not allowed.

There are age, helmet and other limitations, so check with your state. However, you do not need insurance or state vehicle registration- you are a bicycle.

All that being said, a recumbent bicycle with electric assist and a fairing will really be comfy, really be fast, and will cost about $2k including a nice electric assist with a range of about 30 miles. for about $1k you can do ok but the comort, speed and range will be greatly decreased.

If you need speeds above 25mph and more than a 35 mile range, consider a gas based bike. Most ebike dealers offer phone support (thats me for one) most gas dealers want you to bring the motor to a dealer.

You will need to maintian it like a regular bike, and have to swap batteries about every three years, depending on use.

We build, ship, sell and advise folks like you every day, and hope we can be of help.

Good brands of Ebike Kits- Cylone -usa,.
www.cyclone-usa.com
Bionx;
www.birdrv.com/electricbike.php
Crystalyte:
www.poweridestore.com/

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is it possible to make a bicycle motorized with a weed wacker ?

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randy

is it possible to make a bicycle motorized with a weed wacker. I need details

Answer
Yes, but it stinks, is loud and is ugly. People will give you looks. Also when the thing inevitably breaks down or runs out of gas you have a deadweight on your bike.

Cycling is actually very easy if you use your gears well. Checkout Sheldon Brown [link below] for some expert advice on how to get the most of your gears.

If you are intent on being lazy or maybe have a good reason for assisted cycling I'd recommend an electric assist. These can be added to the hub of a modified wheel pretty easily. And the electricity is tiny compared to the price of gas. There are some pretty slick systems. The most important part is a nice battery that is long lasting. I think the new Lithion-Ion batteries are lighter and better (but not cheaper)

Try the renaissance electric bikes company, they can help you out.

How can I make a 9 Volt alert for a battery powered wheelchair.?

Dennis

I use a battery powered wheelchair to get around in. I live in a senior/assisted living home and I use a elevator often. At times I need to back out of the elevator and I can not see behind me. Also at times other people are just standing around blocking my path. I don't want anything really loud.. just enough to be heard.

Answer
Instead of going through all the trouble of buying, installing and wiring a horn like this, buy yourself a bicycle horn, it mounts very easy and you can get the sound that you want...

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What is riding one of the electric power assist bicycles like?

best battery assist bicycle image

Q. The only thing I've heard is that they even out hills a little. What else have you heard? Are they worth the high price?

Answer
You can buy a nice shop quality bike for the same price as a cheap electric bike. You will benefit from the exercise and be a lot healthier. Don't expect the batteries to last long on the cheap bikes so you end up with a 70 lb bicycle or ending up pedaling harder then a regular bike. Expect to buy a new battery pack every 6 months or so.

Is it illegal to ride a motor scooter around in your neighborhood?

Audrey McC

My child just got a little kid motorcycle, which goes max 10 mph and is battery powered, and i want to know if it's illegal to ride it around the neighborhood.

Answer
sorry it doesn't say where you are from.

in the uk it is illegal to ride anything on the pavement including a bicycle, however the police understand that it is wrong for children to ride on the road so it is overlooked until they are of a responsible age. in the uk that is 12

a battery powered bike is mechanically powered and would require licensing tax and an mot. again however its a toy and would be overlooked. this is different to a battery assisted bicycle where it is manually powered but assisted.


if you were in the uk it would be illegal to ride on the path and to ride on the road but it is standard presidure to ignore both

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Can Exercise equipment be used to generate electricity?

best battery assist bicycle image

photoguy19

A lot of the aerobic equipment at the gym creates it's own electric current for the displays. Why can't this be wired into the system to assist with the electricity the gym uses?

Answer
While it could be done, it would probably take a hundred years to pay back the investment in the electric machinery it would take to recoup any energy from exercisers. Let's think it through...

A person exercising fairly hard can generate perhaps 300 Watts averaged over an hour. Lets say your generator is 70% efficient. That means 200 Watts per treadmill or bicycle - perhaps if there are 50 machines there are only 30% (15) being used at a time so 15 times 200 equals 3000Watts. 3000W*1 hour is 3kW hours which costs about $0.25 (a quarter) So your exercise generator system makes you $4.00 per day, assuming that 30% of the machines are in use 16 hours per day (which is really optimistic) Your system would make the bikes or treadmills more expensive and you would need to install equipment to be able to use that energy, lets optimistically say that adds an extra $100000 for 50 special bikes/treadmills and a battery inverter system and all the necessary wiring, etc... So it would take 25000 days or 68 years to pay back the added cost of machinery...based on the assumptions I made.

You can make different assumptions and write a report on it ;)

In Texas do you have to have a license to drive a gas powered scooter?

sum1sbabyd

I will be going to school at Stephen F. Austin next year and was wondering if I need a license to drive a gas powered scooter(like a vespa) on campus. I know they're allowed on the campus but I don't know if I have to have a license for one.

Answer
License and helmet in Texas. The alternative is electric bicycles pedal assist machine like the Schwinn Campus, and World. My commuter bicycle is the Schwinn Continental 30 volt battery pack really great to silently ride around. On the bike paths it embarrasses many high performance riders. Vespas Are not cheep any more and the two stroke motors are dirty running at least you still get some exercise with a bike.

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