Converting an Old Bike Into An All-Electric Cruiser

Why would you want to convert a bicycle, which has no outside energy draw other than the rider and very little maintenance requirement, to run off of an electric motor? That seems a bit like backward progression. Are we really so lazy that we need powered assistance just to ride a bike now?

Would there be a way to use pedaling to recharge the batteries. I can see this working out if that were the case, otherwise, as stated above, you're giving it a carbon footprint when it normally doesn't have one.

qlmmb2086 -

Lazy? Perhaps. Or perhaps just asthmatic. Or recovering from a debilitating illness. Or simply old.

Personally, I have advanced osteoarthritis in both knees, and could imagine that a little help on the hills would be welcome.

Not everyone is perfectly fit and perfectly strong. A little electric assist to get them outside and moving again could be a Godsend.

So, recycling some surplus parts to make an electric bike for those not able(or unwilling) to supply full muscle power, thereby adding to the bike's carbon footprint, is less desirable than just barrelling around in my gas guzzler? Thank you Enviro Nazi for the heads-up. I wouldn't want to offend anyone by using my homemade electric-assist bike.

Come on folks, let's look at the WHOLE system, not just one piece of it before we start decrying this as (gasp!) adding to a carbon footprint. You really should consider the alternatives. Right now if people want to make a 3-5 mile trip (say to get a few things or go see someone, for example), they are either going to ride their bikes or drive. Most will drive, pushing their big heavy cars around by burning gas (or even some other form of power, but in the end all power comes from the sun anyways). But if some of those same people had the desire to modify their bikes to have electric assist, they could have the option (and be more likely) to use the lower-power option.

See, it is all relative and all tied together. Looking at just one piece and branding it as good or evil is a VERY dangerous practice, and all systems should be looked at as a whole. I mean, I could look at a guy pedaling a bike and consider that evil because he'll have to consume extra food, and that food is much more energy intensive than just burning gas, etc. But that would be a flawed analysis based on looking at just one piece of the whole system. In the end, if a person wants to go from point A to point B, the less energy used the better, and that means pushing the least amount of weight around as possible. If that means an electric bike over a car, you have an improvement.

the linked motor controller is just a throttle. Is there a link to an actual motor controller?

I'm working on an ebike conversion right now and it's powered by - SOLAR! I live in an apartment in Queens, NY (1 of the 5 boros of NYC) and have great southern exposure. I have 2 folding solar panels taking up the top half of 2 of my windows in my living room. They're covered with drapes and are completely hidden. They charge 4 7AH 12v batteries in a few hours. All I have to do is swap out 2 of the batteries at a time and hook them up to the bike. The system I'm working on is portable, modular and has NO CARBON FOOTPRINT!

It CAN be done. It CAN be done from an apartment in a big city even. Anyone that would like to challenge me on the greenness of my particular system is more than welcome to come on over and K.M.A. :)

Cheers to everyone out there for whom the box doesn't exist. And anyone criticizing this thinking should come up with something better before opening their mouths. Put up or shut up.

M

qlmmb2086:
another f^*~$@ m*#%n who doesn't understand the tech behind present lithium/motor/controller.

"A traveler has no protection besides his fire-arms; and the constant habit of carrying them is the main check to more frequent robberies" --Charles Darwin from The Voyage Of The Beagle

I am truly sorry you feel that I am being lazy by not pedaling a bicycle. Two things 1.my prostate cause me so much pain I can not set on a bicycle seat. 2. The five cracked and broken vertebra in my back prevent me from having enough strength to pedal. Actually I do not wish to build a electric bicycle. I would like to fit motors to all four wheels and then be able to take it off road into rough areas so I may enjoy the outdoors places normally reserved for ATV that are much more powerful than a person can pedal.

73 dray

I'm curious about the whole bike pedaling recharging as well... I do agree about the laziness comment. It is amazing to see how we are always trying to find ways to be more effective in our energy usage aka being lazy.

Bravo macpower,
running your electric bike of sunlight in New York City is a great example of what is doable if one is creative.
I have been running my laptop office in Central Park on a Brunton Solaris folding Solar panel. I am also working on a solution to tilt and adjust my Sharp 123 watt panel. (probably making it slide out of my window over 2nd avenue during the day)

I need to charge my BionX electric bike kit with it: www.nycewheels.com/bionx-electric-motor.html
The BionX has a high capacity 360 watt (36v/10ah) battery-pack so I need a powerful panel. I will post pictures once finished.

Bert, electric bike enthusiast
www.nycewheels.com

Bravo marcoreid -
...let's look at the WHOLE system, not just one piece of it

Rather than discourage electric bikes, we should embrace any technology that allows bicycles to become a more attractive transportation alternative.

Our society's current reliance on the fossil fuel powered automobile is not sustainable. Eventually, a greener way to power cars will exist but cars still choke our city streets and empower suburban sprawl.

Whether it's a cheap, DIY electric motor kit or a factory made, cutting edge, high performance, compact folding electric bike like the new IF Reach DC (www.ridethisbike.com/products/P-Cycles/IF-Reach-DC-folding-electric-bike.htm), I'm all for electric bicycles because they make cycling more attractive to a wider audience. The more useful the bike becomes, the greater the reason to ride a bike rather than drive a car.

Larry
www.RideTHISbike.com

Why not have the cycle drive in the hub of the wheel? China/India can supply the wheel with the electric drive hub and is great for do it yourself cycle addicts. chandu krishnamurthi

I take my kids bike camping from time to time and we use a tag-along kid trailer (from when they were younger) as our equipment hauler. I would love to think that a little electric assist could help ease the task of pedaling all that camping gear along some of our favorite "rail to trail" camping adventures. Now, if the fabric which encloses this trailer were to double as a solar collector.....hmmm

You can simply mount a 24 volt alternator on your frame, hook it up to your batteries, and chain it to your pedals. When you pedal, the mechanical energy will be converted into electrical energy using magnetism and will recharge the batteries that will be powering the motor that is assisting your pedaling. It's, essentially, an energy cycle, and it's the closest that you're going to get to having a completely self-sufficient generator system without breaking the laws of thermodynamics.

iqine.com :
The main reason I love this idea is the purpose of conservation. It's very hard to create brand new technology and make it widely available. I do feel depending on your resources and lifestyle or for pure curiosity it could be explored.

The point is not to replace a bike, it is to replace a car for short trips with small loads. Keep one bike for biking, and convert an old junker to use instead of driving.

I am interested in possibly converting my bike for cold weather months and when I need a bit of assistance on inclines. I enjoy riding my bike as is, but there are times when having it converted would make somethings easier. And it's cheaper than a motorcycle or moped.