tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55228001114216715192024-03-28T20:14:38.180-04:00My Solar Electric Cargo BikeNot quite One Less Car, but close. A bike that makes doing 50 mile long errands easier, and gets some of it's power from the sun.Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.comBlogger71125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-63143802161638546012023-12-10T12:31:00.001-05:002023-12-11T20:57:35.913-05:00A flat work table for making cargo bike frames<div style="text-align: left;">Cargo bike frames don't fit very well on a standard bike frame building jig. I've gotten around this by placing a sheet of plywood on a flat section of the floor and lofting the plan on to it. This has been very solid and square, but my knees and back are starting to complain. When I decided last spring that it was time to start building the two wheel recumbent frame I've been dreaming about, it was also time to build a worktable.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQdlDEFNqcokgAV-cI3xYnlltfrw_m974S2pHR8SRjuI_9bzGx3vJtZrbhtyLg7qQgoSLObQZx5WOwsbXsrZbCX_NDdhWEFiLEGk7hjm5ZBUOKm3RZf4v2QVViQ93mWC1jB6RrYqYKSjYgrnMTDt7j9WRXnzPC8LQdvtyro8HH_X99GZ9pVZ076xv13vC/s945/3-4%20view%20p1%20206%20email.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="735" data-original-width="945" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQdlDEFNqcokgAV-cI3xYnlltfrw_m974S2pHR8SRjuI_9bzGx3vJtZrbhtyLg7qQgoSLObQZx5WOwsbXsrZbCX_NDdhWEFiLEGk7hjm5ZBUOKm3RZf4v2QVViQ93mWC1jB6RrYqYKSjYgrnMTDt7j9WRXnzPC8LQdvtyro8HH_X99GZ9pVZ076xv13vC/w400-h311/3-4%20view%20p1%20206%20email.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A machinist's metal worktable is usually a carefully machined cast iron or steel surface that weighs a ton or two, is damaged after the first few projects, is not portable, cost more than my budget, and doesn't play well in small spaces. The next most stable bench would be a woodworker's 2" to 3" thick laminated hardwood top, which is still too substantial for my space. My projects weigh only 20 pounds and this bench is for layout and fitting, not hammering, so the surface mainly needs to be flat and long. This rules out most welding tables. Last summer a neighbor put out a flat panel hollow core door free for the taking at the end of his driveway and I thought it would be perfect, but after washing it and putting it in the sun to dry I found that hollow core doors will sag and warp. This left only plywood or medium density fiberboard (MDF) for a top. Because MDF sometimes snaps in two when bent, I used plywood. However I used 3/4" CDX and then spent hours gluing veneer and adding wood filler to make a smooth surface. If I build another table I'll use a better grade. or even a hardwood plywood.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><u>Dimensions</u></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">The top is 30" wide by 80" long. Measuring the bikes I have, the tallest frame was just under 24", and the longest frame (not counting the forks) was 82". I wanted to be able to move the table outside while set up and my exterior door has a clear opening of 33" wide, however any clamps around the edge would take up 1-3/8" on each side, so I rounded to 30" wide for easy math while measuring from either side.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRwvFxPZJxl2aWPKIYiUiNZmGg8_iUl_5u-mZ52puUw5bOM0q-dzBHY0O8Yk3IiCh_T0ni9rqc90pamzDm1sYYqs9TFyNm3cQJTOgXyIHiZMp7hur_Q2zJvBdQ3WphGCxfwIagG4enyHDqXr46cT3xSyg0xJtn11VNIbz_DonHSRfdWZTeyQN4F22rFH1K/s926/23%208%2026%20worktable%20(52)%20f%20clamp%201.375%20over%20crop%20email.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="926" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRwvFxPZJxl2aWPKIYiUiNZmGg8_iUl_5u-mZ52puUw5bOM0q-dzBHY0O8Yk3IiCh_T0ni9rqc90pamzDm1sYYqs9TFyNm3cQJTOgXyIHiZMp7hur_Q2zJvBdQ3WphGCxfwIagG4enyHDqXr46cT3xSyg0xJtn11VNIbz_DonHSRfdWZTeyQN4F22rFH1K/w400-h345/23%208%2026%20worktable%20(52)%20f%20clamp%201.375%20over%20crop%20email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Similarly I decided to use 80" long for easy math, although it could leave a few inches of a frame hanging over the edge. This isn't a big concern because the frame jig can extend past the table. I took some time to make the edges of the top very straight, square, and parallel to use for references during measuring (less than 1/64" deviation over the length).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The table is 34" tall. While standing with my arms bent at the elbow so that my forearms were horizontal, I drooped my hand as though I was working on tubing, and measured the height of my fingertips. (This placed the tabletop 3-1/2" below the bottom of my elbows.) This turned out to be very comfortable, close enough to see well when coping notches but not so high that I had to splay my arms.out sideways when reaching across the table.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><u>The top and frame</u></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Plywood warps, and the top is secured to a strong frame with thumb knobs so that it can easily be adjusted flat with shims stuck between the top and the frame. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS5ChdOYbQD94YzYPHgaPeConoBtRTDwu_8BRl9I448uUJqLVwovfWN41AcCBilz2P3Bi8eDmsljCFGgonUE9hEjI92pM2EhqTQZ8NqwDwkSb90tgn1m7MOecE_gyjrm5xG7ujmD_ghUuPrr3G-Ztd3lxGsfnMhZQzG-PLS37cAzHtZvwwuqpvQZpfjyS-/s954/2%20frame%2043%20email.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="613" data-original-width="954" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS5ChdOYbQD94YzYPHgaPeConoBtRTDwu_8BRl9I448uUJqLVwovfWN41AcCBilz2P3Bi8eDmsljCFGgonUE9hEjI92pM2EhqTQZ8NqwDwkSb90tgn1m7MOecE_gyjrm5xG7ujmD_ghUuPrr3G-Ztd3lxGsfnMhZQzG-PLS37cAzHtZvwwuqpvQZpfjyS-/w400-h258/2%20frame%2043%20email.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">A 2x4 frame.assembled with 6" screws and construction adhesive provides a rigid base for the plywood top. Allowing for a 4" wide lip around the top to fit my F clamps, the frame is 22"w x 72"l.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBi_Hrub9kY4aqnz4pMBTTXOdF8r9wHteGGTyb0VmYJqcM58eD2-Yly6b3N6SZzc1Pxp5pMfFD969ylVdteMtX9EqgO3YWZEXu4GEa_3vRoln4GhCmuCHjwYPbEEyjSNnyGLR35ZisT1IeQu6NOpg-S9fvEYxiGGLM3uW37QT1Wjl9w3YFzqWtKEtbylB6/s1120/23%208%2020%2021%20worktable%20(26)%20underside%20of%20top%20showing%20blocks%20crop%20email.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="895" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBi_Hrub9kY4aqnz4pMBTTXOdF8r9wHteGGTyb0VmYJqcM58eD2-Yly6b3N6SZzc1Pxp5pMfFD969ylVdteMtX9EqgO3YWZEXu4GEa_3vRoln4GhCmuCHjwYPbEEyjSNnyGLR35ZisT1IeQu6NOpg-S9fvEYxiGGLM3uW37QT1Wjl9w3YFzqWtKEtbylB6/w320-h400/23%208%2020%2021%20worktable%20(26)%20underside%20of%20top%20showing%20blocks%20crop%20email.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><u><b>Attaching the Top to the Frame</b></u> Eight blocks glued and screwed to the underside of the table fit into the corners of the frame to locate the top. After painting everything with a one part epoxy paint, the sides of the blocks were covered with clear plastic shipping tape to prevent the blocks from sticking to the frame. I originally thought I'd use fixtures that clamp through the table (similar to a machinist's metal table), and drilled three rows of holes. However the jig makes this unnecessary, and only the center row is needed for anchoring the jig to the table.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrx_pI7zsvgwTOJweEeQWTl2rLHpooa_NzbuNIIY_DvaiWBfnt7tOVsKCkrE7MyitfYOorrl0Vha-a07qjAQwTiy03Vg35LF5Hpbuh9js9lXfKCwcJKCzVF9FJe5DjzUPW3jeNwEwq3BcYL-BaYk5lngmCXmONNG86FsocL3BqPcr15FLrHw6K8WcYKrL0/s1296/23%208%2020%2021%20worktable%20(58)%20block%20brace%20and%20thumb%20knob%20email.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="1296" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrx_pI7zsvgwTOJweEeQWTl2rLHpooa_NzbuNIIY_DvaiWBfnt7tOVsKCkrE7MyitfYOorrl0Vha-a07qjAQwTiy03Vg35LF5Hpbuh9js9lXfKCwcJKCzVF9FJe5DjzUPW3jeNwEwq3BcYL-BaYk5lngmCXmONNG86FsocL3BqPcr15FLrHw6K8WcYKrL0/w400-h300/23%208%2020%2021%20worktable%20(58)%20block%20brace%20and%20thumb%20knob%20email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Underside view of securing the top to the frame. The blocks fit snug into the corners of the frame, and a thumb knob is used to pull the top tight. I used 5mm thick corner braces designed for metal shelving to resist bending as the knobs were tightened, but the brace tolerances were terrible. After cutting the corner weld apart and bending the braces square on a press, I drilled 1/4" holes in the sides and mounted them on the frame with a 1/8" gap to the blocks. In this picture I've drilled a hole in the brace and the block that fits a 5/16" stair handrail bolt, (which has a wood thread on one end and machine screw thread on the other), and have tightened double nuts on the bolts and screwed them into the blocks. In the center are a couple of thumb knobs, and in the can are handrail bolts that I've shortened to fit the knobs.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTfQpRKlpHkqVu-qCFsTIsJJZHmuW0cRzhOY4MxxezFZcU3UisQuV_7ZTmO3PFDftw0ZNCr4p_9ymfccxDB66z8IGa5n67T0uTCWlp90paFxyklz3M6zX32ZWtfgkxtd0eH3igtaVAjgwpKGGeCKqrxCrX1pizE_aMLpXpmnY9vtUvQ7CjV_whNkMkKzYI/s1296/23%2010%2027%20(9)%20F%20clamp%20email.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="1296" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTfQpRKlpHkqVu-qCFsTIsJJZHmuW0cRzhOY4MxxezFZcU3UisQuV_7ZTmO3PFDftw0ZNCr4p_9ymfccxDB66z8IGa5n67T0uTCWlp90paFxyklz3M6zX32ZWtfgkxtd0eH3igtaVAjgwpKGGeCKqrxCrX1pizE_aMLpXpmnY9vtUvQ7CjV_whNkMkKzYI/w400-h300/23%2010%2027%20(9)%20F%20clamp%20email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>A Typical Frame Jig</u></b> Since the bike frames were less than 24" tall, a thin sheet of plywood can be ripped in half lengthwise and used as the base for building a jig. The table has a row of 1/4" holes down the center and the jig base is fastened to the table with several carriage bolts to keep it from moving around. Then the design is easily drawn onto this base with tape measures and tee squares using the accurate edges of the table for reference. Next shim blocks are glued onto the base drawing to hold the frame parts in alignment - the widest part of this bike frame is the 5.5" rear rack, and all blocks were cut to hold parts at a 2.75" centerline. I used a tablesaw to cut the blocks out of scrap 2x4, but a miter box should work as well. Tabs were glued to the sides of the blocks to help position the parts, but as the frame was assembled the warpage from welding gradually accumulated to create a tight fit, and it might be better to screw these tabs on so that they can be repositioned. I ended up using a sheetrock knife or chisel on a couple of them. I used 1/4" thick plywood for the base which flexed enough to let me finish building the frame, but this picture taken towards the end of building shows three F clamps holding everything down flat to the table while a pair of sticks clamped to the seat mounts are used to line them up parallel with the table.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwy2vSMQSAx0NIx5UKouRDjdETgrANPUfGdakKo1PB7N5pc3ykTijVE8ImE1vZJSp-kGUWyRQIuOBSmsvdPOw_OjrgyktmFckrhJamz7z8x5YsGkMh2K5vTnwszSWMh_uFK8YoNxmV67vRDnbViYDLELBPutEyJS7It-XL5fyEsFYp1ZvApQBrZdrh4RF/s1296/worktable2%20(38)%20square%20and%20adjustable%20arm%20email.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="1296" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwy2vSMQSAx0NIx5UKouRDjdETgrANPUfGdakKo1PB7N5pc3ykTijVE8ImE1vZJSp-kGUWyRQIuOBSmsvdPOw_OjrgyktmFckrhJamz7z8x5YsGkMh2K5vTnwszSWMh_uFK8YoNxmV67vRDnbViYDLELBPutEyJS7It-XL5fyEsFYp1ZvApQBrZdrh4RF/w400-h300/worktable2%20(38)%20square%20and%20adjustable%20arm%20email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div>A multitude of holes is needed in the center row to allow several positions for jig bolts to leave spaces for squares or other marking devices on the drawing while fitting up the frame. A dial gauge holder with a sheet metal strip can be held against a part such as a bottom bracket, and then the bracket removed and a long tube slipped under the strip to be marked for length. I've found that bottom brackets vary in outside diameters, so I cut discs that fit inside the brackets that were glued on the blocks to locate the brackets.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghen9ffxF6XY_LHCw8EIXun0pTtap0iLVPV7rEQ00lqbnvKDH6hJtw2kJFSMghabqIqZxRgvnKyC-IZt8ZRk0MrTHAYaUpVvyMRCo_qEv0z0yB4stnCZYIrsV7z_SpEzKVTkIm0P3OxfprUHPZN4rFGPbgWG1o-zClCe40br1-t98To-gNyl1gkUsxxzR7/s1296/23%208%2020%2021%20worktable%20(92)%20shelf%20bracket%20email.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1296" data-original-width="972" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghen9ffxF6XY_LHCw8EIXun0pTtap0iLVPV7rEQ00lqbnvKDH6hJtw2kJFSMghabqIqZxRgvnKyC-IZt8ZRk0MrTHAYaUpVvyMRCo_qEv0z0yB4stnCZYIrsV7z_SpEzKVTkIm0P3OxfprUHPZN4rFGPbgWG1o-zClCe40br1-t98To-gNyl1gkUsxxzR7/w300-h400/23%208%2020%2021%20worktable%20(92)%20shelf%20bracket%20email.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u><b>Legs</b></u> Folding shelf brackets attach the legs to the frame, which reduces the rocking to about 1/4 that of standard folding table leg hinges. The disadvantages are the legs fold an inch wider and there is almost no sideways racking resistance. but this table only needs to fold enough to be out of the way against a wall, and the legs are paired together by a sturdy cross brace that prevents sideways movement. Since the legs butt directly against the frame side rails and a cross member, the table is quite strong.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3swS0_RTeb-IITvL1JGm_EALEETxqugCCvG1QgqLRwcYT_8CRfAjcdjy4D8aGlaXFtrZDQPEWMCpV9CB5hi_Bz4MWFGFzZoM6FDtPO_-amqGxmz5Uppr-1s9Gb0kND9CtOs2PjDBtgchGGKTDaXiKHmyfBfFsXT8Tyx0MLl4F9yPEcHvFfG39Cfx6N9f0/s1296/23%208%2024%20worktable%20(158)%20level%20email.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="1296" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3swS0_RTeb-IITvL1JGm_EALEETxqugCCvG1QgqLRwcYT_8CRfAjcdjy4D8aGlaXFtrZDQPEWMCpV9CB5hi_Bz4MWFGFzZoM6FDtPO_-amqGxmz5Uppr-1s9Gb0kND9CtOs2PjDBtgchGGKTDaXiKHmyfBfFsXT8Tyx0MLl4F9yPEcHvFfG39Cfx6N9f0/w400-h300/23%208%2024%20worktable%20(158)%20level%20email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u><b>End Results</b></u> After shimming, the top is very flat with no light showing through underneath a 72" straight edge. The table was also adjusted flat across the width using a yardstick, and a pair of winding sticks were used at several locations to remove twist. There are a few small dips but the jig helps to smooth them out, and this is more than flat enough for a bike frame.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8edq92AokJI3ICxR5Ja4OYKwU8suGw-TKBI5JiUKtYc_3eoybu-Ci3eWJi9yEnbIHguSDw78JgAZUF_LesWLR363wIM-PBcPao5QbqULR-BPhTp6vC_fpKcpUMUHC93kgwu6yb-2P5E_OZTyZrYt_nEaHOiM5DTF1euRI07xAmL0fhqaEnmvBoPyUeplX/s1296/23%208%2024%20worktable%20(181)%20regular%20frame%20on%20table%20email.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="1296" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8edq92AokJI3ICxR5Ja4OYKwU8suGw-TKBI5JiUKtYc_3eoybu-Ci3eWJi9yEnbIHguSDw78JgAZUF_LesWLR363wIM-PBcPao5QbqULR-BPhTp6vC_fpKcpUMUHC93kgwu6yb-2P5E_OZTyZrYt_nEaHOiM5DTF1euRI07xAmL0fhqaEnmvBoPyUeplX/w400-h300/23%208%2024%20worktable%20(181)%20regular%20frame%20on%20table%20email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For comparison, a jig for a regular bike frame would be about half as large.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjup3G1JbdFQo4pOuakcMkmTj3BLff4CiLhBxJepSp1hUBjOuKZlbOFy8pIlPouoDPMYEanHnSekcz2WTFaInjSjhKnco5aesk2tqWES93jDxmfWs7qZF8YGOKR8GU9FyIRRLjUQDsK7j7qduOXJhSrS9Oycv-9DAf3QUDyJ79IKMh3tHXUBusDQ4-Z1CFm/s1296/worktable2%20(42)%20rear%20rack%20clamping%20jig%20email.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="1296" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjup3G1JbdFQo4pOuakcMkmTj3BLff4CiLhBxJepSp1hUBjOuKZlbOFy8pIlPouoDPMYEanHnSekcz2WTFaInjSjhKnco5aesk2tqWES93jDxmfWs7qZF8YGOKR8GU9FyIRRLjUQDsK7j7qduOXJhSrS9Oycv-9DAf3QUDyJ79IKMh3tHXUBusDQ4-Z1CFm/w400-h300/worktable2%20(42)%20rear%20rack%20clamping%20jig%20email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The rear rack clamp set up was much easier than propping up the rails any other way. A 4" wide board between the two rails kept them parallel, and a 90 degree angle plate (made of plywood) lined up on the drawing kept the rails both straight and perpendicular. The tail end of the rack does extend off the edge of the table by 4", but there are enough jig props that it doesn't matter.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRjlgMSBTBU0F7In0QVoZRZ_WhXODqc7vjPqa0_zTsh1gdwDgPkAIEqZ8RSTJqLB796sS119IHRbzGTBbhPlGMGM3HcLGJBwYIolAF2ic716OJPznhzTxA3n6jNjFisSPObyujpmYIuLG9UYIjKY_2vudz9y7DA0gPQ117W5hS5pgNgqlCAPML6gCCUK3/s1296/23%208%2026%20worktable%20(47)%20with%20recumbent%20frame%20email.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="1296" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRjlgMSBTBU0F7In0QVoZRZ_WhXODqc7vjPqa0_zTsh1gdwDgPkAIEqZ8RSTJqLB796sS119IHRbzGTBbhPlGMGM3HcLGJBwYIolAF2ic716OJPznhzTxA3n6jNjFisSPObyujpmYIuLG9UYIjKY_2vudz9y7DA0gPQ117W5hS5pgNgqlCAPML6gCCUK3/w400-h300/23%208%2026%20worktable%20(47)%20with%20recumbent%20frame%20email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Another example using the plywood 90 degree angle plates is holding side rails vertical on a recumbent seat frame. I've made a couple of these seat frames on a smaller surface with a tight fit and the rail ends have turned out slightly misaligned. For the next seat I'll draw out a rectangle on plywood fastened to the table and glue on stop blocks in the corners to hold the rails square and parallel, and then use the angle plates to keep them vertical while I tack weld the cross supports. Note: only tack welds are done on the table, and then the assemblies are taken over to my metal cutting cabinet where I can rotate the assembly during welding to minimize distortion. I also use scraps of sheet metal under the tack welds to reduce weld spatter burning the jig.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you would like to build a recumbent seat, a basic pattern with instructions can be found at Recycled Recumbents:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/recycledrecumbents/home" target="_blank">https://sites.google.com/site/recycledrecumbents/home</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've found that his pattern has about 3/4" too much lumbar support and is about 3" too tall for me, and I've combined his pattern with angles from a couple other seats to suit me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcMKvQn4EH9ZN9WaqHtNBapYY42RZbxYcv236pwgKON9DtPINA9vk9-1bi6OQGTxcdoG5o0D3_U4RPoHYDSpVxvFh9cAdtWfoa01ryF02sK1MdZ8I6_ETF-sBNzx7psliA9ofcn-64Dh5a8G-3-iiUPyXvIHjRJrcR6M353x0pluR1G_bnYzldhaxDbijd/s1296/23%2011%201%20bike%20frame%20-%20karl%20email.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="1296" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcMKvQn4EH9ZN9WaqHtNBapYY42RZbxYcv236pwgKON9DtPINA9vk9-1bi6OQGTxcdoG5o0D3_U4RPoHYDSpVxvFh9cAdtWfoa01ryF02sK1MdZ8I6_ETF-sBNzx7psliA9ofcn-64Dh5a8G-3-iiUPyXvIHjRJrcR6M353x0pluR1G_bnYzldhaxDbijd/w400-h300/23%2011%201%20bike%20frame%20-%20karl%20email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u><b>The Breeze</b></u> The first project on this table was the frame for The Breeze, my two wheel recumbent cargo bike, built this fall and nicely straight with well aligned angles. It still needs battery and solar panel mounts, and a steering linkage, but I have to install components and check the clearances on them first. I've spent well over a year sketching this frame in Nanocad Free (<a href="https://nanocad.com/products/nanocad-free/" target="_blank">https://nanocad.com/products/nanocad-free/</a>) to be sure everything fit, and this winter the project will finally be building the rear swingarm, the part that I started the design with 2 years ago. I've been spending a lot of time on advocacy for better bike/ped infrastructure, (such as a bike corridor along Route 5 from Massachusetts to Canada), but hopefully next summer you'll see some blog posts about the complete bike.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">All in all the table has been very comfortable, reducing bending when test fitting tubes and going back and forth to a workbench, and is a vast improvement in jig holding and accuracy. If I did need to use it for rougher work I could cover it with a plywood or sheet metal layer and still have the flatness. As it is though it saves a lot of measuring, straight edge work, and string layout, and is straight for 80". Very nice!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com0White River Junction, VT 05001, USA43.6782802 -72.369847130.941563286628742 -89.9479721 56.414997113371264 -54.7917221tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-42132211104804677032022-08-21T14:00:00.008-04:002022-08-28T21:09:58.955-04:00Calibrating a Spoke Tension Gauge and looking at the results<div style="text-align: left;">My spoke tension gauge has helped me get a more even tension for the spokes on each side of a wheel than I was able to achieve by plucking the spokes. But I've never trusted the tension conversion tables provided by companies, even if their gauges look the same as mine.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbZWMDnKHPmOmmIcpIis_D__k3x8BcX2ulpiWqSMNBoSSJcFdRgB-xU4jVBs5Zw_QVpdxEBZ09wdc_3wCWA11RAbYcGlMc164b9ESwPopy3ne7l06_EzOlLqEuAWPFpRwniaK7NHPIGeO8cSXW9bQV1bLWHq76jLfIoZlVT0PcaoZStHSzvrn-bHmlJQ/s908/IMG_9288%20Deckas%20gauge%20+%20text%20email.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="908" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbZWMDnKHPmOmmIcpIis_D__k3x8BcX2ulpiWqSMNBoSSJcFdRgB-xU4jVBs5Zw_QVpdxEBZ09wdc_3wCWA11RAbYcGlMc164b9ESwPopy3ne7l06_EzOlLqEuAWPFpRwniaK7NHPIGeO8cSXW9bQV1bLWHq76jLfIoZlVT0PcaoZStHSzvrn-bHmlJQ/w400-h271/IMG_9288%20Deckas%20gauge%20+%20text%20email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: left;">A slightly different pivot bushing or spring and the kg tables aren't correct</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: left;">(click on all images to enlarge)</i></div><div style="text-align: left;">I have the Deckas version, which was affordable, smooth (after a few drops of oil), and quick. It's worked well. But last winter in my quest for knowledge, I bought 3 full suspension frames, (because no one I know would let me touch their bikes), and took them apart to study the pivots.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfviQywOX2BOGVeLKgZo1HEZWgRnhHFbPtOI0Bqta7SBlLzl4BGcB-BLC8S3vWjSftqPOcmwk2pm6u-6tt9KW_MOP-YoT4osy7oH5-M1jN2GdnN1BSPlvrbI-QzVVSnJ2bm3rtkYVCRYOIwe3ktr1EAYjsQfWmkTQFHTuhK9YCQO8bW8gvmqDoduADQ/s908/Three%20sample%20frames%20comparison%20email.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="908" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfviQywOX2BOGVeLKgZo1HEZWgRnhHFbPtOI0Bqta7SBlLzl4BGcB-BLC8S3vWjSftqPOcmwk2pm6u-6tt9KW_MOP-YoT4osy7oH5-M1jN2GdnN1BSPlvrbI-QzVVSnJ2bm3rtkYVCRYOIwe3ktr1EAYjsQfWmkTQFHTuhK9YCQO8bW8gvmqDoduADQ/w400-h300/Three%20sample%20frames%20comparison%20email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>A Stumpjumper, Altitude, and VP-Free that now need wheels </i></div><div style="text-align: left;">With 6 wheels to build, it would be really handy if I could use my tension gauge to measure absolute tension instead of just the relative tension between spokes. I found Dan Burkhart's video about his calibration jig for a spoke tension gauge:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xgsz7l1GWoI" width="320" youtube-src-id="xgsz7l1GWoI"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Dan Burkhart's </i><span style="text-align: left;"><i>DIY spoke tension meter calibrating device</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>video on YouTube is a good read</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Spoke tension is often recommended to be between 70 to 140 kgf (154 to 308 pounds), so I got a 300 kg digital scale (200 kg would do) that used standard AAA batteries and appeared to have decent accuracy (claiming the OIML R76 standard) and 0.1 kg resolution. It would be possible to hang the scale and simply wire a spoke to the hook, and then wire a 5 gallon bucket to the bottom of the spoke to fill with metal bits for weight and skip building a test fixture. However I decided that repeating the test once in a while (for example after dropping my spoke gauge), as well as calibrating different spokes, would both be much easier if I had a calibration fixture.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mO34JlP-M9-WqpBsl_xPbovFjeY2umm4mZAvh-tVB587M5lnjOsE7tH-JxBSiIIS8ts9Pm7e9ao2aElpt2CQ53XB9CHYYytkfe0wOIciQ-mnOFWCFWxmZ6fhjX88XzwQvaSkgOUyN47lCFRedi6FQppJ5HEURfL1yhsyac-kDis4BqkYWCipeo7Uig/s908/IMG_9398%20fixture%20in%20use%20left%20email.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="253" data-original-width="908" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mO34JlP-M9-WqpBsl_xPbovFjeY2umm4mZAvh-tVB587M5lnjOsE7tH-JxBSiIIS8ts9Pm7e9ao2aElpt2CQ53XB9CHYYytkfe0wOIciQ-mnOFWCFWxmZ6fhjX88XzwQvaSkgOUyN47lCFRedi6FQppJ5HEURfL1yhsyac-kDis4BqkYWCipeo7Uig/w400-h111/IMG_9398%20fixture%20in%20use%20left%20email.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>My spoke tension calibration fixture is easy to build</i></div>Looking through my scrap metal pile, I found a nice 2" x 2" x 28" long x 0.094" wall square tube for a backbone for my jig that looked rigid enough to give reliable results. It came off an old exercise machine. People put them out by the road hoping someone will take it after they've realized it's just taking up space, and when I see one that has been sitting outside for a month or two I sometimes pick it up if it might have useful parts. This tube for leg lift weights was the right length and even had 1/2" holes already drilled in one end for slipping a bolt through, it seemed to be waiting to find a new and more useful life.<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyW9svwTaDFEeq7oUhbbQ0fIM68iZsXI8WIrRBnjZfAuUHIVs_1ekJWpS6l-xnrzVuVie8tN3nuJ6mGQJPWvid1Z_aKg5HcO3JW0w5dHaGA7jXmFZaziprHwOC5JThsi5_OFuaiFlraRd_wpwUV2pmRiQR9bHoyRQbLD2-PVfGNQRS3Upr7ry1uygTJQ/s908/IMG_9236%20scale%20mount%20email.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="681" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyW9svwTaDFEeq7oUhbbQ0fIM68iZsXI8WIrRBnjZfAuUHIVs_1ekJWpS6l-xnrzVuVie8tN3nuJ6mGQJPWvid1Z_aKg5HcO3JW0w5dHaGA7jXmFZaziprHwOC5JThsi5_OFuaiFlraRd_wpwUV2pmRiQR9bHoyRQbLD2-PVfGNQRS3Upr7ry1uygTJQ/w300-h400/IMG_9236%20scale%20mount%20email.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Mounting the scale to the tube</i></div><div style="text-align: left;">After sliding a long 1/2" bolt through the tube holes, the spoke had to be 1.25" above the frame for my Deckas spoke gauge to fit, so I used a short piece of automotive rubber coolant hose pushed over the bolt as a spacer. Another short piece of hose between the scale and the nut provides some give that lets the scale move for alignment so that the load cell inside it doesn't get twisted and give false readings.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2DXk772OZWpo7tdqWhPbfFcWnKjisl_3ayuK-JeAlQUWJEHvTtQ5W0BqDO3_ZlOB4FfxN8mMSTSyNmWLNTSEqaptlddu2q5z2Dsy9d-iEEuL8-wXMVsXreFc1_OJt_NSqdLK27xlnj7FM_RVxn5PXDdcf5XgIkX8KftZ7dlVDqQoMxiSRlzj82vd8CA/s908/IMG_9244%20nipple%20stirrup%20email.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="908" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2DXk772OZWpo7tdqWhPbfFcWnKjisl_3ayuK-JeAlQUWJEHvTtQ5W0BqDO3_ZlOB4FfxN8mMSTSyNmWLNTSEqaptlddu2q5z2Dsy9d-iEEuL8-wXMVsXreFc1_OJt_NSqdLK27xlnj7FM_RVxn5PXDdcf5XgIkX8KftZ7dlVDqQoMxiSRlzj82vd8CA/w400-h300/IMG_9244%20nipple%20stirrup%20email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Connecting the scale to a spoke</i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Since the scale was built with a hole for a hook, a stirrup with a plate for the nipple was a natural connector choice. I kept the U bolt narrow to reduce the spring, but made it long so that I could get my fingers and a nipple inside. It's 1/4" rod, with a 5/16" thick cross plate that can be changed out for different spoke ends.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhizY6wY8eN7K9Ea4neq3Ny3SIHqhK7mpytRi_G9LBYP-ellMLgzl-LHA4HbaPYwX2u1iUYZJvP2d9er8BfQ19nuJWGPL7SW5e97X3i9SJLYPqxB3rdAH-kOCtz0_avE1AvWHLBxKiSmvx6QBbJDmNCkE_JvoTH5oN7yQg_-Nm6ORAkbDW-klla9IViuA/s908/J%20bend%20mount%20with%20anti%20twist%20shoe%20v3%20email.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="908" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhizY6wY8eN7K9Ea4neq3Ny3SIHqhK7mpytRi_G9LBYP-ellMLgzl-LHA4HbaPYwX2u1iUYZJvP2d9er8BfQ19nuJWGPL7SW5e97X3i9SJLYPqxB3rdAH-kOCtz0_avE1AvWHLBxKiSmvx6QBbJDmNCkE_JvoTH5oN7yQg_-Nm6ORAkbDW-klla9IViuA/w400-h300/J%20bend%20mount%20with%20anti%20twist%20shoe%20v3%20email.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Connecting the J bend to the threaded rod</i></div>A simple plate as thick as a hub flange with a 2.6mm hole is all that's needed to connect the J bend. Because I wanted the plate to be changeable to plates for other spoke styles, it's held with a removable 3/16" pin in a slot that I cut into a threaded rod coupling nut with a 1/8" grinder blade. One problem I can see with Dan's fixture is rotation of the eye hooks as he adjusts the tension. The red plate in this picture that is sandwiched between the coupling nut and a lock nut is an anti twist shoe that slides along the main tube to prevent this rotation. It also helps hold the threaded rod in position while installing spokes.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Czufp30YjGIC-RfV_WF0j_Y0Be6FbSCq3NBx-knHYCYiXnpXamz1ecYFn9REfVU3UuZuclCQrFz9FNffaFRghUgShqXtLOo-5IYVWSlLu8mcXmEiyVhTb_mv1ng0sbY15ps_yYEa4d3c8Ikt39v-7Vf6sO06bGn1O-bI1PHITIHoPhzXF1rscBmP2w/s681/IMG_9254%20bolted%20ell%20instead%20of%20welded%20tab%20email.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="608" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Czufp30YjGIC-RfV_WF0j_Y0Be6FbSCq3NBx-knHYCYiXnpXamz1ecYFn9REfVU3UuZuclCQrFz9FNffaFRghUgShqXtLOo-5IYVWSlLu8mcXmEiyVhTb_mv1ng0sbY15ps_yYEa4d3c8Ikt39v-7Vf6sO06bGn1O-bI1PHITIHoPhzXF1rscBmP2w/w358-h400/IMG_9254%20bolted%20ell%20instead%20of%20welded%20tab%20email.jpg" width="358" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The anchor for holding the threaded rod and an alternative mount</i></div><div>I had a short piece of 2" wide x 1/4" flat bar, and after drilling a hole for the threaded rod 1.25" up from the main tube, I welded it on the end. However if you want to make this fixture without welding, a substitute could be bolting on a short cross piece of ell angle iron. I used 7/16" threaded rod because I had a short piece, but 5/16" or 3/8" would probably work considering that a spoke is around 2.0mm. A smaller diameter rod would have a finer pitch which would make adjusting tension more precise, I found 1/8 turn of the nut gave about 10 kg change. However I put all the test results into a spreadsheet and derived an equation, so it wasn't necessary to aim for exact tension numbers or gauge readings. Either method should produce a good conversion table, but I'll say that my digital scale took well over 5 seconds to settle and making many small adjustments to reach a particular number could be tedious.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA1guenvLrHoL-fLgjhiGWzq1AMqFx3BvO2BD82i5eYymOtVg7YXIqA1SV9bCVQl2aRBTeysAj9cW6xGPJ_d-TCamfZJkFJHz44iQ38R57iL_rMl3yQVsW2sCxmqRDi-A7WLy5nNsJuOlWIo8bIQ0e16OGuTCTYBJp4uZQGDo4RCb29z0yrRxnjsnOTQ/s908/Spoke%20tension%20gauge%20calibration%20jig%20email.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="908" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA1guenvLrHoL-fLgjhiGWzq1AMqFx3BvO2BD82i5eYymOtVg7YXIqA1SV9bCVQl2aRBTeysAj9cW6xGPJ_d-TCamfZJkFJHz44iQ38R57iL_rMl3yQVsW2sCxmqRDi-A7WLy5nNsJuOlWIo8bIQ0e16OGuTCTYBJp4uZQGDo4RCb29z0yrRxnjsnOTQ/w400-h300/Spoke%20tension%20gauge%20calibration%20jig%20email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The first round of testing- how well does it work?</i></div>I clamped the jig to a table top with woodworking clamps while making tests, but with it's square main tube it could also be held in a vise. It turned out to be easy to adjust with one wrench, and had excellent repeatability regardless of tightening or loosening direction, suggesting that these components are very rigid with little spring, and the scale is of reasonable quality. As time goes on though I expect to compare the digital scale against others to be sure it isn't drifting.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQ7LrGnUAjz5U0yXtEuBUeF5RMcooiOiJFmo5nsluZykGrGrdkAdaJ1c2LTemqWlNo4CBk9mmS1wNu842LdYcWHSVRm4mcqC3NquGzvksldfs06SoDxzjRmddVPZi0bEOemOoodILmPwMKQbhgapq-37PCihre6Ca_LRPFnPN5fcWni15sv2wZDIdRw/s1000/4a%20all%203%20graphs%200-140%20combined%20caption+tm1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="1000" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQ7LrGnUAjz5U0yXtEuBUeF5RMcooiOiJFmo5nsluZykGrGrdkAdaJ1c2LTemqWlNo4CBk9mmS1wNu842LdYcWHSVRm4mcqC3NquGzvksldfs06SoDxzjRmddVPZi0bEOemOoodILmPwMKQbhgapq-37PCihre6Ca_LRPFnPN5fcWni15sv2wZDIdRw/w400-h233/4a%20all%203%20graphs%200-140%20combined%20caption+tm1.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Deckas test results (green and black lines ) show very low scatter and good repeatability</i></div>These test results are for 2.0mm (14g) round steel spokes because they are common on my projects.<div>-the green line has 42 measurements on a used galvanized 307mm long spoke</div><div>-the black line (so close that most of it is hidden under the green line) has 54 measurements on a new stainless steel 256mm long spoke</div><div>-the blue line has measurements taken from the Park Tools TM-1 tension gauge table<br /></div><div>The TM-1 reads lower for a given kg tension than the Deckas, which supports my concern about using tables from other companies. The adjusting screw on the Deckas looks like it could be backed out one turn which might then match the TM-1 readings, but the ranges and slopes also don't match well. In the range from 70 to 140 kg:</div><div>-Deckas readings go from 26 to 30 (8% of the scale) and change 0.5 per 10 kg</div><div>-TM-1 readings go from 20 to 26 (12% of the scale) and change 0.9 per 10 kg</div><div>If you want to be very exact with either one you're going to do a lot of squinting because of the small change per kg. Also neither gauge is useful below a reading of 15 or over 30.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif8krFvitQS9yXYLMknVxUmSUjbIRzgeBsmRTBEcvwoPQ4ezy3nm86cy749qxnErH72PzHvD3P5dVtMSZNbc0n4BwCUYBxFcPRXqb6av0Aef_mSWuJIxjLGSG_D8OxybDSBZvmTqZdGqXgDz57ze9G8mCb9u799O625esd1ip_CaLsboSLhpNBKk6_5Q/s984/1%20Deckas%202.0mm%20ss+galv%20combined%20with%20table.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="741" data-original-width="984" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif8krFvitQS9yXYLMknVxUmSUjbIRzgeBsmRTBEcvwoPQ4ezy3nm86cy749qxnErH72PzHvD3P5dVtMSZNbc0n4BwCUYBxFcPRXqb6av0Aef_mSWuJIxjLGSG_D8OxybDSBZvmTqZdGqXgDz57ze9G8mCb9u799O625esd1ip_CaLsboSLhpNBKk6_5Q/w400-h301/1%20Deckas%202.0mm%20ss+galv%20combined%20with%20table.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Best fit equation for the 94 measurements from the Deckas</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>(Warning I've swapped the axes compared to the first graph)</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>If clicking on the image is still too small to read, save the image to get a jpg that can be enlarged</i></div>I combined the measurements of the stainless steel and the galvanized spokes because they were basically the same curves and the greater number of data points would increase accuracy. The <a href="https://sourceforge.net/projects/scidavis/" target="_blank">SciDAVis program</a> was used to plot and calculate the best curve to fit the points, and the equation then used to calculate the kg of tension for each reading on the tension gauge.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuDmmIE5LMR1ErAk_3RkuesFvfNxAqx0j2uswgdRPTJQoOcSymF9IaqkXeuDGaEDg_igsiF4juZxabvQax2Kycb-Ab8jFFc-Qcgt0C7d5aWeoibYQlQE4e6F-1M6jeZq5K_YHtvWIJ9H-Y7LCcexWh2eUiydi9ArdxR4WQP1cJokkn7JQ03MqR9fJ6_Q/s984/2%20Park%20Tool%20TM-1%20table%20graph%20with%20curve%20fitted%20+%20equation%20v2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="741" data-original-width="984" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuDmmIE5LMR1ErAk_3RkuesFvfNxAqx0j2uswgdRPTJQoOcSymF9IaqkXeuDGaEDg_igsiF4juZxabvQax2Kycb-Ab8jFFc-Qcgt0C7d5aWeoibYQlQE4e6F-1M6jeZq5K_YHtvWIJ9H-Y7LCcexWh2eUiydi9ArdxR4WQP1cJokkn7JQ03MqR9fJ6_Q/s320/2%20Park%20Tool%20TM-1%20table%20graph%20with%20curve%20fitted%20+%20equation%20v2.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Here is the equivalent Park Tool TM-1 equation using their table data</i></div><div>The TM-1 table data lines up so well that Park Tool must have also stuffed their data through an equation to smooth it out. A benefit of using an equation instead of directly measuring a scale reading for calibration is that it removes erratic readings. This illustrates though that any stickiness while taking a spoke measurement could greatly affect your results.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jr_DzBV8-z_nv3DJVDVmqSnGbhpXOVqEw4IrGI2YMf9jjw4z6NC1wSP6J9FFHbj3CeglZwsHSIjnOgyJuw8eYFM5qhOMpgxEP4FsKV-FyevjReYQZhc-rvqrUU-mjD6FA6Xj5VjGpZZCGkTF73kJXEC4vAF1LkWysLo7ankg_D8GGUZWCCrm3fSkmA/s930/6%20Spoke%20tension%20measurements%20on%20existing%20wheels.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="930" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jr_DzBV8-z_nv3DJVDVmqSnGbhpXOVqEw4IrGI2YMf9jjw4z6NC1wSP6J9FFHbj3CeglZwsHSIjnOgyJuw8eYFM5qhOMpgxEP4FsKV-FyevjReYQZhc-rvqrUU-mjD6FA6Xj5VjGpZZCGkTF73kJXEC4vAF1LkWysLo7ankg_D8GGUZWCCrm3fSkmA/w400-h224/6%20Spoke%20tension%20measurements%20on%20existing%20wheels.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>52% of the spokes on my bikes are between 34 to 60 kg tension.</i></div><div>Looking at the 10 to 20 kg steps between each scale number and knowing that the gauge has still been a big help made me wonder just how exact do I have to be? Do I need a digital readout spoke tension gauge for better resolution? So I measured the 5 bikes I've been riding for years. These wheels are straight and stable, even though I routinely carry 40 to 100 pound cargo loads on dirt roads at ebike speeds. They failed tension tests miserably, with only 9% in the oft quoted 100 to 120 kg range, and the tensions were all over the map, from 6 kg to 144 kg. Readings of 28 to 29 on the drive side of a rear wheel often paired with readings of 18 to 19 on the non drive side (a difference of 90 kg), and this doesn't require squinting at the scale to see. The kg steps between the scale numbers are small in comparison with reality.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1K2fZAy8IRzizFBDLNYW7vVuFPdeY8ha3lWru3aCInH5V1ZwF0gYIfUyFNDZEzhyKGT3BI_7p1dtfrlDJ9w9wHUQOB9II5QcHaUPwnBkcwtTK_K6JBmpx_pjeRQHjgTXE8OgW50h5SsLbp7QjjjBzfc1ZPUAAkCJb5wF8hCvUaievgJXXv2o-kmchqw/s908/DT%20Swiss%20rim%20label%201200N%20email.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="908" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1K2fZAy8IRzizFBDLNYW7vVuFPdeY8ha3lWru3aCInH5V1ZwF0gYIfUyFNDZEzhyKGT3BI_7p1dtfrlDJ9w9wHUQOB9II5QcHaUPwnBkcwtTK_K6JBmpx_pjeRQHjgTXE8OgW50h5SsLbp7QjjjBzfc1ZPUAAkCJb5wF8hCvUaievgJXXv2o-kmchqw/w400-h300/DT%20Swiss%20rim%20label%201200N%20email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Around 120 kg seems to be a common upper tension limit for the rims I use</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Note: I assume 1kg = 1kgf = 10N for easy calculations</i></div>Now that I have a reliable calibration for my tension gauge, I can see that the spokes on my bikes could be a little tighter. The average tension of the 102 samples is 50.7 kg and I could aim for 70 to 80. But some rear drive side spokes are already close to rim limits, so it shouldn't be much tighter. (Cycling News wrote an instruction page for the Park Tool TM-1 that has a table listing many rim limits: <a href="http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/tech/fix/?id=tm_1" target="_blank">http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/tech/fix/?id=tm_1</a> )</div><div><br /></div><div>Thinking about people on forums saying that their wheels loosen up but that my wheels have been stable, my thought is that the load on a wheel doesn't matter as much as the impact, since I carry heavy loads but I don't jump or bash through rock gardens. One other consideration for increasing my spoke tension is that many of the nipples on the older wheels are dry and hard to turn even at lower tensions, and only the wheels I've built with grease or antiseize can reliably reach over 100 kg tension. Given the real world range of spoke tension on my bikes, I don't feel the need to get a digital spoke tester until my eyes get a little older and the gauge scale becomes even harder to read. I might try making a clearer label for the scale, or even making a new gauge arm with the measuring post closer to the the pivot to increase the pointer displacement. For how easy it was to make though, this calibration fixture provided a noticeable step up in my wheel building that was equal to getting a spoke gauge, and I think the quality of the last few wheels is getting pretty decent while taking less time.</div><div><div><br /></div></div>Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com1White River Junction, VT 05001, USA43.6782802 -72.3698471-7.1493799040210533 -142.68234710000002 90 -2.0573471000000012tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-38493688285043841512022-01-30T17:40:00.003-05:002022-01-30T17:41:59.971-05:00The Breeze, the Stratus battery (S1E4)<div style="text-align: left;">Over the years I've used several types of batteries. My first bikes had huge LiFePO4 bricks with A123 type cells, which could take a lot of my beginner's abuse but were very heavy and actually needed a cargo bike to carry them. I liked them a lot because it's a safe chemistry- there were too many reports of people burning their houses down with the other main choice, which was hobbyist model airplane radio control (RC) packs. I eventually moved on to Lithium NMC 18650 cells as they became affordable and Battery Management Systems (BMS) became better, because they were 2/3's the size and weight. I've stayed with 48 Volts, because I think it gives the best performance for the smallest wire and component size, while staying below most safety standards for high voltage and not needing more expensive components.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div>I prefer to use as large a battery as possible for 3 reasons:</div><div><b><u>1. range</u></b></div><div>I figure about 15 Wh per mile, (depending on the rider it can range from 10 to 20 Wh/m), so on average 840 Wh is good for 56 miles which covers most situations. I've told everyone I've built bikes for that they still have to pedal.</div><div><b><u>2. surge capability for climbing hills</u></b></div><div>Larger batteries won't have as large a voltage sag under load, and my riding is one long hill after another.</div><div><b><u>3. longevity</u></b></div><div>Lithium cells don't like to be fully charged or fully discharged, and they last longer if kept between 20% to 80% full. The first two batteries I owned lasted for only a couple of years, because I used to put them on the charger right after I got home to find out how many Watt hours I'd used on the ride. But after installing a meter on the bikes (Grintech Cycle Analyst) I stopped the frequent charging and took more rides between charges, and the batteries lasted twice as long. Then I started trying to charge the batteries only right before a big ride, and the last battery was a few months into it's 7th year before it did not have power anymore. Interestingly Stanford University researchers recently found that by charging a cell and then immediately briefly discharging it they could move plated out lithium back towards the cell electrodes, in effect rejuvenating the cell. I think charging just before a big ride has a similar effect and may help explain the 7 year life span Clean Technica wrote a summary of the research here:</div></div><div><div><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2022/01/03/stanford-researchers-bring-dead-lithium-back-to-life/" target="_blank">https://cleantechnica.com/2022/01/03/stanford-researchers-bring-dead-lithium-back-to-life/</a></div><div>To take more rides between charges, you'll need a larger battery. </div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I've found the down tube packs to have the lightest cases and the best bike balance, I also like the smooth nonconductive plastic with rounded corners so that I don't hurt myself as much. After I'd installed half a dozen different styles of down tube cases I settled on the Reention DP-6 case as my standard choice. It will fit 65 cells in a 13 serial by 5 parallel pattern (13s5p), which if assembled with 3500 mAh cells adds up to 840 Watt hours (48V x 17.5Ah). This is as good as I've been able to fit in the front triangle of most bikes I've converted. (Reention does make a DP-9 case but it's usually a bit too big and if more Wh are truly needed, I end up using a 1 kWh (13s6p, 48v x 21Ah) rear rack battery.) I often have a DP-6 on the shelf because I'm converting a bike. Having a standard battery came in handy for the Upper Valley Ebike Lending Library last summer when they dropped a battery. I was able to substitute one of mine while I glued the broken case back together. (PVC pipe plumbing glue from the hardware store works well.) Because of this background, the Stratus got a Reention DP-6, 48 Volt, 17.5 Ah, 840 Wh battery without a second thought.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjK8ngOocyudCOc6WurbPzrDSaLpEzavyTxvd0s-YLbbt4j5wamYxibR77phCyPSebi-w85zJgf34SnT2II2hyWhr__AUyQQ4BcWNWrMt3ssdlej1cHOlQ3QNj2dYsKD61VSXNj8rl0NYUAAgR79bBongZEqEwZyQKJteb9KVb0WJRXiyq8eQeVvDBrRA=s880" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="880" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjK8ngOocyudCOc6WurbPzrDSaLpEzavyTxvd0s-YLbbt4j5wamYxibR77phCyPSebi-w85zJgf34SnT2II2hyWhr__AUyQQ4BcWNWrMt3ssdlej1cHOlQ3QNj2dYsKD61VSXNj8rl0NYUAAgR79bBongZEqEwZyQKJteb9KVb0WJRXiyq8eQeVvDBrRA=w400-h255" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>An empty</i><i> Reention DP-6 case ready to be stuffed with cells. When purchasing an already built battery, I look for one with</i><i> name brand cells and</i><i> a BMS that has at least a few certifications</i><i>. </i><i>I prefer this case because the base has these features:</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>A. it has 4 retention tabs down each side instead of 2</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>B. a full length aluminum spine instead of 1/2 way </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>C. 5 large spade terminals that can be doubled up</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>D. no large cavity for a controller that I don't need </i></div><div><br /></div><div>For comparison most of the Hailong cases available have only 2 retaining tabs per side plus the empty cavity for a controller with a shorter spine, and use bullet terminals that can fill with water and dirt when the bike is transported with the battery removed.</div><div><br /></div><div>However the DP-6 case could still be improved by adding these 3 features:</div><div><b><u>1. an IP-65 rating</u></b> (to match the BBS02) and a more waterproof switch. These cases are OK in the rain, (I've ridden in downpours without a problem), but they can't take a garden hose pointed directly at the switch and connectors. In many ways they remind me of the electrical switches on the motorcycles of my childhood, which had bare switch contacts screwed inside a plastic shell on the handlebars that were very exposed to the water coming in. There were millions of these switches made for decades and they worked, but we can do better now.</div><div><b><u>2. a Vee channel</u></b> molded up the center under the base to fit on down tubes more securely. Numerous companies make water bottle and accessory mounting rails with this groove, and Grintech's Bottle Bobs also have this groove, here's an example:</div><div><a href="https://ebikes.ca/shop/electric-bicycle-parts/battery-accessories/bottle-bob.html" target="_blank">https://ebikes.ca/shop/electric-bicycle-parts/battery-accessories/bottle-bob.html</a></div><div><b><u>3. an XT60 socket</u></b> instead of wires. Here is an example that I made for a mountain ebike conversion:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFkGa_pEknzLTQWQXWU1Blxz21j_A15Pm-APZHim5qOHMTTqC1ryzZ5mkxO8odfzlCzPSsFKHZgusLkOQNyTCAMCfwWjS6IDAYbyN4ZK8wCIT-lxrS3ksaulIKEZ8GLIAea6zNmm7Z9IRAE9oehqukMp-C7ivU5cj6XHRba3-edhvM7s3_MDELfA8QvQ=s1040" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1040" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFkGa_pEknzLTQWQXWU1Blxz21j_A15Pm-APZHim5qOHMTTqC1ryzZ5mkxO8odfzlCzPSsFKHZgusLkOQNyTCAMCfwWjS6IDAYbyN4ZK8wCIT-lxrS3ksaulIKEZ8GLIAea6zNmm7Z9IRAE9oehqukMp-C7ivU5cj6XHRba3-edhvM7s3_MDELfA8QvQ=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The terminal base of the DP-6 fitted with an XT60 plug. Normally the power wires would exit here.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitIfAJT0hOOI71Y0F01OxnTNhMb6s6nQrLeSg2QpCFwKCh3UanvNx6ra4hOA1FlMbCfzf_GEkW6AruO5ODrzlrBsaKrW2jJPMINR7HXeNtwEhhlxRTA4N4GZ-Gh6o5KDivMHajpCeV0DvDiGCqiH04wZyH1QzHjoHW280YTHZ0aRjFRkBidb0QgktUrw=s882" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="882" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitIfAJT0hOOI71Y0F01OxnTNhMb6s6nQrLeSg2QpCFwKCh3UanvNx6ra4hOA1FlMbCfzf_GEkW6AruO5ODrzlrBsaKrW2jJPMINR7HXeNtwEhhlxRTA4N4GZ-Gh6o5KDivMHajpCeV0DvDiGCqiH04wZyH1QzHjoHW280YTHZ0aRjFRkBidb0QgktUrw=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The outer 2 spade terminals are paralled together for each pole. The short wiring is almost stiff enough to hold the XT60 in place by itself, but a RC connector hold down strap was also added. Note: live power receptacles should have recessed female sockets, similar to household wall receptacles. Using exposed male terminals that could easily</i><i> be</i><i> shorted is not good practice.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">BBS02 motors come with a 20" lead, the battery cases have a 12" lead, and usually there is a 10" long adapter cable for a total power cable length of 42 inches. This is a bit long since the distance from battery to BBS02 is around 9" on most bikes. I cut a lot of this out and leave only one pair of connectors. However the Stratus motor is a foot forward of the battery so I kept the wires and hid an XT60 connector under the battery base instead of fitting an XT60 terminal into the base. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgh-RzFSL_GlcCbwaBJwSU1zUrKZbiXwcDuT3SNYiPnPpEouWLcCziTQqefbW-9CjcT-8WdMM-wiRcd4AsoOlGTnKmkljdZhGr_WHxnyk-u_RP8ripCpEo4ndGb3qygQhiJGsBFxWEsdJoL5BtlB3uEDu1h9XNJnjmmPaNFOqPo_X3FPuxYGUkdN7ccLg=s900" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="693" data-original-width="900" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgh-RzFSL_GlcCbwaBJwSU1zUrKZbiXwcDuT3SNYiPnPpEouWLcCziTQqefbW-9CjcT-8WdMM-wiRcd4AsoOlGTnKmkljdZhGr_WHxnyk-u_RP8ripCpEo4ndGb3qygQhiJGsBFxWEsdJoL5BtlB3uEDu1h9XNJnjmmPaNFOqPo_X3FPuxYGUkdN7ccLg=w400-h308" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Connectors I have loved or left</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>(First loves on left, current connections on right)</i></div><br /><div>AC-The first battery connectors I used were AC power cord plugs such as on a computer printer- big and heavy, just like the LiFePO4 batteries they came on.</div><div><br /></div><div>APP-I used to use Anderson 45 amp Power Pole connectors, but found that the jiggling wires twisted the contacts apart slightly during riding, and then the contacts started sparking and pitting. This would melt the housing, and then all hope of getting home was lost. (Although hard to see, in this picture the red housings are melted, and the contact is pitted.) After the second meltdown, I moved on.</div><div><br /></div><div>EC5 (blue)- I liked these, they're tough and stayed together, but they are completely open to water</div><div>HST (red)- a little smaller than the EC5, but the spring contact collar squished I was while playing with them on the bench, so I never put them on a bike. These are the same size as banana plugs though, so I'd consider using them for a bench testing setup.</div><div><br /></div><div>BF- These are Bafang bullet terminals, which are not the same diameter as common 1/8" bullet terminals. I liked these a lot because they have most excellent silicone rubber boots. But they have a very weak neck between the wire crimp and the socket, and after breaking 3 of them off I now only use them for the connection inside the BBS02 between the controller and the windings.</div><div><br /></div><div>WP- Delphi Packard Weatherpack automotive connectors (similar to AMP/Tyco/Molex) did not rate a trial, they are either too low in amps for a suitable size (20A on left), or too big for a usable amp rating (46A on right) due to their stamped steel terminals.</div><div><br /></div><div>XT90- The early motor controllers I used had large capacitors in the input circuit, and there would be a very bad spark when plugging the battery in. The XT90S version has a resistor that moderates this spark and was a step up for my earlier bikes. But they are big and heavy, and my batteries have switches now. Normally this connector would have a solid yellow exterior casing but I sat down one night with a hacksaw and an Xacto knife and cut a connector in half to see the resistor, shown in the photo. .</div><div><br /></div><div>XT60- My current fave. There are several versions shown in this photo. Machined brass terminals give a 60A rating in the smallest package, (my rides consistently have 12 to 18 amp climbs, with some momentary spikes to 30A, so this is a good safety margin). Because the standard yellow version on the left has a hooded design it can be reasonably water resistant if you put heatshrink and silicon caulk around the outside wires, and then smear the terminals and inside hood with silicone grease before plugging them together. I'm using the gray version on the right which has snap on outside covers. I still put heat shrink tubing over the wire solder joints to provide some bending strain relief for the wires, then I fill the area with silicone caulk and snap the cover on. After drying it's a pretty robust setup. I've tried to improve this by putting a boot over the connector, however the available boots (in blue) are too short. A substitute is a piece of heat shrink that is an inch longer than the connector with some caulk sealing the stationary end. (I place a wood shim in the tubing while shrinking it so that afterwards when I remove the shim there will be some slack.) However I think the best protection so far is putting the XT60 inside the battery base. The black aluminum U shaped RC model hold down strap for the connector is shown near the top. <i>Note: the yellow bulkhead connector at the bottom with exposed male terminals is OK for an appliance that draws power, but shouldn't be used on a battery that is a power source.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>All of the large forces on a battery case act to press the case and the downtube together, and the 2 small bottle mount screws are sufficient for most riding. On standard diamond frame bikes I prefer to install a third screw for additional sideways strength when the bike is ridden with the frame tilted. (The Vee groove battery base improvement would help here.) I use an M5 popnut that matches existing bottle mount hardware.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXrq9wl3KM_pnFgGnTpk0lxAHdOKRZOu-wJkNa_6K6hLKtYHpG0lrhW_4CncfjAk5sTFZJaOmqal-Vda6xjvyoqoKSdp9CgrUG8uIo38fA1XsLa9iOmEQ_KPiyq2BYNpst4AvJTeTmiBetkTnA_jdLRMMvZEi8FJ3wQXaG8F-Ld4_gOJjhdR2FC3ccMw=s882" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="882" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXrq9wl3KM_pnFgGnTpk0lxAHdOKRZOu-wJkNa_6K6hLKtYHpG0lrhW_4CncfjAk5sTFZJaOmqal-Vda6xjvyoqoKSdp9CgrUG8uIo38fA1XsLa9iOmEQ_KPiyq2BYNpst4AvJTeTmiBetkTnA_jdLRMMvZEi8FJ3wQXaG8F-Ld4_gOJjhdR2FC3ccMw=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>A popnut gun with M5 inserts. A bolt with nuts and oiled washers (center) can also be used to compress the popnut with some effort because it will try to unscrew while compressing</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiCME_MFRr3xVrZcKckab1p_25CmtUkkEBMcfjBcmZ57vzI7moCzynjg9AYEu9ZmxsccZo0zR6rOb2zFFYzLsnQBhMjsus7OWPdHo5Da3RcEPbqDSfXFQbfOF1MFoMW1o0b8lsrJgagS4yejmR9A3pRDmdQ3-_LbSdbM7ybZBhihg7DaRhdNU6LMQUsQ=s882" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="882" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiCME_MFRr3xVrZcKckab1p_25CmtUkkEBMcfjBcmZ57vzI7moCzynjg9AYEu9ZmxsccZo0zR6rOb2zFFYzLsnQBhMjsus7OWPdHo5Da3RcEPbqDSfXFQbfOF1MFoMW1o0b8lsrJgagS4yejmR9A3pRDmdQ3-_LbSdbM7ybZBhihg7DaRhdNU6LMQUsQ=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>An easy way to find the center of the downtube is to clamp a stick on each side, and then put a mark on a piece of masking tape halfway between the sticks.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Stratus didn't have any bottle mounts on the tube for the battery, and I decided not to drill holes in the frame. I switched to tee nuts held on by hose clamps instead.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEwfaeL8Vll6_uSe8AkidttzRltp_N8etpc0lbphheCtetEL1G_HiZm_9LACtCPqxm9iPK7jgzRK7TRSoApf3wyNtT1yHfqpJAjcZsLyXL4GfVxL9HUWIlkJNmu5TLT_Wt7POM5OhYnyZKMSTS8yByG3o4v7xBF0F2WzTKqAXXw4OBpCvdlaADN_Josw=s882" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="882" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEwfaeL8Vll6_uSe8AkidttzRltp_N8etpc0lbphheCtetEL1G_HiZm_9LACtCPqxm9iPK7jgzRK7TRSoApf3wyNtT1yHfqpJAjcZsLyXL4GfVxL9HUWIlkJNmu5TLT_Wt7POM5OhYnyZKMSTS8yByG3o4v7xBF0F2WzTKqAXXw4OBpCvdlaADN_Josw=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>A metal hole punch is used on the hose clamps. The 3 sizes of tee nuts I use are at the bottom, along with a piece of heat shrink tubing for covering the clamp. The tee nut in the red circle has been bent to fit the frame tubing.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Furniture Tee nuts come in many styles, I use the type with 3 small holes. (Metric tee nuts are not available here and I've been using M5 Weld nuts instead.) The 8-32 size will slip into most battery base mounting slots but it's a bit light duty. I often use the 10-24 size but the base slots need to be filed slightly wider. The M5 size requires a lot of filing for use with a battery base, but once in a while this thread size is necessary for mounting an accessory.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I start by tightening the hose clamp on the frame in the desired position and marking the location for the hole in the clamp band for the tee nut with a Sharpie marker. A metal hole punch works better than trying to drill a hose clamp. Drilling is possible but start undersize and then use a chainsaw file to smooth out the hole and move it back towards where it was supposed to be.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiR91pCe6U0i4EzRExSgLjhCy6dIdF3pR7iQB8M5F6luSHJBmqpeHsTD1y248AZyMDKVo44Le6JJcfRdpbpm5Rl5h8QxFFn2ZNF4qyvMDhJvh9Ei_qFOCSGx3bStHru8l-HfxexXtvtj2GqGYRF1Sa43wXDvHTJuE35B0k3djb9ocuYXNzUeraN5LQfEQ=s882" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="882" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiR91pCe6U0i4EzRExSgLjhCy6dIdF3pR7iQB8M5F6luSHJBmqpeHsTD1y248AZyMDKVo44Le6JJcfRdpbpm5Rl5h8QxFFn2ZNF4qyvMDhJvh9Ei_qFOCSGx3bStHru8l-HfxexXtvtj2GqGYRF1Sa43wXDvHTJuE35B0k3djb9ocuYXNzUeraN5LQfEQ=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Using a pipe, vise and punch to bend a tee nut to fit the tube.</i></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sometimes the tee nut has to be trimmed, but most often the shim washers and hose clamp take up any excess height. I bend the tee nut to a radius that matches the frame tube, slip it into the hose clamp, and then fit a piece of heat shrink tubing over the clamp band (with cutouts to fit the tee nut and screw housing) to protect the paint on the bike.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhArsRaX6rKhZ2fopvcG_Tv_iJZNMy1D97yEwW517pyoMnINicLw-H-PgIzX7qwzl-VRU_8CNw8JNxDKZ_Y46GbqOEM53AksynqHN2UcThZkiBDX3tdufvluko7HzF_D89G2PF1sqcZAbnhSox6HZL5idTHH0cRBRuFKAIzr3DyOW9uIgUud6P-QpTW7g=s835" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="825" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhArsRaX6rKhZ2fopvcG_Tv_iJZNMy1D97yEwW517pyoMnINicLw-H-PgIzX7qwzl-VRU_8CNw8JNxDKZ_Y46GbqOEM53AksynqHN2UcThZkiBDX3tdufvluko7HzF_D89G2PF1sqcZAbnhSox6HZL5idTHH0cRBRuFKAIzr3DyOW9uIgUud6P-QpTW7g=w395-h400" width="395" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>A hose clamp with a tee nut fitted, then I cover this assembly with heat shrink.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijwSzpcfTBHa3AvX_xpg1iQ3TWUrhQxiHVGQ3hvBxECbpbu4kL3lvvQdSe0NnFDYByX3R-0Ow2JWgIBA4ZHAqxTITLb1ScDisugYypSI1z81ClOo1E1QZgukQ3Lf7JmIDag0aO7sX6liPOzfawSbSk301YWvR1SKw5h6kJKbpgo6LC1Zw2FXHmfhFswA=s882" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="882" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijwSzpcfTBHa3AvX_xpg1iQ3TWUrhQxiHVGQ3hvBxECbpbu4kL3lvvQdSe0NnFDYByX3R-0Ow2JWgIBA4ZHAqxTITLb1ScDisugYypSI1z81ClOo1E1QZgukQ3Lf7JmIDag0aO7sX6liPOzfawSbSk301YWvR1SKw5h6kJKbpgo6LC1Zw2FXHmfhFswA=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The Stratus hose clamp mounts installed. The power cable to the motor runs under the base.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For the Stratus I tried to hide the screw heads up under the base, but they could be pointed down for easier access. The heads were useful in this position for holding the wiring and XT60 connector in place. I also painted the screw housings black to blend in. Hose clamps and tee nuts provide a very secure mounting, it's just that they aren't as clean looking or light as a pop nut.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'll write one more short post to finish up this series about The Breeze - the Stratus, with a couple of the other small details that make it a nice bike.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div></div>Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com1White River Junction, VT 05001, USA43.6782802 -72.369847115.368046363821158 -107.5260971 71.988514036178856 -37.2135971tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-4602014301251092572022-01-07T17:58:00.000-05:002022-01-07T17:58:33.160-05:00The Breeze, the Stratus drivetrain (S1E3)<p>From the start the Stratus was going to have an electric assist installed. I'm in my fifth year without a car, in a rural area, in the middle of a transportation system that was 99.9% designed for cars. The electric assist helps me compensate for the poor road design, the distances, and the nonexistent bus and train network. Also, recumbents aren't as easy to peddle uphill, and there are plenty of hills here. So I took most of the original drivetrain parts and stored them in a plastic zip bag in case the bike needs to be restored later on.</p><p>Because they can be shifted to different gearing ratios, I've found Bottom Bracket motors are more versatile than the hub motors I've used. I knew the Stratus was going to be fast, but it also had to climb up my dirt road. Because my state recently enacted the (questionable) 3 class ebike legislation and I wanted to stick with 750 Watts, I decided to use a Bafang BBS02. It's more powerful than the 500 Watt Tongsheng TSDZ2, and not as heavy as the Bafang BBSHD,</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrcB-ztjy5r9zA0M0Xj8CLLFZ8cjU88l3lrUU_F0itlkd5edW3T3qIGJP5PfB-06azHyHiVZ8AgFZzmTJyL3XgBCYn-R5jFs4faqUWHdQJmnUH25d69KAvq5BJvGl0Xg8-xTXnoNYznQByw_Z5BX_5WvkXGGR_VoMlfcuphtmjZi1vl66kR8ajZwXi7A=s934" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="934" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrcB-ztjy5r9zA0M0Xj8CLLFZ8cjU88l3lrUU_F0itlkd5edW3T3qIGJP5PfB-06azHyHiVZ8AgFZzmTJyL3XgBCYn-R5jFs4faqUWHdQJmnUH25d69KAvq5BJvGl0Xg8-xTXnoNYznQByw_Z5BX_5WvkXGGR_VoMlfcuphtmjZi1vl66kR8ajZwXi7A=w400-h190" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>left to right: TSDZ2, BBS02, BBSHD (click on all pictures to enlarge)</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Because these are all the same voltage (48V) and about the same motor speed, the size of the motor case is a pretty good indicator of their amps and power capacity. I find the BBS02 will climb</i><i> steep</i><i> roads around 8 to 12 mph, but the TSDZ2 has to be shifted down one or two gears and is slower. The BBSHD is a good choice for heavily loaded cargo bikes because it's built like a truck motor and can deal with the force and heat much better.</i></div><p> I'd installed a dozen BBS02 which had been strong and reliable motors, but then the 13th motor had a manufacturing defect:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqEln6q4lf2STVO8evB6Sy5oikHdYhpyL5h2xi0ysMtSasyp3rJxhEzM-2VEZs4cyliIrcgUNk9MgWAKX7dKS4KsA2SU8QUMZt7bNiTMxZbkxEKZUkgeOMoDGG0dH_yblSxgSJc9DMMg6ZpXCrdD-UNTtuQbukQhi0gqS7Ps6M1SmqJo1KdGLtXPv00w=s882" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="882" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqEln6q4lf2STVO8evB6Sy5oikHdYhpyL5h2xi0ysMtSasyp3rJxhEzM-2VEZs4cyliIrcgUNk9MgWAKX7dKS4KsA2SU8QUMZt7bNiTMxZbkxEKZUkgeOMoDGG0dH_yblSxgSJc9DMMg6ZpXCrdD-UNTtuQbukQhi0gqS7Ps6M1SmqJo1KdGLtXPv00w=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: left;">There were two dry solder joints on the Hall sensor printed circuit board of the 13th BBS02. This was easy to diagnose because a 08H error code showed up on the display, and after removing the board the dry joints were visible and an ohm meter showed bad connections. I fixed this by resoldering the joints because the vendor was slow in sending a replacement. I consider this a significant fault, but otherwise the rest of the motor looked very well designed and solid inside, and I was willing to give the BBS02 another try.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: left;"><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoll78Uj35L8su2ZSXUmR3ZgArzT3I8i8i4g08BQ3Ef1MUjc6um7AUYxV_mzwXU4xoHdMkreDCGITeB6ziyw82oKXRgEyu0LqZYw9GxFtYBbkXiWPiZ2KNAYdEjVsIo7I9yaC0AFSVaFakFyEscB16oyFFrYGZcwSDc2TpNAzvdolZapti2PVG8UFu5Q=s882" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="882" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoll78Uj35L8su2ZSXUmR3ZgArzT3I8i8i4g08BQ3Ef1MUjc6um7AUYxV_mzwXU4xoHdMkreDCGITeB6ziyw82oKXRgEyu0LqZYw9GxFtYBbkXiWPiZ2KNAYdEjVsIo7I9yaC0AFSVaFakFyEscB16oyFFrYGZcwSDc2TpNAzvdolZapti2PVG8UFu5Q=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Testing the Hall sensors to be sure it was the solder joint and not the sensors</i></div><p>The sensors themselves could have been bad, so I tested them before reassembling the motor. With a voltmeter connected between the ground and the output of each sensor, the output should toggle between a high and a low voltage when a magnet (a magnetic screw holder in this picture) is passed by the sensor. If you are trouble shooting this part and not familiar with doing this, please unplug the Hall board from the circuit and use a separate power supply. Note: these appear to be latching Hall sensors, and the magnet has to be flipped to the other side to change the polarity. I had expected the vendor to send a replacement Hall sensor board so that it could be swapped easily, but they cheaped out and sent one single Hall sensor. I don't think this would have helped most bicycle shops. </p><p>This 14th motor has been working fine, it's smooth, quiet, and pulls nicely. I reprogram the BBS02 motors mainly to turn the power down in the first and second assist levels for easy riding. With these settings, the bikes ride a lot like the Specialized Turbo Como in our ebike library. I also change a few other settings, such as reducing the starting current to prevent a large starting load from burning out the motor, but I don't do anything complicated. There is a ton of BBS02 programming information available on the web so I'm not going to repeat it here. (I use Penoff, Endless Sphere, EM3EV, Karl Gesslein, Lectric Cycles, and Lunacycle suggestions.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8TwpsW7cDl5eh0qu96oz6x4tZmjx98P6DeVu1y5S7NHXavVqPB_G0gpLenxQMlaeY9nnd7KwMep7LKA5KJA9LCUo-jOtczkPHXwW_jt9dgEEUJguwI40Y8x-1hM6w9Xp4zMJQvnfV5ozCVr-R1rSB2rwMGod6aq6R7I-y3V7xzvXCb6yly1p7lcUrKA=s882" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="882" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8TwpsW7cDl5eh0qu96oz6x4tZmjx98P6DeVu1y5S7NHXavVqPB_G0gpLenxQMlaeY9nnd7KwMep7LKA5KJA9LCUo-jOtczkPHXwW_jt9dgEEUJguwI40Y8x-1hM6w9Xp4zMJQvnfV5ozCVr-R1rSB2rwMGod6aq6R7I-y3V7xzvXCb6yly1p7lcUrKA=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The new rear wheel setup, with a 126mm freehub, 9 speed 12-36T cassette, and a rear derailleur capable of a 36T granny gear. (The stick is because I hadn't installed the kickstand yet.)</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">The Stratus has a 27 x 1 1/4" (32-630) rear tire which is one of the larger diameter wheels, and the original gears were a two speed chainring (52/42T) and a six speed freewheel (13/14/17/21/26/32T). I needed to keep the 52T chainring for speed, but wanted to add a larger granny gear to make up for the single large chainring. Almost all Shimano rear derailleurs in my price range have a maximum granny gear capacity of 34T. I had experimented with a short hanger extension on my Marin MTB conversion, but I had to drill and insert a peg to correct it's angle to Shimano specs. It worked but it wasn't easy or elegant. The Shimano Deore M592 rear derailleur has a 36T maximum, so I decided to try it without a hanger extension and see if the motor made up for having less than a huge granny gear. It will climb a 16% grade OK, but it's a couple mph too fast in rough, bumpy spots. If this setup lasts, I might experiment with a 10 speed setup to get a 40T or 44T low gear, but there are a few considerations with doing that:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">-Many people talk about the torque of a mid motor ebike wearing out chains quickly. I've been using wider 6/7/8 speed chain, and the wear has been so minimal that I decided to try out 9 speeds for this bike. But 10 speed chain would be thinner still.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> -Six to nine speed parts are somewhat compatible and I can mix and match some parts while building, but I wouldn't be able to use any of my spare parts for a 10 speed. The cable pull and the parallelogram angle are too different.</div><div style="text-align: left;">-I've been buying quality regular chains for about $14 each, but have found a comparable ebike chain was $42. Since the Stratus uses 2.1 normal length bike chains (246 links) and The Breeze will be similar, there is some financial motivation to design for a low wear drivetrain that can use a regular chain </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">No one ever talks about using larger gears to reduce the stress on a bike chain like the industrial drive people do for machinery. At first glance having only a 52T chainring seems like a bad idea, but if it's paired with large rear cogs then it's actually beneficial. Besides less stress on the chain, I use the lower gears more often than with a 44T or 48T chainring which spreads the wear around. I'm also becoming less and less of a fan of 11T top cogs because I've noticed chains jumping on them more often, so they seem to be not a great idea for a strong mid motor ebike and 12T or 13T high gears are better. In general I'm leaning towards larger diameter gears, while still trying to keep a very wide gear range on the cassette.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHe1FFE5mPu-xJTPyaKSTHR70jvr7jNhoT8JGX8EuIZM84EAR9GmcBGeUzDN6s6SiqW0Q-mT_8R4ZV-u8w1jlhdsymhFUkO6mORF3-8NMpndtaJW4XZEsBKPsO6HrOShclIcofLj3ZVYyUQ-ixfIX8kIAzABgA8dJioA25xXzeEA502ULwySUD_CjU-A=s850" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="620" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHe1FFE5mPu-xJTPyaKSTHR70jvr7jNhoT8JGX8EuIZM84EAR9GmcBGeUzDN6s6SiqW0Q-mT_8R4ZV-u8w1jlhdsymhFUkO6mORF3-8NMpndtaJW4XZEsBKPsO6HrOShclIcofLj3ZVYyUQ-ixfIX8kIAzABgA8dJioA25xXzeEA502ULwySUD_CjU-A=w291-h400" width="291" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: left;">The original Suntour Mountech rear derailleur has an extra spring loaded pivot that is concentric with the upper idler pulley. This was famous for packing full of dirt, and then jamming the derailleur into the spokes. It was called "The wheel builders best friend" by one blogger, and was responsible for much of Suntour's financial problems. It went into the storage bag with the other original parts.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The Stratus rear dropouts have a 125 mm spacing. I wanted to upgrade to a stronger freehub with more speeds, but all my MTB parts hubs had a 135 mm OLD dimension. Since the seat and chainstays are very long and slender on the Stratus and the frame alignment measured true, I didn't want to cold set the stays and take a chance of it becoming off center. I found a wheel with a 130 mm Shimano FH-RS300 hub, and it even had a 4 mm spacer on the left side! After removing the spacer and recentering the rim 2 mm over to the right, I had a 126 mm wheel that fit into the dropouts almost nicely with just a light nudge. Unfortunately the chain did not fit.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5ll9BUqYwidWbFEEmS4eh5Y_L_H6E4oe0FqQHciXbAxbWSmp0U1Mz9Dsn8jG0Pifk--NIZRZl5I7sA6oVZ6vtENu85Jh0VjNxBNmIEQDPPEOKIPK0CJ3KVXYn4xVzenClu_YAPKqTQPPWwgNMJ7Han-4biJTWZG9-pELPQyhPHJRJKLoWGWDdQYBmGQ=s752" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="752" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5ll9BUqYwidWbFEEmS4eh5Y_L_H6E4oe0FqQHciXbAxbWSmp0U1Mz9Dsn8jG0Pifk--NIZRZl5I7sA6oVZ6vtENu85Jh0VjNxBNmIEQDPPEOKIPK0CJ3KVXYn4xVzenClu_YAPKqTQPPWwgNMJ7Han-4biJTWZG9-pELPQyhPHJRJKLoWGWDdQYBmGQ=w400-h315" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The inside of the right rear dropout had to be modified to clear the chain. The seat stay tube (top) stuck out too far and had to be cut back and then rewelded closed. The tube had grooves</i><i> already worn</i><i> in it by the old chain, so this probably was a problem even when new.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxe0m4H61vHlbeNAYoHX2oQ7Tecv2NMbffPg22Dss1Vy2cYROgX2u-O1QLvHBeKvnyVhyYhYBV6p2caAw_x-n055Gc6Pb_Dp84wPmtfgGvrsVb-muKeZkGx1EvivE1OxWXxSvmvMvlkmZrS5q3uR8H26kR0AyjfiOe4erJnLeBSVcS7zghSeDsXwSgkQ=s882" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="882" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxe0m4H61vHlbeNAYoHX2oQ7Tecv2NMbffPg22Dss1Vy2cYROgX2u-O1QLvHBeKvnyVhyYhYBV6p2caAw_x-n055Gc6Pb_Dp84wPmtfgGvrsVb-muKeZkGx1EvivE1OxWXxSvmvMvlkmZrS5q3uR8H26kR0AyjfiOe4erJnLeBSVcS7zghSeDsXwSgkQ=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The finished seat stay with decent chain clearance in high gear. Originally the stay was a tube all the way around.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZImLj3263Y1vsFyd9OfMcUxAR3xVD_tHYkI3benoeRnsG8r_5Vghdjp9hbiVEp40B1-RTpN1VX5aUwkm_ARStpu5fRTl0GZuferCCD4p-Qd8vMAjFJn1Jj4GYYlzgphv9Nbngqm34FG27FWOp9xQyvpU40y9nPSgoNSVhMByKywbZ3U9fzL63H0SRzA=s882" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="882" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZImLj3263Y1vsFyd9OfMcUxAR3xVD_tHYkI3benoeRnsG8r_5Vghdjp9hbiVEp40B1-RTpN1VX5aUwkm_ARStpu5fRTl0GZuferCCD4p-Qd8vMAjFJn1Jj4GYYlzgphv9Nbngqm34FG27FWOp9xQyvpU40y9nPSgoNSVhMByKywbZ3U9fzL63H0SRzA=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>1/2 inch black poly tubing instead of idler pulleys (shown with the chain on the top sprocket)</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There were a couple more small modifications. One was that I needed to extend the speed sensor cable. The bike was almost ready to ride and I didn't want to wait for another order, so I cut 28 inches out of a USB cord and spliced it into the cable. It looked the same, plus it was shielded. I filled the splices with silicon sealant before putting the last piece of heat shrink tubing over them. The other mod was the chain stay protector. I'd planned on making an adapter in front of the rear wheel that could mount both the kickstand and chain idler pulleys. However because of the 52T chainring, chain rub on the stay was not a problem. The kickstand was also more stable when located further forward. So I took a 6 inch piece of black poly 1/2 inch plumbing tubing and cut a slit in one side, and then snapped it on the chainstay just to protect against rubbing when the chain was bouncing around. It's light, and I've never heard it make any noise.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This bike is a treat to ride. It takes a little effort to get it up to 25 mph, (there's some weight, and I should probably revisit the motor programming), but then it will stay cruising at 25 to 30 mph with not much trouble. The one problem I've had with it is getting started with 60 pounds of groceries on the rear rack. I don't have a hand throttle on it, (there wasn't any room left on the handlebars!), and I've found that if you use the walk assist mode to get going, the motor will not stay running when you start pedaling. I need to make a start button to turn the motor on until I get balanced and pedaling. Overall it's exciting to ride, and it's probably the closest I'm going to get to a high performance sports car with 9 speeds with paddle shifters on the back of the steering wheel.</div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I'll write one more post that will cover the battery and remaining details that make this bike work.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com0White River Junction, VT 05001, USA43.6782802 -72.369847115.368046363821158 -107.5260971 71.988514036178856 -37.2135971tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-17589831674871188352022-01-02T09:00:00.010-05:002022-01-17T12:37:23.924-05:00The Breeze, the Stratus frame (S1E2)<p>I'm only moderately familiar with recumbent design, and my first step was to figure out what the Stratus was supposed to be like originally, before years of different owners had worked on it. I didn't find any original documentation from 1985, but there was a 1992 review in the Recumbent Cyclist News archives (<a href="https://rcnpdf.com/" target="_blank">https://rcnpdf.com/</a> , Vol 6 No 12). Amazingly my bike was pretty much whole, with the original Shimano 600 group set. I was going to have to change some of that out because I didn't think a 35 year old freewheel would be reliable enough for my use, but I'd be changing the front chainring anyway with the addition of a motor. There was also no way I'd use the shifter and brake on the joystick. But overall the frame was straight, and mainly needed a new coat of paint. It had a sticker on it from Dana Point Cycle and Sport, and I imagined the original owner cruising up and down the California beach front listening to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjBwAYIxUso&ab_channel=Robert64642" target="_blank"><i>"Hey now, Hey now, Don't Dream it's Over"</i></a><i>.</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcqzzw3H5eG1vgRNQ14sJTldcJ9pcZXFjM6xXkKOlMlLHaabp1h2eH28oruv4IMmmFHM1AFL9mqws_TRG52XdOrca3STZ6_XoQFMGPBPWk76ZnLUYUEPXJ75Z14_BawR_o-ISTS-vS07lItHh_rHzoJGPAz9TYKGkjuKZOTeKMa__A2m3-7YhVkdrBkQ=s908" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="908" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcqzzw3H5eG1vgRNQ14sJTldcJ9pcZXFjM6xXkKOlMlLHaabp1h2eH28oruv4IMmmFHM1AFL9mqws_TRG52XdOrca3STZ6_XoQFMGPBPWk76ZnLUYUEPXJ75Z14_BawR_o-ISTS-vS07lItHh_rHzoJGPAz9TYKGkjuKZOTeKMa__A2m3-7YhVkdrBkQ=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The RANS Stratus A as received</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Out of the many bikes with a lower seat height, I was lucky to receive this Stratus. This model and the <i>Easy Racer Tour Easy</i> (<a href="https://easyracers.com/toureasy.html" target="_blank">https://easyracers.com/toureasy.html</a>) appear to be 2 classic bikes that are so popular that one blog writer claimed they are the bikes that have crossed the US the most times. It's a very good place to start from.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF01f3LT5H4b2276LstChZLHO_-FZoGZZsJjqPlp1DZSuOaBKd95gWtUuoqva22mHKtrzWfuSum9PB3gDePRvcSO2wMGTzfpaG_3PqFDp8Xdu_cHh6zBNYxTNrewdIBMOUttJexDk5gIhYeqWetWucJYRT79e8EfTBwbAg9xBHqONQ4Z7xNRzPgjI07Q=s1600" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF01f3LT5H4b2276LstChZLHO_-FZoGZZsJjqPlp1DZSuOaBKd95gWtUuoqva22mHKtrzWfuSum9PB3gDePRvcSO2wMGTzfpaG_3PqFDp8Xdu_cHh6zBNYxTNrewdIBMOUttJexDk5gIhYeqWetWucJYRT79e8EfTBwbAg9xBHqONQ4Z7xNRzPgjI07Q=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><i>An Easy Racer Tour Easy with an early electric motor drive kit added under the seat.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo credit: I don't know the original source, I found this photo on recumbentbike.com back in 2014, and that site now appears to be dead. I've seen this picture on a few other sites since then.</i><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The Stratus has a bottom bracket height of 14 inches off the ground and a seat height of 21 inches, while the Tour Easy has a slightly more upright position at 13" BB and 22" seat. I had been planning on a seat height of 18" for <i>The Breeze</i> frame to match many household chairs I have and also the seat height in my old Saab 900, but I found while riding the Stratus I liked a 1" pad, which gave me a 22" seat height that matches the Tour Easy. However the Stratus BB height is better at 14", as the heel of my shoe was often less than an inch from the ground.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMnCbLE-Pe2O8oxTFZ6KWMCyDm1JBJks7itPNxjI3PSFic5gz34rensgVxz4b0pflvhyU-V4zFMcq7VpYArDVmLmFMUeEL24Y8I2k9ZgooiEuXPygn1Alx1DFziUPFEZo1UTulCuV1pSUk1DGbI98w91wr1FaPca_nMpyxFc5gVk7Q_kQhzfecHbYrsA=s934" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="934" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMnCbLE-Pe2O8oxTFZ6KWMCyDm1JBJks7itPNxjI3PSFic5gz34rensgVxz4b0pflvhyU-V4zFMcq7VpYArDVmLmFMUeEL24Y8I2k9ZgooiEuXPygn1Alx1DFziUPFEZo1UTulCuV1pSUk1DGbI98w91wr1FaPca_nMpyxFc5gVk7Q_kQhzfecHbYrsA=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The frame after welding the rear dropout and painting, with the new wheels</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>(It's mounted in an old exercise stand to prop it up.)</i></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Evaluating the frame design while cleaning it up was lot of fun! There were a few things I wouldn't have done, such as the plastic cap closure for the seat tube, and the termination of the stays on the rear dropouts (which I'll say more about in the drivetrain post). Also I was wondering how the BB to seat to rear dropout triangle would handle the torque of a motor. Otherwise the frame was thought provoking!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyIM7H966vnwSRd7Uz9nzRg9xmQLL766YYae_IceDcBGvWNR1871xdwhUK8GrGxZ-xoRZnQbxZNFfuolRJ6hjXK18zVP_Bf3QseAS9AZliXgfrrXGceq01fVxRg-zKzlvUnhvRh0Lqi5CVGPOzkK5zIiJbD5vg1SnNbLGE8Z8VDGiPXsMozA3Y1x-62g=s934" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="934" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyIM7H966vnwSRd7Uz9nzRg9xmQLL766YYae_IceDcBGvWNR1871xdwhUK8GrGxZ-xoRZnQbxZNFfuolRJ6hjXK18zVP_Bf3QseAS9AZliXgfrrXGceq01fVxRg-zKzlvUnhvRh0Lqi5CVGPOzkK5zIiJbD5vg1SnNbLGE8Z8VDGiPXsMozA3Y1x-62g=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A 59 degree head angle with a centering spring added to counteract flop</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The 59 degree head angle confirmed something I've learned since I wrote my blog posts about steering geometry back in 2014- the basic function of the head angle is to put the handlebars comfortably within the reach of the rider, and handling is secondary. Here's an example that demonstrates the important aspect is trail, not head angle:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxrBJ5I_kTJ6EXxX8WcAqoHqL4KCXvRdMFUS1KWNHEHyxiRoKoHrDSE_BqKa8ogvZrVmtMixBfgcgN82Z3T4YGAZ4cK0g_ELUh1UBX3elO8kPEns1FY1TZnBYdpnIUtPpx-22Kz4lt6wCYDEpsyBSsW2oDmkdyWGjqzIWNbOHsLcny4PMmvJbAlRwutA=s970" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="970" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxrBJ5I_kTJ6EXxX8WcAqoHqL4KCXvRdMFUS1KWNHEHyxiRoKoHrDSE_BqKa8ogvZrVmtMixBfgcgN82Z3T4YGAZ4cK0g_ELUh1UBX3elO8kPEns1FY1TZnBYdpnIUtPpx-22Kz4lt6wCYDEpsyBSsW2oDmkdyWGjqzIWNbOHsLcny4PMmvJbAlRwutA=w400-h311" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Tony Foale rides his modified BMW with a 15 degree rake (motorcycle terminology, or 75 degree head angle in bicycle terminology). Tony modified his motorcyle for testing with rake angles of 15 and 0 degrees, which under some conditions performed better than the stock 27 degree angle which could oscillate. </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Credit: <u>Motorcycle Chassis Design: the theory and practice</u>, Tony Foale and Vic Willoughby, 1984, Osprey Publishing Ltd, page 62</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Stratus head bearings were notchy, and I found a current version that looked the same but now had seals! The front wheel wasn't original, it had nuts and 90 mm Over Locknut Dimension (OLD) while the fork had 100 mm spacing. I dug out an old Shimano 100 mm quick release front hub that looked period correct and built a new wheel using an aero shape rim. A major side effect of the 59 degree head angle is a tremendous amount of annoying wheel flop, and after a couple of weeks of having the front fork turn sideways whenever I let go of the handlebars, I made a centering spring. It's just 4 inches cut off of an old spring for a wood screen door (the kind that always slammed shut with a bang), and is attached to the fork with a little ell bracket on the brake caliper bolt, and onto the frame by hooking it on to a hose clamp. I still have to figure out a front fender though, because RANS cut it a little too tight with less than 1/8 inch between the tire and the fork crown.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While I did remove the central joystick, I wanted to keep the front fairing + storage cubby. I added bar extensions to the hoop handlebars instead of the usual update of "ape hanger" bars. This bike is steered by leaning, not by turning the handlebars, and it took me a while to learn to steer with my seat. I had to not lean on the backrest for about 20 miles before it started to become more natural. There's a small amount of tiller effect during slow, sharp corners, but at speed it's not noticeable at all. The handlebars aren't very solid and mostly just a place to put your hands, but the fairing does block the wind, and the cubby is really handy! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgTMdD_HOimRQOwp4sipauiNDC7wlop7CDnhZIgKDcpMXlgeU1NDmau6Y8TBu7TZ7_CxxzwIH0pjIHMoM6ijI4ZSq3v5fqaSwKPqE1-FWqLaKJhu6xUR8nKoD3f-cj3q5CAf5ZD9JX716QKaiCM6jmPsKd1K4TTbX25fW_bAhWYpOJkcaWFJyGHRN15cw=s881" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="881" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgTMdD_HOimRQOwp4sipauiNDC7wlop7CDnhZIgKDcpMXlgeU1NDmau6Y8TBu7TZ7_CxxzwIH0pjIHMoM6ijI4ZSq3v5fqaSwKPqE1-FWqLaKJhu6xUR8nKoD3f-cj3q5CAf5ZD9JX716QKaiCM6jmPsKd1K4TTbX25fW_bAhWYpOJkcaWFJyGHRN15cw=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i style="text-align: center;">The cockpit with a pair of Dia-Compe SS-4 two finger brake levers and a Shimano Mega9 shifter sandwiched in between them. The BBS02 keypad is on the left handlebar extenion, and it's LCD display is on a custom bracket that mounts to the fairing in front of it. (The handlebar extensions are cut off in this photo.) All cables and wires fit under the bar tape for a comfortable grip, although it is a pretty close fit. The brake switches are the inline cable type and hidden inside the fairing.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i style="text-align: center;"><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've adjusted the hoop so that my knees have just an inch of clearance to the underside, and realized that while a fixed solar panel could be mounted over my knees on a bike frame that has steering with a remote linkage, there wouldn't be much space for a front trunk underneath it. Also a solar panel over my head would be much taller than I had planned, so the next step is to reconsider the seat height again.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The rear wheel is also new. I had planned on upgrading the antique freewheel hub to a freehub to better handle the motor torque, but I found a complete wheel that I was able to modify, so I simply replaced the whole thing. I'll cover this part a bit more in the next post about the drivetrain.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The seat cover had shrunk and I had to make a new one. Also the original kickstand simply spun around on the chainstay, so I took a standard Greenfield kickstand and lengthened it by epoxying on a 4 inch piece of a salvaged seat stay that I had hammered into a profile that slipped on the leg nicely. (This took three tries: on the first try I hammered too hard and snapped the leg off, the second time I tried using a torch to soften the tube and melted the aluminum kickstand. The third time I applied a lot more patience. It's good that these kickstands are common and inexpensive.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMPyti54h9eZ5XI6gGAH0lPVLxgQyWVsF9uldyCe126O1hZiH2ZEZnyNC7eaKXgfWoDt6MT5VCIdDIe_GOaIN5falKRPNDWxHWiGTDzc8LXhsKB8WAIJIFoI3aSLgu5i4m8LgFNQfASA3gQOguF3zLbhRDjn-OCNbjTsdOyyZXvzvLn-IFJWlMImOJnA=s882" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="882" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMPyti54h9eZ5XI6gGAH0lPVLxgQyWVsF9uldyCe126O1hZiH2ZEZnyNC7eaKXgfWoDt6MT5VCIdDIe_GOaIN5falKRPNDWxHWiGTDzc8LXhsKB8WAIJIFoI3aSLgu5i4m8LgFNQfASA3gQOguF3zLbhRDjn-OCNbjTsdOyyZXvzvLn-IFJWlMImOJnA=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The extended Greenfield kickstand</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The chainstays are very slender and could be bent, so I made top and bottom mounting plates out of 1/2" CDX plywood with grooves routered in them that cupped the tubes to spread out the force of the kickstand Then after mounting the kickstand I scribed the end of the leg to the correct angle and welded on a circular foot. I had originally planned to combine the kickstand mount with a pair of chain idler pulleys, but the pulleys weren't necessary. I'll write more about this in the drivetrain post.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8Ru3ZGhcYVifq1t6JYPM7c6IyflM3bNWS0bjcKPSbQrhbHHbFQkbkf9grujC0o3lEKUkTYlREPtFPAnaQfzuTiUs7Fi6j1iM-kxPCz5J6bF0UarK2iLD_AuphzPT-o8ePgqYwixK4fnrAeKF-CTxPddfzDraaLQJIvU-N0Z7zWPq7DZG8147fIk0UQw=s987" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="987" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8Ru3ZGhcYVifq1t6JYPM7c6IyflM3bNWS0bjcKPSbQrhbHHbFQkbkf9grujC0o3lEKUkTYlREPtFPAnaQfzuTiUs7Fi6j1iM-kxPCz5J6bF0UarK2iLD_AuphzPT-o8ePgqYwixK4fnrAeKF-CTxPddfzDraaLQJIvU-N0Z7zWPq7DZG8147fIk0UQw=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The almost finished Stratus project, (it still needs a front fender and another layer of foam on the seat)</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I finished the bike in September and rode it for a couple hundred miles before snow started and then I parked it to keep the road salt off of it. It's very fast- easily able to keep up with cars in 25 mph zones, and under most situations it's very comfortable. It's definitely in it's element on a paved road, but it's been fine on all the dirt roads here except for the worst ones where the town has dumped a lot of 3 inch stone. For <i>The Breeze</i> I'll probably go one size wider in tire width, from 1 1/4" (32 mm) to 1 1/2" because of the stone, but I don't wish to go wider because I also need to cover distance quickly. I've found it hard to choose between cruising along on this bike or the more upright posture of my converted Marin eMTB and I split my time half and half between the two.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For the next post I'll take a closer look at the drivetrain.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><p></p>Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com0White River Junction, VT 05001, USA43.6782802 -72.369847115.368046363821158 -107.5260971 71.988514036178856 -37.2135971tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-36576464952428863282021-12-25T12:26:00.000-05:002021-12-25T12:26:21.448-05:00The Breeze, or learning how to travel (S1E1)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4VGbqi8A9GqtMXyzDXasVzhs1lpKrITLhpbVY3azm1DnqUrd_vNxkuEeqBCwDIXvFmq0hodnDizIZmo49bQzOGrqOnNLZOzqXxXSEjshzYXSpDQonb0xiesJwvwAX7JPcSvsg1QETN6MQKchIWeMk00Y0_YsA7zxJMEuuRnuarCPys5DhiE6w9RhNuA=s996" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="996" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4VGbqi8A9GqtMXyzDXasVzhs1lpKrITLhpbVY3azm1DnqUrd_vNxkuEeqBCwDIXvFmq0hodnDizIZmo49bQzOGrqOnNLZOzqXxXSEjshzYXSpDQonb0xiesJwvwAX7JPcSvsg1QETN6MQKchIWeMk00Y0_YsA7zxJMEuuRnuarCPys5DhiE6w9RhNuA=w400-h226" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><i>Advertisement for a Danish Sofa-Cycle, circa 1930's, credit: unknown</i></div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"> I've wanted to build a sofa cycle for 4 or 5 years now. The main reason was comfort- to be sitting looking fowards instead of down, and to have my feet flat on the ground when stopped. There was also a hope for better efficiency from a smaller aerodynamic profile.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But other bikes kept sidetracking me. I've now put motors in 24 bikes and have 4 more lined up, (the motors I've used are 3-MAC geared hub, 1-MXUS DD hub, 2-Leaf DD hub, 2-generic 250W DD hub, 14-BBS02 BB, 1-BBSHD BB, and 5-TSDZ2 BB motors). Plus there have been a few extra projects such as the DIY ebike workshops, our Upper Valley ebike library, and rebuilding the battery pack in a Twike (which had 1568 cells to weld together!). It seemed like I'd never get to building another frame.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'd started in the direction of a lower seat with the Oma bike (see links to blog posts on the right). But the Oma bike had 3 significant problems:</div><div style="text-align: left;">-I'd used too small tubing which flexed a lot and I constantly had to pay attention to balancing</div><div style="text-align: left;">-the motor pulled the rear wheel out of the dropouts and needed repairs</div><div style="text-align: left;">-it's very long</div><div style="text-align: left;">So I ended up not using it very much, and wanted to try building again.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">There were several times that I almost bought a RANS Crank Forward bike ( <a href="http://www.ransbikes.com/" target="_blank">http://www.ransbikes.com/</a> ) just to move things along. But then I'd see something like this:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnWlukFGY97Q_OjZT6T_sFDuGJW537ngx8jjBt2Mv6kiRhdwIPCf-sXecoWeJaRaF2kJfE1iUp7IimG801tUpzbONkOfIOkYE3OHwckvYDzMzoT5nuAayUR-EbeH5fs74-tOQcO8rGI6ZTVKYvKllEhfNLho4GWVKj167Se_fcAoGPeGZbExKiS9hpyg=s783" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="753" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnWlukFGY97Q_OjZT6T_sFDuGJW537ngx8jjBt2Mv6kiRhdwIPCf-sXecoWeJaRaF2kJfE1iUp7IimG801tUpzbONkOfIOkYE3OHwckvYDzMzoT5nuAayUR-EbeH5fs74-tOQcO8rGI6ZTVKYvKllEhfNLho4GWVKj167Se_fcAoGPeGZbExKiS9hpyg=w385-h400" width="385" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Bram Moens rides his M5, <a href="http://www.m5-ligfietsen.com" target="_blank">www.m5-ligfietsen.com</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Credits: photo-Frans Lemmens, book-<i>The Recumbent Bicycle</i>, Gunnar Fehlau, 2000, Out Your Backdoor Press</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Then I'd think I could do better than a crank forward. What if Bram had a solar panel over his head, another panel over his knees, and a slightly stretched frame with large cargo bins centered over the rear wheel? I'd have a vehicle that never needed charging and had some weather protection. So over the last few years, I've figured most of the design out. A monotube frame with a strong arch over the rear wheel for the cargo bins. A motor under the seat, and a new solar setup. I've collected most of the parts- the tubing, wheels, group set and other hardware, a BBSHD motor, rear shock and bearings, plus few extra parts for experimenting with a Hossack front end. It's taken long enough that I've even got a theme song- </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vBDup86RyUg" width="320" youtube-src-id="vBDup86RyUg"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-style: italic;">Call me the Breeze</i><i>,</i> J.J. Cale, Cain's Ballroom, Tulsa, (2004)</div><div><br /></div><div>But other projects keep popping up. They've been good experience, for example I can now build a wheel in an hour or two instead of a whole day. And I've put in some serious time on bicycle advocacy, learning our transportation system, and speaking up for non-car users here in Vermont. Still, my frame is going to have to wait for a second Series of blog posts. First I have a detour that qualifies as <i>The Breeze</i>, Series 1.</div><div><br /></div><div>Last summer there were again too many projects for me to make the space I needed to work on the last details of building my frame. At the same time, my friend Bill decided to clean out some of his bikes, and one of them was a RANS Stratus recumbent. My design+build is half calculation and half intuitive- my cells absorb the situation, and then my hands unconsciously build. The calculations are mainly a double check that it's feasible. I had the idea that it would be helpful to experience a bike with a lower seat before I built my frame. I also had a stack of 18650 cells left over from other projects. So Bill and I swapped parts.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEik0mHLK9CUJX2PttXeHSscA0DUHADKHdUwXwpQ4Dyy5-KGiup6AA8Mgi3ugS8ROcuqVOdpmiXaMdUxkIcf7wi_b1hWRcFUCOezUfPlB49NMa55DfhERDNEzHxkwLIF23MeTKDzDp3AV29xnqIw-MuZ7rlKTM34dxCIYavBKKV3ggDkO-eIszgsV3KqsA=s1037" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1037" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEik0mHLK9CUJX2PttXeHSscA0DUHADKHdUwXwpQ4Dyy5-KGiup6AA8Mgi3ugS8ROcuqVOdpmiXaMdUxkIcf7wi_b1hWRcFUCOezUfPlB49NMa55DfhERDNEzHxkwLIF23MeTKDzDp3AV29xnqIw-MuZ7rlKTM34dxCIYavBKKV3ggDkO-eIszgsV3KqsA=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>1985 RANS Stratus A, with BBS02 motor</i></div><div><br /></div><div>This turned out to be a pretty nice and quite fast bike, and very suitable as a local car replacement. The motor takes care of the usual recumbent hill climbing problem. It's able to comfortably carry a medium load of groceries (50 pounds). I'm continuing to learn how to travel. The bike needed a bit of work, and I'll run through the process in the next few posts of this first series of <i>The Breeze.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div>Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com2White River Junction, VT, USA43.6182567 -72.370874342.015368239528208 -74.568139925 45.2211451604718 -70.173608675tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-91628790491429390722020-12-26T17:18:00.003-05:002021-02-22T19:44:58.197-05:00DIY E bike Conversion Workshop- step by step video and tipsA little over a year ago I wrote about a couple of DIY workshops we had held on converting a regular bike to an Ebike. The first half of that post "<a href="https://mysolarelectriccargobike.blogspot.com/2019/11/converting-regular-bike-to-ebike.html" target="_blank">Converting a regular bike to an ebike workshops</a>" was primarily from a workshop organizer's point of view and didn't have a lot of instructions for doing the conversion, (although the second half did have tips from a 2 page handout that we used at the workshops). This post is meant more for the DIY person, and has information that I've learned from converting 17 bikes so far, and holding a third workshop. I've written a brief history of events leading up to the workshop, then there's a short summary of my currently preferred parts, and then the workshop video (1 hour 26 min) covers about everything, ending with a few short notes about tips that I forgot to include in the video.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhicD7LynytRdAvYxmrxWNPbtEDs4aIUogXnvJJv0LpViw1symF53BaSPAKSIAIfG6axGoJ5w_sPJIJyOueGHijfMGfjaMiiDTrs8w2bI6kMGu2ob4G6AAOxcQes7i8QvP9FqvhDmLkEth8/s800/IMG_1162+Norwich+UVEL+bike+with+rack%252C+light+and+mirror+email+size.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhicD7LynytRdAvYxmrxWNPbtEDs4aIUogXnvJJv0LpViw1symF53BaSPAKSIAIfG6axGoJ5w_sPJIJyOueGHijfMGfjaMiiDTrs8w2bI6kMGu2ob4G6AAOxcQes7i8QvP9FqvhDmLkEth8/w400-h300/IMG_1162+Norwich+UVEL+bike+with+rack%252C+light+and+mirror+email+size.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Converted Finiss MTB with a Bafang BBS02 motor with lights and P850C color LCD display ($442), 48 Volt x 17.5 Ah (840 Wh) down tube battery ($422) and new chain ($16). Total of $880 (includes VT tax and shipping, NH residents would pay 6% less).</div><div><div><br /></div><div><b>Why DIY?</b></div><div>If you are the type of person who likes to work on your house or your car, you can build a very nice Ebike with specs that are better than most Ebikes on the market for under $1000, resulting in significant savings and a custom ride to fit your needs.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>First a little bit of the background story leading up to this DIY workshop: the UV EV Expo and the UVEL. If you just want to work on your bike, skip to the next section.</b></div><div>Here in the Upper Valley of the Connecticut river in Vermont and New Hampshire, our group of energy committee members have now held 5 UV Electric Vehicle Expos. (I wrote about the first one back in May 2014 in this post "<a href="https://mysolarelectriccargobike.blogspot.com/2014/05/upper-valley-electric-vehicle-forum-and.html" target="_blank">Upper Valley Electric Vehicle Forum and Demo</a>".) These developed into a very big outreach for us- to give you an idea of the effort there were usually around 2 dozen vendors and exhibitors, speakers, food, (and of course Ebikes in every one), here are the attendance totals:</div><div>2014 Norwich, VT 250 people</div><div>2016 New London, NH 350 people</div><div>2017 Hartford, VT 550 people</div><div>2018 New London, NH 375 people</div><div>2019 Hartford, VT<span> </span><span> </span><span> 550 people</span></div><div><span>These were most likely the largest EV events in New England each year, and it was actually nice to have a break in 2020 when COVID restrictions were imposed. However we still had a little bit of money left from the 2019 budget, so we decided to use it on an Ebike library (with disinfecting the bikes, distancing, and masks the safety precautions turned out well). Back in 2010 when I was just starting to figure out Ebikes as a substitute for my car, Dave Cohen of <a href="www.vbikesolutions.org" target="_blank">VBike</a> down in Brattleboro was also starting work on </span>a consulting service for ebikes. He arranged for a few Ebikes that he could loan out for short trial periods to people who wanted to see if an Ebike would fit into their lifestyle. After a few years of doing this, our statewide bicycle organization <a href="www.localmotion.org" target="_blank">Local Motion</a> up in Burlington ramped up the concept into a widely available library of several Ebikes. However the bikes were often not in the Upper Valley, and we Expo people decided we needed our own library. With Local Motion's help, we combined our Expo funds with donations and bought a Specialized Turbo Como 3.0 ($2800), a RAD Wagon longtail cargo bike with a child handrail ($1800), and I converted a Specialized Hard Rock MTB ($977) for loaning out.</div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4MY_nIhNr3r7KfQNLe76CPJerysLeO1N35YvCl82lzLJbKnuxkM117XRwrTfjx0ufx1dbDTXxLYbHqpUfBHxibiK-1GnzKjF3zGI_yR_sxOQml8NLn-ld2Ft-IAVk64XA2Kz0f-cHZI5n/s934/IMG_0050+UVEL-2+Specialized%252BTSDZ2+rf+view+email+size.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="934" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4MY_nIhNr3r7KfQNLe76CPJerysLeO1N35YvCl82lzLJbKnuxkM117XRwrTfjx0ufx1dbDTXxLYbHqpUfBHxibiK-1GnzKjF3zGI_yR_sxOQml8NLn-ld2Ft-IAVk64XA2Kz0f-cHZI5n/w400-h300/IMG_0050+UVEL-2+Specialized%252BTSDZ2+rf+view+email+size.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The DIY Specialized Hard Rock conversion for the UV Ebike Library. It has a Tongsheng TSDZ2 500 Watt motor, a 48 Volt x 14.5 Ah (696 Watt hour) battery, with new tires, brakes, chain, lights, fenders, rack, and mirror for $976.96 (including VT tax and shipping).</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Parts:</b></div><div>At this point I've installed hub motors (MAC, MXUS, Leaf, and generic cheap ones) and bottom bracket (BB) motors (Bafang and Tongsheng). I'm finding that the BB motors work all around the best. These have been my preferred parts for the last dozen bikes:</div><div><br /></div><div><u>Motors (both of these are street legal in VT and NH):</u></div><div>First choice: <i>Bafang BBS02</i> 48V, 750W, 120 Nm torque, about $435. This is a very good, strong motor, and I recommend it for riders who are experienced, carry loads, or have distance to cover. By programming the first two assist levels to be less, this motor on the Finiss bike conversion feels pretty close to the Turbo Como bike in our library, while still having more power at the top assist level.</div><div>Second choice: <i>Tongsheng TSDZ2</i>, 48V, 500W, 80 Nm torque, about $365. This is a good quality motor. and because it has less output and a torque sensor it is very smooth and an easy ride. I recommend it for beginner riders or people who haven't ridden in a long time, smaller bikes, or shorter distances.</div><div><br /></div><div><u>Batteries</u></div>Bike handling is better using a down tube battery than one in the rear rack. I'd now use a rear rack battery only if I needed 1 kWh or more of capacity, or a battery couldn't be fit any other way. The latest down tube Reention DP-6 case with 4 mounting tabs down each side plus heavy duty flat contacts (drain water better than round) and a full length aluminum mounting channel is a very nice package.</div><div>First choice: 48V x 17.5 Ah, (840 Wh), about $405</div><div>Second Choice: 48V x 14.5 Ah, (696 Wh), about $320</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Workshop step by step video</b></div><div><span>All the bikes held up well over the season with only minor repairs, (there were about 230 borrowers from 7 towns), and the Hard Rock generated a lot of DIY questions from people who wanted to convert their bike. We decided to hold one more DIY conversion workshop, but this time we had to hold it online because of COVID. <a href="http://norwichenergycommittee.weebly.com/" target="_blank">Norwich Energy Committee</a> arranged with our local Community Access TV to film a step by step conversion that I did outdoors in the doorway of my barn for COVID distancing, and once that was edited we used the video for a Zoom meeting. (A thank you also to Norwich Women's Club for funding parts for one of the bikes!) This recording covers much more than I could write in this post, so I'm going to go straight to it, and then end this post with six small tips that I didn't cover in the recording.</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iiNqrihZdRk" width="320" youtube-src-id="iiNqrihZdRk"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">E Bike Conversion Workshop</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span><b>The tips that I forgot to include in the video are:</b></span></div><div>-On a Mountain Bike often the shifter cables are routed through a plastic guide underneath the bottom bracket, and this guide sticks out so far that the motor won't slide in. Remove the guide, and then route the cable to the rear derailleur through a piece of cable housing running over the top of the BB instead. You can keep the factory cable housings at the handlebars and at the derailleur, and just cut a new piece that fits between the cable braze ons on the downtube and the chainstay.</div></div><div>-Do not convert a carbon fiber bike, tightening the motor nuts may crack the bottom bracket.</div><div>-Roughly half of the bottom bracket motors have loosened up the large retaining nuts after riding a couple hundred miles. After a second tightening they have stayed tight. I now use the upper end of the recommended torque range for the nuts instead of the middle.</div><div>-I didn't say enough about the Tong Sheng speed sensor- it is very sensitive to the gap, requiring an extremely large one of 10 to 15 mm. I've had to mount the magnet on a spoke on the other side of the wheel to get this gap.</div><div>-The motor gear housing on one of the dozen bikes with BB motors pressed against the chainstay when the large nut was tightened up. Some people dent the chainstay in for clearance, but a better way is to use shim washers on the motor. (The Chinese vendors often call these narrow washers "gaskets".)</div><div>-Several people have asked if the Bafang motor could be made slow for puttering along. This is easily done by simply turning the assist off, but for those who wish to have a tiny bit of assist, I've reprogrammed the first (and sometimes second) assist levels to about half of their original settings. This has turned out to be the main motor programming I do, another is to set the thumb throttle to a continuous medium power level so that an inexperienced rider can't burn the motor out by holding the throttle down at a stop.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Bonus Material! An updated "Operating Tips for Owners"</b></div><div>In the earlier DIY post I finished by copying the 2 pager handout of tips. The handout has since been redone 4 times for the parts I'm using, here is the latest version:</div><div><div><br /></div><div>As with any bike, please check tire pressures, the brakes, and take a quick look for any problems before going out on a ride. The chain should be lubricated at least every several hundred miles depending on riding conditions.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Bafang BBS02 motor is a globally proven design with several million produced, and is on it's third version with robust gear and electrical improvements. 10 display styles are available, I use a P850C display.</div><div>-It is 750 Watts (the legal limit in New Hampshire and below the 1000 W limit in VT) and 48 Volts</div><div>-It has both a cadence sensor (about 1/4 turn of the pedals to activate) and a thumb throttle for turning on the motor</div><div>-There are switches on the brake levers to be sure the motor shuts off in an emergency situation</div><div><br /></div><div>The downtube style lithium battery is removable with a water resistant plastic case. It has a quality Seiko battery management system (BMS) that monitors the charge levels of the Samsung brand cells to balance them, and also provides short circuit and low voltage protection.</div><div>-The battery size is 48 volts by 17.5 Amp hours, or 840 Watt hours</div><div>-An extra water bottle mount has been installed on the downtube to strengthen the battery attachment.</div><div><br /></div><div>-Order a 46 tooth front chainring for 26 inch wheels to provide a normal pedaling cadence range, maxxing out around the legal e-assist limit of 20 mph. The rear cassette or freewheel should be a wide range 11 or 12 tooth top gear to a 32 or 36 tooth low gear size range to have a good gear for all situations.</div><div>-Test rides that I've taken have averaged around 15 Watt hours per mile. This gives a range of about 50 miles with an 840 Watt hour battery (rated capacity less a 10% safety factor, divided by an average 15 Watt hours per mile). Your range will probably be different depending on factors such as how much you pedal, heavy loads, hills, wind, etc.</div><div>-The 2 Amp charger takes 10 minutes of charging time for every mile traveled. This is about 9 hours to charge a completely empty battery.</div><div>-There are 10 displays available for the BBS02 motor, I use the P850C model because it has the most info for the best price, has a USB port for phones or GPS devices, has a light switch with auto dimming built in, and has one of the largest and easiest to read displays.</div><div><br /></div><div>Bicycle operating tips:</div><div>Keep your cadence between 60 to 90 rpm, (which is the normal recommended range for regular bicycling). The motor is more efficient the faster it is running, and it will turn all the way up to 120 rpm. Don't pedal slowly with the motor doing all the work, because when the motor is turning slowly it is not moving you down the road and most of the energy going into it is coming out as heat, not as a rotating shaft doing work, and this heat could burn the motor out. Shift down for hills just like on a regular bike to keep your cadence in the regular bicycling range, and the motor will also be in a good speed range.</div><div><br /></div><div>The thumb throttle is great for getting rolling under difficult circumstances, such as getting started at an uphill intersection, and (just like a regular bike) it works much better if you have remembered to shift down to a lower gear before you stop. Note that using the thumb throttle will reduce your range.</div><div><br /></div><div>Battery operating tips:</div><div><br /></div><div>The battery will last the longest if you keep it charged in the middle of it's range, and don't go below 10% or above 90%. It's best if you store it half full or a little above that, and keep it in a cool (but not below freezing) place. Charging it fully a day ahead of a ride is fine, but keeping it sitting there over a long storage period all the way full or all the way empty eventually causes chemical changes inside it that will shorten it's life. With poor storage the battery will last a year or two, with good storage it can last 4 to 5 years.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you want to keep the battery charged enough for a spontaneous ride, then storing it at 3/4 full is OK, just not as good as 50% to 65% full. A battery of 17.5 Ah at 48 volts, (840 Wh), is on the larger side and there is room within it's capacity to run it at less than a full charge for making several smaller trips before recharging.</div><div><br /></div><div>Don't charge below freezing. The electrolyte inside the battery is similar to water, and doesn't work very well below freezing. Never charge the battery below freezing because the thick electrolyte can trap chemical reactions in small spots in the battery and damage it. It is OK to ride below freezing, (down to around 0 F) because the battery is releasing energy when it is discharging and this helps keep the electrolyte moving around. However the electrolyte is sluggish when discharging below freezing and as a result the battery will have less power and range.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you want to monitor your battery more exactly than on the bike's display, there are DC meters available with 4 functions (Volts, Amps, Watt Hours, and Time) that can be spliced in between the motor and battery. A second way of monitoring is to use a Kill A Watt household appliance meter when charging the battery. However this measures after the ride not during it, and it is less accurate because you will need to figure in about a 10% to 15% loss due to efficiency of the charger, (the battery is getting 85% to 90% of what the Kill A Watt meter reads for Watt hours.) For example if the Kill A Watt meter reads 0.10 kWh (100 Wh) when the charger finishes and the light turns green, then about 85 Wh went into the battery and 15 Wh were lost inside the charger. You can divide this 85 Wh by the number of miles you rode to find out your Wh per mile.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com2White River Junction, Hartford, VT, USA43.6489596 -72.319257915.338725763821152 -107.4755079 71.95919343617885 -37.1630079tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-61948478840788776092020-09-02T21:12:00.000-04:002020-09-03T09:28:08.395-04:00A Comparison of 12 Greases for Bicycle UseThis post started when I realized that I needed another ebike for friends to borrow, and I found an old Marin Bear Country MTB for the project. It was in a scrap metal pile, and consisted of the frame, forks, and handlebars held together by the cables that were still attached, but everything else was missing. This would require a fair amount of work, but the forks intrigued me. I have a Very Low Budget, thus all my bikes so far have had either rigid frames or very old front suspension forks. I've realized that a small amount of suspension will increase the speed and efficiency of my bikes, and have wanted to experiment. These forks actually had a nice sliding surface and said Manitou on them!<br />
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There seems to be a lot of debate about the perfect grease for bicycle bearings and forks. Normally I simply use the better quality lubricants that can be found at any autoparts store and would be hard pressed to use a gourmet grease. I have a lot of car mechanic experience and after years of using dozens of greases, I do not think a special bicycle grease is necessary for bicycle bearings. But I wanted to lubricate the sliding surfaces on my first <i>Real Forks</i> the right way, so I started looking into fork greases. Evidently I needed to get Manitou Prep M grease made by Motorex, which was <i>No Longer Available</i>, and it was time to find a substitute. The bike forums were useful for identifying what was available and which ones most people were using, but they were pretty short on tech details. Unfortunately the manufacturers were even worse, in a triumph of marketing over datasheets that might actually help you select a grease for an application, most don't release even MSDS reports. And the bicycle greases evidently are rated by the name of the manufacturer. To fill this vacuum it looked like I needed to run my own tests. I'm putting up this post to save others some trouble.</div>
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There are several standard tests that evaluate grease properties such as thickness or viscosity (NLGI rating), heat resistance (for disc and drum brakes), pressure resistance (EP additives), film strength, and water resistance. These are sort of helpful in a bicycle application, but I've seen enough bicycles (which people were still riding) with bottom bracket or wheel bearings rusted right out to the point of rotating directly on the axle to know that bicycles operate with at least an order of magnitude lighter demands on grease than cars do. (When these bikes were soaked from rain, the water inside the axles made them pedal easier.) I also wasn't as concerned with testing the Extreme Pressure rating (spot loads from ball bearings) as I was with sliding (lubricity) and stiction (starting friction), because if a grease can handle a 3000 pound car wheel bearing then it can handle a bike bearing. Lastly, I was more concerned about grease viscosity making it harder to pedal in winter than I was about liquifying the grease after braking said car repeatedly from 70 mph, and I knew from years of using different greases that some NLGI 2 greases I've used are softer than others and would be better for the cold. A more sensitive test was needed, that included an evaluation of texture. Also something with numbers that could be compared instead of forum comments.</div>
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<b><u>The Testing Setup</u></b></div>
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Looking inside the bottom stanchions on my <i>Real Forks</i>, I could see there were two bearings in each leg. I could reach a ruler in and measure the top bearings, which were 1 inch in diameter and 5/16 inch tall, which gives almost exactly 1 square inch of surface area. I decided to drag a 1 square inch piece of metal over another piece of metal with different greases in between them.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHGX0T7ye5FuLQedbw5KbtG2xlbMBTYUoPKOs4zQ4k-dj9pm9tzoj907ZVljOouodiUO21WtkfsSPuJe0wwI_xydWIqOWgBv0XSx41lwMnWylndUaHEmWCw6n6OTF_boJ4FNVORAvzLlB-/s960/1+overall+view+400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHGX0T7ye5FuLQedbw5KbtG2xlbMBTYUoPKOs4zQ4k-dj9pm9tzoj907ZVljOouodiUO21WtkfsSPuJe0wwI_xydWIqOWgBv0XSx41lwMnWylndUaHEmWCw6n6OTF_boJ4FNVORAvzLlB-/s640/1+overall+view+400.JPG" /></a></div>
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<i>The testing jig: A 1 inch square stainless steel sled with</i><i> a series of </i><i>4 different test weights </i><i>placed </i><i>upon </i><i>it</i><i> is pulled across a changeable baseplate </i><i>by a string attached to a cup that is gradually filled with sand. I mounted the jig </i><i>on </i><i>an </i><i>old </i><i>tablesaw with a cast iron top to keep it stable and minimize the effects of vibrations.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2IQUe8mRHJ9ZQQIRvr5rDWKFWGOzR-EbXNhyphenhyphen7rqnYKt7y0fK9O3izycMnuZTBgcWmHiFmLovrG9FXFLtRnscW-XSLZOd16J_EaBZqkKLWg5y5E3sakfz-S0B464k0sgmPkAEwuw-dcFp4/s1600/2+closeup+of+sled+on+plastic+602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2IQUe8mRHJ9ZQQIRvr5rDWKFWGOzR-EbXNhyphenhyphen7rqnYKt7y0fK9O3izycMnuZTBgcWmHiFmLovrG9FXFLtRnscW-XSLZOd16J_EaBZqkKLWg5y5E3sakfz-S0B464k0sgmPkAEwuw-dcFp4/s400/2+closeup+of+sled+on+plastic+602.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<i>A closeup of the 1" by 1" stainless steel sled set up with marine grease on a 1/8" thick sheet of </i><i>UHMW plastic. The sled's edges were radiused, then it was lapped with </i><i>600 grit wet sandpaper on a sheet of glass, </i><i>and then polished with a extra </i><i>fine whetstone. </i><i>The strong but flexible upholstery thread pulls the sled to the left, and </i><i>passes through a low hole in the front sled lip to tie onto a 1" diameter key ring which </i><i>also holds the weights up off the sliding surface. The wooden ledger strip on the left </i><i>is glued onto the plywood base and keeps the test baseplate from sliding.</i><br />
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<i>A well worn but not wobbly computer printer pulley with a ball bearing center </i><i>spins very, very freely and changes pulling force into a vertical direction. I bent a couple short pieces of stovepipe sheet metal into </i><i>ells </i><i>to hold the pulley in level alignment with the string hole in the sled.</i></div>
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<i>The cup was slowly filled with sand until the sled started moving. </i><i>The sled had to stay moving, if it moved only a slight bit and stopped </i><i>then more sand was added.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUB-1jxmHcgSSCLIq_aMwKh_px_r4rHIcKPjBqTvQUEZ71gCj-eIfJ0vi4pHXIg9oDU5AYcbN8dOPRzYfH965h6CaEJYRD0kqkDHT4D_zodbZ6Uarz8iCGx_qTNNEobme2Y0ZNvCH4aDw/s1600/5+gram+balance+scale+404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="958" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUB-1jxmHcgSSCLIq_aMwKh_px_r4rHIcKPjBqTvQUEZ71gCj-eIfJ0vi4pHXIg9oDU5AYcbN8dOPRzYfH965h6CaEJYRD0kqkDHT4D_zodbZ6Uarz8iCGx_qTNNEobme2Y0ZNvCH4aDw/s400/5+gram+balance+scale+404.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>After the cup was filled with just enough sand to keep the sled moving, </i><i>it was removed from the hook on the end of the thread and weighed on a beam balance scale to find the force in grams for the pull.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggjfTuPHy0OpEeNODXZyx3kh2P5Frk_AXf4r5F-YeDdm9yidA7XJzDlwg6bv0vbEdzkbLXWdwmqCeANUQ21gelssLm-iIXjOCIJLovHQwcOufbwSunosWh6JPB0qXr-2BSKu9r653iNFs2/s1600/6+closeup+of+weights+and+greases+448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggjfTuPHy0OpEeNODXZyx3kh2P5Frk_AXf4r5F-YeDdm9yidA7XJzDlwg6bv0vbEdzkbLXWdwmqCeANUQ21gelssLm-iIXjOCIJLovHQwcOufbwSunosWh6JPB0qXr-2BSKu9r653iNFs2/s400/6+closeup+of+weights+and+greases+448.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>The four test weights used for loading the sled:</i></div>
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<i>-left, a small aluminum block, 229.7 grams</i></div>
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<i>-center front (on the sled), a washing machine counterweight, 2110.5g</i></div>
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<i>-center back, a long piece of computer dot matrix wire printer anvil, 847.3g</i></div>
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<i>-right, a short piece of computer dot matrix wire printer anvil, 505.9g</i></div>
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<b><u>The Lubricants in the Test</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1NaVPpukIcNiun1hZGpigsk54XDgxTzCJrJM8jic1ODFaSLoYbXDTr1pk4C_3RyDhfy8IucmnTRR4yNEiI4Gdm9uU6VxnEJH9Yy_iKojJaRyrUcUzcOvhX3pdX1On8ewNtRUer8yJ9Oo/s1600/7+lineup+of+greases+in+containers+702.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1NaVPpukIcNiun1hZGpigsk54XDgxTzCJrJM8jic1ODFaSLoYbXDTr1pk4C_3RyDhfy8IucmnTRR4yNEiI4Gdm9uU6VxnEJH9Yy_iKojJaRyrUcUzcOvhX3pdX1On8ewNtRUer8yJ9Oo/s400/7+lineup+of+greases+in+containers+702.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>The lubricants tested, left to right:</i></div>
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<i>-Back row: Shell Rotella oil, Water, (the Acetone was used for cleaning between tests)</i></div>
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<i>-Third row: AGS Lith Ease, Coastal Moly EP, Kendall Super Blu, Castrol wheel bearing</i></div>
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<i>-Second row: Super Slick, Vaseline, Sta Lube marine grease</i></div>
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<i>-Front row: Slickoleum, graphite powder, Protek MPL-1, Slick Honey, Super Lube</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidesZZeRiHkqmH4rKBluK_xldmwc3uaJbhdVEZ6w4TpTsTJ23LotayCXbfoKAILKHzCdt-dPIi-emLhUrfK60Pd0wVoZbmRZ8r3j8LXia3foptt50jXo0xArPpChyikWaEF2-I4azpIOlH/s1600/8+lineup+of+greases+on+white+sheet+731+color+edit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidesZZeRiHkqmH4rKBluK_xldmwc3uaJbhdVEZ6w4TpTsTJ23LotayCXbfoKAILKHzCdt-dPIi-emLhUrfK60Pd0wVoZbmRZ8r3j8LXia3foptt50jXo0xArPpChyikWaEF2-I4azpIOlH/s400/8+lineup+of+greases+on+white+sheet+731+color+edit.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>MP- Protek MPL-1 synthetic fluoropolymer grease</i></div>
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<i>WA- water</i></div>
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<i>OL- Shell Rotella oil 15W-40</i></div>
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<i>CA- Castrol multipurpose wheel bearing grease 715C</i></div>
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<i>WL- AGS Lith Ease white lithium general purpose WL-15</i></div>
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<i>MG- CRC Sta Lube aluminum complex marine grease SL3184</i></div>
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<i>CO- Coastal Industrial moly EP grease 52353 with polyethelene</i></div>
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<i>GR- 325 mesh graphite powder 99.9% pure</i></div>
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<i>VA- Vaseline (with smudges from graphite that blew into it)</i></div>
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<i>SL- Super Lube synthetic grease with Teflon 21030</i></div>
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<i>SO- Slickoleum multi purpose light calcium base grease</i></div>
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<i>SH-Slick Honey grease LU2005</i></div>
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<i>SS- Rock N Roll Super Slick grease</i></div>
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<i>SB- Kendall Super Blu high temp EP grease L-427</i></div>
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<b><u>The Baseplates</u></b></div>
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The baseplate was changeable, it rested on the plywood base and was kept from sliding by a wood ledger strip glued on the base. The metal plates were 1/16 inch thick, and the plastic sheet was 1/8 inch thick, with no noticeable flex during testing. I started out with a copper plate because copper is often a component of plain bearings. The amount of galling during these tests was amazing, and I had to look it up to be sure it was galling and not dirt. It turns out that soft metals gall very easily, with copper having a large problem, and stainless steel not far behind. I switched to a stainless steel plate next, which had reduced but still significant galling. Last I used a Ultra High Molecular Weight (UHMW) plastic base plate, as it was the closest I had to a thick piece of teflon or custom molded bushings.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQNH0ddTeFNe-pGY1Er22Z8W23WrPggBOm6iIXT8KhRXY7CdCD3fyce-BFdn_eGZgsrD91EV5NFwf4HVlJS61Kozgu01IUarArESnZ03Sgo4auREFHAcbUq-yJQYo5eYd5ty9LBrrP7or/s1600/11+copper+galling+scratches+644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQNH0ddTeFNe-pGY1Er22Z8W23WrPggBOm6iIXT8KhRXY7CdCD3fyce-BFdn_eGZgsrD91EV5NFwf4HVlJS61Kozgu01IUarArESnZ03Sgo4auREFHAcbUq-yJQYo5eYd5ty9LBrrP7or/s320/11+copper+galling+scratches+644.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>The copper (CU) sheet started off tarnished but smooth, and I buffed it </i><i>with 0000 steel wool, then worn out fine nonmetallic Scotchbrite</i><i> until it was slightly reflective</i><i>, and then used </i><i>solvent </i><i>to finish clean it. </i><i>The scratches </i><i>are from galling that happened during the tests.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzw1FZve_4OqO8P27L-yxMykS-XW44Bd6iwGkNQIkjvKMCR4zRvzzh9FmWjEvuaPXD4hcvSFPNY9qcTOzcBTm6J_FG3PsBrBoPv7k6Y7rtQfo_6Ch-TzszrOkPw0H1lH8lcdH3oE7J25Cc/s1600/12+ss+galling+699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzw1FZve_4OqO8P27L-yxMykS-XW44Bd6iwGkNQIkjvKMCR4zRvzzh9FmWjEvuaPXD4hcvSFPNY9qcTOzcBTm6J_FG3PsBrBoPv7k6Y7rtQfo_6Ch-TzszrOkPw0H1lH8lcdH3oE7J25Cc/s320/12+ss+galling+699.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>The stainless steel plate finish was smooth enough to be reflective with minimal cleaning, </i><i>and there are less scratches from galling during the tests.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0cE6LIgYy37PYywGfcRDOnuKIeuF-WyE4QU_TGjhGBDIsQyDnFG9V7_3bse2c_ysuqPTw2S2te8iAmaE_tch66-EHms1wjr0K79W7N3YSV5xtb7Nks8x56QDMiMj22vDlf0yo4wplrrOt/s1600/13+plastic+galling+653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0cE6LIgYy37PYywGfcRDOnuKIeuF-WyE4QU_TGjhGBDIsQyDnFG9V7_3bse2c_ysuqPTw2S2te8iAmaE_tch66-EHms1wjr0K79W7N3YSV5xtb7Nks8x56QDMiMj22vDlf0yo4wplrrOt/s320/13+plastic+galling+653.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>The UHMW plastic sheet had the least galling.</i></div>
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<b><u>The Test Procedure</u></b></div>
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The test started with cleaning the base plate and sled with acetone, (I found acetone worked better than lacquer thinner or mineral spirits) and it was easy to tell if all the residue was removed because the shine of the metals and whiteness of the plastic showed any film left on them. Then a small dab of test lubricant was put on the plate, and the sled was placed on it and rubbed in for a minute to dilute any possible traces of contaminants, leaving them in the globs around the edge and only a thin film in the test area. I then loaded the test weight on the sled and let it sit for 15 to 20 seconds to squeeze out excess grease. The test consisted of 4 pulls, starting with the lightest weight and using the next largest weight each time until the heaviest. All tests were done between 70 to 80 degrees F. Several lubricants were run through the test procedure only once (4 pulls from the light to heavy weights) because they were known not to be suitable lubricants for bike bearings, (such as water or vaseline), but were done as a reference check. Others that were more serious contenders were tested several times and their results averaged at the end. A total of 81 tests (324 pulls) were made.</div>
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Then the force in grams for the 4 pulls in each test were added together and the test totals used to rank the greases. After this basic ordering for functionality was established, the notes from the tests on galling, speed that the sled moved (a proxy for viscosity), and ease of pressing through the film and then sticking while rubbing in were factored into a final evaluation. The test results were most affected by stiction, but there was also a significant influence of regular friction (lubricity) because the sled had to keep moving and for many of the tests the sled stopped and required the addition of more sand to the cup to get it moving again. There are a few interwoven requirements in this test, but all lubricants were tested using the same protocol and it's valid to cross compare them. I tried to be very clean to keep the tests even, and used new rags for preparing each test, but did not worry about random dust in the air (basically none) because I thought that any dust would bring the tests closer to real world conditions.</div>
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At the end of the tests, I found I had to make one correction by adding the weight of the hook (11 grams) to every measurement because some of the tests required only the hook without the cup to move the sled and this was not included in weighing just the cup of sand. I then color coded each spreadsheet entry by the amount of sticking (galling) that happened during the pull- clear for none, up to dark red for severe sticking. A few of the lubricants performed well in one test only to get stuck on a repeat test, and I considered this erratic behavior to indicate the film strength, (for the most part this also corresponded to how easily I was able to press through the film while rubbing in the sled at the start of a test).</div>
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I'd like to present the basic data for anyone who wishes to look for themselves at the trends in it, but 324 measurements don't fit well in a blog format. As a compromise I'll put in 3 screenshots (one each for the copper, stainless steel, and plastic baseplates) of the data that you can zoom in on, followed by a few comments for each baseplate about notable tests. At the end will be a more readable summary of the greases.</div>
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<b><u>The Copper Baseplate Test Results</u></b></div>
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I started this test process using a copper baseplate thinking that most plain bearings are soft, easily scratched, and have some copper in them. Here is a screenshot of the final summary rows of the spreadsheet:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_99ht4S4Et2h7McoVRsALQbMqAdN_Z0MV3cfVYEjf8t8tllsq-6VAg50K8lvysCItyqAylWkmCnO5pX9hsD6_Ykt3xFff0udN3mfqecQi0wmq-FYndUimcZkBs0y7NHjHL50P1bIPIMO/s1600/14+Copper+test+results+spreadsheet+screenshot.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="1600" height="65" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_99ht4S4Et2h7McoVRsALQbMqAdN_Z0MV3cfVYEjf8t8tllsq-6VAg50K8lvysCItyqAylWkmCnO5pX9hsD6_Ykt3xFff0udN3mfqecQi0wmq-FYndUimcZkBs0y7NHjHL50P1bIPIMO/s400/14+Copper+test+results+spreadsheet+screenshot.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Copper base plate test results, click on image to enlarge</i></div>
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There were 32 tests (128 pulls) on copper </div>
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-the top row is the rank. The order is based on the total grams of pulling force listed in the 7th row</div>
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-the second row identifies the grease, (along with it's sequence number in my tests)</div>
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-rows 3 through 6 are the pull measurements in grams, row 7 is their total</div>
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-at the bottom are notes taken during the test</div>
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<u>General comments:</u></div>
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-I started these tests with a bare sled (no lubricant) to get a baseline before any grease was put on, this is the blue column in the spreadsheet, which unfortunately is in the middle of the results (in other words better than half of the greases). The second test was Slickoleum (SO, tests 2a, 2b, 2c), and I was astounded at how bad the results were (19, 27, 30 out of 32). (I hadn't yet noticed the warning on the label that Slickoleum was not for use on copper.) The addition of SO caused the sled and copper plate to suck together- it was similar to two magnets pulling together and dragging. This happened off and on over the next several greases, and at this point I did some reading about galling because the scratches were becoming apparent on the copper and I had to figure out if I needed to redesign the test. The procedure seemed reasonable though, so I simply added other the baseplate materials to the tests as a further check and continued on to find out how other greases reacted.</div>
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-The thicker greases did better (Super Blu SB ranked 1 and 2), thinner was worse (oil OL, 22 and 24). The trend was that all the automotive greases were better than the bare test (no lubricant), and almost all the bike greases were worse. The sled did move much slower during the thicker grease tests though, and I know from experience that Super Blu is very thick and dragging during winter.</div>
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-The surprising lubricant was Vaseline (VA) which for some reason unknown to me did well, because in other respects it was thin, easy to push through the film (similar to oil) and it stuck when rubbed in.</div>
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-The addition of graphite to Vaseline made it's performance worse, and it felt like a fine sand when rubbing in the sled. My experience has been that graphite only works when it is applied in a layer just a few molecules thick and burnished in, and while it's possible to get around this restriction with mixtures (such as DAG) that contain special colloids or binders, graphite is not effective as a grease additive.</div>
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-The automotive greases were also more consistent, for example Castrol (CA), ranged from 781, 801, to 814 grams, versus Slick Honey (SH 789, 841, 1025 g) or Super Slick (SS, 819, 909, 995, 1023, 1243 g)</div>
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-I saved the Moly greases until last to avoid any molecular contamination of the copper affecting the tests of the regular formula greases. The Coastal and Super Slick both did well (CO ranked 3, SS 10 and 13) but there was still some galling. I am wondering if it is better to have galling with a pulling total of 605 grams (CO at 3) then no galling with a pulling total of 1243 grams (SS 31).</div>
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<b><u>The Stainless Steel Baseplate Test Results</u></b></div>
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The next baseplate was stainless steel, chosen to be similar in composition to many bearings and fork sliding surfaces that don't rust.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdZAk1ihDg_8_5gqEyUcP_LhTS7VIRbHmPupmFM-NcGkeVzLF3wlTuD-OJFE6pKsF93zmpRb6fH4-baEHYhbj1IGjUTzPsx6cvATarA7r7dKzAprPoX9_9_XJ8F6Y8-81cmhNejBg2-tr/s1600/15+Stainless+steel+test+results+row+of+spreadsheet.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="254" data-original-width="1600" height="62" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdZAk1ihDg_8_5gqEyUcP_LhTS7VIRbHmPupmFM-NcGkeVzLF3wlTuD-OJFE6pKsF93zmpRb6fH4-baEHYhbj1IGjUTzPsx6cvATarA7r7dKzAprPoX9_9_XJ8F6Y8-81cmhNejBg2-tr/s400/15+Stainless+steel+test+results+row+of+spreadsheet.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Stainless Steel base plate test results, click to enlarge</i></div>
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Another 31 tests (124 pulls) were done to compare galling and the effect of stainless steel on the lubricants versus the copper baseplate.</div>
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<u>General comments:</u></div>
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-At the end there were about one third as many galling scratches on the baseplate as there were on the copper baseplate. The color coding illustrates that there was almost no sticking and galling with the better performing lubricants (again automotive- Castrol, Coastal, Super Blu), and the galling was mainly from the lower ranked greases (oil, Vaseline, Slick Honey, Super Lube, Super Slick)</div>
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-Fortunately this time around all of the lubricants were better than the bare (no lubrication) test results</div>
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-Super Slick led this round, however it was again erratic (166, 205, 238, 350 grams). Slickoleum was third but was also erratic (208, 301, 398 grams). Fourth ranked Castrol was more consistent while still having a lighter pulling force (215, 219, 254 grams)</div>
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-A very interesting thing happened with the Marine Grease- on every test it wiped the baseplate clean leaving no lubricant behind. The grease appears to have caked up during the 15 second sitting period before each test, and then after moving a little ways it started flowing again. In the bare spots there was no lubrication because it was shiny dry, compared to a faint iridescence (like an oil film on water) around the edges of the bare spot.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt5lO4pPgovJdgEVzexjttBDGEHpPL1vbDc59foRKcGxVmlYmiWKk9mZNXnXyY4rUijJbbZIADywsVfjRZr12wk8ggj9it7pyWgWXCraRGbl_PHDr9mp6ltq8L-7E5dyFixFk95zWNa3mU/s1600/9+ss+on+ss+marine+grease+alu+block+wiped+off+611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt5lO4pPgovJdgEVzexjttBDGEHpPL1vbDc59foRKcGxVmlYmiWKk9mZNXnXyY4rUijJbbZIADywsVfjRZr12wk8ggj9it7pyWgWXCraRGbl_PHDr9mp6ltq8L-7E5dyFixFk95zWNa3mU/s400/9+ss+on+ss+marine+grease+alu+block+wiped+off+611.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>After a test and with the weight removed, a 3/16 inch long bare spot with no marine grease is visible on the stainless steel base plate (1/4 way in from right). There is also a visible crack in the film to the right of it. Then as the sled continues to move to the left the grease started to flow again and leave a normal film. The Marine Grease did not do this on the copper and plastic baseplates.</i></div>
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-Slick Honey showed up in spots 18, 19, and 25 out of 31 with a consistent light sticking that raised it's pulling force totals</div>
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<b><u>The UHMW Plastic Baseplate Test Results</u></b></div>
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The final baseplate was a piece of 1/8 inch thick Ultra High Molecular Weight plastic, which is often used in construction for sanitary washdown situations, as well as for sliding surfaces such as conveyors and chutes. The plastic used in bearings can range from teflon, to a urethane, or to a harder custom formula with additives. I don't have a sheet of urethane, but I think the UHMW sheet is a reasonable compromise between teflon and custom formula molded bearings. I've had plastic bearings degrade more often than not after I lubricated them, usually because the plastic either turns brittle, cracks, crumbles, or swells, so I usually don't lubricate plastic bearings unless there is a special need. This is an example of the lubricant manufacturers falling down on the job- a system already exists for categorizing plastics recycling, and manufacturers could easily test their products for compatibility with the categories. A system also exists for oring compatibility. But if I don't know what's in the grease then looking up compatibility is not possible. At this moment if a plastic bearing needs lubricant, I use a silicone based grease that was meant for ski bindings which seems to be relatively benign. It would probably be OK for bicycle pivots if there was a need, but I wouldn't expect it to serve in extreme pressure situations such as racing car suspension bushings. I thought it would be useful to test these bearing greases on plastic though not only because of teflon coated bearings and molded bushings, but also the seals and shims used in assemblies.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNres4BODOI4UlMrwCc8GqI5f19dyznC97GpGm55ls3XIj-TMO3alHRBz0uZSIu_aMepXgUhGNZgdltElBQBYmcNH08HEKvG7SP8wKoQsSAACKQ9QyTtu1UWvp0On4hBuakoAWiXB6CStc/s1600/16+Plastic+test+results+spreadsheet+screenshot.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="307" data-original-width="1148" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNres4BODOI4UlMrwCc8GqI5f19dyznC97GpGm55ls3XIj-TMO3alHRBz0uZSIu_aMepXgUhGNZgdltElBQBYmcNH08HEKvG7SP8wKoQsSAACKQ9QyTtu1UWvp0On4hBuakoAWiXB6CStc/s400/16+Plastic+test+results+spreadsheet+screenshot.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>UHMW plastic baseplate test results, click to enlarge</i></div>
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Only 18 tests (72 pulls) were done on the plastic because I felt it was lower priority than the metal baseplates and I didn't do repeat testing except for these 2 lubricants:</div>
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1. By this time I had the impression that the Castrol wheel bearing grease was a pretty good choice and wanted to double check it's performance</div>
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2. I couldn't believe the price of the Slick Honey so it was also given an extra chance to prove itself</div>
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<u>General comments:</u></div>
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-The best lubricant was Protek MPL, which had a super lubricated feeling on the plastic</div>
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-Second was water, third was Marine grease</div>
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-Fourth was Slick Honey, and while it was slick, it also stuck, and for some reason seemed thicker on the plastic than on the other baseplates</div>
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-Castrol was middle of the pack, slightly worse than bare (no lube)</div>
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-I thought Super Lube with teflon would work well but it actually stuck twice</div>
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-The White Lithium felt gritty on plastic, like fine sandpaper </div>
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-Super Slick was last, it did not agree with the plastic at all</div>
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<b><u>Summary of greases</u></b></div>
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The results from the 3 baseplates were all different. I tried to combine the results into one rating through 4 methods:</div>
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1. by simply adding the 3 ranking numbers for each grease and ordering by the totals</div>
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2. by adding the pulling forces of the 3 baseplates for each grease</div>
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3. by adding the pulling forces scaled to adjust for frequency of bearing materials, (the stainless steel results were multiplied by 4, the copper results by 2, and the plastic by 1)</div>
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4. by comparing the erraticness (a grease's highest test results divided by it's lowest test results)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-5_ZHpjAgV8_1zQKWW8CU-3T-uKEGSlH-zcZx7i8BPlHnnS2w6hg2HJbuwIO17cA6EEW91i0QguyeBFWYlmmx1wL4XE0vxRoj52V41JDAj961lIwGUa-VDspxsuZFySSvg-W7Wj510Pq/s1600/17+Compilation+of+results+for+trends.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="305" data-original-width="1154" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-5_ZHpjAgV8_1zQKWW8CU-3T-uKEGSlH-zcZx7i8BPlHnnS2w6hg2HJbuwIO17cA6EEW91i0QguyeBFWYlmmx1wL4XE0vxRoj52V41JDAj961lIwGUa-VDspxsuZFySSvg-W7Wj510Pq/s400/17+Compilation+of+results+for+trends.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Screenshot of 4 evaluative methods, with trends. </i><span style="text-align: left;"><i>In general the automotive greases (the green entries) consistently scored better than the bicycle greases (yellow). c</i></span><i>lick to enlarge</i></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">These results do show trends, however they should be screened for a few last considerations that show up more in the test notes than in the pulling forces:</span></div>
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Besides obvious removals such as water and graphite, these factors show up in the notes:</div>
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-Vaseline scored well, but it does not have the additives to help it last (service life) and was thin and easier to press through the film while rubbing in than other greases</div>
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-Oil had a very low pulling force with a very fast sled speed, but was easy to squish out and then stick. Oil would be super slippery for a system where it is constantly being replenished, (such as with a pump inside a car motor), and can obviously be made to work in the total loss systems of old 3 speed hubs, but seems to require very frequent replenishment.</div>
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-While Marine Grease was in the middle of the results, I would not use it because of the caking that left bare spots in every test on stainless steel</div>
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-The Protek MPL is an exquisite grease, it felt very silky and slippery, but had lower results in the tests. It seemed like it was meant for equipment with lighter loading such as musical instruments and firearms</div>
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-The general purpose White Lithium was about as thin as hot soft margarine, and had a gritty feeling on plastic. It was not very robust during rubbing in, and seemed lighter duty, I wouldn't use it on bearings. (The other greases that have lithium in a compound work better.)</div>
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-The Super Lube with Teflon performed as well as or better than the bicycle greases but there is no statement on the label that it is meant for heavier duty use in bearings, only for food grade bearings. Aside from the Teflon additive it closely resembles Vaseline, and I question it's service life on a bike.</div>
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<b><u>The top greases were automotive</u></b></div>
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-The Castrol and Super Blu are about equal in effectiveness, however the Castrol was a nice consistency, like soft butter that's been in the sun, that stuck and stayed there but was easy to push around. This seems like a good fit for fork sliding bearings, and with the wheel bearing pressure additives good for bicycle ball bearings too. </div>
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-The Super Blu is thicker- more like butter in a cool room. I will continue to use SB on bicycle ball bearings, but would hesitate to use it on forks.</div>
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-The Coastal was also soft and consistently better performing than the bicycle greases, but because of the Moly additive I put it in a special category, see the comments on Super Slick below.</div>
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<b><u>The 3 bicycle greases were middle of the pack</u></b></div>
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Despite being slightly thinner than the automotive greases, the bicycle greases generally took more force to move the sled. On copper Slick Honey and Super Slick were about the same, and Slickoleum was noticeably lower performance. However on stainless steel Super Slick was definitely at the top, with Slickoleum mid pack of all the tests, and Slick Honey in the lower third. On plastic Slick Honey was in the top third, and Slickoleum was at the bottom, with Super Slick last of all 15 lubricants tested.</div>
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-I'd rate Super Slick as the best bicycle grease with a big qualification- it is the best between two hard metals, and is not good if there is any plastic in the system. This matches up with my previous experiences with lubricants that have a Moly additive, I've found that Moly and plastic don't agree. The plastic eventually seems to turn hard and is deeply stained, suggesting a chemical change. Because my Manitou forks have urethane bumpers and plastic struts inside them, I won't use either Super Slick or the Coastal Moly EP on them. There is no statement saying that Super Slick is compatible with plastic other than an unhelpful "best for fork overhauls" on the Super Slick package. It also is darker than the Coastal Moly EP, and reminds me of CV joint grease which often has some lead in it. While I like this grease, I'll use it carefully in select applications.</div>
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-Slick Honey tested well on plastic and good on copper, but was less than middle of the pack on stainless steel which is probably the most common installation. Slick Honey is slightly whiter than Slickoleum and has a light yellow brown tinge. Considering the price and the availability of better choices, I'm not planning on getting more after this little 2 ounce tube is gone.</div>
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-Slickoleum was poor on copper, erratic on stainless steel, and poor on plastic. Slickoleum resembles Vaseline in texture and has a faint dark brown tinge that is similar to the color of oil. While it doesn't meet my needs, I am impressed that the label does have some helpful information, including the statements that it is not for use on copper or with EPDM (such as certain o rings). </div>
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Both Slick Honey and Slickoleum do not have Moly in them and I would use them with less concern about general compatibility than Super Slick.</div>
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<b><u>What are the Manitou forks being assembled with?</u></b></div>
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The forks are going together with the Castrol multipurpose wheel bearing grease. It consistently performed well, often with less drag than the thinner bicycle greases. It had a nice smooth film that was hard to push through but was still supple. There is much less concern about compatibility with the plastic inside the forks than with the Moly greases. It has a standard lithium base, probably similar to Prep M (I haven't seen Prep M), and I'm not introducing unknown chemical reactions with metals, plastic, or rubber parts.</div>
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<b><u>The Whole Enchilada</u></b></div>
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I was not familiar with bicycle greases and they had a mythical reputation on the forums that I had read. I found out automotive greases often work better.</div>
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Another consideration is that a 1 pound tub of wheel bearing grease can be bought for around $8. I paid $17.99 for 2 ounces of Buzzy's Slick Honey. There is something wrong here, that says marketing all over it. Maybe a circumstance will come up that proves SH is valuable, but for now I can do without it.</div>
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My one regret is that I did not test one of the newer automotive synthetic greases. Karl Gesslein seems to love Mobilgrease 28 enough to eat it. (That could be part of the reason for his unique writing style.) Maybe I'll test it after I've used up some of the grease around here.</div>
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I now think an automotive wheel bearing grease is as good as you can get. However there is a catch, as not all NLGI 2 greases are the same. Some are softer, some are harder. Without opening all the tubs on your local auto parts store shelf and sticking your finger into each one, at this moment I'd look for a grease that says multipurpose wheel bearing grease, and stay away from either a grease that is labeled for high temperature (as that is likely to be thicker), or a grease that is labeled only multipurpose without also including wheel bearings (as that is likely not to have the EP additives).</div>
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Love, love is a verb</div>
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Riding is a doing word</div>
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Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-14824192316856686492019-11-17T07:37:00.001-05:002019-11-24T22:09:28.860-05:00Converting a regular bike to an ebike workshopsDuring the last couple of years I've helped several friends add an electric motor to their old bike. While you do have to pay attention to the details, it's not that hard. Except for the person who is a complete klutz with tools, almost anyone can do it as long as they are careful. I have a friend across the river (in New Hampshire) who has also been offering the same help to people (we both are used to doing outreach on town energy committees), and back in 2018 he decided to hold a community workshop for people who were interested in converting their bikes. About 3 dozen people attended this first workshop and we've done more coaching since. At least half a dozen bikes have been electrified, and all of the bike owners learned more about working on their own bike. The first half of this post is about those workshops, and the second half is a 2 page handout on tips for converting your bike that I wrote for the workshops.<br />
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Both Bill and I had already built a few ebikes for ourselves, and his idea was simply to convert another bike while people watched. If you decide to hold a workshop like this yourself, be warned that we converted the demonstration bikes ahead of time, and then converted them back to original condition before the workshop. This is to prevent a show stopper, such as:<br />
-finding out that parts are missing or won't fit (for example odd diameter handlebars, or the chainstays are weird so the motor won't go all the way in and needs shims)<br />
-the battery and motor plugs don't match and have to be changed<br />
-you need a special size socket to fit your bottom bracket<br />
-something is wicked rusty and you spend an hour trying to get it apart<br />
-after breaking the rusty part you need a new bolt and have to make a trip to the hardware store<br />
Converting and unconverting ahead of time gives you a chance to fix any problems like this, and then have a good presentation.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibq00ImM88KKP0BdLD2SfaP8UckcU2DzIF73fVDqpZwyoRoj6IfrA96xu0C-lQrnZetSVwEyGfPI8ECwzyV7Q-6vBCjMY1xfxqQ4tiGcLysmah9jhMMCyEcmDf_kmbRXpeQXcXKtUVgSgA/s1600/Bill+working+on+bike+3457+v3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="690" data-original-width="920" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibq00ImM88KKP0BdLD2SfaP8UckcU2DzIF73fVDqpZwyoRoj6IfrA96xu0C-lQrnZetSVwEyGfPI8ECwzyV7Q-6vBCjMY1xfxqQ4tiGcLysmah9jhMMCyEcmDf_kmbRXpeQXcXKtUVgSgA/s400/Bill+working+on+bike+3457+v3.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Bill (in green) converting an old mountain bike</div>
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at the Cornish Town Hall in June, 2018</div>
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Bill chose an old mountain anthropobike to give a new life. Many people have a bike like this in the attic, it could be nice around town but a little assist would make it much more useful. Bill added a Tong Sheng TSDZ2 bottom bracket motor to it, which took an hour and 45 minutes. It was an easy pace, taking time to explain the steps to everyone while he was working, and when he was concentrating on assembling a part of the bike I'd speak for a few minutes to fill in other details. Afterwards we took the bike outside and enjoyed test rides. We both also brought extra motors, batteries, and bikes to put on display around the room, to show participants the other choices available.</div>
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While the test rides were taking place, I stayed inside to answer questions about the displays, and then had a bit of fun doing an interview. Cait May and Carlos Guarnizo, who run a Science Cafe, were up visiting family, and they filmed a short interview to introduce ebikes to their viewers:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/uTXPYzZSu10/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uTXPYzZSu10?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<i>Tour de sostenibilidad y energías renovables: Construyendo sus propias bicicletas eléctricas!</i></div>
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from the <i>Ciencia Café Pa ́Sumercé </i>channel</div>
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Both Bill and I have continued to help people with ebikes (I'm starting on the 9th and 10th projects this year), and we've worked on a few more events since then. (For example we just held the 5th <a href="http://www.uvevexpo.org/">Upper Valley Electric Vehicle Expo</a> and had 18 ebikes on display for it.) But along with better bikes I've been spending a little time speaking up for better roads too. One of the organizations I participate in is the Upper Valley Transportation Management Association, which is a group of businesses, transit providers, planners, town staff, and bicycle and pedestrian advocates. We have traffic problems here in the Upper Valley, and although they aren't as bad as further south closer to Boston or Springfield (Massachusetts), problems do exist and we are trying to make non car choices available for people.</div>
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Lebanon (New Hampshire) is a small Upper Valley city that has done some very good bike/ped work on problems with their roads, and they have a fantastic Greenway and Rail Trail (which now extends all the way down to Concord) that are a delight to ride on. Usually Vermont is ahead of New Hampshire on issues, but VT is behind on this one. I'd like to see the Lebanon rail trail extended across the river and then run west at least to Woodstock, if not all the way to Killington. (Unfortunately during the car centered mindlessness of the 1930's Vermont paved over much of the rail line to create Route 4 so a bike trail will require extra effort.) Because of the work Lebanon has done, I was very happy to present another ebike conversion workshop this May 17, on National Bike to Work Day, at their Kilton library to help get a few more riders on their roads.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZaci-js5HToQ468NfmqLY7hbsHKIKI03vebHOnUaNI0CqFedstV5vCMiuQ_1EIfkTjOZNjLA45_RmsvkjnVkP6VrytvkjsfoaeqaKZ7WGn37cV6Fe38-66EqRyRVQ2-9pty0JR84mHC2y/s1600/Kilton+1+6754++resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="973" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZaci-js5HToQ468NfmqLY7hbsHKIKI03vebHOnUaNI0CqFedstV5vCMiuQ_1EIfkTjOZNjLA45_RmsvkjnVkP6VrytvkjsfoaeqaKZ7WGn37cV6Fe38-66EqRyRVQ2-9pty0JR84mHC2y/s400/Kilton+1+6754++resized.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Converting a Hasa folding bike at the Kilton library, May 2019</div>
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I added a Bafang BBS02 bottom bracket motor to a Hasa F2 folding bike for this demonstration. It took an hour and 30 minutes, while taking the time to explain the steps to the audience of about 30 people. I'll add that I had to spend a couple of hours during the preparatory conversion adapting the full size rear rack to fit on a bike with 20 inch wheels, but otherwise it went smoothly, (for example the original chain guards even screwed onto the new chain ring with only a tiny amount of filing). Bill brought one of his bikes and helped, and 2 other local ebikes plus some parts were on display too. Afterwards I actually removed the BBS02 and installed a TSDZ2 without the thumb throttle (so that there is only the little keypad and the brake levers with automatic cutoff switches) to make a very simple ebike that is very easy to use because of the torque sensor built into the pedals. Although I think the Tong Sheng has less power than other motors I've been using, this combination still rode up my steep hill very nicely, and I have to say that I think it is a sweet little bike set up this way.</div>
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I haven't done a workshop installing a hub motor yet because all the projects at the moment are using bottom bracket motors, but I'd expect it to be similar in time and format. (I'll be comparing the different motors in the <a href="http://mysolarelectriccargobike.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-minicargo-bikes.html">Minicargo bikes project</a> that I wrote about in the last post, and they'll get an extended review when they are loaned out for testing.) I'm finding that while it often costs close to $1000 in parts to convert a bike to an ebike using the specifications that I prefer, it's still much less expensive than most factory ebikes, and when done well will give you a very nice bike.</div>
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Several dozen people have attended these workshops, and then the information from them spilled over into the UV EV Expo for many more. I wrote a 2 page handout for the workshops that has some basic conversion tips, which I'll copy here:</div>
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<u><b>Converting a regular bike to electric drive</b></u></div>
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<u>Why an eBike?</u></div>
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-Seniors, out of shape people, and hills</div>
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-carrying groceries, recycling, or other large loads</div>
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-a transportation system designed for cars with destinations spread miles apart</div>
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-you would like increased health by doing a light, regular exercise</div>
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-reduce air pollution, GHG emissions, and stop sending so much money to fossil fuel companies</div>
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-bypass traffic congestion and parking problems</div>
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-save money compared to how much your car is costing you</div>
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-eBikes have almost exactly the same health and emissions benefits as regular bikes, but are more usable in everyday tasks</div>
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<u>What is legal?</u></div>
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-The short version is 750 watts maximum power, and less than 20 mph under motor power only.</div>
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<i>Here are more details for the curious:</i></div>
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-The US Federal Consumer Products Safety Commission Guideline (2002) suggests a power limit for on road use of 750 watts (1 horsepower) with a top speed of 20 mph under motor power alone on a level paved road, with no wind and a 170 pound rider. This applies to the first sale from manufacturer to consumer, and states may adopt their own rules. (There are also many US Federal and European bicycle Standards, such as 16 CFR 1512, ISO 4210, EN 15194, DIN 79010, and JIS D9301 if you wish to get more serious, but the short version above is good enough for our everyday ebike projects.)</div>
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-NH and VT have based their rules on the CPSC guideline, however VT has chosen to raise the power limit to 1000 watts for better hill climbing. NH recently adopted a system with 3 classes based on 750 watts, which came from California and is being promoted by industry.</div>
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-Over 20 mph or above 750/1000 watts (NH/VT) the bike becomes a moped and is subject to other regulations. However it is legal to use a faster or more powerful bike off road on private property with permission. It is also legal to pedal or coast on an ebike at higher speeds (that are within the speed limit). The NH 3 class system does designate a faster eBike category that allows 28 mph, but there are restrictions on use (over 16, helmet, road use only unless local law allows use on paths or trails).</div>
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-Some states require that the motor turn off above 20 mph while others do not, and also some states require that the pedals be rotating to turn on the motor, (called Pedelec in Europe), while other states allow use of a hand throttle (which is very useful for starting on a hill in traffic when you have a load of groceries).</div>
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-In general eBikes have the same rights, access, and responsibilities as regular bikes, however there are some restrictions on their use on natural surface trails in certain wilderness areas (see state or New England mountain bike organizations for more information).</div>
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-Practically speaking, it is good to remember that standard bicycle tires, bearings, and brakes are not designed for motorcycle warp speed.</div>
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<u>General guidelines for selecting components</u></div>
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-Use 48 volts, only use 36 volts if you have older equipment that must be repaired. If you have 24 volt components it's time to move on. Above 48 volts efficiency still improves but cost rapidly increases, and above 60 volts you start to run into electrical safety practice issues.</div>
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-A one piece Copenhagen/MIT wheel is very easy to install, however since all components are packed into one hub it is lighter duty and it is best suited for shorter, easier commuter runs.</div>
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-A 750 watt motor is noticeably better for climbing our steep hills than a 250 watt Europe legal motor.</div>
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<u>Selection of the motor</u></div>
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There are two types of motors- Bottom Bracket and Hub. (There is a type that has roller that rubs on the tire, but they are so inefficient that they aren't included here.) Basically all motors are from the huge market of China, and they build all quality levels- there are both cheap generic motors and excellent motors.</div>
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-<i>Bottom Bracket motor</i>: can take advantage of the bicycle gears for climbing hills. Almost all BB motors use only one front chain ring and have to be customized to have a second one, however with motor power added to pedaling this is OK. Be sure to pick the right size chain ring (such as 52T for 20” wheels and 44T for 27”) Some well known brands are Bafang (with 3 models and a proven design on it's 3rd version), and Tong Sheng (with a torque sensor and easy to ride).</div>
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-<i>Hub motor</i>: comes in two flavors- 1. Direct Drive (which is better for faster speed to cover miles-16 to 18 mph average speeds) and 2. Geared (better for climbing hills-12 to 15 mph average speeds). Since both motors are linked one-to-one to the wheel, they can not be shifted down for hills or shifted up for flat stretches, and it is best to limit direct drives to moderate hills (under 10 to 12% grade), and limit geared hubs to covering distance at a lower speed. Some popular brands are MAC/BMC, MXUS, Leaf, Crystalyte, Golden, 9 Continent, Bafang.</div>
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<u>Selection of the battery</u></div>
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-Use lithium cells, which can last up to 5 years, do not use lead acid (which are heavy, corrosive, and you will kill within a year by draining them too far and sulfating the plates.)</div>
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-Break in lithium cells gently for the first few cycles while the solid electrolyte interface is forming inside the cells. Be sure to charge the battery fully the first few times so that the cells are balanced.</div>
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-Lithium cells last longest when stored around half charge.</div>
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-Storage capacity is rated by Watt hours, not the Amp hours that most battery sellers advertise. For example:</div>
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48 Volts times 20 Amp hours equals 960 Watt hours, or roughly one kWh, (kilo Watt hour, the unit on your electric bill). A 1 kWh (1000 Wh) battery is pretty big for most riders, but I wouldn't recommend smaller than a 500 Wh battery for trips around our rural area.</div>
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-There are several styles of battery cases. An on/off switch, a Battery Management System, and a meter on the case for checking the charge while in storage are preferred. Large to small the case styles are:</div>
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1. <i>Brick</i>- largest, often shrink wrapped (with hard protective side boards inside), 200 to well over 1000 Wh (You will need to provide a pack or container on your bike for this style case.) </div>
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2. <i>Silver fish</i>- medium to large, aluminum case with plastic ends, often used on rear rack, 400 to 1000 Wh (Mounted horizontally in a double decker rear rack, this is the best way to get 1 kWh. However the vertical style case for mounting near a seat tube is heavy, clunky, and out moded.)</div>
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3. <i>Dolphin</i>- medium to large, mounts on downtube bottle mounts, molded plastic case, 300 to 900 Wh (Lately I've been preferring this case style, as it is a molded plastic and corrosion resistant, as well as naturally insulating. It is possible -although expensive- to pack in almost 1 kWh and 52 volts in the larger cases. I look for 4 tab mount cases, not 2 tab.)</div>
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4. <i>Bottle</i>- small, mounts in bottle rack, looks like a fake water bottle, 150 to 400 Wh (I don't recommend this size, unless you really just want to ride up and down your driveway.)</div>
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<u>Preliminary size calculations for motor and battery</u></div>
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-While a 500 watt motor is ok for many rides around the Upper Valley, I recommend the maximum 750 watt size for better hill climbing ability, and use a system built for 48 volts. 750 W is a common size and has a pretty good price point.</div>
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-The battery size will depend mostly on trip length, with some consideration for what will fit on your frame, and cost. I find that I use between 10 to 20 Wh per mile depending on the load, how much I feel like pedaling that day, headwinds, etc, and you can use 15 Wh per mile for a rough calculation. Estimate your desired trip length in miles and multiply it by 15 Wh to get the bare minimum battery size, then round up between half again as large (150%), to twice as large (200%), for both a safety margin when you are out on a trip, and so that the battery will be less stressed and last longer.</div>
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<u>Cost estimate</u></div>
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-Motor- A good quality motor in a kit that has all the little pieces that you need cost around $460 (Bafang BBS02B) to $550 (MAC geared hub) including shipping last winter. There are more expensive heavy duty kits with higher power motors, and there are also less expensive kits on eBay with a weaker motor and battery for the person who only needs to go down the street for donuts.</div>
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-Battery- A 600 Wh dolphin battery with charger cost $350 last winter, and a 1 kWh silver fish style battery with charger and a rear rack to fit it cost $460. Several years ago the quality of the cells were sometimes questionable, but now many battery packs offer ISO, CE, FCC and ROHS certification.</div>
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-For comparison, it is possible to buy a decent but not super quality completely assembled new electric bike in several frame styles from RAD bikes, delivered to your door for $1500. It is also possible to buy a high performance eBike for $3000 to $6000 from many major bike manufacturers.</div>
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<u>Sources for parts and kits</u></div>
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-Decent kits can be found on eBay, Amazon, and Aliexpress, but quality will vary by production lot. I have also found several companies that do a good job- EM3EV has high quality products for a slightly higher price, and Leaf motor has good products, but pay attention when ordering and be careful with them on communication. Bafang kits are the same from any vendor. Tong Sheng retailers have been a real mixed bag so far. Dillenger has OK lower price/lower watt kits. Lunacycle has OK quality but too high prices. Ebikes.ca (Justin at Griffin Technologies) has sometimes high and sometimes good prices, but they deserve a lot of support because they constantly experiment with new products and bring them to market, as well as supporting the Endless Sphere ebike forum.</div>
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<u>Final tips</u></div>
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-Don't expect much regen, a bike loses most of it's energy to air drag which can't be gotten back. I get 2% to 11% regen on my longtail bike. Also the direct drive hub motor is the only motor capable of regen.</div>
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-If using a bottom bracket motor be sure to shift down for hills. Don't lug it or it will overheat and burn out. If you shift so that you are pedaling at a regular bicycling cadence of 60 to 90 cycles per minute the motor will be happy. Also, ease up on the power when shifting so that the chain and sprockets live longer.</div>
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-All eBike motors are most efficient when they are spinning faster.</div>
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-If using a hub motor I recommend only rear motors, as front forks are weaker and there are steering effects. Also use a torque arm.</div>
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-Expect to buy a few special tools to fit your bike, but they won't be expensive.</div>
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Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-9127935058262853422019-10-01T23:30:00.000-04:002020-09-03T09:29:43.748-04:00The Minicargo Bikes (short tails)While I have several new ideas that I'd like to try out on a new bike for myself, I've been spending time on bike/ped/EV advocacy and basic projects instead. (This past summer I helped five friends put electric motors on their bikes.) Because I'd really like to build myself another bike, I've decided to combine some of the other projects into one minicargo (short tail) bike project to save time. This project isn't done, but there's enough that has happened to write an introduction.<br />
<br />
Note added May 10, 2020:<br />
I'm adding Short Tail to Minicargo. My main goal for this project has been a smaller cargo bike so I've been calling it a Minicargo design, but many people are familiar with the Long tail style cargo bike, and will readily understand what Short tail means.<br />
<br />
To start, here are the other projects:<br />
-First, I've been wondering for a few years now which is a better motor: a direct drive hub, a geared hub, a pedelec bottom bracket, or a torque sensor bottom bracket. No one has measured the performance, energy consumption, and ease of use on identical frames while running them in typical day to day utilitarian use over an extended period of time with several different riders. I'd like to run one of each of the motors in a side by side comparison.<br />
-I could also use a spare bike or two, for friends to use when they visit, or for loaning to people that I talk with who would like to try out an electric bike for a few days. (For that matter, groups near me could really use some sturdy bikes for creating small, local bike share programs.)<br />
-There are several people I meet with who think an electric bike could replace a car for people who don't need to travel far during the day. We've been talking about DIY conversions as a way to make the cost of an ebike accessible to more people and could use actual data on the choices and cost<br />
-I've also thought a lot about the "First mile / Last mile" commuter problem and what the best bike for this would look like. A bike powerful and adaptable enough for carrying large loads and climbing hills, but that is still easily used by novice riders. A bike that isn't too valuable, and doesn't take up much space at home.<br />
-Finally, to inspire planners and transportation budget people. I think that most planners and policy makers are not able to imagine bicycles being useful for anything more than one mile trips on a sunny summer day for a niche segment of the population. The reality that I see instead (as I live without a car) is very shortsighted and poor transportation planning that is the <i>main reason</i> why bikes and walking aren't used more often. After spending almost all of our highway budgets for the last 90 years on cars, there isn't any real choice when you go out - the roads are all about cars. Bikes and pedestrians are given the nonexistent shoulder. It's a self perpetuating cycle: "We have to spend all the budget on roads built for cars because people drive cars" but then "People drive cars because that's what they feel comfortable using because of the way the roads are built". I honestly am not sure that many planners and legislators are able to figure out that you can't fix our transportation problems with the same thinking that created the problems.<br />
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So I hope to build at least 4 bikes with different drive systems, and see which one works the best. Converting regular frames should result in a much better performing bike than the standard commercial bikeshare bike that has been built like a bulldozer, but they will also be more susceptible to damage by less skilled riders so an important part of this project will be the system for loaning out the bikes. Several people here in Vermont keep working on bikeshare and carshare programs with moderate success, so I've decided to leave that part alone for now. Cost is also a very important part of this project, which means keeping the frame modifications simple. I'm planning on welding on a simple heavy duty rear rack and extending the rear wheel to match it, but the rest of the bike has to stay untouched.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZPktuMpiOszgU5rvkOWkj1DAWPrr3ocIzr4qQNdCUj6Cj-pVdlhxPNBTtccJGnca5i6scPUTsCfYte_P39jjslAKabPvGGOSUZHqijisNZWYixaVPwSiqLBgSac9tc5HqXTExjdK7TC0C/s1600/Five+frames+7626+edited+30per.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="778" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZPktuMpiOszgU5rvkOWkj1DAWPrr3ocIzr4qQNdCUj6Cj-pVdlhxPNBTtccJGnca5i6scPUTsCfYte_P39jjslAKabPvGGOSUZHqijisNZWYixaVPwSiqLBgSac9tc5HqXTExjdK7TC0C/s400/Five+frames+7626+edited+30per.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
I've collected some frames over the last couple of years for this project. They are all women's 17 inch (medium size) mountain bike frames, because I've found that a step through is important for many people, and also MTB frames have been better for my cargo bike purposes than other frames.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihVJTrnr933CNdlL9XqoNrNpQ04aGaCtQEiXp873yHhTECJd68IueUilojCGrTMBaOUjOeQmzCDXTojySxoLmPRkIrQOxBN7hlRegt8i1ydhbPEulwv82sPOc8O0TfySO8GzbBnw2W2GeZ/s1600/rust+blow+out+edited7646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="648" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihVJTrnr933CNdlL9XqoNrNpQ04aGaCtQEiXp873yHhTECJd68IueUilojCGrTMBaOUjOeQmzCDXTojySxoLmPRkIrQOxBN7hlRegt8i1ydhbPEulwv82sPOc8O0TfySO8GzbBnw2W2GeZ/s400/rust+blow+out+edited7646.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
In my area rust is a problem, and 2 of the frames have splits in the bottom of the chain stays from water collecting inside them, rusting, and freezing. The tubing has to be cut back to where it is normal thickness and replaced, and this will increase project cost. (I'd prefer to find another frame or two and avoid the rust.) The rest of the frame tubes are OK- although I did have to use some extreme finesse (all my weight on a 3 foot breaker bar) to remove 3 of the bottom bracket assemblies.<br />
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Simply adding an electric motor and a standard bolt on rear rack to a regular bike can result in a very nice bike, but the goal here is a little more multi use cargo ability (think of a sports utility vehicle). It looks like a rear rack welded on is the best choice, because it would add extra capacity while making the frame stronger. An extra feature would be shaping the back of the rack so that the bike could be stored standing up on it's rear wheel to save floor space. The tail would have to be shorter than medium length though, because about 20% of the people who have ridden my longtail say that it is too big for them, (either it's too awkward to ride, or it won't fit in their storage spot). There are several companies already building bikes similar to this, for example the RAD Runner, Yuba Boda Boda, Yuba Sweet Curry, Bike Friday Haul a Day, and Tern. The goal here is to recycle old bikes into small electric cargo bikes with better specs at a comparable price.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCf6ZVPka7Z7ySVzVmdPBdELVsc66XlYv25jJcB5gThbUHlK4GcgDphD01Gxq_cfXhsOwgtcAoeSc1kZYaT6CZlQlNiWJ2yC3jFJPFlnZJX3oyU3-fXSGDej28TzeU8SQ_ICadIpdPfZVN/s1600/Thetford+park+and+ride+bike+rack+resize28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="515" data-original-width="914" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCf6ZVPka7Z7ySVzVmdPBdELVsc66XlYv25jJcB5gThbUHlK4GcgDphD01Gxq_cfXhsOwgtcAoeSc1kZYaT6CZlQlNiWJ2yC3jFJPFlnZJX3oyU3-fXSGDej28TzeU8SQ_ICadIpdPfZVN/s400/Thetford+park+and+ride+bike+rack+resize28.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The bike rack at one of my local Park and Rides. Would you leave</div>
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an expensive eBike here while you took the bus to work everyday?</div>
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The problem is the surrounding roads have steep hills, and </div>
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no one is going to ride here on a clunker bike that's hard to pedal.</div>
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(Photo credit Ariel Arwen)</div>
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The rear wheel should be extended backwards to better support the extra capacity rack or it will be harder to balance. I've extended the chain and seat stays on my projects before and don't think it's too hard, but can it be done without adding hundreds of dollars of work time? A jig instead of strings and squares would save time. Also splicing the tubing mid length instead of scribing it to fit the bottom bracket or seat post, and using sleeves instead of flush welds on the tubing would help too (but be ugly).<br />
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The main question to answer was how far to extend the rear wheel. There were 3 considerations:<br />
-fitting in a battery pack behind the seat post (or somewhere nearby)<br />
-size of the rear wheel<br />
-how big is too big?<br />
<br />
The easiest battery pack to install would be a silver fish (large aluminum case) style, placed over the rear tire and under the rack. But this tends to be a bit top heavy in the tail and I'd like a novice level rider to feel comfortable. A dolphin style (black plastic with angled top end) pack won't fit on the down tube of these step through frames, but it might be possible to squeeze one in behind the seat tube after modifying the frame, with the tubing for the seat stays being the main interference. I'd like to use a dolphin style because it's plastic (corrosion resistant), commonly available (modular replacement), and 700 to 800 watt hours can be fit in without having to use premium cells (for extended running time). It would be easier to fit a battery in this area the further the wheel is moved back.<br />
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I already know that my MXUS 750 watt direct drive hub motor in a 26" wheel will not provide acceptable power up the hills around here for someone who is out of shape. However the same motor in a 20" wheel could possibly work. Will a small wheel cause bad handling? After getting in about 50 miles of test rides on bikes with 20" wheels (front and back), I've decided that a 20" front isn't a good idea on my roads, but that the back wheel has much less effect on the handling and would be worth trying. This may turn out to be a big mistake because of the rear wheel getting caught in ruts and making the bike too squirrely, or it may turn out to be just a small problem because the tire wears out quickly, and only some riding time will tell. I'll leave the 26" front wheel that the frames came with in place because that size is less sensitive to poor road quality. The Yuba Sweet Curry has similar tire sizes, but with a larger rack than I'm thinking of adding. On the plus side a 20" wheel would also give a lower rear rack height (easier to use and more stable cargo weight distribution), and add a few inches of space for the battery. On the minus side the gearing won't be standard and I'll have to take into account motor speed.<br />
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The two hub motors arrived built up with rims, but I needed two more regular 20" wheels for the bottom bracket motors. I wanted to use freehubs for strength and gearing reasons, a quick release (most 20" wheels have axle nuts), and 10 mm dropouts, so I got a couple Shimano FH-M525 hubs and laced up two wheels.<br />
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For the bike geeks reading this, I decided to push the builds and see how far I could take the tolerances so I got out the dial gauges. (I know it was obsessive but it was the middle of winter.) The best runouts that I could achieve were 0.08 mm in both directions, after that the rim surface finish and distorted bead roll around the seam messed things up. Also I've read that lacing the leading spokes outside or the trailing spokes outside can make a difference, and since I was building two otherwise identical wheels I laced one each way to find out. As far as I can tell it doesn't matter, but I plan on putting some torque on them and then measuring the width near the derailleur lower sprocket for another blog post. Also the freehubs are meant for 10 speeds and I'll have to shim them down to 6 to 8 speeds (to be able to use heavier chain, however this might be useful for chain line adjustment), but the important part is that they are built for 135 mm wide MTB drop outs.<br />
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In order to find out how big is too big, I made a bike mock up and took it up to the bus bike rack in the front yard of my transit bus company for a test.<br />
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The Advanced Transit bus rack training rack</div>
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This criteria is directly related to the local poor quality bike parking, not cargo capacity. As long as only a few bus riders use their bikes for the first mile/ last mile, they can just take their bikes on the bus with them to work (where hopefully there is better bike storage). Then when more riders start using their bike to get to the bus, the state transportation agencies can put in more serious bike storage, and a bike this size would be more likely to fit in a future bin or rack than a larger cargo bike would. Also, I hope to live to see commuter rail here (we have the tracks but not the service), and this size would fit in the storage area of the Budd RDC cars that are in inventory.</div>
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I took a couple of scrap kitchen shelf brackets and cut them into extensions for the drop outs drilled with many axle holes for testing. With the largest tires that I had mounted on the rims and the wheels all the way down in the rack, I found that the axle could be moved back 3 3/8". This is not a large amount and may not be worth the cost, but it also looks like (in combination with the 20" tire) it will give enough room for a battery pack behind the seat post so it's worth a try.</div>
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I drew up a sketch using nanoCAD to check for obvious conflicts, and it looks OK enough. Although the seat stays will be a straight extension (sleeves would work), you can see the angle of the chainstays will have to be significantly changed to put the bottom bracket height at 10 3/4" (the lowest height that I've found OK when riding my other bikes), and it could be a challenge to keep this low cost as it's probably necessary to fit the tubing to the bottom bracket. I'm not concerned about the small head angle change from slightly dropping the bottom bracket because the frames are all above 70 degrees and there is room within accepted practice for them to be more slack, and along with the increase in the wheel base and trail should help counter the quickness of the 20" rear wheel. The next step is a full size drawing to double check dimensions before cutting metal.</div>
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The bikes have to meet the 750 watt On Road ebike legal limit, but because of the hills around here and rider expectations I have no interest in using smaller 250 or 350 watt motors. Here are brief descriptions of the four motors to give you some background, you can look them up for more details. I've listed them in order of what I think is strongest (i.e. will last the longest) to weakest, and it will be interesting to see what actually happens:</div>
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1. MAC geared hub motor with a 10T winding (25 mph with a 26" wheel) in a 20" rim, this is a deluxe motor and has been improved over many years to the point that it can take a lot more than 750 watts and survive. This is my 3rd MAC and I've been very impressed with the first two, I expect this motor in a 20" rim will climb walls. BMC motors are very similar, though I believe the gears are different material. The motor controller is large and must be mounted separately in a water protected location. Price around $550 in a kit with the rim attached, all small handlebar parts (but no display that shows speed), and includes shipping. Weight of the motor alone is 9.4 lb, controller is 1.1 lb, small parts are 1.5 lb = total weight of 12.0 pounds for the kit.</div>
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2. Leaf Motor 1000 W direct drive hub with a 25 mph winding (with 26" wheel) in a 20" rim. This is sold as a 1000 watt rated motor but it can be programmed to a legal 750 watts and the extra 250 watts of rating becomes a safety margin against overheating. This motor and it's bigger 1500 W sibling can handle bursts of a couple thousand watts, and have been favorites of ebike hot rodders. They are strong motors but very heavy compared to the other choices. This is the only motor of the four that can regen when braking, (depending on the controller it can be set to be automatic at a certain speed), but it also is the only one with a noticeable slight drag when pedaling with the motor off (i.e. when riders have run the battery dead). Again the motor controller is external and must be mounted in a water protected location. Price around $425 with rim, all the little parts, and shipping. Weight of motor alone is 13.3 lb, controller 1.3 lb, small parts 1.7 lb = total weight of 16.3 pounds for kit.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHkKvKPPZ0KiY9YirtLkZvvRs0fe3UUvmThu_s8rfqtnISuUTRAksZtBp46yyMkqXvzqvrPHUGBHIGHl5rYZxfjtHP0-wxXVino42y1a4__DaXONnwOGxXz7rwWExlYxxmN1r23f2ljsC9/s1600/BBS02+motor+picture+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="345" data-original-width="605" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHkKvKPPZ0KiY9YirtLkZvvRs0fe3UUvmThu_s8rfqtnISuUTRAksZtBp46yyMkqXvzqvrPHUGBHIGHl5rYZxfjtHP0-wxXVino42y1a4__DaXONnwOGxXz7rwWExlYxxmN1r23f2ljsC9/s320/BBS02+motor+picture+for+blog.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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3. Bafang BBS02 with a 52 tooth chainring (for a 20" wheel). A 3rd generation motor with improved gears and a better internal controller, probably over 8 million have been produced making it a world wide standard, It's very robust, though the MAC will most likely outlive it in high torque usage. Being able to shift down for hills makes up for a motor that is smaller than the hub motors, but will riders power shift and break the derailleur? Price around $425 with a nice color display and shipping. Weight of motor with chain ring is 10.3 lb, crank arms 0.9 lb, controller is inside motor, small parts 1.4 lb = total weight of 12.6 pounds for kit.</div>
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4. Tong Sheng TSDZ2 with a 52 tooth chainring. This is the smallest and lightest motor of the 4, and to me it feels more like a 500 watt motor than 750 watt. The Bafang is noticeably stronger. Being able to shift down for hills is a plus. However this motor has a torque sensor inside the pedals instead of a cadence sensor (pedelec), and it is very smooth and easy to use. I think this is a great motor for a novice, and the Bafang is a better choice for more experienced riders. There have been improvements in the gears and heat resistance, but I've had a problem with the speed sensor gap adjustment being far too fussy on 2 bikes causing the motor to not run. Price around $325 for last year's 3.6 model with a simple LCD display, the small parts, and shipping. Weight of motor with chain ring is 9.0 lb, crank arms 0.9 lb, controller is inside motor, small parts 1.4 lb = total weight of 11.3 pounds for kit.</div>
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While I'd prefer to be trying out some of my ideas on a new bike for myself, putting these 4 bikes together will answer several basic questions that should have been answered a while ago. I have the meters for tracking the performance of each bike, and the ergonomic outcomes will be interesting. I've left out a bunch of details in this overview, (such as I think the chains for the bottom bracket motors could be narrower (9 or 10 speed) and still have a decent lifespan because they are running faster than normal because of the 20" wheels), so please feel free to send questions. My plan is simply to keep working away at this as time and budget permits, so I can't guarantee when the next blog post about them will be, hopefully they will be on the road by next summer.</div>
<br />Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-47464083807731776492018-03-20T09:12:00.000-04:002018-11-04T20:04:27.357-05:00Transportation TeneramenteI've had dual roles for the last few years, I've been both a bike advocate, and an electric vehicle (EV) advocate. There are a few large conflicts between these two transportation modes that I have yet to resolve. Cars are currently very necessary in my rural state (for the most part you have to have a car to have a job), and because EVs are already a much cleaner and better car than gas fueled cars are, I have been helping with Vermont's plans for the VW Diesel Settlement funds, EV infrastructure, and EV legislation. I also think that Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) could improve commuting and reduce the number of accidents. On the other hand, I'm a member of several organizations that look at traffic congestion and Transportation Demand Management, carpooling/ridesharing, transit, and sharing the roads with bicyclists and pedestrians (i.e. people), and from those viewpoints it's obvious that we've built a transportation system that has gone way too far in favor of car culture. (As an example of this bias, if you kill someone by running them over with a car, most likely the courts will call it an "accident".) As a gear head since I was a kid this is really odd for me to say, but we are misusing cars and I'm not in love with them anymore. I've been thinking about these growing problems and trying to find a balance, but the disadvantages of cars are starting to outweigh the benefits. Out of all the damage that cars are doing, one which I think is overlooked by most people but which may be our biggest loss, is to our human side.<br />
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Transportation is Vermont's biggest source of air pollution. It's also our largest connection to conflicts over oil with around $1.5 billion sent out of the state each year for fuel. But that's not what I think about when I drive a car, and these are the first disconnections. I don't think about sprawl and our destruction of our forests, or unsustainable lifestyles that were impossible 50 years ago. It's about the power under my right foot. The short term gain. A car ride is a visceral experience, with sights and sounds and forces pushing my body around. Sometimes a soothing lullaby, sometimes a roller coaster. And I think that for most transportation planners road projects only have to fit into 5 or 10 year plan requirements (while we wait forever for bike lanes), and if a road meets "Scenic Byway" criteria then that just means it qualifies for more perks for cars.<br />
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Moving at any speed greater than running is something new for our human brain, and it's a primal addiction. It's our dreams about flying come true. We are lost in the journey, we are in Kerouac's "On the Road" but in our blindness we don't see the washouts. Yet we base our economy around getting us and our goods to distant places quickly, and then we act surprised when we get run over. Occasionally we slow down long enough for a Zen moment of Motorcycle Maintenance, but we have yet to design a transportation system that doesn't adore the fittest and the strongest reaching terminal speed. This leaves out most of the best parts of life.<br />
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There is a world more real to what we are made of than millions of gasoline fueled explosions. Life has a breath to it. Everything, but everything, will grow full and pass away. The young bride, the spring morning, your friends, your health. This preciousness is also one of it's deepest joys. But in our rush we don't see that. This morning it is snowing and sleeting outside, if I had to drive a car it would be treacherous. But my dog and I walked for half an hour, and it was exquisitely beautiful, watching the forest trees disappear in a hissing fog of snowflakes.<br />
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But we've made this choice, we've set up our lives so that we have to drive a car.<br />
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Transportation is intimately tied to the way we live. It's more than the underfunded state highway budget, more than how far you have to live out in the country because that's where you can afford a mortgage, more than the inequitable loss of whole neighborhoods to interstate projects. Like the stairs on a third floor walk up or carrying in the wood for my stove to keep my house warm, it's an immediate frame for what happens every day, it defines what we do or don't do.<br />
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<i>What does it mean when the only way to get there is by car?</i><br />
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While it's true that the Model T started mass production in 1908, it's also true that there weren't enough cars on the roads to affect the average person's life until the 1920's- a bit sooner in urban areas, a bit later in rural. Our "normal" way of living has been built in about 95 years. We have made great strides in technology, but how much of that will we have to unlearn in another 95 years? The question isn't about how to deliver strawberries in winter, it's about healthy farmer's markets. The question isn't "How did people get to the hospital 95 years ago?", the question is "What was people's relationship to their health 95 years ago?" The question isn't "How will the heating fuel truck get to the house?", it's "How do we build houses that don't need fuel trucks?" The question isn't "How do we get to our job 60 miles away?", it's "Why is our job 60 miles away?" Somehow a huge part of living has been left out of our transportation planning.<br />
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It would be absurd to ask a road crew to venerate the road they were paving as a sacred trail and perform a ceremony. We passed the point of asking our GPS units for the fastest travel route years ago. Our cars are so insulated from Nature that it doesn't matter what is outside the window. Common sense has become Machine sense, we merge with the rotating machine while replaceable scenery streams by. Our ceremonies have become the crosses on the side of the road.<br />
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<i>What does it mean, when it is not safe to walk somewhere?</i><br />
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I'm learning a new piece of music, Brahms' <i>Opus 118</i>, which was completed in 1893. The second of the six pieces is an intermezzo, <i>(</i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JwKDzPlYQs" target="_blank"><i>Brahms Intermezzo Nº 2 in A major Op. 118</i> -Glenn Gould</a>) with the instructions "Andante teneramente". Andante is a common notation, (I naturally choose slow movements, because I'm not very good about practicing), however teneramente (tenderly) is an unusual instruction and it is an unusually lovely piece. In contrast to this, the piece I learned a few months ago, Chopin's<i> </i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4xyhA2pzdA" target="_blank"><i>Nocturne in C minor Op. 48, Nº 1 </i>-(Gabriela Montero)</a> (1841) describes a beautiful but dysfunctional world, much like Ravel's waltz from World War 1. The Chopin is our transportation now, the Brahms is where we want to be. The Chopin is scared people trying to look normal, the Brahms is moms and kids growing. Another mind bending piece that I love to play is Bach's <i>Chaconne in D minor</i> (transcribed for piano by Busoni), which was written in 1720. For all of these, a car was not used at all while creating a masterwork. Sure, cars make life easier, but what has been gained and lost? Our use of cars has followed <i>Jevons Paradox</i>, and it has warped our expectations. We have lost many planetary reality checks,<br />
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Nor does this speak to what the car has done to our perception of the Commons, much of public space dating back to Roman law has disappeared. "Traffic may be impersonal, but we experience it intimately. It's smells, sounds and movements are as fundamental to our daily passages as the weather. The transition from horses to cars transformed the nature of cities, Ann Norton Greene writes in her 2008 history, “<i>Horses at Work</i>”: 'In the name of safety and efficiency, urban Progressives moved children into supervised urban playgrounds, installed new traffic regulation devices, placed policemen on the streets and encouraged changes that turned streets from<i> spaces in a neighborhood to spaces through a neighborhood</i>.' Vehicles, in this milieu, served as a 'protected, private space, an extension of the private home.' ”<br />
(<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/books/review/Crain-t.html" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/books/review/Crain-t.html</a>, italics mine)<br />
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We could not step into day to day life of even 95 years ago and emotionally understand the connections, the innate balance, the earthen reasons why. We have left that frame in the rear view mirror. Of course there are a lot of details of past living that should be left behind, but there are also some important connections that should not. And the grounding and centering from being in closer connection with the natural world are incompatible with the speed and isolation of a car. Cars are functioning as a legal drug for escaping the social environment that ironically they helped create.<br />
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<i>What does it mean, when it is not possible to walk somewhere?</i><br />
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Fast, efficient automobiles have been the best answer to equitable transportation that we have come up with so far. With their extra human power almost anyone can move themselves along at amazing speed. But they have had a high cost. Besides their potential to shut down the planet's climate system with their emissions, it's not just the death, maiming, property loss, social exclusion, environmental destruction, or even the pollution that hurts the health of all bystanders. (They are not very equitable either.) It's our disconnection. The true rhythm of life takes place at a much slower speed. It's the speed of a season, or 9 months, or 90 years- seconds are the time scale of disaster. What it means to be human is the reason roads should not be built only for cars. When we cannot walk somewhere because of traffic, we've lost something fundamental that was millions of years in the making.<br />
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We aren't "hunter gatherers" anymore, but we still feel the nomadic urge. Were the Crusades just an excuse to get out of the castle? What about the Odyssey (that only leads back home to die in Ithaca)? Any of the searches for paradise? Living is a road trip. A Canterbury Tale. It's a questionable used car on Route 66. What does a road map mean when sometimes it's true, but sometimes it's through Middle Earth? Whether you choose foot, bicycle, car, or transit, what you get out of it does depend on what you put in. We are travelers but historically it seems the slower the better, for thousands of years people have climbed mountains while not moving at all- when the most profound insight has happened while sitting still. Using power that is not your own? Good luck with your Pilgrimage in an Autonomous Vehicle. We have broken the circle.<br />
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Back in the late 1960's my father wanted to get a motorcycle, and we started visiting motorcycle shops. I was still too young to get a driver's license, but one visit made an impression. It was at a one man Brit bikes shop (BSA, Triumph) in Ellington, CT, whose perpetually ready to retire owner occasionally converted the older BSAs to trials bikes when sales were slow. For some reason another customer decided to give me a few words of wisdom, and came over to me and said "Cars are cages". I took that literally for many years- yes, they are a cage that seals you off from what's around you, and you have to decide if that's how you want to live. But now that I have experienced trying to use a bicycle in a car based society for a few years, I can see that they are a cage in other deeper ways. We need cars, there is no other device that will do what they do. The average person could not function without one. And that is the definition of a cage. Transportation is inseparable from our lives, and in only 95 years look how rigid our choices have become. Where in this system are the rest of the things that are important to us?<br />
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We need a more balanced transportation system, one that is more about living and less about the machine, one that places human caring above cars.<br />
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<i>"Did they get you to trade</i><br />
<i>Your heroes for ghosts?</i><br />
<i>Hot ashes for trees?</i><br />
<i>Hot air for a cool breeze?</i><br />
<i>Cold comfort for change?</i><br />
<i>Did you exchange</i><br />
<i>A walk on part in the war</i><br />
<i>For a lead role in a cage?"</i><br />
"<i>Wish you were here</i>", Pink Floyd, 1975<br />
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<i>"Yet all experience is an arch wherethro'</i><br />
<i>Gleams that untravell'd world, whose margin fades</i><br />
<i>For ever and for ever when I move."</i><br />
from <i>Ulysses</i>, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, 1833<br />
<br />Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-82331420496048552532017-05-18T09:58:00.000-04:002017-06-07T22:08:08.998-04:00Cargo Bike Dreaming<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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It was a dark and stormy night, and the bicyclist was thinking about adding some bodywork to his bike...</div>
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Most electric bikes are designed to look and function like a regular bike, which makes them easy to substitute for regular bicycling use. However for my purposes being able to carry 2 bags of groceries and a 40 pound bag of dog food (and sometimes a dog too) over 10 to 20 miles is necessary. It would be even better if there was protection good enough to handle 90% of the weather. And I'd also like to extend the range from 70 miles to 120 miles and still take only a few hours. As I think about building another bike, here are a few loosely connected ideas that help to define the outlines of what I'd like to build next. None of them will do everything I would like- but some combination might work.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ26yIGAEK5N_eZwM2h8uylpQqyQhn80SQlop25FAtEAxquhpcoJGD162mUwDx-D5sMiBlFwiAdJ7gKcLPUJYiCCzeUH5v7tDXIXWChAsbcggJuzMbA83Fnr3QkRiWxJ-fsz7Mf81yxQXe/s1600/saab+early+sedan+email.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ26yIGAEK5N_eZwM2h8uylpQqyQhn80SQlop25FAtEAxquhpcoJGD162mUwDx-D5sMiBlFwiAdJ7gKcLPUJYiCCzeUH5v7tDXIXWChAsbcggJuzMbA83Fnr3QkRiWxJ-fsz7Mf81yxQXe/s400/saab+early+sedan+email.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Saab 92001 prototype, 1947. Drawing credit: probably Saab</i><br />
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Notice the fender wrap around the front wheel. Normally this would limit how far the wheel could turn for steering, but Saab made the body extra wide for clearance. Could this be made to work on a bike for aerodynamics and rain control? A solar panel mounted over a bike front wheel would be about 22" wide, but I'm also trying to keep everything small and light.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZ-rerOOY9uPgw5Ix0uMJ-odMfj0N3tTxK1jGEwL-Vkz28rkidPb3vxBATNrBrAUk3BnQ8Caln4xENnlu2-RUB7ba6eYOabLvUI_V06b2H7ZqSAqT9B4nb4_wmWegOhkATLVnbaV8yvGO/s1600/cedric-lynch+60mph+streamliner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZ-rerOOY9uPgw5Ix0uMJ-odMfj0N3tTxK1jGEwL-Vkz28rkidPb3vxBATNrBrAUk3BnQ8Caln4xENnlu2-RUB7ba6eYOabLvUI_V06b2H7ZqSAqT9B4nb4_wmWegOhkATLVnbaV8yvGO/s400/cedric-lynch+60mph+streamliner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Cedric Lynch in his 2 hp, 60 mph streamliner, UK. Photo credit unknown</i></div>
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This is not a bicycle- there are no pedals, he's using moped speed rated tires and turn signals, and it's registered. The bottom part of the doors hinge open so that he can put his feet down at stops. One report credits this enclosed electric scooter with 24 to 26 Wh/mile and a 150 mile range at 40 mph speed, and another report with a newer battery pack lists a 150 mile range at 50 mph. My bikes generally use about 11 Wh/mile at 15 mph, 16 Wh/mile around 18 mph, and maybe 20 Wh/mile around 20 mph, (depends on how hard I'm pedaling, weight, wind, etc), so the streamlining is definitely working (he is also using a very efficient motor), I think this photo was taken around 2000, and Cedric has since moved on to building more powerful motors, It is possible to get a lot more sophisticated than this bike, such as a <a href="http://www.carver-technology.com/" target="_blank">Carver One</a>, <a href="http://litmotors.com/" target="_blank">LIT C1</a>, <a href="https://peraves.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">EcoMobile/MonoTracer/ZeroTracer</a> or <a href="http://www.peravescz.com/" target="_blank">MonoRacer</a>, but this is closer to what I'd like to build.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDP2B7n6cBUstHL_D8j_6EAusHAbWx0u6Un-SV0qFYTO2Sa8AoQJ_sSAgRQNZDJOZIIHIpfYS23D5amuzXkKCCDB-KQABs6mPMUmSE7o8z76AZN_ko1qKaDpflfGtHyNVw86vXTy5u5JEV/s1600/20th+Cen+ltd+Hudson+J-3a+NYCentralRR+HenryDreyfuss+phoRobertYarnallRichie+31dec37+silver+gelatin+promotional+print.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDP2B7n6cBUstHL_D8j_6EAusHAbWx0u6Un-SV0qFYTO2Sa8AoQJ_sSAgRQNZDJOZIIHIpfYS23D5amuzXkKCCDB-KQABs6mPMUmSE7o8z76AZN_ko1qKaDpflfGtHyNVw86vXTy5u5JEV/s400/20th+Cen+ltd+Hudson+J-3a+NYCentralRR+HenryDreyfuss+phoRobertYarnallRichie+31dec37+silver+gelatin+promotional+print.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Hudson J-3A streamliner locomotive, aka the 20th Century Limited, designed by </i></div>
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<i>Henry Dreyfuss for NY Central RR, 1937. Photo credit Robert Yarnall Richie via Wikipedia</i></div>
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Operating speed for this steam locomotive was about 55 to 65 mph, and it's fuel was coal. (Trains of this 4-6-4 configuration could sometimes reach 100 mph on long flat routes.) This was built during the period of "modern" streamlining. I like the comparison of this locomotive to Cedric's early scooter above, but his later scooters look more like locomotives designed by Otto Kuhler for ALCO.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKwBP-gWM-V-Mt41e2UP5KATNGH1f5e43tonkgxJMKmn9N9rMaZQOLt8rTb85_ZuEUj_isx_oVXc8M6fKgFrdMnWEW2-vhLiS8K9xUMjD32Tmiyi_NGrGjoC7nt3fftKbAb5Z8yVyJX-_V/s1600/go-one+3+us+blog+size.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKwBP-gWM-V-Mt41e2UP5KATNGH1f5e43tonkgxJMKmn9N9rMaZQOLt8rTb85_ZuEUj_isx_oVXc8M6fKgFrdMnWEW2-vhLiS8K9xUMjD32Tmiyi_NGrGjoC7nt3fftKbAb5Z8yVyJX-_V/s400/go-one+3+us+blog+size.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Go-one 3 early version, (currently <a href="http://www.go-one.de/" target="_blank">go-one Evo-R</a> with a full tail), photo credit unknown</i></div>
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This bike is appealing because of it's lightness, the smooth shape and easy to access rear mechanicals, but with a regular (i.e. larger and heavier) velomobile like a <a href="http://en.velomobiel.nl/quest/" target="_blank">Quest</a> or <a href="http://www.sinnerbikes.com/en/" target="_blank">Mango</a> I could also make a space inside the back section to carry groceries protected from the weather. If I'm building a fully enclosed body, I'd also like to try to put more than 200 Watts of solar on it and the long hood on a regular style velomobile could possibly fit 100W to 150W.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCr_RJC_58pusN2ZZHVsCf2wgO_DMiolMnpHNUCTN1G4q0FnRvPrgzA0HbazIabk5gSddRmIlJc1i85eh0kdAI0ceoNtlCbeFeT87eTl9lQagBg_Rkr8mJiteeDj9ZSX9hby31z0s7beY9/s1600/T%25C5%258Dkaid%25C5%258D+Shinkansen+N700series+trainN1Yuharastation+pho+spaceaero2+30jan2011+wikipedia++email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCr_RJC_58pusN2ZZHVsCf2wgO_DMiolMnpHNUCTN1G4q0FnRvPrgzA0HbazIabk5gSddRmIlJc1i85eh0kdAI0ceoNtlCbeFeT87eTl9lQagBg_Rkr8mJiteeDj9ZSX9hby31z0s7beY9/s400/T%25C5%258Dkaid%25C5%258D+Shinkansen+N700series+trainN1Yuharastation+pho+spaceaero2+30jan2011+wikipedia++email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Tōkaidō </i><i>Shinkansen N700 series train at the Maibara station, Jan 2011.</i></div>
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<i>Photo credit: spaceaero2 (via Wikipedia)</i></div>
This train has an operating speed of 175 mph, and uses 25 kV AC electric power. It looks a bit like the Porsche 919 LMP (Le Mans Prototype) race car I mentioned in my <a href="http://mysolarelectriccargobike.blogspot.com/2014/07/bicycle-bodywork-4-of-4-bike-fairings.html">Bicycle Bodywork (4 of 4) bike fairings</a> blog post, and actually both vehicles are running at about the same speed. This body style could blend well with a solar panel on the roof.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSjTmBfwXYcmrspG8ZOIRQ7vLkhuinNMKvOxHVoFaSvb_QWkgnj8GsWQxxhmMPNoQAOEoxjU3N1Hqd70nFR69qiCZTBfDvlL13K90oDCpbEt7Ma39yJkvI6Uc3k94pYRAPT-nhEA92thL7/s1600/Loewy+PRR+K4S+3768+pho+Altoona+Works+factory+photo+via+BillsPennsyphotoscom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSjTmBfwXYcmrspG8ZOIRQ7vLkhuinNMKvOxHVoFaSvb_QWkgnj8GsWQxxhmMPNoQAOEoxjU3N1Hqd70nFR69qiCZTBfDvlL13K90oDCpbEt7Ma39yJkvI6Uc3k94pYRAPT-nhEA92thL7/s400/Loewy+PRR+K4S+3768+pho+Altoona+Works+factory+photo+via+BillsPennsyphotoscom.jpg" width="332" /></a></div>
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<i>Pennsylvania Railroad K4S locomotive, designed by Raymond Loewy, 1936.</i></div>
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<i>Photo credit: Altoona Factory Works photographer, reprinted by <a href="http://www.billspennsyphotos.com/">www.billspennsyphotos.com</a></i></div>
Interestingly Raymond Loewy was heading in the direction of wide front aprons with a central Vee on his locomotive designs in the 1930's, but he still had to keep a prominent round nose for the front of the boiler instead of a driver's cab. The Shinkansen aerodynamics are probably better quality- most likely they've actually been tested in a wind tunnel.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXPRunUkPyID0CwWYS1eeXaIk0MJr7v_j4ZYGYNKX0MhraBzzWcv92_e7xOfRWE82tMPMaurFOvRGCAjmCCEkyxb8Nd_ZbBZvYt5rBPNZWnKI_ILvZr3rcezky0KIDGS6lvbUJy8uObW3-/s1600/bike2c24-streamlined-cycling+on+track.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXPRunUkPyID0CwWYS1eeXaIk0MJr7v_j4ZYGYNKX0MhraBzzWcv92_e7xOfRWE82tMPMaurFOvRGCAjmCCEkyxb8Nd_ZbBZvYt5rBPNZWnKI_ILvZr3rcezky0KIDGS6lvbUJy8uObW3-/s400/bike2c24-streamlined-cycling+on+track.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.tuvie.com/bike2c24-for-streamlined-cycling/" target="_blank">Bike2c24</a> Ristretto at the Nokia Finland test track, 2012, Photo credit: Bike2c24</i></div>
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Back to two wheels. This bike is beautiful, and it's fast too. It's like the human powered speed record bikes, except that you can see out of it. Since I'm trying to stay below a 750 watt motor limit this design is very enticing, but it wouldn't fit many groceries. Also it wouldn't work very well on my 2.5 miles of dirt road, and at least with Cedric's bike I could put my feet down when stopping. But it's pretty tempting... I do like this bike a lot... I could talk myself into it... Now that I think about it maybe 150 watts of solar could be draped over the back section, and maybe a 350 watt hub motor in each wheel might help get it through the mud - interesting - I wonder what the top speed would be, let's see, they set a Finnish one hour time trial distance record of 49 miles, and a sprint top speed of 60 mph using only human power? Hmm, how much bigger would it have to be to fit groceries? I'll have to figure out how to stick my feet out...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYfTKsIKIGCbCJRUlBDHn2mEaNNDaSXEpGGkDmCBwXN3RcyFp6z6FHRHzTUFC-QrR156zOqg4_ChyJoK2PmyZu2pSt-vIAoVE5xiISkrP8JN4SQPQ2oYcfFIMekMwlDtS2WRVLdrIly9x4/s1600/Loewy+sketch+by+Google+for+120th+birthday+5nov2013+email.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="244" data-original-width="698" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYfTKsIKIGCbCJRUlBDHn2mEaNNDaSXEpGGkDmCBwXN3RcyFp6z6FHRHzTUFC-QrR156zOqg4_ChyJoK2PmyZu2pSt-vIAoVE5xiISkrP8JN4SQPQ2oYcfFIMekMwlDtS2WRVLdrIly9x4/s400/Loewy+sketch+by+Google+for+120th+birthday+5nov2013+email.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Google Doodle in celebration of Raymond Loewy's 120th birthday, 5 November, 2013</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJhfVpw4VuZtoFWERNKGOhm1v0JekHsW13jpF62SQEsPF97TJui_kFwRLE57ctOvH4PPKllDsE2Iw4pP_e7BWvurOAtEMHagJGEw3x3ty0BK_MtbMahYi5wl_07qP9E5IpV1Be-tUMQZ3/s1600/105+bernard+cauquil+in+turkey+lf+view+edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJhfVpw4VuZtoFWERNKGOhm1v0JekHsW13jpF62SQEsPF97TJui_kFwRLE57ctOvH4PPKllDsE2Iw4pP_e7BWvurOAtEMHagJGEw3x3ty0BK_MtbMahYi5wl_07qP9E5IpV1Be-tUMQZ3/s400/105+bernard+cauquil+in+turkey+lf+view+edited.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Bernard Cauquil riding along in Turkey. Photo Credit: Florian Bailly</i><br />
<i>Suntrip 2015, <a href="https://www.thesuntrip.com/" target="_blank">https://www.thesuntrip.com/</a> </i><br />
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This bike has about 450 watts of solar panels overhead, which could be made rainproof for weather protection. Bernard traveled 7000 km in 25 days (an average of 280 km per day), or about twice the distance of the Tour de France in the same amount of time, and while carrying his camping gear. Raf Van Hulle on a more upright posture bike with a bit less solar arrived two days later. For everyday use I'd like to try to layout a bike with a higher seat position for better visibility, but I still want to take my weight off of my wrists so the seat does need to be further back than on a normal mountain or road bike. A regular kitchen chair and the seat in my car are both about 18" high off the ground, so I'll see how well that will fit into the next layout.</div>
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In earlier posts about bodywork I've mentioned the fully enclosed Belgian <a href="https://versatile072.wordpress.com/2005/11/26/velerique/" target="_blank">Velerique</a> (which has holes for sticking out feet when stopping) and the open sided <a href="https://portal.mytum.de/pressestelle/tum_mit/2007nr1/60.pdf">Reisefahrrad Läufer</a> from the Mobilität Technische Universitat Munchen, but my main concern with these bikes is the tall side profile area making them sensitive to crosswinds (worse on the short wheelbase and long body length Velerique). Some of the bikes in the <a href="https://www.thesuntrip.com/" target="_blank">Suntrip 2013 tour</a> that had a high solar panel canopy over the rider would be tough to ride in a crosswind too. Although a trike would solve this problem, I would still like to work with two wheels instead of three because of efficiency, speed, and the narrow roads with rough shoulders around my region. To reduce the side profile area I'm thinking more of a fairing than an enclosed body, so that some of the crosswind can pass through it, in combination with a solar panel placed over the rider. Another advantage of using smaller fairings instead of a full body is that I'd like to try using ABS plastic for the bodywork instead of fiberglass for better impact resistance, and it would be easier to thermoform smaller pieces.<br />
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In the late 1970's I was living far from power in the North East Kingdom of Vermont, and I tried to build some windmills (back then solar panels were very, very expensive). I used car generators and alternators, and the windmills sort of worked but mostly they didn't.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmsHDPYamutQqUmjIj03KoPQ7AmvjWrS2pjxhJgHbFEiLMulH83qJ0aC01zm25zo1y7BSwiI6tKTzZ-6JotOckR0jEKF7WbwKb6veXQMvmjx9J_-XDsH4mzoWMB1p07JA_fuRDx6V4Dsb/s1600/1+HEC+booth+at+Farmfest+2009+windmill+and+blender+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmsHDPYamutQqUmjIj03KoPQ7AmvjWrS2pjxhJgHbFEiLMulH83qJ0aC01zm25zo1y7BSwiI6tKTzZ-6JotOckR0jEKF7WbwKb6veXQMvmjx9J_-XDsH4mzoWMB1p07JA_fuRDx6V4Dsb/s400/1+HEC+booth+at+Farmfest+2009+windmill+and+blender+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Some of the windmill blades I carved in the early 1980's. These weren't being used so I converted them into a sign for Hartland Energy Committee booths, such as this one at Farmfest 2009. In front of the booth is also one of the bike blenders.</i></div>
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I poured through hundreds of NACA airfoil shapes and then carved some blades out of wood, and along the way I discovered sailplanes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-Fn1NxAOkdnsK3l7p6WvL-_5XobT5fDr3I5qoweqmg0oZQARihOD5UXWAk5oivO2ygFGBdQTsNCHi7c9oN_NcuuxgA6jdbF27Cnra4QbWNWt9gsYpQeqwzTHmcyq420lLY-4mEQVkPiN/s1600/Motorglider+Photo+by+Russ+Owens+of+Erik+Larson%2527s+glider+ASH+26+E+self-launching+sailplane+Larson26E+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-Fn1NxAOkdnsK3l7p6WvL-_5XobT5fDr3I5qoweqmg0oZQARihOD5UXWAk5oivO2ygFGBdQTsNCHi7c9oN_NcuuxgA6jdbF27Cnra4QbWNWt9gsYpQeqwzTHmcyq420lLY-4mEQVkPiN/s400/Motorglider+Photo+by+Russ+Owens+of+Erik+Larson%2527s+glider+ASH+26+E+self-launching+sailplane+Larson26E+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="text-align: left;">Erik Larson's ASH 26E self-launching sailplane. Photo credit:</span><span style="text-align: left;">Russ Owens</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="text-align: left;">The mid motor and propeller retract when in regular soaring flight.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="text-align: left;">Other motorized sailplanes have been built with the motor located in the nose or tail.</span></i></div>
Materials were just becoming strong enough at that time to build long, thin sailplane wings that gave long glide ratios, and the planes looked beautiful, like soaring birds. One of the reasons I like the Go-one 3 bike is because the body looks like a sailplane cockpit, and I don't think it is possible to have a much lower Cd on a passenger vehicle than a sailplane. Forty years have gone by and there are now sailplanes that can launch themselves using electric motors, which have already flown across the US and over the Alps.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cbDv38aI_l8/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cbDv38aI_l8?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<i>Sunseeker Duo first powered flights, 2014. Notice that the plane's motor turns off and it soars, an energy management scheme similar to coasting on a bike. Also notice that the canopy cover has flush fitting operable openings in it. A few other high efficiency motorized gliders include the first Sunseekers, and the non solar Antares, Pipestrel, Schleicher, Viva sailplanes. Video credit: <a href="http://www.solar-flight.com/">Solar Flight</a></i></div>
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The last two main considerations in the design of my next bike have more to do with how a bike is used than with physical form, they are energy use and speed.<br />
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Energy use is a high priority for me, and the efficiency of bicycles is one big reason why I like them. My home solar array is old and small, but I've learned how to live quite well on an average of 2 kWh per day (this includes running normal appliances and shop equipment). I've also insulated my home and use only 1.5 cord of wood per winter for heating and cooking (it's about 7000 (Fahrenheit) Heating Degree Days per winter here). I would like my transportation to meet similar efficiency standards, which means some streamlining is necessary. But streamlined bodywork will be just extra weight when going slowly up a hill, and may result in going too fast down a hill. (My bakfiets and longtail routinely reach 40-45 mph when coasting down local hills with no streamlining.) I'd like to leave out regeneration during braking on the next bike in favor of coasting to increase my average speed, (in many competitions like the Shell Eco Marathon coasting is an important part of the driving scheme), but I don't want to be riding the brakes dumping energy even more than normal when going down long hills. Streamlining might require a different drivetrain design to make it work well.<br />
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Last but not least is speed. I've been thinking about speed for several years now and it's still an open question. Almost all my riding is for errands, and the time it takes often matters. With streamlining and an electric motor it's possible to build a very fast (and legal) bike, but practically speaking where does a 60 mph bicycle belong? When riding on a bike I love looking around and seeing things, instead of focusing down the road in a car in case you're about to hit something. Maybe being able to substitute a bicycle for a car is the wrong question. When I compare walking like Thoreau did versus traveling at race car speed it's easy to decide which one is more alive. I can't help but think that while cars have some good, positive abilities, they are also more than a bit over the line in significant negative ways and sometime we'll look back and say they were great fun while they lasted, but they turned out to be just a sugar buzz. I don't expect this to happen anytime soon, as James Woodcock and <a href="http://rachelaldred.org/">Rachel Aldred</a> point out in their paper <i>"<a href="https://ete-online.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1742-7622-5-4">Cars, corporations, and commodities: Consequences for the social determinants of health</a>",</i> 9 of the top 10 Fortune 500 corporations in 2006 were either car or oil companies. I don't think addictive sweets like cars are going away easily. So for this moment traveling faster does help my bike design coexist on roads that were built for a car culture, but it's not the only consideration, is that how we should expect moms and kids to ride too? I think that coasting and streamlining will be more effective than what I'm doing now, but I also don't want to leave out the benefits of bicycling slowly.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitGbqjSBrH7z_8cxbcWsegN8fxLjOy3jQXdz38pJjI7IdLfxBDSldgXVjIGezC4PnfS1R4mDvy2zHl_AdjNXwQg-TvWC-u651SfvKPZ9yE74H-5-iCFu3FCj2LY_hW5OKZQxH7eMbTALfD/s1600/1895+A+drawing+or+painting+titled+Claremont+Hill-Riverside+Drive+New+York+F+Childe+Hassam+reproduced+in+Scribner%2527s+Magazine+June+1895.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitGbqjSBrH7z_8cxbcWsegN8fxLjOy3jQXdz38pJjI7IdLfxBDSldgXVjIGezC4PnfS1R4mDvy2zHl_AdjNXwQg-TvWC-u651SfvKPZ9yE74H-5-iCFu3FCj2LY_hW5OKZQxH7eMbTALfD/s400/1895+A+drawing+or+painting+titled+Claremont+Hill-Riverside+Drive+New+York+F+Childe+Hassam+reproduced+in+Scribner%2527s+Magazine+June+1895.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Claremont Hill-Riverside Drive New York, Drawing credit: Childe Hassam</div>
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Reproduced in Scribner's Magazine, June 1895</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Anyhow that's a few of the thoughts floating around in the background as I pick out the pieces for building the next bike.</span></div>
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Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-2697618307826575952017-04-06T11:23:00.000-04:002017-04-06T19:58:40.546-04:00Building the Oma Cargo Bike frameBike builders often use a heavy metal table with custom spacers bolted on to it to hold tubing in alignment while they work, or a jig made of angle iron or extruded aluminum sections that are adjusted to fit the frame design. If I was making more than one bike I'd build a jig to hold the frame in alignment during cutting and tack welding. But since I'm building one off experimental bike designs, the methods that I'm using have more to do with custom cabinetry. The design is drawn full scale and pieces are then scribed and cut to fit the pattern, using strings, templates, and other measurements taken along the way to keep the project straight and lined up.<br />
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To start the Oma cargo bike I found the flattest part of the floor I could, and taped a sheet of thin underlayment plywood (smooth on one side for drawing lines) to the floor to keep it from shifting around on the different bumps. (I might build a low, flat, and level table if I keep doing this.) Plywood has decently parallel edges for hooking measuring tapes and squares over, allows me to erase lines when I make mistakes, and lets me glue spacer blocks on it to position the tubes in the right locations. Plywood does move with the weather just like wood and the corners do swell out of parallel, but over the years I've learned habits that allow me to easily work to 1/32" tolerances (which is 0.031"), and with minimal effort I can work to 1/64" (0.015") and can push it to less than half that when needed, so wood patterns are OK for a project like this.</div>
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For this bike I had an overall style in mind (the Adelaide Longbike) and I knew the dimensions of my components, so I started at the head tube and laid out the rest of the bike moving towards the back. Making this frame was actually a lot like lofting for shipbuilding- while I didn't use a spline for drawing the upper tube curvature, I did use a beam compass, and then used triangles, squares, and blocks to build the frame over the drawing. For example after drawing the top tube high enough to clear the front derailleur and the motor but as low as possible under the cargo box, it was simple to place the tube on the pattern to check the fit while bending and notching it.</div>
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Before cutting anything I propped up the donor frame level with some weight on it and took measurements. The head angle is good to know because that is what the fork is built for, but the front axle to bottom bracket centerline distance, wheel radius, and the bottom bracket drop and height should be checked too. This frame was very large, and while the head tube angle was a nice slack 68 degrees, I decided to move the bottom bracket 1.5" closer to the front axle to help shorten up the length of the bike. </div>
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My goal is an everyday bike that can easily do many of the functions of a car, but quite a few people have told me that they couldn't use one of my bikes because it was too big for them to store easily. This bike also turned out too big- the wheelbase is 82 3/4", which while 4" shorter than my bakfiets is 6" longer than my longtail. An easy way to make this bike at least 12" to 18" shorter would be to move the rear wheel forward and have a hump inside the cargo box (like a Madsen cargo bike), but I decided I wanted my dog to be able to ride in the box so I left the floor flat and about the size of a car front seat. I also kept the solar panel 6" behind the rider to reduce the butt shadow on it, but if the solar wasn't as important the bike could be shortened another 4" to 5" behind the seat. The Bike Friday Haul A Day is proof of how popular a smaller cargo bike can be. Eventually I'd like to build a small run of <i>Scarlet Runner</i> cargo bikes for people around me to use, but for now I'm still learning how to package the components of a work bike tightly. One thing I have learned is that really good bicycles are about doing many functions with the least amount of bicycle possible.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jXGTpo0-m5V9_rUFjqcKEtvgy4ntjFRqKI1QGGMk9WGuXo4qonaw8xRbvDU5WrRG8mwWlD9qLBxaDrFGT4P3prrBmkhDNxoN4odHriXWOP_iD8kf834S0oww0FbneqPupzegdqqG8r4h/s1600/fitting+rear+upright+to+bottom+tube+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jXGTpo0-m5V9_rUFjqcKEtvgy4ntjFRqKI1QGGMk9WGuXo4qonaw8xRbvDU5WrRG8mwWlD9qLBxaDrFGT4P3prrBmkhDNxoN4odHriXWOP_iD8kf834S0oww0FbneqPupzegdqqG8r4h/s400/fitting+rear+upright+to+bottom+tube+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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To transition the rear chainstays to the lower tube I made a cone shaped adapter piece. Before welding it on I welded a diaphragm across the ends of the chainstays to keep them from deforming under load. The tubing is propped up on the drawing with blocks to the correct height to keep it straight, and then it is easy to use a try square (with one wide leg so that it stands up) to line the tube up with the drawing while fitting joints.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjntOiswgCVRpoEpnPSFs1CulAYoftzPLihOQqcM_dN4P8GvBykK24Mck1JJCkS3VHEXOHFfSIcrkAq-Anar71YZIk8U2kJMxoJ4FAzrLuoDtSTlsMS9Y-xCRG1ob4gDGAotTzBdh2qsPvM/s1600/cutting+the+rear+upright+notches+back+view+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjntOiswgCVRpoEpnPSFs1CulAYoftzPLihOQqcM_dN4P8GvBykK24Mck1JJCkS3VHEXOHFfSIcrkAq-Anar71YZIk8U2kJMxoJ4FAzrLuoDtSTlsMS9Y-xCRG1ob4gDGAotTzBdh2qsPvM/s400/cutting+the+rear+upright+notches+back+view+email.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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To fit the rear upright tube and the seat stays to the hoop that runs along the top of the cargo box, I used a short piece of hoop tubing held vertical to the drawing. The diameter of the seat stays are a good fit to the hoop tube, but the larger rear upright will have to be welded along the bottom half first, the lips tapped closed to the hoop tube and then the weld finished.</div>
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The hoop that supports the rim of the cargo box was made of two pieces welded together. To form the outline I simply drew lines up from the drawing of the frame at the bottom of the plywood (click on the picture to enlarge if you can't see the drawing), and then drew in the sides the same width as the solar panel that forms the lid. I then placed the tubing over the outline as I bent it to check the shape.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-5BpHrdbzioo1n_xoYhW8eUQycp1rz7J1CyLQXk9-f0xTqp6yGnei6hADUrNIgPrdr_XrPWi16KY4QFdr0ZS8lTluzLSP_5vZpl5lGEECfH2Al1Z_v8N9SQMVMnzSqgfI8B_gSQaUGGJJ/s1600/figuring+out+how+to+bend+a+small+radius+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-5BpHrdbzioo1n_xoYhW8eUQycp1rz7J1CyLQXk9-f0xTqp6yGnei6hADUrNIgPrdr_XrPWi16KY4QFdr0ZS8lTluzLSP_5vZpl5lGEECfH2Al1Z_v8N9SQMVMnzSqgfI8B_gSQaUGGJJ/s400/figuring+out+how+to+bend+a+small+radius+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Bending small radius curves without heating the tubing has been a problem. I have a tubing roller that works very well on large radius curves (such as the top tube on this bike), but while it's possible to turn out small curves, it's too difficult. This picture shows the results of experiments with several different dies, supports, and also techniques like welding end caps on the tube and filling it with sand, etc. I'm finding that the small radius curves I've made so far are about 2.5" to 2.75" center line radius, which is not a common die size for commercially available tubing benders, and the tooling gets very expensive so quickly that I've started to build my own rotary draw bender instead of buying one.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYfiyLjjf9InvykzCYpuv2Pa_db45yYbc5RlECJ8xkcUuZ2Jk9tJNwXJOSWd9_excHp7yIOeRPs8Brlt-8mP7QEisFUt5GE4Qu4yufTWlDWgldjxfwAv4K4nS6jd_UnxAKBwa0_62qX1TN/s1600/frame+with+box+jig+and+plywood+template+behind+it+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYfiyLjjf9InvykzCYpuv2Pa_db45yYbc5RlECJ8xkcUuZ2Jk9tJNwXJOSWd9_excHp7yIOeRPs8Brlt-8mP7QEisFUt5GE4Qu4yufTWlDWgldjxfwAv4K4nS6jd_UnxAKBwa0_62qX1TN/s400/frame+with+box+jig+and+plywood+template+behind+it+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Once the backbone of the frame was finished, it was time to install the hoop. The two wood supports propping it in place have legs that center them on the frame which kept the hoop very close to being lined up, but I also ran a string from the head tube back over center marks on the hoop to the rear upright and then leveled the hoop and frame too. With the hoop held in place, I fitted the uprights. In the background you can see some of the shim blocks glued onto the drawing on the plywood sheet from the earlier steps.</div>
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I also decided to try a feet forward seating position on this bike, and the seat tube post is set back about 9" from the bottom bracket. The goal was to have my feet flat on the ground at a stop. The basic formula for this is that the distance from the middle of the top of the seat to the ground (i.e. inseam) is the same distance as from the middle of the top of the seat to the top of the pedals at full leg extension. If you draw this out the seat actually has to adjust up and down in an arc, however the middle 6" of seat height adjustment is close to a straight line, which is what I used for setting the seat post location and angle. I knew that I'd lose some pedaling force by not being over the pedals (unless I stand up), but this might be OK because of the electric motor assistance. (Since my next bike will be a semirecumbent this is a good intermediate seat position trial.) I don't have many miles of riding this bike yet, but first impressions are that it's good, but the front fork stem is far away and the steering feels like a tiller. Since many velomobiles and recumbents have a similar tiller this should not be an issue, but I think that if I built these for others I would move the seat post an inch or two forward closer to the usual position. When people extend their leg they naturally point their toes, (which is why setting the seat height using a straight leg and your heel held flat on the pedal works- the toe pointing reflex gives the correct bend in the knee at full extension), and this pointing slightly reduces the need for having the seat as low as the theoretical inseam height that I calculated.</div>
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The curved top tube makes it easier for people to get on and off the bike- my impression from comments on the test rides with my other bikes is that at least 1/3 of riders want easy access on their everyday bike.</div>
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After adding uprights to support the hoop, I put in a few diagonals to help brace the frame. I curved the diagonal braces that run up to the hoop so that they would clear springs on the back of the seat, they bend inwards as well as down. The motor mount is a weak spot, although I did include a bash bar that bolts on underneath the motor which will take some of the downwards force that would try to bend the mount open. The next time I mount a motor like this I will use plates that attach near the axle shaft instead of around the spoke flanges. I then added some ells to support the cargo box floor.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbCN9OwJLvtPtYpASWwyPEJ7iFvM6oOuN_L2xJW9uKwI8Zl6G2r8OR0A5rhplpcfJaHtzKIofvOOQHHRwIFMVrPVNQl7nirtAfuhtjB2IKov5RtiCJ5a4C6ah9RNDhrLitWt6j_IANaHon/s1600/kickstand+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbCN9OwJLvtPtYpASWwyPEJ7iFvM6oOuN_L2xJW9uKwI8Zl6G2r8OR0A5rhplpcfJaHtzKIofvOOQHHRwIFMVrPVNQl7nirtAfuhtjB2IKov5RtiCJ5a4C6ah9RNDhrLitWt6j_IANaHon/s320/kickstand+email.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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I had an old bent fork that I made into the kickstand, the legs turned out nice but I'm not happy with the pivot (it's too far over center and hard to use), and the chain clearance is minimal. I plan on redoing the idler sprockets for the front chain, probably by making the front sprocket into a single gear and adding a 3 speed freewheel and derailleur to the motor, which should help the clearance. But for now the frame was done enough to ride, and it was time to get some paint on it and make the cargo box.</div>
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Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-55505944167740181202017-02-24T16:32:00.002-05:002017-03-16T11:31:40.188-04:00An Act Promoting Work and Commuter BicyclesI currently have a proposal in my state legislature for "<u>An Act Promoting Work and Commuter Bicycles</u>" by removing the sales tax on them. It's in the VT House Transportation Committee, and it looks like it is going to "die on the wall" before even getting out of committee because of generic state budget concerns. If you are a reader from Vermont, I'd appreciate it if you would write both the sponsors of this bill (John Bartholomew and Mollie Burke), and your House Representative for your district, and ask them to support this proposal.<br />
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Why does everyday bicycling need to be actively promoted? Because we've had almost 100 years of heavily subsidized pro automobile policy, and our transportation system needs to be brought back into balance after the damage that this has caused.<br />
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Everyday bicycling (which includes Bike to Work) provides the greatest benefits to both the rider and society. These include financial, health, environmental, personal well being, and societal benefits.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mXmuhIkaMrNTWufM0lNfZgvOWOkNAPLCkpwJWovikAU_6rkDZG3uJBFVMfboFfJS4PioBiSVB5UWSTocy3r0sZ_iQ9W4mrgPNgiFMjBhkrE34-WsG9cH0z6JV2bS_ULD3aA4C1VyXxuB/s1600/How+much+does+your+commute+cost+society.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mXmuhIkaMrNTWufM0lNfZgvOWOkNAPLCkpwJWovikAU_6rkDZG3uJBFVMfboFfJS4PioBiSVB5UWSTocy3r0sZ_iQ9W4mrgPNgiFMjBhkrE34-WsG9cH0z6JV2bS_ULD3aA4C1VyXxuB/s400/How+much+does+your+commute+cost+society.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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(click on image to enlarge)</div>
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The costs in this infographic are based on urban Vancouver, B.C. transportation. They appear to include personal and municipal costs and some health and environmental costs (immediate but not catastrophic), but not all costs of ownership.</div>
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Source: <a href="http://movingforward.discoursemedia.org/costofcommute/" target="_blank">http://movingforward.discoursemedia.org/costofcommute/</a></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"> Automobiles are highly subsidized.</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span>There have been roads for thousands of years, but the automobile is effectively less than 100 years old. The first automobiles were built in the late 1800's, but the auto did not become common place enough to affect the average person's life until the 1910's. In much of the US around 1930 only every other family owned a car. The car centered lifestyle we now have was built in less than 90 years. We should be questioning whether this is an appropriate use of technology and resources, or whether it is a prop for the obsessive compulsive side of our human psyche. Indeed, the better explanation of why we are willing to pay so much money for 38,000 fatalities (over 3000 a <u>month</u>) and 2.3 million injuries (half of which are disabling) each year in the US, (not to mention the 700 bicyclist or 4000 pedestrian deaths) is addiction. If you do not think that you are addicted to your car, then try to stop using it. Our transportation system did not have to be built this way.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0-bPNR-yzK6Cj3vo9Rhx8JTwzjlobLpdSPvTZUKX56eUOGztuVa32pGohwUQdWSMEwudEydctHdU4mF27gChCLCFgCltJYupvP0xudlcsCO7nE9m-Zj32lgUlyNm27fMry499jxCvmdib/s1600/1914+Blue+Hills+intersection+heading+to+Mattapan+Old+Wheelways+Robert+McCullough+email.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0-bPNR-yzK6Cj3vo9Rhx8JTwzjlobLpdSPvTZUKX56eUOGztuVa32pGohwUQdWSMEwudEydctHdU4mF27gChCLCFgCltJYupvP0xudlcsCO7nE9m-Zj32lgUlyNm27fMry499jxCvmdib/s400/1914+Blue+Hills+intersection+heading+to+Mattapan+Old+Wheelways+Robert+McCullough+email.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Blue Hills Parkway at Brook Road, Boston, looking towards Mattapan, August, 1914</div>
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Photo credit; Massachusetts State Archives, reprinted in:</div>
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<i>Old Wheelways, Traces of </i><i>Bicycle History on the Land,</i> by Robert McCullough</div>
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In addition to all season pathways for pedestrians, bicyclists, and the travel lane, Blue Hills Parkway designer John Charles Olmsted recognized in 1914 that many residents of the outlying city districts were unable to afford carriages, and included an electrified trolley line to serve them.</div>
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My father owned an Austin Healey sports car when I was a child, and I have played with Porsches. I'm well aware of the joy of a pleasant motor ride through the countryside.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhBvRwUq51QKE8mOvr4l42eof5CzLrg_8npIM4RlsvwGQcKwnDE9y8VYHLieXNCdWsuY3wrjlY6IbQJunV-wiwEZ1XyvxilYqo_nj3qB1E0wsuPlEEZbDlQuT4GdR59r_S9abOyV6Jhjpr/s1600/1950s+austin+healey+sprite+adv+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhBvRwUq51QKE8mOvr4l42eof5CzLrg_8npIM4RlsvwGQcKwnDE9y8VYHLieXNCdWsuY3wrjlY6IbQJunV-wiwEZ1XyvxilYqo_nj3qB1E0wsuPlEEZbDlQuT4GdR59r_S9abOyV6Jhjpr/s400/1950s+austin+healey+sprite+adv+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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1950's Austin Healey Sprite, Photo credit www.delcampe.net</div>
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This world does not exist anymore. Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) has more than doubled since I was a young driver, and the most common driving experience now is to be stuck in traffic. If you want to motor down the road like I did, then half the cars have to be removed.</div>
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The roadway design that was acceptable for 1950's traffic is marginally criminal now, it's long term effect has been to promote only one road user. Our car centered transportation policy developed post World War 2 with little thought to anything more than level of service, throughput, and speed. But humans are squishy little marshmallows and don't survive hitting bridge abutments at 40 mph, so our cars have become safety cocoons that disconnect us from the world around us. Unfortunately this does not remove the effect of cars on the world. We now have whole populations of school children who can't breathe because of asthma from tailpipe emissions, and a general obesity epidemic. <span style="text-align: center;">In 1969 48% of kids rode their bike to school, in 2009 only 13% did. Our transportation policy has deliberately moved schools to the outskirts of towns, making the bicycle rides longer while simultaneously increasing the number of cars. (See <a href="http://guide.saferoutesinfo.org/introduction/the_decline_of_walking_and_bicycling.cfm" target="_blank">Safe Routes to School</a> for more info.)</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh02JGCWBTTN1clug8if1JVwGmcy-q1yMQ8tfaDb4R9aaHg25XwU3GO8ThewtMdrAIsnhiLk6PbF6kikeBlMcjVDJdXNYb6x-1-DLuxnbpyYpypyJ9z6_PGrmHB_qtKQsWUVYpCMGdjhyphenhyphenkQ/s1600/yehuda+moon+biking+to+school.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh02JGCWBTTN1clug8if1JVwGmcy-q1yMQ8tfaDb4R9aaHg25XwU3GO8ThewtMdrAIsnhiLk6PbF6kikeBlMcjVDJdXNYb6x-1-DLuxnbpyYpypyJ9z6_PGrmHB_qtKQsWUVYpCMGdjhyphenhyphenkQ/s640/yehuda+moon+biking+to+school.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Credit: Yehuda Moon</div>
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Our car centered transportation policy is seriously short sighted. We know that distracted drivers are a major cause of crashes, but we have yet to admit that those drivers are not there to enjoy motoring down the road. Wouldn't they be better served on transit where they can check email <i>without</i> <i>the distraction of driving</i>? Wouldn't active transport (walking and biking) for short trips improve our health and personal connections? Or a more fundamental question- why is it OK that we are now commuting huge distances?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk__hReBiFO6pOxtCc2ZhZ02dYzA3OtcGhLLrw6sNSWxqRX_PeCYgMEw2NjA7zGfe2I1FfYq7dfiGDKC2yCMMs7Opl7GeSpCDbL2YRPss0sGUdMjxPEUT8QllrD9XQy0P6nRwM6vpQhLTt/s1600/Genesee+St+Utica+NY+1910+and+2015+after+american+urbanism+pho+BuiltBrooklyn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk__hReBiFO6pOxtCc2ZhZ02dYzA3OtcGhLLrw6sNSWxqRX_PeCYgMEw2NjA7zGfe2I1FfYq7dfiGDKC2yCMMs7Opl7GeSpCDbL2YRPss0sGUdMjxPEUT8QllrD9XQy0P6nRwM6vpQhLTt/s640/Genesee+St+Utica+NY+1910+and+2015+after+american+urbanism+pho+BuiltBrooklyn.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
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This is the result of 105 years of our current car centered transportation policy.</div>
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Genesee Street, Utica, NY in 1910 above, and in 2015 below, after American Urbanism</div>
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Photo credit: Built Brooklyn</div>
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And here is an even more fundamental problem- you may like Genesee Street in 2015 because you grew up on a street just like it and it feels comfortable, however <i>it is not a functioning landscape</i>. Natural ecosystems do not work this way, and it's turned out that human society does not function well this way either. This landscape is all about the car, not humans. A huge lack of diversity, social equity, or inclusion is required to make this landscape work.</div>
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<i>"We shape our buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape us." </i>Winston Churchill</div>
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"<i>Nature is not a place to visit. It is home."</i> Gary Snyder</div>
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<i>"Bicycles are the indicator species of a
community, like shellfish in a bay."</i> P. Martin Scott</div>
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<i>"First, from a technical viewpoint, all negative externalities depend on speed, often significantly. On the one hand, they all increase beyond 30 to 60 km/h (20 to 40 mph). This is true not only for the most studied nuisances - noise, pollution, accidents and congestion (OECD, ECMT, 2007) - but also for less studied nuisances, such as severance effects, land use and urban sprawl, social segregation, or the disqualification of non-motorized modes."</i> <span class="fontstyle0">Frédéric Héran, <a href="http://www.wctrs-society.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/abstracts/rio/selected/1983.pdf" target="_blank"><i>About the Effective Speed of Transport Modes: Ivan Illich's concept revisited</i></a><i>,</i> 13th World Conference on Transport Research, Rio, 2013</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsPDf6U20KzpL5G9xmj9STHWeaDuaJv0QS3VUTKyAvipF3kMpkub7ntLgpagiz9M3B2-eBVCEHlQn3MK4glgX4MLwp7oGUoery5RJZoMGgaqq00PT-wMdi8uVljmS7CoVAObQUmIwhAEEt/s1600/these+are+both+20+mph+zones+but+only+one+is+designed+like+it.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsPDf6U20KzpL5G9xmj9STHWeaDuaJv0QS3VUTKyAvipF3kMpkub7ntLgpagiz9M3B2-eBVCEHlQn3MK4glgX4MLwp7oGUoery5RJZoMGgaqq00PT-wMdi8uVljmS7CoVAObQUmIwhAEEt/s400/these+are+both+20+mph+zones+but+only+one+is+designed+like+it.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Photo credit: Wes Craiglow, Deputy Director Planning & Development, City of Conway, AR</div>
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The way we think about transportation is flawed. Technology has changed our concept of what the car is and what the car does. With the increased levels of automobile use that we are seeing, our old paradigm of traffic management is broken.</div>
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<i>"Much of the opposition to cycling schemes is based on a belief that motor traffic is like rainwater and the roads are drains for it. If you narrow the pipe, these people say, it will flood. If you block one route, they say, the same amount of traffic will simply flow down the next easiest route. But that seldom or never actually happens in practice. Because traffic isn't a force of nature. It's a product of human choices... Officially the cycling programme is about cycling. In reality, it is about breathing. It's about pollution, about health, about noise, about the kind of city we want to live in. It is about making the best use of scarce space on public transport. Most of the people who will benefit from the cycling programme aren't cyclists.", </i>Andrew Gilligan, Cycling Commissioner, <a href="https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/human_streets_0.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Human Streets: The Mayor's Vision for Cycling Three Years On</i></a>, Greater London Authority, UK, 2016</div>
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Do I expect "<u>An Act Promoting Work and Commuter Bicycles"</u> to solve all this? No, this problem has been building for 90 years and it is much too big and deep, Actively promoting everyday bicycling is a small beginner's step, but at least it goes beyond the "<i>helmets and hi visibility clothing that politicians love because they don't actually have to do anything other than shifting the responsibility for it all onto bicyclists</i>" (Анастасия Ромашкевич, <a href="https://velonation.net/2016/01/27/%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B4%D0%B0-%D0%B8-%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B6%D1%8C-%D0%BE-%D1%81%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%BE%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B6%D0%B0%D1%8E%D1%89%D0%B8%D1%85-%D1%8D%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%B5/" target="_blank"><i>Правда и ложь о светоэлементах</i></a>, VeloNation), and is actually supporting a mode of transport other than the car.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcUrr9tUvEumRB23vpmYiUkP2-CqJ8WYBCulB7rNtL1Z_KkBjOg6hjMS91kZ_jzoLj1gQZqqbfCfda5MOHBDTkTe5ROw2JVpg6NdC47j4aHIsi5DUwayl9jef85oRzQYJ9oBFkQTBZg0he/s1600/Slow+Roll+back+of+decades+of+bad+street+mistakes+in+Buffalo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcUrr9tUvEumRB23vpmYiUkP2-CqJ8WYBCulB7rNtL1Z_KkBjOg6hjMS91kZ_jzoLj1gQZqqbfCfda5MOHBDTkTe5ROw2JVpg6NdC47j4aHIsi5DUwayl9jef85oRzQYJ9oBFkQTBZg0he/s400/Slow+Roll+back+of+decades+of+bad+street+mistakes+in+Buffalo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Credit: Adam Zyglis, The Buffalo News</div>
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We choose the car for our trips because it is easy. It is now our job to make walking and bicycling just as easy.</div>
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I've tried to calculate the costs of this Act for our budget people, and here is my best estimate:</div>
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1. Vermont sales of bicycles, related parts, and accessories in 2012 <i>(Bicycle Retailer and Industry News (BRAIN) Annual Stats Issue – August 1, 2014)</i></div>
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$28,597,000</div>
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2. Corrected to 2015 (national sales of $6.5 billion in 2012 versus $6.2 billion in 2015, or a decline of ~5%) (<i>National Bicycle Dealers Association 2015 Statpak – Industry overview)</i></div>
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$27,277,138</div>
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3. Adjusted for proportion of retail sales at shops due only to bikes (47.4%) <i>(National Bicycle Dealers Association 2015 Statpak – Industry overview)</i></div>
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$12,929,363</div>
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4. Adjusted for portion due to commuter and utility bikes (6%) <i>(an estimate based on both Alliance for Bicycling and Walking, and People for Bikes, survey data)</i></div>
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$775,762</div>
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5. Vermont Sales tax amount that would not be collected (6%):</div>
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$46,546</div>
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My estimate of the market share of work and commuter bikes is the most unreliable figure above, the national average is around 10%, but this would be quite high for Vermont because of the effect of the large California, Texas, and Florida markets. The overall mode share of people commuting by bike in Vermont is a fraction of a percent, and combined with declining bike sales at a time when we actually need more active transport, only underlines the need for a transportation policy that proactively supports bikes.</div>
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The Return On Investment (ROI) for this $46,546 could run from 7.8 to 1 (<i>Helsinki Bicycle Account 2015</i> using the World Health Organization- <a href="http://www.heatwalkingcycling.org/" target="_blank"><i>Health Economic Assessment Tool</i></a>), up to the 20 to 1 derived in several studies of the health benefits of bicycling. This would be a return of $363,000 to $931,000. A typical scientific analysis out of these several would be "<a href="http://www.orataiao.org.nz/moving_urban_trips_from_cars_to_bicycles_impact_on_health_and_emissions" target="_blank"><i>Moving Urban Trips from Cars to Bicycles</i></a><i>",</i> Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 2011, which concludes:</div>
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<i>"Results: Shifting 5% of vehicle kilometers to cycling would reduce vehicle travel by</i></div>
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<i>approximately 223 million kilometres each year, save about 22 million litres of fuel</i></div>
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<i>and reduce transport-related greenhouse emissions by 0.4%. The health effects would</i></div>
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<i>include about 116 deaths avoided annually as a result of increased physical activity, 6</i></div>
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<i>fewer deaths due to local air pollution from vehicle emissions, and an additional 5</i></div>
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<i>cyclist fatalities from road crashes. In economic terms, including only fatalities and</i></div>
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<i>using the NZ Ministry of Transport Value of a Statistical Life, the health effects of a</i></div>
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<i>5% shift represent net savings of about $200 million per year.</i></div>
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<i>Conclusion: The health benefits of moving from cars to bikes heavily outweigh the</i></div>
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<i>costs of injury from road crashes."</i></div>
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Since this report was published in 2011 there have a couple of studies showing that the more bicyclists there are, the lower the crash rate. Shifting 5% of vehicle kilometers to cycling should result in less than 5 additional cyclist fatalities.</div>
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As far as I know California is the only other state with a similar working and commuting bike proposal (<a href="http://cal.streetsblog.org/2016/02/17/calbike-proposes-rebate-program-for-the-ultimate-zev/" target="_blank">here is a good summary on Streetsblog</a>). I've had the chance to speak with Jeanie Ward-Waller, Policy Director for the California Bicycle Coalition, (<a href="http://www.calbike.org/" target="_blank">http://www.calbike.org/</a>), and their proposal is strongly focused on transportation equity. Their incentive is much larger than my sales tax exemption proposal, however they expect a more complicated qualification process, compared to the simple test for a work bike that I'm proposing. Both of our incentives face the same budget opposition though, and both could use support.</div>
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I still enjoy Porsches, and I do think Electric Vehicles are important. But there are some deeply serious problems with the transportation system we have built, it's all been short term gain. We need to support active bicycling and walking. We have left the human out.</div>
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Copied below is the proposal I gave to the Vermont House Transportation committee, it has not received a Bill number yet. In it I reduced all of the benefits of this proposal to short summaries for the legislators, but if you would like to follow up please feel free to send an email and I'll try to connect you with references.</div>
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<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><u><b>An Act
Promoting Working and Commuting Bicycles</b></u></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Introduced
by: Representatives John Bartholomew of Hartland</span> <span style="font-size: small;">and
Mollie Burke of Brattleboro</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Date: January 2017</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Subject: Transportation, energy, greenhouse gas
emissions, traffic planning, Complete Streets, First mile/Last mile,
public health, social equity</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill
would promote the use of Bicycles used for working and commuting
purposes through a sales tax exemption incentive.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Definitions:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Working and Commuting Bicycles have:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
-Tires wider than 1” and less than
3” wide</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
-Seat wider than 5.5”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
-Mirror</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
-Rack(s) installed or mounts for racks
built into the frame</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
-Lights</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
-Kickstand</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
-Bell</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> -May have an electric motor assist, which must meet the
requirements set forth in the 2016 Vermont Transportation bill for
electric bicycles.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> Sales tax exemption:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> -Similar to the procedure that is currently in place
for renewable energy equipment</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: none; border-right: none; border-top: none; margin-bottom: 0in; padding: 0in 0in 0.03in;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><u><b>Background
explanations for the Committee:</b></u></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>This
incentive covers bikes that are a practical replacement for a car</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">,
which includes:</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
-a regular frame commuter style bike</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
-a cargo bike with an extended capacity
frame for carrying larger loads</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
-a commuter or cargo bike with an
electric motor for extended range and/or cargo capacity</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">-electric motor conversion kits for bicycles (both a DIY
route for owners or installation by a bike shop)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">This proposal is not meant to cover sport bikes, but the
committee may wish to extend the incentive to include them because
they share some of the benefits of work and commuter bikes.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Choice of Sales tax abatement for an incentive:</i></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The price of bicycles suitable for work purposes can
vary widely from $100 bikes to $5000 or above. An incentive based on
a fixed amount such as used in many Electric Vehicle incentive
programs would not work well, but using a sales tax abatement would
automatically link the incentive amount to the price. This amount
would also be approximately in line with many EV incentive programs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><u>Reasons
for encouraging working and commuting bicycle use:</u></i></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">These include meeting state GHG emission goals, Vermont
Comprehensive Energy Plan goals, reduced road congestion and wear,
achieving Complete Streets and local community benefits, helping
First mile/Last mile issues, public health benefits, and social
equity. A brief summary of each follows:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">GHG emission and VT CEP energy reduction goals:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">-Bicycles produce 10 to 12 times less GHG emissions and
use about 90% less energy than automobiles. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
A. The European Cyclists Federation
found that the complete life cycle emissions in grams of CO2 per
passenger per kilometer for various forms of transportation were:</div>
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-Bicycle 21 g</div>
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-eBike 22 g</div>
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-Bus 101 g</div>
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-Passenger car 271 g (for average short
trips)</div>
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Source: “C<i>ycle More Often 2 Cool
Down the Planet: Quantifying CO2 Savings of Cycling”, </i>2011
</div>
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B. Shreya Dave at MIT using
Carnegie-Mellon's EIO-LCA methodology found that:</div>
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-Electric bicycles use less than 10% of
the energy required to power a sedan for each mile traveled and emit
90% fewer pollutants per passenger mile-traveled than a bus operating
off peak</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
-walking, conventional bicycling and
electric bicycling release exactly the same amount of greenhouse gas
emissions</div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: small;">-All
forms of human powered personal transport are at least three times
better [for emissions] than any other form of commuter
transport.<br />Source: </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>
“Life Cycle Assessment of Transportation Options for Commuters”</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">,
February 2010</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Reduced road congestion and wear:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">-A working or commuting bike replaces a car, and will
take up about 1/10 the road space, which helps traffic planning,
traffic flow. and parking in urban areas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">-Cycling infrastructure is
also much less expensive than infrastructure for cars, helping to
reduce road budgets for similar traffic capacity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: small;">-Road
wear is proportional to the 4</span><sup><span style="font-size: small;">th</span></sup><span style="font-size: small;">
power of the axle weight, and in general a 250 pound bike will have
1/1296 of the road wear that a 3000 pound car does, which is
beneficial for highway maintenance budgets.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Complete Streets and local community benefits:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">-Complete Streets design guidelines create a roadscape
suitable for multiple users, and this incentive would help to
encourage bicycles on those streets.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">-Local community benefits derive from the range of a
bicycle. Approximate distances based on historical trolley stop
settlement patterns from the stop to a house are about:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Pedestrian 0 to 2 miles</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Bicycle 1 to 5 miles</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">An electrically assisted bike can on average double the
bike range to 5 to 10 miles. </span>
</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Thus a bicycle commuter or consumer will be doing
business within their local area. which promotes down town
businesses, center of towns and local economies.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">First mile/Last mile issues:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">-Promoting working bicycles helps not only commuters that
ride a bike directly to work, but also those with the First mile/Last
mile problem that is connected with Park and Rides and transit.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">-Increased use of commuter bikes will also fit in with
Amtrak's new program for carrying bicycles on the Vermonter train
line.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="break-before: page; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Public Health benefits:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">-Americans have an obesity epidemic, as well as
cardiovascular issues, and a rising diabetes problem that are primary
concerns for public health. Exercise has been shown to help these
problems, and bicycling is one of the preferred exercising methods
(second only to swimming), for being easy on joints while still
providing a beneficial cardiovascular workout.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">-In addition biking to
work is a mild exercise that is repeated as a daily routine so that
it provides a continuing benefit. Many studies have shown that the
health and medical benefits of regular bicycling outweigh the risks
by around 20:1.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Social equity:</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
-In 2016, the California Bicycle
Coalition (CBC), along with several coalition partners, presented a
petition to the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The CARB
distributes funds for the Clean Vehicle Rebate Program (CVRP), which
offers rebates for electric vehicles, and CBC is asking them to
expand their rebate program to include “the cleanest vehicle of
all: the bicycle”. CBC is seeking the creation of a $10 million
Bicycle Purchase Incentive Pilot Program. The program would rebate
half of the cost of bikes that are commonly used for commuting, up to
a maximum rebate of $500. Under the program, California would pay
for half the cost of cargo bikes, electric bikes, folding bikes, bike
share, and other utilitarian bicycles used for everyday
transportation. The CBC finds that in addition to the cleanest
vehicle being excluded from the CVRP, that the CVRP program is also
inequitable and discriminates against both low income persons and
limited income families who do not own or can not own a car.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The CBC letter to CARB can be found at
this site: <a href="http://www.fixcaliforniaroads.org/arbletter"><span style="color: black;">http://www.fixcaliforniaroads.org/arbletter</span></a></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;">-A second consideration is that for
children and young people cycling and walking are the only forms of
independent transport.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
For further questions, please contact:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Karl Kemnitzer</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
My Solar Electric Cargo Bike, Scarlet Runner Bikes, VBike</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="mailto:karl@mysolarelectriccargobike.com" target="_blank">karl@mysolarelectriccargobike.com</a></div>
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<br /></div>
Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-20450682670549630382017-02-04T07:57:00.000-05:002017-02-07T21:25:34.191-05:00Longtail construction (3/3) finishing the frameOnce the main part of the frame was welded together, I began to add the smaller pieces. I started by making a hoop out of 7/8" tubing for the foot support. I made the bends a large radius because the foot support is at shin height, and sharp corners could easily hurt. The front of the hoop is 16 1/2" back from the crank center line to give enough room for heel clearance when pedaling, but I still occasionally bump it when walking the bike. I also decided to add on a trailer hitch so that I could carry very long pieces of wood, and made the back of the hoop long enough to go around the tire. On top of the back I welded on a small piece of 3/16" plate for mounting the hitch.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRC31J_W9M4ek6SYnCrjy5Ma6BLeIN-sxjrnvzkQDOugRcSx57A6kKwQ_KdpRU2XH33UuE8pa6Jpz9ZpyJ55MLmf-VLMaXQMGhm2SD2S2IV3tG30jOqc-gpBv3atp_2Amhq6DDflQq72dE/s1600/1+foot+rest+hoop+with+trailer+hitch+plate+v2+with+bender+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRC31J_W9M4ek6SYnCrjy5Ma6BLeIN-sxjrnvzkQDOugRcSx57A6kKwQ_KdpRU2XH33UuE8pa6Jpz9ZpyJ55MLmf-VLMaXQMGhm2SD2S2IV3tG30jOqc-gpBv3atp_2Amhq6DDflQq72dE/s400/1+foot+rest+hoop+with+trailer+hitch+plate+v2+with+bender+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I used a 3/4" EMT electrical conduit bender that had a 5 1/2" center line radius. Since I would custom build my trailer, I simply used a 1/2" bolt with the head cut off sticking up from the plate for a connection pin instead of a more standard bicycle hitch. A common Heim joint mounted on the trailer tongue can then be slipped over the pin and secured with a hairpin spring clip through the bolt. This setup is much less expensive and stronger than a standard bicycle hitch.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd3G9x08ItBSCQOtvaDjZPjC_STUT741Sd3O7Un5ulhQFDGzIEZvkwEp8ZwwtS0bvuCkoPOco4EWNeWJb650XhUZq3OakhhsOkhB1zcLcW6ZEYN5fvcHW4ikD2sCZFKNkpJpwgTMNAq6f0/s1600/3+Kickstand+parts+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd3G9x08ItBSCQOtvaDjZPjC_STUT741Sd3O7Un5ulhQFDGzIEZvkwEp8ZwwtS0bvuCkoPOco4EWNeWJb650XhUZq3OakhhsOkhB1zcLcW6ZEYN5fvcHW4ikD2sCZFKNkpJpwgTMNAq6f0/s400/3+Kickstand+parts+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I started the kickstand by fitting a template cut out of cereal box cardboard to the bottom frame tubes. Using this type of cardboard works well because you can bend or fold it for fitting 3 dimensional patterns easily, but you can also draw grids on it when it's flat to keep the pattern square and straight. You can then use it to line up the parts for tack welding them together. I like to build the kickstand so that it lifts the tire only 3/4" off the ground. Some people prefer 2" to 3" in case the kickstand sinks into the ground, but I think that just makes it harder to use. I prefer to add foot pads to the legs instead.</div>
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I've now built 4 heavy duty kickstands, and while they all work OK, I don't think they are particularly good designs. I've started to think it's one of the hardest parts of a bike to design well. If I want to know if someone is a good bike builder, I've now started to look at their kickstand.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpnik0KMF8c8ojO_gLZjMxmyMPUTXTSyVgBr2x7YvRXSqlmyM8TjTkwOij9vgjSR_qFJ2aZFPxqWXAV8Sb-pr3dIxocJvJKy-IAKU0u0aFpKy4waztKAPGOfL_TspUxV4e_xBy3rB5hSn2/s1600/4+chain+section+cut+out+of+frame+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpnik0KMF8c8ojO_gLZjMxmyMPUTXTSyVgBr2x7YvRXSqlmyM8TjTkwOij9vgjSR_qFJ2aZFPxqWXAV8Sb-pr3dIxocJvJKy-IAKU0u0aFpKy4waztKAPGOfL_TspUxV4e_xBy3rB5hSn2/s400/4+chain+section+cut+out+of+frame+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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With the tires temporarily installed in the frame for measuring the kickstand height, I noticed that I had miscalculated the chain line and two diagonals were in the way. Oops. I cut out enough to clear the chain and replaced it with an ell piece that has a brace on the backside to stiffen it. This gave me a chance to test my weld- I squeezed the cut out tubes together at the top, and they crumpled without the weld at the bottom giving way. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR2xsuGORKBixr6zw8V9oRqPmKNRO41qA3SqHCNIBEtOMCzvpLEHRi20QpSd9w3oif4jBHInX9gsFMLjcn-wGtSQOA9Znvbs31SHOYGNEhBVKPwnHJgXqiRVxXXwEuS3DLRvhwENK94fZp/s1600/4+kickstand+idler+tab+chain+cutaway+battery+support+right+side+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR2xsuGORKBixr6zw8V9oRqPmKNRO41qA3SqHCNIBEtOMCzvpLEHRi20QpSd9w3oif4jBHInX9gsFMLjcn-wGtSQOA9Znvbs31SHOYGNEhBVKPwnHJgXqiRVxXXwEuS3DLRvhwENK94fZp/s400/4+kickstand+idler+tab+chain+cutaway+battery+support+right+side+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Besides the chain line repair and the kickstand, I started adding other tabs, such as a bracket for chain idler sprockets, and tabs on the hoop for attaching the plywood foot boards.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFjSo_ZETldz1EAkGckztR3E9np8cn0g6ikW2sqFuZ1kzwGJHT_U9tyfubCPBC6jc5Ua4Yj81vTav53lyv5FFUHfS_pjeDRXRE42sfln4xBJMtyd88P8NosJ8EGyIw-8_7EpXRRrdNpuoj/s1600/5+footrest+rear+section+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFjSo_ZETldz1EAkGckztR3E9np8cn0g6ikW2sqFuZ1kzwGJHT_U9tyfubCPBC6jc5Ua4Yj81vTav53lyv5FFUHfS_pjeDRXRE42sfln4xBJMtyd88P8NosJ8EGyIw-8_7EpXRRrdNpuoj/s400/5+footrest+rear+section+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The foot support hoop was propped up level and tack welded at the front to hold it in place. Then I added two diagonals at the back running up to the rack, followed by stays to the rear dropouts. I ran braces from the dropouts sideways to the hoop to take the side forces, but had to make two compromises- they had to be moved backwards because the right one interfered with the derailleur, and I had to use a sharp mitered corner to fit the tube under the plywood foot board. The corner hasn't been a problem though because the sharp points are hidden away from most activities.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeiZulozXZ6jSbT_74Zi1wdc7kdSWB7fJfrsTQI17z4C0w_kGmvfq9pwZ5dL7iEbwLNjsMU_CErN56cB8couFJgvTLfNj-Y5lNmjlDKGhwh6Uk6lSTwttILCyLpwU0h78wr6VuHmq-W46n/s1600/6+tail+light+bracket+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeiZulozXZ6jSbT_74Zi1wdc7kdSWB7fJfrsTQI17z4C0w_kGmvfq9pwZ5dL7iEbwLNjsMU_CErN56cB8couFJgvTLfNj-Y5lNmjlDKGhwh6Uk6lSTwttILCyLpwU0h78wr6VuHmq-W46n/s400/6+tail+light+bracket+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I also fit cross pieces to the rack for attaching it's deck board, and included a downward ell on the rear piece for attaching a light. However I ended up replacing the reflector I had there with a much brighter LED truck side marker light, which I attached to the fender with automotive double sided foam trim tape. All of my bikes have a small 15 watt DC to DC converter to convert the battery's 48 volts down to the automotive 12 volt standard, and regular car components like lights and GPS can be wired in. I'm planning on adding a 5 volt USB port next, so that riders on a trip can recharge their cellphones or notepads.</div>
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I knew that I wanted the bike to be a sunny solar electric yellow, but didn't want it to look like a bumblebee with black fenders. Two of my great grandparents are from Ukraine, and I decided to use the sky blue from their flag on the fenders and battery box. However in Vermont we have long winters, so everyone here thinks the colors look like a Caribbean vacation,..</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtoEAvvvx-sN4PCjnQa_GYuXfJhJUNuxYbvnmY-HkMSDoz6SZgUt1FF7jni3sSoNjqw7duwebkXgOVMsPvbPdu0gDoPtLjB4hBW_2VKZbqj77qTosjro1nI37_ZwixYFQW_tmUuq83wrbm/s1600/10+IMG_1905+email+frame+painted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtoEAvvvx-sN4PCjnQa_GYuXfJhJUNuxYbvnmY-HkMSDoz6SZgUt1FF7jni3sSoNjqw7duwebkXgOVMsPvbPdu0gDoPtLjB4hBW_2VKZbqj77qTosjro1nI37_ZwixYFQW_tmUuq83wrbm/s400/10+IMG_1905+email+frame+painted.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The brushed on acrylic latex enamel leveled out OK, but I sprayed the next Cruising Oma bike and it came out looking nice, like it was powder coated. I'm trying to use water based enamels that have some urethane in them, but they are hard to find, most often that formula is only available as a clear coat.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZOAfmzy7cquBoMapeUPqBb9V7BV9PhoVEwl-WY3OXo-hVwskjVHRFmZnsnNx5exw-_CwjxZQbz-yBA3K-SxtjvvrlEgi2bPE_g9JLnkJsmZXHX1iNYtJ7EWffgu5f2_OVUiq99eqiMk_T/s1600/11+IMG_1930+tapping+hole+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZOAfmzy7cquBoMapeUPqBb9V7BV9PhoVEwl-WY3OXo-hVwskjVHRFmZnsnNx5exw-_CwjxZQbz-yBA3K-SxtjvvrlEgi2bPE_g9JLnkJsmZXHX1iNYtJ7EWffgu5f2_OVUiq99eqiMk_T/s400/11+IMG_1930+tapping+hole+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Instead of using nuts, I threaded all the tabs. I had predrilled all the screw holes in the tabs, but left tapping the threads until after painting because they would have been clogged with paint. This way I was also able to clamp the foot boards in place and easily drill screw holes in them through the tabs, without having to mark out the holes on the foot boards. In a production setting this step could be done with self tapping screws instead.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil1GyiS0tWn5RrGvB-6qbGUVZt5_N3jn0zk2JMWB-L8HENt5xxW2VLHl1lwdje0SLM1pSGw9Sd7mnp6Se6qebu81Tg8rcskAMiXP08LSwHdYCSY_M9uoXXdWtruONG9MPd6oA75n-UzVIS/s1600/12+IMG_1932+grinder+stock+and+pattern+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil1GyiS0tWn5RrGvB-6qbGUVZt5_N3jn0zk2JMWB-L8HENt5xxW2VLHl1lwdje0SLM1pSGw9Sd7mnp6Se6qebu81Tg8rcskAMiXP08LSwHdYCSY_M9uoXXdWtruONG9MPd6oA75n-UzVIS/s400/12+IMG_1932+grinder+stock+and+pattern+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Decent power hub motors need to have the dropouts reinforced, or the axle will eventually twist around. My bikes are 750 watts, and one medium thickness torque arm on the left side will do. First I made a pattern that ran forward 4" from the axle centerline to a clamp wrapped around the chainstay. It goes above the chainstay, so that the drive torque will pull upwards on the clamp to keep it straight, and spread the clamp's force on the chainstay more evenly than if the bolt side of the clamp were pushing on it. I cut it out of a piece of 1 1/2" x 1/4" bar stock, working from the end towards the bar, so that the bar formed a big handle until the very last cut.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVqoFAw8cezbi5pF53_37-jGWAsScX0ZXuD64yc7EXDaVDZisk0Llg9GPKNyEvOJYU6Bpb_9JijXLVpkoMHNZGq69Floq1VO2WsJhWw3ilsThb9L4RgPGgW9KkLtx8g27IibGy2Inu66U/s1600/13+IMG_1954+using+a+rip+fence+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVqoFAw8cezbi5pF53_37-jGWAsScX0ZXuD64yc7EXDaVDZisk0Llg9GPKNyEvOJYU6Bpb_9JijXLVpkoMHNZGq69Floq1VO2WsJhWw3ilsThb9L4RgPGgW9KkLtx8g27IibGy2Inu66U/s400/13+IMG_1954+using+a+rip+fence+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Clamp a piece of scrap on the arm to make a rip fence for the angle grinder.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUeNNC4b1cWE9U5fe5e2Psgv1iRV-b66insxVQ__KSgl-3lLRCHBbnQYJs9Hhz-XdltKAiDqaaPW4HU7Bl9a8SOMMXqMVj-qAMjwRC_OQUEa1GUrsHMm22syjddmcpz4QVy4ERruVOUWWf/s1600/14+IMG_2006+making+oval+hole+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUeNNC4b1cWE9U5fe5e2Psgv1iRV-b66insxVQ__KSgl-3lLRCHBbnQYJs9Hhz-XdltKAiDqaaPW4HU7Bl9a8SOMMXqMVj-qAMjwRC_OQUEa1GUrsHMm22syjddmcpz4QVy4ERruVOUWWf/s400/14+IMG_2006+making+oval+hole+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The axle hole was drilled undersize and then fitted to the oval axle. I traced the oval hole from the washer that came with the motor onto the torque arm, and then filed the hole to match. I used a carbide die grinder bit to rough out the oval, but because I wanted more control I mounted it in a slow speed drill instead of a high speed die grinder.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF_1kiGFO8yXnwoTRsypB8XPytTHCJuvja3cechREwmOWCcJmq9o-PHc5Y_s39W_WwKX608bhsuQgXbTinhDeMaWpw43GwAcHQUgNlrpaEnXlJW5_nsjU1rcLV5oPBmfxwhDMrxxEv6CqH/s1600/15+IMG_2038+tests+fit+and+mark+for+bend+upper+view+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF_1kiGFO8yXnwoTRsypB8XPytTHCJuvja3cechREwmOWCcJmq9o-PHc5Y_s39W_WwKX608bhsuQgXbTinhDeMaWpw43GwAcHQUgNlrpaEnXlJW5_nsjU1rcLV5oPBmfxwhDMrxxEv6CqH/s400/15+IMG_2038+tests+fit+and+mark+for+bend+upper+view+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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With the torque arm cut out, it had to be bent inwards to line up with the center of the chainstay. I marked out the two bends and then used a cold chisel and a press to make the bends, but they could also be done with a vise and a pipe or hammer.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjwX72rxKwO8kJVfSR8p0dqWGAYRx-N1ottCltS4QYlxxk9Yh9sSYkkA_OYnQ7f9Zps7ctDXfGB3GohuSNrrFl-jPc10dTGZuu7aAnxHHetyaUyH5L0LB9YZJSe7oz1Bn2drfoaf99qKA/s1600/16+IMG_2113+tools+for+makng+strap+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjwX72rxKwO8kJVfSR8p0dqWGAYRx-N1ottCltS4QYlxxk9Yh9sSYkkA_OYnQ7f9Zps7ctDXfGB3GohuSNrrFl-jPc10dTGZuu7aAnxHHetyaUyH5L0LB9YZJSe7oz1Bn2drfoaf99qKA/s400/16+IMG_2113+tools+for+makng+strap+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Next was a strap clamp to go around the chainstay, it's shown resting on the left side of the hammer. I wrapped a strip of cereal box cardboard around the chainstay, folded the ends upwards to fit the torque arm, and then traced the bolt holes through the torque arm hole onto it. After tracing the pattern onto a piece of stainless steel sheet metal, I drilled the holes, bent the ends up, and then rolled it around a bolt that was the same diameter as the chainstay. You could also use a tab welded on the chainstay instead of this clamp, but if you do make sure that it is wide enough to spread the load out. Chainstays are small diameter and can't resist much sideways bending from a point load, and the extra weight of a cargo bike makes the situation worse.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWeG4Rg6cS1bdsKXtw_sYX6P_lU2jHay3aEMCB9dJzToQFDH5qtajp6xWMzbg7Gu-KagSlKSD8UZfeZSptmF-cILo6OjyHKvYtdh4Aw9z5d1R7JUsIExqLSwJReGCkYa-qu-ngPDxiIyxe/s1600/17+IMG_2124+finished+arm+installed+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWeG4Rg6cS1bdsKXtw_sYX6P_lU2jHay3aEMCB9dJzToQFDH5qtajp6xWMzbg7Gu-KagSlKSD8UZfeZSptmF-cILo6OjyHKvYtdh4Aw9z5d1R7JUsIExqLSwJReGCkYa-qu-ngPDxiIyxe/s400/17+IMG_2124+finished+arm+installed+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The finished torque arm takes the rotational force off the dropout.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0dSB65_NWIepyr1z51j7h90uXIQzzxHx9f44cexGmFp2_D1dGmzDqks0ch3T86-mV219j1pEDW9oXkF8D6qHjGmdcLMHO6DLAgk1x8ppytOFqGQkE1S9Bt4yBt3R-MHR3CQjDBiS5HSa3/s1600/18+welding+front+fender+stays+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0dSB65_NWIepyr1z51j7h90uXIQzzxHx9f44cexGmFp2_D1dGmzDqks0ch3T86-mV219j1pEDW9oXkF8D6qHjGmdcLMHO6DLAgk1x8ppytOFqGQkE1S9Bt4yBt3R-MHR3CQjDBiS5HSa3/s400/18+welding+front+fender+stays+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The front fork legs did not have any tabs for mounting fenders, so I used the axle to mount it. I have used plain washers (unplated) for eyelets for the smaller 5 mm stay bolts, but for the 7/16" axle I cut out some elongated eyelets and welded them on the end of the fender stays.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG53KNcZ_wirv0LYuDpR4rLYhsOdbfgh8INw3Md1i0dOaFeh8k1swf4zpGJYGY1JGZuw6Jzp3QRrbp7oKzhJ9eQrHzswyp4RYpRTw_QSko6I6dWOjD76_M1V07cLuYlNZ6u9qcN8W84lC7/s1600/19+2nd+bike+frame+with+fenders+and+battery+box+email.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG53KNcZ_wirv0LYuDpR4rLYhsOdbfgh8INw3Md1i0dOaFeh8k1swf4zpGJYGY1JGZuw6Jzp3QRrbp7oKzhJ9eQrHzswyp4RYpRTw_QSko6I6dWOjD76_M1V07cLuYlNZ6u9qcN8W84lC7/s400/19+2nd+bike+frame+with+fenders+and+battery+box+email.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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All the physical components have been assembled, and now it's time to add controls and wiring.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZm9R8yB5n_8Abx91fgpCWNHvyQyaz712bmjOrurQDNHUARVYaTeLqb9TU2HK3s83x4URl1TesdRKSow2BBYo_gn-gvdl-dMoZOiZqIU5tbVs5-mnvHhYsB1zZ8Winu430GtCCGYxhmVAA/s1600/20+Battery+box+installed+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZm9R8yB5n_8Abx91fgpCWNHvyQyaz712bmjOrurQDNHUARVYaTeLqb9TU2HK3s83x4URl1TesdRKSow2BBYo_gn-gvdl-dMoZOiZqIU5tbVs5-mnvHhYsB1zZ8Winu430GtCCGYxhmVAA/s400/20+Battery+box+installed+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In the upper left corner of the battery box is the motor controller, and the small black box below it is an electrical data logger with GPS. In the center is an A123 cell type LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery (48 volts x 20 Amp hours, which is about 1 kWh). At the top front is the key switch, below it is the solar controller, and tucked in behind that is the 48 VDC to 12 VDC converter.</div>
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For the new Cruising Oma bike I'm switching to Panasonic NCR18650GA cells in a 52 volt configuration (14s7p), or about 1.25 kWh, which will be about 20% smaller and lighter. I also have 4 different new solar controllers to try out- the Genasun in this picture works well, but it is very expensive, and it can not deal with shading issues well if there is more than one panel on the bike. I would also like to use a different charging voltage than is available.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYBKNIQ3sTFWfTiA04uvOi9WgWMHaeWgCWbYvJGgRnVIyIXrBMWJm2HLR0QLndfBBqOuubNxiKffgEZoQ9KxRT88_Nq3sFpuA27iZg_06d-10TzsjWh9sXVw0Cgjo58AboHWbCWxZtFefw/s1600/23+IMG_2259+lf+view+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYBKNIQ3sTFWfTiA04uvOi9WgWMHaeWgCWbYvJGgRnVIyIXrBMWJm2HLR0QLndfBBqOuubNxiKffgEZoQ9KxRT88_Nq3sFpuA27iZg_06d-10TzsjWh9sXVw0Cgjo58AboHWbCWxZtFefw/s400/23+IMG_2259+lf+view+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This bike is about 4 mph faster than the bakfiets on most trips, mainly because the bakfiets is set up for 36V, but also the aerodynamics are slightly better, and this hub motor has a faster speed motor winding. However the bakfiets has the top speed honor, coasting down Miller Hill at 46.7 mph, and this bike has reached only 46.5 mph. I think the bakfiets is faster when coasting because it has a gear drive hub motor with a slip clutch, and it doesn't have the drag when coasting that this bike's direct drive motor has. Because of the long wheelbase and the relaxed head angle, both bikes respond slightly slow, and they feel very comfortable at speed.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnb0uRSilirPoo-crOSxgPTVYrO7N8W-ANmhpiHCcKeJZQnBAeyLOVIEvGdp1u9SzmZZtmEeypvt2Lr8Vl7-sQR64CJPT3mm-uOHja-d_sPFfuOSciUZfcGMyOjS4fvxjF5wfJ5Txt8xh/s1600/22+IMG_2233+front+view+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnb0uRSilirPoo-crOSxgPTVYrO7N8W-ANmhpiHCcKeJZQnBAeyLOVIEvGdp1u9SzmZZtmEeypvt2Lr8Vl7-sQR64CJPT3mm-uOHja-d_sPFfuOSciUZfcGMyOjS4fvxjF5wfJ5Txt8xh/s400/22+IMG_2233+front+view+email.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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I originally intended to put a small windshield on this bike, but too many new ideas came along so I started building another bike instead. The basket has worked out well though for cookies, chocolate, potato chips, gloves, sunglasses, etc.</div>
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With the reflector mounted on the rack, before the LED truck side marker light was added down on the fender.</div>
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Before I got the canvas panniers, I used to have to choose between having the solar panel or a backpack on the rack. This load is for the 12 mile (one way) trip to recycling. Although the solar panel takes up rack space, I think it is important for fast, long distance bicycling and I'm working on fitting it in better. The battery alone gives me about 65 miles at an average speed of 16 to 18 mph, and the solar panel allows me to move the average speed up to 20 to 22 mph and have the same range or more. To give you an idea of the maximum solar boost possible, I took one 57 mile long trip last summer on a clear bright day, and when I recharged the battery back at home I found I'd only used a little over 1/4 of the energy. If I had wanted to I could have gone 190 miles before the battery was empty.</div>
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Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-25007990913043075252016-12-05T13:40:00.001-05:002017-02-04T07:58:09.088-05:00Cruising Oma (Grandma) BikeYesterday I took the third bike to the annual Vermont Energy and Climate Action Network (VECAN) conference. It is not finished yet (I have to do all of the wiring still), but I didn't want to wait another year until the 2017 conference so off it went. Since 275 people have now seen it at the conference I thought it should be introduced on the blog, and then I'll write more about the details as I finish building it. Because I've built 3 bikes and have ideas for 3 more (plus I've been asked to build a bicycle bean thresher), I've decided to introduce <span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-style: italic;">Scarlet
Runner Bicycles</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span></span>as a name for this series of bikes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2sboT45rnEL3GcFUPvXfkmVj-kH6-s9cLnEGGmEvuZhJiHameER-S0KgzoOAz49NmGa3yIIhmOReGb1iY9tqLpkI4cbs6zOqeJm98Taa_jUDojd-3AJUcJ9de46jIQsRJDI-Ta07u9uk/s1600/1+In+lobby+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2sboT45rnEL3GcFUPvXfkmVj-kH6-s9cLnEGGmEvuZhJiHameER-S0KgzoOAz49NmGa3yIIhmOReGb1iY9tqLpkI4cbs6zOqeJm98Taa_jUDojd-3AJUcJ9de46jIQsRJDI-Ta07u9uk/s400/1+In+lobby+email.jpg" title="cruising grandma bicycle at vecan" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Cruising Oma Solar Electric Cargo Bike at VECAN 2016</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">VECAN is a network of town energy committees from about half of the towns in Vermont. This year's conference was <i>"Local Leadership, Local Action: Partnering to Get to 90% by 2050"</i>, which is acceptable because it is our state's energy goal, but I'd really prefer Sierra Club's <i>"Ready for 100%"</i> renewable energy goal. The local leadership is necessary because our federal government is such a mess. The keynote speaker this year was Søren Hermansen, Director of the Samsø Energy Academy in Samsø, Denmark, an island that is generating all it's electricity with renewable energy sources and now exporting power back to the mainland.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWDBQ3ghXWBwwLHgC-fKwUQIRKsoBcH7XiCvPnjDFaB0AdDQ-SJPFIZ3yKiFqBozkgYEeHuPYi3ygdSUQn-L4pgSs9pH-6VJ4h0SMSIXffs98zvNgtIAOZ_WPFfKK1niY91cCgXzT1lKpl/s1600/2+Soren+Hermansen+2+email.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWDBQ3ghXWBwwLHgC-fKwUQIRKsoBcH7XiCvPnjDFaB0AdDQ-SJPFIZ3yKiFqBozkgYEeHuPYi3ygdSUQn-L4pgSs9pH-6VJ4h0SMSIXffs98zvNgtIAOZ_WPFfKK1niY91cCgXzT1lKpl/s400/2+Soren+Hermansen+2+email.png" title="soren hermansen" width="400" /></a></div>
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Søren Hermansen, keynote speaker at VECAN 2016, photo by Bob Farnham</div>
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If you would like to watch Søren's presentation, Bob ("Bob the Green Guy") has filmed and posted it at <a href="http://bobthegreenguy.com/vecan-2016/keynote-address/soren-hermansen/" target="_blank">http://bobthegreenguy.com/vecan-2016/keynote-address/soren-hermansen/</a> Søren's talk starts at 30:30 and ends at 1:33:42. It's a good talk about community building, which is sorely needed right now.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAcrg5SgjnZUoYXfExD-WW06nyKPm0IolJ8KZTbYL20YhCskZLvmV93oa8RbCKe9G9Zp4n1EF7M-01-MgC9ZNYUNWY3Q3QMzsDthUGzxPEdqdraKLrgDijN9d7FWRMwfxTyGZjCMw1VB6D/s1600/3+motor+centered+battery+above+wire+side+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAcrg5SgjnZUoYXfExD-WW06nyKPm0IolJ8KZTbYL20YhCskZLvmV93oa8RbCKe9G9Zp4n1EF7M-01-MgC9ZNYUNWY3Q3QMzsDthUGzxPEdqdraKLrgDijN9d7FWRMwfxTyGZjCMw1VB6D/s400/3+motor+centered+battery+above+wire+side+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Before</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTkGbk6dwbueVCqUAKzOeJESim0qxl0eRdjRNo_SJa_1H5xVXB9ZGIKeRtLTbqzaQG9bYRvxhz4sGgD5ed2q8gNdWXL_ay3EDedcmS0KORqeg0R_q2UyqPtiUpXW7XcsfeXEBmubYNtSP/s1600/4+right+side+in+half+snow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTkGbk6dwbueVCqUAKzOeJESim0qxl0eRdjRNo_SJa_1H5xVXB9ZGIKeRtLTbqzaQG9bYRvxhz4sGgD5ed2q8gNdWXL_ay3EDedcmS0KORqeg0R_q2UyqPtiUpXW7XcsfeXEBmubYNtSP/s400/4+right+side+in+half+snow.JPG" title="cruising oma grandma bike in snow" width="400" /></a></div>
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As you can see I kept the rear chain stays, seat stays, bottom bracket, head tube and front fork, but I added a little bit in between. This bike was inspired by the Longbikes built in Adelaide, Australia in 1987 by the Musgrave Community Bicycle Works.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9O_qaYhVLU8eRt9mn8wkMc1GQmCYUFIbCcn1nchU7yNTaIkarz8BtK6bB2Jg7QJHR96Ml7imCBt9isI7Mom_tN8XYb3J-VvKkv6mvBVzdcalu-iTghnzBqG4bX-_DKabZfCP4VHpShCn-/s1600/5+Adelaide+long+cargo+4x6+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9O_qaYhVLU8eRt9mn8wkMc1GQmCYUFIbCcn1nchU7yNTaIkarz8BtK6bB2Jg7QJHR96Ml7imCBt9isI7Mom_tN8XYb3J-VvKkv6mvBVzdcalu-iTghnzBqG4bX-_DKabZfCP4VHpShCn-/s400/5+Adelaide+long+cargo+4x6+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The GreenMachine Longbike by Ian Grayson and company, 1987</div>
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Photo: <a href="https://portadbug.org/links-videos-resources/the-adelaide-longbike-an-earlier-cargo-bike-movement/" target="_blank">Port Adelaide Bicycle Users Group Longbike page</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJG2zHMLRuUaW1pqiF4p0gFpOjP-iMxcUpGm9jneW3KA1IERJ4KLr8DfwtzQUkLmZ7mQecS_WZS7Q2BYi9tcpTiL90SroEEUWzktj1FclTNjQFjpoQNZMKgzcLToZExh4kFh3J02kwyL_9/s1600/6+left+view+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJG2zHMLRuUaW1pqiF4p0gFpOjP-iMxcUpGm9jneW3KA1IERJ4KLr8DfwtzQUkLmZ7mQecS_WZS7Q2BYi9tcpTiL90SroEEUWzktj1FclTNjQFjpoQNZMKgzcLToZExh4kFh3J02kwyL_9/s400/6+left+view+email.jpg" title="cruising grandma oma bike wood box" width="400" /></a></div>
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I based the mid cargo box layout on a Dutch Oma (Grandmother) style frame for easier getting on and off, and then I moved the seat back and down into a cruiser style position for both comfort and having feet flat on the ground at a stop. (click on pictures to enlarge them)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifLXrRW6ZRLF4F0RmsgxTldbyfXWKF4I2cH2azTT-WE1VN0x30mag8-cSD5Fnbp5GyvDP3SZQqvqt81c7qdtA1U5x143j-em8M6P7yrzUqod4dMlxZLIEozJ1xTD8lMSiYiRmZsdwKliYG/s1600/7+box+lr+view+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifLXrRW6ZRLF4F0RmsgxTldbyfXWKF4I2cH2azTT-WE1VN0x30mag8-cSD5Fnbp5GyvDP3SZQqvqt81c7qdtA1U5x143j-em8M6P7yrzUqod4dMlxZLIEozJ1xTD8lMSiYiRmZsdwKliYG/s400/7+box+lr+view+email.jpg" title="cruising grandma bike wood box magenta" width="400" /></a></div>
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The box is thin cherry veneer with fiberglass cloth and resin wrapped around both the outside and the inside. I almost tried canvas instead, but this turned out fairly light weight. The length and width are the size of a car front seat, and a child seat will fit inside. The paint is magenta acrylic latex enamel house paint, and I've finally figured out how to get a good coat applied- two people asked me at the conference if I had sent the frame out to be powder coated.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3EZyk_nZXTvctlWrJFh9GVYVmaYjSk2qiQuI2lYuVdUrP_82LtYTk1g9e82Z61vl4tZ0hFPNtOiorDzVOdITYbvdP4ciJtQFde1ojGcyDI7FDPX4kcXmgBHFjq7OL0vTp6AItCIrPlM-/s1600/8+right+side+with+solar+panel+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3EZyk_nZXTvctlWrJFh9GVYVmaYjSk2qiQuI2lYuVdUrP_82LtYTk1g9e82Z61vl4tZ0hFPNtOiorDzVOdITYbvdP4ciJtQFde1ojGcyDI7FDPX4kcXmgBHFjq7OL0vTp6AItCIrPlM-/s400/8+right+side+with+solar+panel+email.jpg" title="cruising grandma oma bike with solar panel" width="400" /></a></div>
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I moved the motor from the rear wheel to the frame for two reasons, the first is shifting down for climbing very steep hills (20% to 22% grade), and the second is to make fixing flat tires easier. I converted a geared hub motor from spinning the outside case (out runner) to spinning the shaft (in runner), which gave me an internal freewheel inside the motor and an external one on the shaft, so that the motor and pedals can work independently.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGEEEhhHEloJmsN-vU-bPAqt-KZGIXebVvIHry-dhZwsLNO_mdBeFY1fMWMfwalCykKBQi-FPamimmdRM6gTs4UHvbN3EVIv02MbKssQY1vGL0hCAZViSnXogW_PJ5OjEZJuY5ZE1TRDWN/s1600/9+rf+view+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGEEEhhHEloJmsN-vU-bPAqt-KZGIXebVvIHry-dhZwsLNO_mdBeFY1fMWMfwalCykKBQi-FPamimmdRM6gTs4UHvbN3EVIv02MbKssQY1vGL0hCAZViSnXogW_PJ5OjEZJuY5ZE1TRDWN/s400/9+rf+view+email.jpg" title="cruising grandma oma with wood box on hillside" width="400" /></a></div>
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There are many things to be finished up yet on the bike, but I've been able to take short rides and it seems good. It takes forever to turn because it's so long, (it's shorter than the bakfiets but longer than the longtail), but I'll save that discussion for another post.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSyv9pGmBFE8_Nt0IbOeLnzuRg_RBFJUYnP15WoYTOSJQith1Yf7BLTB5rGlqNkTRIh5enJlLB8B9hvrIi20M1EDPJ9j7U2_k-Vye6vxwUYSqojmQjKrMnTcOcTgcWtt1FAexZB70Pe4zK/s1600/10+rr+view+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSyv9pGmBFE8_Nt0IbOeLnzuRg_RBFJUYnP15WoYTOSJQith1Yf7BLTB5rGlqNkTRIh5enJlLB8B9hvrIi20M1EDPJ9j7U2_k-Vye6vxwUYSqojmQjKrMnTcOcTgcWtt1FAexZB70Pe4zK/s400/10+rr+view+email.jpg" title="cruising oma bike the end" width="400" /></a></div>
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The end.</div>
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Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-29355339997172684872016-10-05T12:34:00.000-04:002016-10-18T11:04:08.597-04:00Political BicyclingThe third bike is almost done, but I thought I'd write a post first about some of the people I've met along the way. I'm not a political person, I'd much rather design and build projects. It's been my experience that the things that really matter in life are usually done by people first, and then a couple of years later the politicians figure it out.<br />
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However my solar electric cargo bikes have been at 80 or 90 events since 2012, and I also have had two bike blenders since 2007 that have been to even more events than that, so I've met a few politicians along the way. The bikes have been very public, and I've unwittingly become a bicycle advocate. The events for the last 4 or 5 years have usually been for my town's energy committee or the Sierra Club Upper Valley group or the SC Vermont Chapter. Before that it was our regional Farm to School food program, and also our local Transition Towns group.<br />
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This post is really about friends I've met along the way. Vermont is from "vertes montagnes", which means "Green Mountains", and our love for our forests doesn't really have any political boundaries. The early events were focused on local agriculture, business, and sustainability in general, but lately transportation has become a stronger focus. Transportation is Vermont's largest source of pollution, responsible for 46% of our carbon emissions. I've helped organize a lot of Electric Vehicle actions over this time, but bikes are still my first choice for cleaning up our transportation.<br />
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Last summer the Longtail was up in Montpelier at the VT Agency of Transportation for a month long pilot study, and people from VTrans brought the bike over to the capitol building and gave legislators test rides on it. Vermont Secretary of Transportation Sue Minter took a ride, I recently saw her and her report was: "That was fun!" (Sue is now running for Governor in this year's elections.) Here is a short video of the test ride:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwRPq_V0AcoQ1pLXC3kZJXJEKxFJaAe0dGXnk0sjVF5N5wpIvSLko8Y-kzr-cTKyYJ2QayV7RHExmBnOGjI' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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This is special to me, as the only other Secretary of Transportation that I've seen on a bike is Janette Sadik-Khan, Commissioner of NYC DOT, and she was riding just a regular bike (well OK, a bikeshare bike). I give Sue a lot of credit for trying out my bike, and of course I hoped this would translate into more bike lanes. I've had the chance to talk with our current Transportation Secretary Chris Cole twice now, and he understands the need to include bikes in our transportation mix (see our state report "<a href="http://tboard.vermont.gov/sites/transboard/files/pdfs/2015TransReport_Jan21.pdf" target="_blank">The Decline of Driving: Navigating Vermont without a Car</a>", January 21, 2015), and he supports electric bikes because of our rural and hilly terrain.</div>
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Going back a few years to the blender bike days, I have to include Bernie:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiml9NzsnvHuVlUGoX-bb2waU-btKcGxZ7MuAuxA_I0zjLViSY8zRa7EgLGMYSa2_d1Vf-VNwYND7-4lfzrVkQDxy9MEOlFHXcbryrHommNMbSbjpQWrdCdT0NKZDbgNprlP9U8aHOopMrH/s1600/bernie+and+nora+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiml9NzsnvHuVlUGoX-bb2waU-btKcGxZ7MuAuxA_I0zjLViSY8zRa7EgLGMYSa2_d1Vf-VNwYND7-4lfzrVkQDxy9MEOlFHXcbryrHommNMbSbjpQWrdCdT0NKZDbgNprlP9U8aHOopMrH/s400/bernie+and+nora+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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We held a series of annual Farmfests that celebrated our local farms, which eventually resulted in their produce being included in school kid's menus around the Upper Valley. Bernie Sanders attended in 2009. Eric Dicke and I had built the red blender bike for our Transition Town group, and Nora (in front) was running it for the day. Bernie came over and talked with the high school students that were hanging around, asking them about their plans for the future.</div>
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The Leahys also showed up in 2010:</div>
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After giving speeches along with VT Secretary of Agriculture Roger Albee, Senator Patrick Leahy answered questions, (in the group visible in the back of this photo), while his wife Marcelle made smoothies. We had made the red blender bike that Marcelle is pedaling first, but the 26" tire frame was too big for many elementary school kids so we had to make the smaller blue blender bike. Both bikes are still being used several times a year at regional events (although they really could use new tires). Often they are used by elementary schools (kale smoothies from their school garden yum!), community groups, food coops, parks, and other town energy committee events, but this past spring they were also out at the Hypertherm Plasma Cutters green week promotion (for the third time), as well as a Tuck School of Business Sustainability Club Social (one of several times they have been at Dartmouth college).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdOr35-K5YxRabFjqvz_LZx8U8ejhhmr31Mgc6vfCca3JXiti1eVh0fJ7xzjgeg4_klz-N9weyhBgyd3wz-VTA8R6L2i71VOwFAdP5yYh9mr8Zxbr95K9d6QWdEg3Pn8GlDc5BC7qywhA/s1600/Premiering+at+the+Hop+earth+day+2011+email+IMG_2692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdOr35-K5YxRabFjqvz_LZx8U8ejhhmr31Mgc6vfCca3JXiti1eVh0fJ7xzjgeg4_klz-N9weyhBgyd3wz-VTA8R6L2i71VOwFAdP5yYh9mr8Zxbr95K9d6QWdEg3Pn8GlDc5BC7qywhA/s400/Premiering+at+the+Hop+earth+day+2011+email+IMG_2692.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The blue blender bike premiered at the Dartmouth Hopkins Arts Center on Earth Day 2011</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV_j0sqyFFGxKBdBx-31S5iAeaQPE4_cS-pUO2BKuo6bedv6kpktmgaBHjW1cMAoLiGyilIQPulnrugkZj8ZexQc8sBBNwVkWBDeBck9rF6dKGBA7u_pV9W3V4i8XZHwTmLOL49MWKBejO/s1600/will+allen+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV_j0sqyFFGxKBdBx-31S5iAeaQPE4_cS-pUO2BKuo6bedv6kpktmgaBHjW1cMAoLiGyilIQPulnrugkZj8ZexQc8sBBNwVkWBDeBck9rF6dKGBA7u_pV9W3V4i8XZHwTmLOL49MWKBejO/s400/will+allen+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is Will Allen, co owner of Cedar Circle organic farm in Thetford, author of "The War on Bugs", GMO labeling advocate, and host of many Strawberry festivals that I've brought both the bike blenders and solar electric cargo bikes to, (as well as Solar Hartland solar displays).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHFfiuyrjTwCzQPHQpxVP49ZUZm6PC7wxi1F_hI5w-IjT3K6qzXhUzUGpeVShjoxt1Re-iLD58NKWOov2hgP09YJ4pXU-kk8klqKs_dLvNNmMaSVBlunFxu0wdP0XXElSXM602YSqbUfTe/s1600/Tom+Kennedy+smiling+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHFfiuyrjTwCzQPHQpxVP49ZUZm6PC7wxi1F_hI5w-IjT3K6qzXhUzUGpeVShjoxt1Re-iLD58NKWOov2hgP09YJ4pXU-kk8klqKs_dLvNNmMaSVBlunFxu0wdP0XXElSXM602YSqbUfTe/s400/Tom+Kennedy+smiling+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Tom Kennedy of the Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission, helping the Springfield High School Students fund raise at a smoothie booth at a Springfield region Energy Expo.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnna5VqVHXpNzK_w3JKRcuSyurWajd5QwTAoriqkRs3lvHUUA53YPO3IImcKnTw8S9n0lUMOaQxl6knzsAtA1BNgIw_RYZYnjeF28JHNlupAH0yaBDU1Dn9cRSu3x5fiePjSGMH_IYP41/s1600/crowd+and+susw+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnna5VqVHXpNzK_w3JKRcuSyurWajd5QwTAoriqkRs3lvHUUA53YPO3IImcKnTw8S9n0lUMOaQxl6knzsAtA1BNgIw_RYZYnjeF28JHNlupAH0yaBDU1Dn9cRSu3x5fiePjSGMH_IYP41/s400/crowd+and+susw+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Change The World Kids is a Woodstock High School group where kids explore our natural world and what it means to us. They've borrowed the bikes for several events, such as this Energy Fair on the town green back in 2010. The Middlebury college student group 350.org was just picking up momentum with the guidance of Bill McKibben at the time, and they helped with this fair. The blender bike was used as part of an energy awareness display.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_tI0sJ6mwh1w6z-E3pAPrDpfs1zuTlJ-Etk-ZGFIz-5f2dmPnu518QWBp9bX8eGTssay086U2Mcjfp8PN30DHXxhe_QCSWm8gYIfMRgpinmd_0kscAx5_JyrItmZlQs4t9IrmZKSDAoz/s1600/uvfc+adv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_tI0sJ6mwh1w6z-E3pAPrDpfs1zuTlJ-Etk-ZGFIz-5f2dmPnu518QWBp9bX8eGTssay086U2Mcjfp8PN30DHXxhe_QCSWm8gYIfMRgpinmd_0kscAx5_JyrItmZlQs4t9IrmZKSDAoz/s400/uvfc+adv.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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My local food coop held a summer celebration at one of the community gardens, and we made smoothies for a treat. They ended up using a photo of the bike for their listing in the national coop directory.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxD1lNoaYfw4A_s0-XCxeT7QqMTO8VvzmVACeesSOY7zVIGxdtVbIf6_D_e_bNqz8X5RkYVpuCRsY9WuB5kR9oHaelN5El5NX2AiUJ6BWavsrImH0k3-LjzpQL5gXvIvvc62DKhDDM1KT2/s1600/Judy+and+Bob+make+smoothies+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxD1lNoaYfw4A_s0-XCxeT7QqMTO8VvzmVACeesSOY7zVIGxdtVbIf6_D_e_bNqz8X5RkYVpuCRsY9WuB5kR9oHaelN5El5NX2AiUJ6BWavsrImH0k3-LjzpQL5gXvIvvc62DKhDDM1KT2/s400/Judy+and+Bob+make+smoothies+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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My Elementary School Principal Judy Callens and Town Manager Bob Stacey make smoothies at the school during National Healthy Eating Week. The kids were very enthusiastic- teachers had to designate students (i.e. ration biking time) from each class for pedaling. They made a different color smoothie each day of the week, this day was blueberries. The bikes have also been at our annual <a href="http://www.trektotaste.info/" target="_blank">Trek to Taste</a> regional celebration five times, which is about local food and has displays from the kids about their school gardens.</div>
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There are several dozen more blender events, but back to the solar electric cargo bikes. The bike blenders are fun, but at this point I've made enough smoothies to float from here to Montpelier. If you'd like to know more I wrote a webpage about the blenders (along with a solar panel powered blender) back in 2010, with instructions for making one:</div>
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<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/transitiontownhartland/the-bicycle-blender-page" target="_blank">https://sites.google.com/site/transitiontownhartland/the-bicycle-blender-page</a></div>
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I also decided around 2010 to use my car less, and you can't travel very well on a blender bike. Since I've been building projects all my life (including a lot of car and motorcycle experience), I started building bikes to use as a car replacement. I've already written about several of the cargo bike events- here are a few more (that have kept me from keeping my blog up to date). :-) </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-sUn6v9fZeXvSfKRS48i7VQSZng-nyNNrEjWQuJgwlXDX3Xe7W4YRX7BD_DRQ9rssfFln-HRKHMj4oEPdGx0iRFnDlBE0chfrumOvEe1aSVIEIvh1b2IemuMbgq-d9z1hRk6VKQTr3TS/s1600/North+american+camel+meets+solar+electric+cargo+bike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-sUn6v9fZeXvSfKRS48i7VQSZng-nyNNrEjWQuJgwlXDX3Xe7W4YRX7BD_DRQ9rssfFln-HRKHMj4oEPdGx0iRFnDlBE0chfrumOvEe1aSVIEIvh1b2IemuMbgq-d9z1hRk6VKQTr3TS/s400/North+american+camel+meets+solar+electric+cargo+bike.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The North American camel meets solar electric cargo bike.</div>
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Although not directly political, (artists do have their share of political drama though), this photo from the mists of time is special enough to repost here. I had curated 4 environment and climate art shows at my town library, and as a result was participating with the bikes in <a href="http://www%2Csculpturefest.org/" target="_blank">Sculpturefest 2013</a> over in Woodstock. This Aepycamelus (tall camel) was widespread in North America about 20 million years ago, and became extinct about a million years ago because of the last ice age. This sculpture is made entirely of brush and flowers collected from the fields, and the artist did such a good job that the sculpture looked real.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTt-Jjn9u_uOxhqjN1PBa6MuQiGHVLM-93b9sAjApU1SuQ1tCxkwtN7vWUQSJlIzvK6SVrBMq9J-dImsIdoA3y7CMduTyVRltop1NHWOzDfRw_FYc1Vauc6ukQdJ6DEzz8itczLn2rvS4P/s1600/Cargo+bike+and+battery-+talking+with+Michael+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTt-Jjn9u_uOxhqjN1PBa6MuQiGHVLM-93b9sAjApU1SuQ1tCxkwtN7vWUQSJlIzvK6SVrBMq9J-dImsIdoA3y7CMduTyVRltop1NHWOzDfRw_FYc1Vauc6ukQdJ6DEzz8itczLn2rvS4P/s400/Cargo+bike+and+battery-+talking+with+Michael+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I gave a talk about the bakfiets in 2013 at my Two Rivers Regional Planning Commission, to the Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) representatives from area towns. It was great fun, and I also met Gina Campoli of VTrans for the first time, when she gave her presentation about Vermont Electric Vehicle programs. I'm now working on EV issues for the Vermont Sierra Club and appreciate the work that she and others in state agencies have done to build EV numbers in the state. Afterwards we took the bakfiets outside for test rides (aka playing with bikes).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-TGodY4VdyHrY-v-WHrNQucO1dhJZrcvFSy9HWFE4DuThtacS6iRk-Ax28qi6EqOj5jgcuhpjxgS8zVr2sYPuwLMls4nWFH5byxbH0C6Z1AqGfSbvRkLIdK675vVqltyFv1FypdahlzCH/s1600/Albert+Echt+and+Deb+Sachs+VTWBS+29mar14+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-TGodY4VdyHrY-v-WHrNQucO1dhJZrcvFSy9HWFE4DuThtacS6iRk-Ax28qi6EqOj5jgcuhpjxgS8zVr2sYPuwLMls4nWFH5byxbH0C6Z1AqGfSbvRkLIdK675vVqltyFv1FypdahlzCH/s400/Albert+Echt+and+Deb+Sachs+VTWBS+29mar14+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Getting back closer to political biking advocacy, Bike Aficionado Albert Echt and Go!Vermont program consultant Deb Sachs talk bikes at the 2014 Vermont Walk and Bike Summit in Burlington. This was the beginning of the solar bike discussion at the state level.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQlpQ1bgNsgA9zrhvtDSHppcsEd-2lM2K9E2K-K1Bo6lbTsIzezUyYCApeACnDFBNhQyn8t1pLw0qppIu58SiCiQIbA6Yvh8SYrdyRx6oOpyzDqchU10O5zTj4GBiDeYiqXXa20aexO4XK/s1600/longtail+in+lobby+of+AOT+at+Nat+Life+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQlpQ1bgNsgA9zrhvtDSHppcsEd-2lM2K9E2K-K1Bo6lbTsIzezUyYCApeACnDFBNhQyn8t1pLw0qppIu58SiCiQIbA6Yvh8SYrdyRx6oOpyzDqchU10O5zTj4GBiDeYiqXXa20aexO4XK/s400/longtail+in+lobby+of+AOT+at+Nat+Life+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Go!Vermont program Director Ross McDonald arranged for the longtail to be in a pilot study last summer at the Vermont Department of Transportation. It was part of their bike pool, and this is a picture of it in the lobby with a sign out sheet. During last fall's Vermont legislative session a bill was passed that defined electric bikes as having the same legal standing as regular bikes, and our legislature decided to allow 1000 watts of power (a bit above the federal consumer products safety limit of 750 watts), which was a good step for making both cargo and everyday working bikes more feasible in our terrain.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7mo4s1tzzilwKUpeYf0EAWGoKyK9lSUbk4HpwxgVHLZodBhX8Ul80NAhzm2jvYOQMZpK7WM-AqjiEe5AO4tpI218mhGU13ZEX-qnFT9WhIbXdohdcpnlPFWuZfIGUugaPTeAbzZy-QhTR/s1600/PassingUpthePumps+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7mo4s1tzzilwKUpeYf0EAWGoKyK9lSUbk4HpwxgVHLZodBhX8Ul80NAhzm2jvYOQMZpK7WM-AqjiEe5AO4tpI218mhGU13ZEX-qnFT9WhIbXdohdcpnlPFWuZfIGUugaPTeAbzZy-QhTR/s400/PassingUpthePumps+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The longtail also took part in last year's 4th of July parade in Montpelier, ridden by Robert Atchinson, one of the railroad administrators from VTrans. He put a poster board explaining the bike on the back, and enjoyed passing by the gas pumps.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaG716o15Hr9zeOZJ6y2yAevr0oJ2OehSry5QBBcobL4HuwcKWCyvN0nnxGFMeEd4FMXnXxL7JH6WXfmCK3ZqJWUNimoej6yfNVrdtdWo0qXhGkou8ZNyCBQhx8jeHkkhn7zgns_Yup5HG/s1600/Solar+bakfiets+at+VT+Toxics+Action+2013+email+size.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaG716o15Hr9zeOZJ6y2yAevr0oJ2OehSry5QBBcobL4HuwcKWCyvN0nnxGFMeEd4FMXnXxL7JH6WXfmCK3ZqJWUNimoej6yfNVrdtdWo0qXhGkou8ZNyCBQhx8jeHkkhn7zgns_Yup5HG/s400/Solar+bakfiets+at+VT+Toxics+Action+2013+email+size.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In addition to events like the <a href="http://www.revconference.org/" target="_blank">Renewable Energy Vermont</a> conference and the Burlington Church Street alternative transportation expo which I've already written about, (see <a href="http://mysolarelectriccargobike.blogspot.com/2014/10/october-news-rev-conference.html" target="_blank">http://mysolarelectriccargobike.blogspot.com/2014/10/october-news-rev-conference.html</a>),</div>
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I've also brought bikes to the <a href="http://www.toxicsaction.org/" target="_blank">Vermont Toxics Action Center</a> conference at Vermont Technical College, (you can just see one in the back corner of the photo above). Toxics Action is a New England coalition that works to clean up polluted areas.</div>
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The bikes also been at the <a href="http://www.vecan.net/" target="_blank">Vermont Energy and Climate Action Network</a> conference a couple of times, the <a href="http://www.stabvt.org/" target="_blank">Sports Trails of the Ascutney Basin</a> (STAB, hosts of the <a href="https://vermont50.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Vermont 50 mile race</a> to benefit the <a href="http://www.vermontadaptive.org/" target="_blank">Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports Association</a>), and the <a href="http://www.bfbike.org/" target="_blank">Bellow Falls Community Bike Project </a>for several events:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJAmfkDVBh6qOiFwowOaeYmoPUF5MrbJDPI9_jzZUu2PrDaEz8HpJGmwBc0rP8vkgR4ilx4FFAjDl_jM9hMRAKbYib9hqEjf40uajiAxXeDl66eQYl8Aab-racjLtBIkrApwq7q1bp2uic/s1600/BFCP+1+year+anniversary+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJAmfkDVBh6qOiFwowOaeYmoPUF5MrbJDPI9_jzZUu2PrDaEz8HpJGmwBc0rP8vkgR4ilx4FFAjDl_jM9hMRAKbYib9hqEjf40uajiAxXeDl66eQYl8Aab-racjLtBIkrApwq7q1bp2uic/s400/BFCP+1+year+anniversary+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Bellows Falls Community Bike Project 1 year anniversary celebration!</div>
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Lately I've also enjoyed teaching about the bikes, such as at this SkillShare event last June. Although this class was about the basics of converting a bike to an eBike, I had brought along a demonstration hub motor that I'd converted to mid mount use (it's now an in runner with the shaft spinning instead of the outside case) to take apart, and everyone was eager to see what was inside. I don't think the people attending will be getting that involved in their projects, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a few regular eBikes built- there were several members from a nearby Quaker community attending that have been self sufficient and energy efficient for decades that wanted to be able to use their bikes more.</div>
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I've also been attending the Vermont Transportation Efficiency Network (VTEN) meetings, which are all about everything except the Single Occupancy Vehicle (SOV). One of the members is Stagecoach transit in Randolph, and I brought the longtail to their 40th anniversary celebration. Laura Perez organized the event, and although it was about buses, there were some serious bikers there too that kept me busy explaining the longtail. In this photo I'm doing double duty- the Tee shirt I'm wearing is for Sierra Club's national <a href="http://www.sierraclub.org/ready-for-100" target="_blank">"Ready for 100"</a> campaign, which is about becoming 100% renewable energy powered by 2050.</div>
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Another Sierra Club event was the 100th anniversary of our National Park System celebration at the Marsh Billings Rockefeller National Park. Similar to some of the parks out west, they have a no bikes policy on the trails, but about half the staff were very interested in the longtail. Tour guide Bonna Wieler (at the table) of Boots to Boats (a hiking and canoeing program) took a test ride, and we ended up talking about the price of eBikes versus cars, (in other words what would it take for her to get an eBike?)</div>
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I helped with an Electric Vehicle Forum and Demonstration in New London, NH last month. They think it was the largest EV event in New England so far, but I think <a href="http://mysolarelectriccargobike.blogspot.com/2014/05/upper-valley-electric-vehicle-forum-and.html" target="_blank">my event at the Montshire museum</a> was bigger (both were around 250 people). I may have overstepped a little, holding my sign saying "I'm ready for electric cars in NH!" since I'm a Vermont resident. Oh well, New Hampshire is a bit behind the curve and needs a push.</div>
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Last April several state organizations organized a Youth Climate Day at the Vermont capitol building, and close to 500 high school students stood on the capitol building steps and called for climate action. I brought the bakfiets along with some carbon emissions information that I've been using for Sierra Club and EV work. This is my legislative representative John Bartholomew, who I hope gets re-elected because I've been training him for months to introduce an incentive bill for working bikes to the legislature during the next session.</div>
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By coincidence it turns out that Sierra Club has built a very strong national Electric Vehicle program because of the damage that transportation emissions are doing to our environment. (SC is one of three main sponsors of National Drive Electric Week.) I have fallen into the role of the EV person for our Vermont Chapter because of my bikes and car knowledge. It's been great fun. I've gotten to be part of the state VW Diesel Emissions Settlement comments, as well as part of a federal National Labs study on EV programs, and also sign a state letter to the California Air Resources Board (CARB), (because California's vehicle standards affect our Vermont vehicles through the <a href="https://www.zevstates.us/" target="_blank">Zero Emissions Vehicles Memorandum of Understanding (ZEV MOU)</a> that we are part of). I've also learned about the <a href="http://www.georgetownclimate.org/transportation/transportation-and-climate-initiative.html" target="_blank">Transportation and Climate Initiative</a> in 12 states, which is working along with <a href="http://www.nescaum.org/topics/zero-emission-vehicles" target="_blank">NESCAUM</a> to implement a Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) for transportation. In all honesty though, I have to say that an EV is still a car, (and a self driving car is still a car), and we will continue to have congestion and resource problems with them. The native mode of transportation for humans is walking, and we have built a system where 4800 pedestrians die each year in the US. In urban areas our interstate highway system is obsolete. We need a new vision of transportation.</div>
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In the meantime EVs can be extremely impressive cars, and I'm happy to support them during a transition to better transportation. A summer ago Drive Electric Vermont worked on the "Drive the Dream" campaign, which promoted Work Place Charging (WPC). This has been shown to be an important step in building EV infrastructure, and there were 22 large businesses that agreed to put in vehicle charging stations for employees. They held a conference at the end of the program at the Vermont Teddy Bear company, and I got to bring my bike. In this picture Vermont Teddy Bear CEO Bill Shouldice and Governor Peter Shumlin are talking to the press about the program. Democratic Governor Shumlin has been strongly supportive of EVs, but it was actually his predecessor Republican Jim Douglas that initiated our state EV work.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGcIuyo13-qv6YmB3Oa7nmKCH4ylFFjJ74j1qLfiTY0pwhWCyhku_fSGrcIxVeIV1N7NXokwdcBq8yq2a4UyetPxQ-PgRZOhhPI616XVj_ye1jCnoIwYMeWOQOIAGJiu05acsCcPTct6k/s1600/Karl+standing+NatEVweek+DrivetheDream+15+9+16+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGcIuyo13-qv6YmB3Oa7nmKCH4ylFFjJ74j1qLfiTY0pwhWCyhku_fSGrcIxVeIV1N7NXokwdcBq8yq2a4UyetPxQ-PgRZOhhPI616XVj_ye1jCnoIwYMeWOQOIAGJiu05acsCcPTct6k/s400/Karl+standing+NatEVweek+DrivetheDream+15+9+16+email.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And what does all of this mean to the person in the street?</div>
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Sometimes you have to wear a suit while Driving the Dream.</div>
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Yesterday I took the frame for the third bike over to Sculpturefest. It is now ready for paint, but the bright shiny metal at this moment looks like one of the sculptures in the show. There were about 50 elementary school kids visiting, and I got to talk with them about making bikes, bending and welding tubing, cargo boxes, electric motors, and solar. Two of them even asked for my autograph! (I signed, but told them it wasn't worth anything.) It was a blast, and they asked some very good questions- several of the second graders were expert bike riders already, and figured out the electric drive right away. It's time to put in some more bike lanes.</div>
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Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-73341540000163945212016-01-07T11:15:00.001-05:002016-01-17T17:00:44.335-05:00Hannah's Vendor BikeOne of the projects of last summer was helping to finish Hannah's vendor bike. She had spent time in India and fell in love with the street vendor carts, and wanted to build one of her own. When I first saw her bike at the Strolling of the Heifers parade in June 2014, a lot of the hard work had already been done:<br />
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Hannah had worked with Frank the Welder (Frank Wadelton, an MTB builder in Bellows Falls <a href="http://www.frankthewelder.com/" target="_blank">www.frankthewelder.com</a>) to design and build a frame that could hold two large vendor boxes (one for hot food prep and one for cold storage) on the back. Then she had started building one of the vendor boxes with metal sculptor Mark Goodenough (<a href="http://www.markgoodenough.com/" target="_blank">www.markgoodenough.com</a>). But the design had gotten stuck and when I talked with her several months later the bike still needed more work done. I offered to help finish the bike, and she dropped the pieces off at my barn.</div>
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The first thing that I did was to prop the box up on the frame and stare at it for a month, while we talked about what needed to fit on and in the box, and how it would be connected. Once we had an idea of what was necessary, we started finishing up the boxes.</div>
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Photo credit: Mark Goodenough</div>
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The first box needed to be double walled, as it was for cold storage and needed a layer of insulation. Mark had built the box using thin wall aluminum square tubing to reinforce the corners, and then he stuffed rigid insulation in the sides before putting on the outside sheet metal skin. The second box was for cooking, and needed only single wall construction, so we decided to bend it out of one large piece of sheet metal. I was only too happy to do this, as all my life I've been bending sheet metal with either hand tongs or clamped onto a couple pieces of angle iron, and this gave me a perfect excuse to finally go buy a small 36" sheet metal brake. It turned out that Hannah loved working on the brake too, often taking a piece of sheetmetal to it and returning later with a door or other piece bent very nicely.</div>
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The hot box carcase is single wall prepainted aluminum, with a face glued and riveted onto a sides, bottom, and back assembly that was bent from one piece of sheetmetal to minimize the number of joints. There are two burners that fit into the top compartment, and a small propane cylinder in the bottom.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1LTS0SZWWCdJ__JtsMm1NcK7zUf34cQWyAxv1dnDS-8aXfY9UxQV6XT9Zix0HDuspDZ-rI6fj6Ofvei56luZvLFVre6n-LY2RbRsfYS_60T-N4jWepWBWH-iz5-B38JjuXGVouwl7Gz14/s1600/4+box+support+using+sockets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1LTS0SZWWCdJ__JtsMm1NcK7zUf34cQWyAxv1dnDS-8aXfY9UxQV6XT9Zix0HDuspDZ-rI6fj6Ofvei56luZvLFVre6n-LY2RbRsfYS_60T-N4jWepWBWH-iz5-B38JjuXGVouwl7Gz14/s400/4+box+support+using+sockets.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Hannah had designed the bike frame to be modular, so that she could easily put different size and shape boxes on it depending on vending needs. We figured out a simple hoop adapter that would connect the sockets on the bike frame to aluminum angle ell attached to the back of the boxes. The center part of the hoop was also covered with wood to form a small counter for holding condiments between the boxes. </div>
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To hold the hoop up, a tube had to run from the frame sockets which are for 1 1/8" tubing to the hoop which is 3/4" tubing. Instead of squishing the end of a larger piece of tubing down to the diameter of the hoop, I used the tapered ends from a front fork. First I bent an old fork straight.</div>
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Next cut it to a length that fit well inside the sockets.</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">And then because the fork OD and the socket ID were both 1 1/8", I slit the fork, bent it smaller, and then welded it closed to gain some clearance for sliding the tube in the socket:</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">With the boxes assembled and hoop pieces made, we tied the boxes on the bike with a piece of wire for centering and adjusting the fit, and then tack welded the hoop in place;</span></div>
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Finishing up the welds on the hoop. Photo credit: Hannah Regier</div>
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I've been using a MIG welder on the bikes, but since we already had the gas torch out for bending the curves on the end of the hoop, I used the torch.</div>
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Photo credit: Hannah Regier</div>
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Once the boxes were firmly attached to the bike, we each took first rides to check on the balance and ease of riding the bike. It rode surprisingly well, although we knew it might be harder to ride when the boxes were full of food. (It would be possible to fit a bottom bracket electric motor like a BBS02 if necessary.) With the frame work done, we took the bike apart down to the bare frame and sent it out to be powder coated.</div>
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A lovely pumpkin orange.</div>
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Here is a closeup of the box attachment, with feet that locate the bottom edges on the support rails, and upper aluminum ells on the boxes that slide under the hoop and are held in place with pins. You can also see the new kickstand. We decided that the original version was too hard to use, because it required walking around to the back while balancing the bike. After removing it I added a U channel to the frame that would fit a standard bike stand, so that we could easily add and modify a ready made stand. This stand's feet are only 8" wide, and after testing the bike assembled, we found that with only one box mounted on the bike (i.e. unbalanced while loading) a width of 14" was necessary to hold the bike up, and it would be even wider with an unbalanced load of food. The kickstand does give the bike a nice dual exhaust pipe look though.</div>
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We used a second brake lever (the black one) with a cable running back to the kickstand to pull it down when parking. In addition to Hannah's choice of Pumpkin orange paint, you'll note her corn style handgrips.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5v63qsBn7vjEQKT-CUod7m9Tef3QwYw_whfgP6K6JZVeXlC8cx9vfN8J2dDoamaaUWqElhoB-i_CQ3SeKb6jfMQTG7VOlM0JSlNIh_luYtzabCgV4yo1YuafYwlUJKCGN7O0B48LgC5o4/s1600/18+hvb+kickstand+underneath+view+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5v63qsBn7vjEQKT-CUod7m9Tef3QwYw_whfgP6K6JZVeXlC8cx9vfN8J2dDoamaaUWqElhoB-i_CQ3SeKb6jfMQTG7VOlM0JSlNIh_luYtzabCgV4yo1YuafYwlUJKCGN7O0B48LgC5o4/s320/18+hvb+kickstand+underneath+view+email.jpg" width="233" /></a></div>
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Sorry for the shaded parts of this photo, you can just see the cable from the brake lever coming in at the upper left and ending in a brake adjuster nut fit into a black nylon frame tube clamp. Then the center wire runs back to a loop I welded onto the kickstand. It took a lot of fussing to get the length of the pull to match the hand lever travel, but with care spent adjusting the angle of pull, the force to pull the stand down turned out easier than expected. Besides the stand being too narrow, I also don't like this one because the riveted pivots needed to be aligned to work smoothly, and it snapped shut and gave me a wicked blood blister. We'll use a different stand next time.</div>
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Left side view of the almost completed bike, while testing for fit and last minute changes.</div>
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Right side view (click on all the pictures to enlarge)</div>
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The lid on the cold box opens to form the serving counter.</div>
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At the beginning of October 2015 the Bellows Falls Community Bike Project (<a href="http://bfbike.org/" target="_blank">bfbike.org</a>) held a fund raiser with cookies and cakes. The Welcome Center on Interstate 91 has a small pavilion that non profit groups are allowed to use, and Hannah brought her bike to help catch the attention of travelers as they walked by into the Center. In the future she is thinking of using the bike at local farmers markets or other similar events, and learning how well it works and what might be improved. It might turn out to be nice to have a motor, and we already know the kickstand could be wider. (Hannah is thinking that drop down legs at the corners of the boxes might be the best solution for a stand because they would work on uneven ground, but a season of use will give her a better evaluation.) This was a fun project, thanks Hannah!</div>
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Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-63430258684927445582015-06-15T21:49:00.001-04:002015-06-15T21:49:07.909-04:00eCargo Bikes 101Three months ago I put together a general introduction to my bikes for <a href="http://www.driveelectricvt.com/" target="_blank">Drive Electric Vermont</a>, the state agency responsible for implementing electric vehicle infrastructure and getting EV info out to people. It was an overall view, with just a small amount of tech details to help people put the ideas into context. Last month I repeated it for the Norman Williams public library in Woodstock, so I've decided to post a written version here for people to refer to. These slides have a lot of info (you can click on them to expand them for reading), but I've added captions to help explain them.<br />
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Around 2010 I decided that I seriously wanted to use my car less, and in my rural area a bike seemed like the best alternative. However I needed to cover distance while carrying loads, there are many hills, and I am only in average physical shape. I built the first two solar electric cargo bikes shown above, and it became a large experiment that I shared with people around me as I participated in my town energy committee and Sierra Club activities. Building is relatively easy for me as I've been doing it all my life- I grew up on an apple orchard and when I was nine I put a lawn mower engine on my sister's bike using scrap equipment parts. Fortunately electric drives have become very good since then.<br />
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The first two bikes have worked quite well, and since the presentation 3 months ago have traveled several hundred miles and a few dozen test rides more than shown in the slide above. I'm now building a third bike with a mid cargo box and mid motor, which should arrange the motor and battery layout nicely. It will also be able to shift down for hill climbing, and it will have a lower seating position. A fourth bike is being planned with more bodywork for both weather protection and fitting more solar power.<br />
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This slide shows some examples of electric cargo bikes in use. My Longtail is shown in the upper left with a 92 pound load, that I rode 11 miles to home using 4 cents worth of electricity. I've also often ridden 45 to 50 miles (round trip) in street clothes to meetings on it without sweating. In the upper center, the German utility company E.ON has a fleet of 6 eBikes for use, and they came out with a couple of Bakfiets with solar panels on the top a month or two after mine, so I like to joke that they copied me. Upper right- I loaned the Bakfiets to the Bellows Falls Community Bike Project for a couple weeks last summer, and Bonnie took a day trip picking blueberries and visiting local farms, she simply put a large foam cooler inside the cargo box for keeping the food cool. The lower left shows a mailman for the German postal service- they have several versions of eBikes. UPS, Fedex, and DHL also all have cargo trikes for delivery in urban European locations, which are often faster than a delivery van driving through traffic. In the lower middle is a family with kid's stuff in the pannier bags, and lower right is a vending bike for a craft beer company.</div>
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The rider on the E.ON Bakfiets is probably in good condition, but for all the rest of the riders the electric assist makes the difference between using a bike to carry heavy loads or not.</div>
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The table across the top of this slide shows the basic types of motors. From left to right- my Longtail has a direct drive hub motor (the motor case is the wheel hub), which is best suited for faster speeds and can regenerate electricity for recharging the battery when braking. My Bakfiets has a geared hub, (with a smaller motor inside the hub that spins fast and uses gears to slow down the speed to connect to the wheel), which is slightly better (10% - 20%) for hill climbing than the direct drive hub, but can not do regeneration because of the slip clutch necessary for the gears. All in one or add on wheels like the Flykly and Copenhagen wheel are geared hubs, and in general are weaker versions because the motor and batteries are all packed in the hub so they have to be smaller. Their motor strength and heat dissipation will most likely be a problem on hills in my area, the all in one hubs are better suited for commuter runs in flatter terrain. The last type of motor is connected to the chain, not the wheel, and this allows down shifting the bike for climbing hills, as well as getting by with a smaller motor (many European countries have a 250W motor limit). It also allows fitting outrageously big motors for racing, but these usually have to be connected to the rear wheel with a separate left side chain, because the standard bicycle chain and derailleurs can handle only 500W to 1000W before they start to wear out quickly.</div>
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Having said that direct drive hubs are better for speed and geared hubs are better for hill climbing, I'll contradict that by saying I've ridden my longtail with direct drive up Mt Washington- but it wasn't easy! (left lower picture). A direct drive was also the fastest bike up Pikes Peak a year ago In this instance they dumped a lot of energy through the motor, and since the motor case is the hub it could dissipate the heat and not burn up, which is more of a problem with a geared hub motor that is sealed inside the hub.</div>
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The solar panel output on the bikes varies widely depending on weather, trees along the route, how long I park in sunny parking lots while stopped, etc, but it has generally been running from 25% to 40% of the energy needed during a trip. In contrast I've been getting 1% to 6% back from regen. I also sometimes leave the bike out in the driveway for the rest of the day when I get home, and find the battery is often fully charged when I bring it in.</div>
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The lower right photo is around the fourth version of Luke "Live for Physics" "Death Bike", which can run through a standing start quarter mile in 11.5 seconds at 110.6 mph. Speed is not a problem for an eBike, but there is a trade off between speed and range. Luke's bike is fast, but probably cannot travel more than a mile or two at speed. This is a mid motor setup, and has the separate chain for connecting the motor to the rear wheel. A mid motor can allow special gearing, unusual motor sizes (Luke is probably feeding 100 kW through this motor for a few seconds), and better cooling than a hub. The name "Death Bike" is from the earlier versions, which had a tendency to launch unwary riders air born. The rider in the photo is actually Stephane Melancon, who rode his electric motorcycle from Montreal to Mt Washington, where I had the chance to talk with him a bit.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpzKPgpZjVMrpZXxJAT2zX5qO2rUPuqXhIBHpeebQf6EmBerNflrNsXdgxoHIikr1rT5FtmmFJLfScaniPJ__CAgZc7iOzyZixkBjyEqaVH9ro1O7r3goZKZyf65tI342te7dRPaVE4qqb/s1600/4+Throttles+and+batteries.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpzKPgpZjVMrpZXxJAT2zX5qO2rUPuqXhIBHpeebQf6EmBerNflrNsXdgxoHIikr1rT5FtmmFJLfScaniPJ__CAgZc7iOzyZixkBjyEqaVH9ro1O7r3goZKZyf65tI342te7dRPaVE4qqb/s400/4+Throttles+and+batteries.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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On the left in this slide are the two types of controls used on eBikes. Some bikes use a hand control such as a thumb switch or grip that twists to turn on the motor, others are connected to pedal switches, known as Pedelec systems. The Pedelec comes in two varieties- a sensor that looks for rotation of the pedals (cadence or motion sensor), or a sensor that monitors the pressure on the pedals. I slightly prefer the hand control because it makes starting with a load much easier to balance, but the Pedelec is legally required by most European countries. The pedelec pressure system is almost as good as a hand control, but the rotation sensor method often takes one half to two pedal rotations before it will turn on.</div>
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On the right of this slide- often times dealers will list a battery as "7 Amp hours", but Ah isn't the whole story for battery capacity. You are looking for Watt hours when comparing systems, which is Amp hours times the battery Voltage. For current eBikes a small battery is around 7 Ah x 36 V = 252 Wh, or about 1/4 of a kiloWatt hour (the same unit as on your home electric bill). A large battery might be 20 Ah x 48 V = 960 Wh, or about one kWh. Batteries are made of many smaller cells, with the round 18650 cell (18 mm diameter by 65 mm long) being more common because they are made by the billions for laptops and power tools, and are less expensive ($290 per kWh average price in 2014). I'm using the flat pouch prismatic (rectangular form) cells in my bikes because they pack better, I'm not concerned about cooling because the battery is oversized (to allow me long distance riding), and the safer LiFePO4 chemistry that I like is common in pouch cells. However each time I've ordered a battery (from China), it's been about $475 per kWh, and it disappears into China post for about 15 weeks and then shows up looking like the box was rolled and crushed, The batteries have worked fine, but if Tesla makes their cells from the new Nevada factory available to builders like me, I'd gladly switch to paying $185 per kWh less and a 2 week delivery.</div>
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Our culture is built around the car, and our highway budgets are mostly car dollars. Besides the general public test rides and talks I've been giving, I think it's important to reach out to planners and government people also. Dave Cohen in Brattleboro has been trying to build a fleet of Cargo eBikes that can be loaned out to energy committees and bike shops around the state, (see <a href="http://www.vbikesolutions.org/" target="_blank">www.vbikesolutions.org</a>), but establishing the need for them, planning for biking systems, and funding are the usual problems. To prepare for this my Longtail is currently (June 2015) up in Montpelier in a 30 day pilot study for the VT AOT program Go!Vermont. This slide is a screenshot of data from a test ride I took through the capitol on February 4 for the study, (during very bad weather with 3" of snow on the road- the bike was a slush ball at the end). My bikes have Cycle Analyst data recorders that measure electrical use and GPS location so that it can be analyzed. You can see the trip was 4.27 miles and took 16 minutes and 45 seconds, or basically just like a car. It had an unusually high energy consumption of 20.8 Watt hours (Wh) per mile, (which I think was primarily due to the snow and slush, and second to the temperature of 14 F), which gives a total of 89 Wh (or 1.5 cents) of electricity for the trip. (Using a plug in charger that is 85% efficient instead of the built in solar panel, the electricity needed is about 110 Wh, or 1.8 cents.) I've positioned the cursor at one of the peak speeds on the graph for reading the other selected measurements at that moment. You can see that my average speed was 15.29 mph, and peak was 27.5 mph.</div>
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I've found 99% of Vermont drivers to be considerate of me on the road, with some of them going way out of their way to give me space on the road. (I think this is because after a few winters here, you learn that if you think of the road as a race track you can get in big trouble.) However the way our roads were built was meant for cars, and it is hard to create new traffic flow habits. In all the major cities in Vermont I've found it easier to ride in the car lane at the 25 mph speed limit, then to try to ride slower next to parked cars and causing a traffic block. Burlington is a special case because they have installed some bike lanes, and using them (even going uphill) I found biking to be faster than the cars. Despite these results, the general reaction by a car driver to my bike is to try to pass. (One example that stands out was a pathetic small sedan in Brattleboro going uphill, the driver was flogging the car for all it was worth.) Rutland also tried to install bike lanes along Route 4 going east, but the merchant push back grew into a nasty political battle and they had to be removed, despite several studies that have shown increased business volume resulting from bike lanes.</div>
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In the lower left in this slide I snuck in my off topic wish list of projects for general biking safety in Vermont, in order of priority:</div>
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-Training- riders and drivers need to know their space on the road and how to act, as it is a public commons.</div>
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-We really need to spend more dollars on bike (and pedestrian) infrastructure and less on cars, such as wider road shoulders in rural areas, and Intermodal transportation systems that can carry bikes easily.</div>
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-Appropriate speed, since just like cars, bikes can travel too fast and get in trouble.</div>
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-Critical mass is when enough bikes are on the road that they are common and drivers expect them.</div>
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-Riders should stay aware, since riding a bike is so much fun that it is easy to get blissed out.</div>
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-Other programs- two of the main supporters of the Complete Streets legislation during it's passage into VT law a few years ago were AARP and parts of the VT Department of Health, but not so much transportation people. There are known health benefits to biking and walking- it has been shown that the benefit of biking to a person's health is about 20 times greater than the risk. These benefits should be promoted, as well as programs that enable people to bike or walk.</div>
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-Vision Zero is a program that started in Sweden, and has been taken up by NYC and California. It is about using the design of roads to prevent accidents, with the goal that no one should get hurt just from traveling from point A to point B.</div>
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Since eBikes can be built to travel at motorcycle speeds, it's necessary to artificially set the maximum speed. Some of the guidelines I'm using to build my bikes are shown in this slide. For context I would like to point out that in real life it is difficult to enforce these rules, not just because many bikes lack speedometers, but also because regular bikes are capable of 25 to 30 mph with only human power (the human powered bike record is 83 mph), and I've reached 46 mph coasting downhill (with no motor power) on both of my bikes.</div>
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The most universal rule is the Federal limit of 20 mph under test conditions, but it is a Consumer Product Safety Act, and applies only to the first sale, i.e. from a manufacturer to first purchaser. The state laws are a little more explicit, with a maximum speed around 20 to 30 mph, but some details such as motor only, or motor and pedaling together, are often missing. Sometimes the vehicle classification is vague too, for example the NYC bike messengers did such a bad job of using electric bikes that they got them banned (although vendors and delivery bikes still seem to be using them), and this spilled over to a legal quandary for the rest of the state that needs an act of the legislature to assign a vehicle category to eBikes. Vermont is generous with a 30 mph and 2 HP limit, but it is my guess that this law is from the 1960's when putting a small 2 cycle gas engine on your bike was popular. Some interpretations of VT law use this rule to find that a license is required, others treat eBikes as bikes and it is not. My bikes are set up for the Federal 20 mph under motor power only rule, but they do not turn the motor off when pedaling above that speed (such as California requires). I think this is a good compromise, because I can fairly easily reach 25 mph to make it practical to travel between towns, or flow with downtown traffic. Justin Lemire-Elmore (eBike innovator) has also stated that 40 kph (24.9 mph) is a comfortable cruising speed.</div>
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At the bottom is a typical graph of the physical limits I've also considered, the bike/ped curve is on the left in red. This is of fatality risk versus collision speed, and you can see that up to about 15 mph the human body survives well, (which makes sense because we can run that fast). Between 20 to 25 mph is a threshold where the risk starts to increase sharply, and I've set my design line just above that. This keeps the eBike speeds mostly within normal bike range for infrastructure compatibility, and combined with bike component strength limits, car driver expectations, the practical need to cover distance, and enough power for hill climbing, seems a reasonable limit.</div>
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The League of American Bicyclists commissioned a survey to find out what most people think of eBikes. In some areas, such as residential communities with bike paths, or National Parks with mountain bike single track trails, the speed of an eBike has shown up as a conflict between different users. The first four bikes on this chart look normal and have lower power, and most people felt they were a bike. (As Luke "Live for Physics" has said, "If it looks like a bike and it acts like a bike, then it is a bike.") However starting with the large enclosed trike, and including a 40 mph and 50 mph bike (i.e. motor power only on level road), as well as the eScooter with minimally functioning pedals, most people felt they were not bicycles. These opinions fit well with most bicycle infrastructure goals, however there is an obvious problem with urban delivery bicycles and trikes.</div>
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While there is a fairly vocal faction of bicycle purists that have been calling for eBikes to be banned from paths or MTB trails, this does not represent a larger group of people with physical impairments, for whom eBikes would make the path or trail accessible.</div>
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To sum up the benefits of an electric cargo bike, the main benefits would be better health, connection to the world around you, saving money, and much better for the environment than a car. The graph shown above is from a Drive Electric Vermont presentation by Dave Roberts, and illustrates the amount of energy used by different vehicles, bicycles are the tiny bar at the bottom.</div>
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Using my energy use figures in the center of this slide to figure out range:</div>
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-If you have a small battery, don't pedal, and drive fast, it would be 250 Wh divided by 25 Wh/m, or 10 miles.</div>
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-If you have a large battery and pedal along slowly, it would be 960 Wh divided by 10.5 Wh/m, or 90 miles.</div>
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I know many people can not imagine biking in the winter, so I've added the pictures on the right. At the top is Eric Larsen riding around the Artic, next is a Bakfiets being used to haul ski boards around a ski area for classes, then another Bakfiets pulling the kids along a snow covered street, and at the bottom is Maria Leijerstam on her trike at the South Pole. Vermont has a very strong winter sports culture, and it is only a small step to include biking.</div>
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This last slide is from the Bicycling Without Ages program, which is in many cities around the world. This is from Oslo, Norway, a climate known more for cold than being tropical, but where biking is still common. If you look close at the four trikes that are carrying seniors, you can see battery packs under the rear racks and a motor in the rear wheel. (There are also perhaps 20 other bike riders following them.) Bicycles are very valid solution for many purposes, and the main problem we have with them here in the U.S. car culture is that we have forgotten how to use them. Electric bikes with better bike infrastructure are a serious car substitute.</div>
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Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-68771556312928983982015-01-25T17:55:00.001-05:002015-01-25T21:46:49.885-05:00Bicycle tire hydroplaning test from Mt Ascutney STABThere has been a lot of water under the bridge since my last post, and I'm almost ready to write again. In the meantime here is a short clip from my neighbors in the next town over. The Mt Ascutney ski area has been closed for a year now, but people in town have been developing a good mountain bike singletrack network since 2007. You can find more info about them at:<br />
-<a href="http://ascutneytrails.com/" target="_blank">Ascutney Trails</a>, the webpage for information about the trails<br />
-<a href="https://www.facebook.com/stabvt" target="_blank">Sports Trails of Ascutney Basin (STAB) facebook page</a>, the group that maintains the trails<br />
-<a href="http://vermont50.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Vermont 50 mile mountain bike and ultra run race</a>, a yearly race that benefits the <a href="http://www.vermontadaptive.org/" target="_blank">Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports Foundation</a><br />
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Not all of us are into Solar Electric Cargo Bikes. They posted a video from an Ontario shop doing some fat bike tire hydroplaning testing last month. I should mention that a regular bike on the street can not hydroplane...<br />
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Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-54202763984089392562014-10-23T18:25:00.000-04:002014-12-04T10:55:41.661-05:00Oct/Nov news + REV conferenceThe solar electric cargo bikes have been rolling nonstop. Although I have notes for 21 more blog entries, things have gone a little over the top and I haven't had a couple of days to write a good post. The motor for the third bike has also arrived and I wish to spend time modifying it, so I'm going to try something unusual here and let other people write for me this time.<br />
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(Update added November 24): One more press article- The Longtail was down at the Brattleboro EV event, and Jan Lambert mentioned it in a short article in November issue of The Valley Green Journal. The issue can be read here: <a href="http://www.valleygreenjournal.com/current-issue-and-archives/" target="_blank">http://www.valleygreenjournal.com/current-issue-and-archives/</a><br />
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(Second Update added November 26, and then I'll get back to finishing "Building the Longtail 3/3"); The region where I live is a section of the Connecticut River Valley. Although the Vermont and New Hampshire state border runs through the middle, it still functions as one single population center and ecoshed. An example is our Sierra Club Upper Valley Group, and I've been appointed to be one of the alternates that represent the group during meetings of the SC Vermont Chapter:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2LOyXhNSquR-QgoJavV8r1JQCE5CZSf_m1clo_LUUModN4LbDAlWX7oXNSfdH0Cnigw3k09yhHAojWQ3AWMXGWbrgeG3u6-9gCirbAzK6BwVuukqpxzqKJ4uMmCDm1ucZj5Bwl9YFvht/s1600/SECB+Longtail+and+me+in+front+of+Norwich+Inn+at+UVSC+Social+sep2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2LOyXhNSquR-QgoJavV8r1JQCE5CZSf_m1clo_LUUModN4LbDAlWX7oXNSfdH0Cnigw3k09yhHAojWQ3AWMXGWbrgeG3u6-9gCirbAzK6BwVuukqpxzqKJ4uMmCDm1ucZj5Bwl9YFvht/s1600/SECB+Longtail+and+me+in+front+of+Norwich+Inn+at+UVSC+Social+sep2014.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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At the UVSC autumn social, Norwich, VT, Photo credit: Robb Kidd</div>
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I am finding that building the bikes is relatively easy for me, but then there are cargo bike loads of public relations and education that have to happen. At least some of it is enjoyable- a.k.a. "a bike ride"- with stops along the way for questions.</div>
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Earlier in October Katy Savage wrote a nice article about the bikes in the Woodstock <i>Vermont Standard</i> newspaper, you can read it here: <a href="http://www.thevermontstandard.com/2014/10/karl-kemnitzer-inventors-bikes-see-the-light/" target="_blank">http://www.thevermontstandard.com/2014/10/karl-kemnitzer-inventors-bikes-see-the-light/</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigmMXzqzq5zw2u1hHUPk_hrlMmLHft03GhwpFPUo3kas81f4zwhV49gVRd6DbA9cyT2DlAD_rDixjkn99BRtcfd7VRRRZ26Ehycv_NAtotytc377Lf1J3PCUkjcA-JzeuzzVmWdQmbzwCr/s1600/REV+Booth+2+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigmMXzqzq5zw2u1hHUPk_hrlMmLHft03GhwpFPUo3kas81f4zwhV49gVRd6DbA9cyT2DlAD_rDixjkn99BRtcfd7VRRRZ26Ehycv_NAtotytc377Lf1J3PCUkjcA-JzeuzzVmWdQmbzwCr/s1600/REV+Booth+2+email.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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My display booth at the REV annual conference.</div>
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The bikes went up to the annual Renewable Energy Vermont conference (<a href="http://www.revconference.org/" target="_blank">http://www.revconference.org/</a>) in Burlington for October 16-17, and were displayed alongside 38 other companies, from small solar, geothermal, and legal companies up to UVM, Stiebel Eltron, Gro Solar, and Hydro Quebec. I had a great time, with dozens of cross discipline conversations and spreading ideas about renewable energy and alternative transportation options. One high school teacher may build a bike as part of a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) class curriculum. I also attended one presentation session about the <i>Problems and Risks of Renewable Energy</i>, which was devoted entirely to financial, insurance, and banking concerns. It's been my belief that the chance the sun will come up tomorrow is a safer bet than the price of oil next week, but oh my word now I'm not so sure...<br />
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The <i>Burlington Free Press</i> wrote a nice article about the conference and the bikes, which you can read here: <a href="http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/life/green-mountain/2014/10/16/solar-bike-builder-charges-ahead/17372883/" target="_blank">http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/life/green-mountain/2014/10/16/solar-bike-builder-charges-ahead/17372883/</a><br />
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The <i>Seven Days</i> newspaper also did a short article: <a href="http://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2014/10/16/renewable-energy-conference-draws-hundreds" target="_blank">http://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2014/10/16/renewable-energy-conference-draws-hundreds</a><br />
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After the conference was over, I rode down to the center of Burlington to take part in an alternative transportation exhibit:<br />
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Lineup of Cargo Bikes on Church St, with reclaimed cooking oil truck</div>
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in back, and electric cars and natural gas garbage truck across street.</div>
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The ride back from Church street went uphill from Lake Champlain, around UVM, to the conference building. Normally I find that I can keep up with traffic on an urban street, but this time the bike was faster than traffic because of the bike lane. In between traffic lights our speed was the same, but at each light I was able to ride up to the stop line, thus gaining 3 or 4 cars each time. Another recent commuter test across the Connecticut river from Norwich to Hanover by Vital Communities gave similar results: the bikes took 9 minutes, the bus took 11.5, and the cars in the test took 20 and 30 minutes from start to parked. (Link to article: <a href="http://www.vitalcommunities.org/blog/index.php/and-the-bikes-win/" target="_blank"><i>And-the-bikes-win!</i></a> )</div>
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I've also attended an Upper Valley Transportation Alliance meeting, and learned about the latest work being done on the Lebanon to West Leb (New Hampshire) rail trail. It's the only slow speed connector route in that transportation corridor, so the plans are to make it suitable for bike commuting. Part of the plan includes snow plowing only half of the path for bikes, so that skiers and sleds can use the other half. Now that I'm designing the third bike, I'm starting to pay more attention to fenders and weather shields for year round bike use, so I'd like to end this post with one more link, to a blog about bicycling during winter in Oulu, Finland: <a href="http://wintercyclingblog.org/2014/10/17/oulu-finland-winter-cycling-capital-of-the-world/" target="_blank">http://wintercyclingblog.org/2014/10/17/oulu-finland-winter-cycling-capital-of-the-world/</a><br />
<br />Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-52701170908447291572014-10-03T09:25:00.001-04:002014-11-10T12:19:07.506-05:00Mt WashingtonThe ALT Energy Summit (<a href="http://altenergysummit.org/" target="_blank">http://altenergysummit.org/</a>) alternative vehicle climb at Mt Washington was held on September 13/14. The mountain road starts at 1565' elevation, runs 7.847 miles up to about 6200' at the parking lot (the summit is 6288'), and has historically been used as a test of vehicles- the first motor vehicle to go up was a steam powered Stanley Locomobile in 1899. After a lapse of the event for several years, Ted Dillard, (President of the Boston Chapter of the Electric Auto Association), wanted an excuse to run his electric motorcycle up the road and revived it. He secured sponsorship from the local utility- NH Electric Coop- and organized a Summit last year. I had debated whether to attend, and later regretted not going because Michael Corbin brought his Sparrow electric auto. Michael had lived two houses up from me when I was a teenager in 1970's Connecticut, and made Corbin Gentry motorcycle saddles in the old mill in town. He also had an orange fiberglass bodied Phaeton with a VW motor, and at the time I had just started to put Porsche 356 motors into a VW bug and a Karmann Ghia, so it would have been nice to finally connect. Unfortunately he didn't attend this year, but it's interesting that we have both moved towards electric.<br />
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Since Ted had graciously taken part in the Upper Valley Electric Vehicle Forum and Demo last May, it gave me a push to attend the Summit this year. I also wanted to display Sierra Club information because of their sponsorship (along with Plug in America and the Electric Auto Association) of National EV Week (<a href="https://driveelectricweek.org/" target="_blank">https://driveelectricweek.org/</a>). Although I would be out riding the Longtail up the mountain, Dolores Rebolledo of the NH Department of Environmental Services had a table next to mine, and was able to answer questions.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEq94cQ7zfwtKp8fAtbjve18gahcvyrPZWjMqwYACL9XUr-mDhHq7QgMLOwHIRmZy-CfZD6Z7lqg8YNl6GNyPV0gMmGut9CB2TuMQYwRSx72t2oHrg2npm50aWLfquyLO6Gx2XiJg0pExR/s1600/1+summit+in+the+clouds+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEq94cQ7zfwtKp8fAtbjve18gahcvyrPZWjMqwYACL9XUr-mDhHq7QgMLOwHIRmZy-CfZD6Z7lqg8YNl6GNyPV0gMmGut9CB2TuMQYwRSx72t2oHrg2npm50aWLfquyLO6Gx2XiJg0pExR/s1600/1+summit+in+the+clouds+email.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Mt Washington is known for it's bad weather, and there were</div>
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clouds around the summit when I arrived...</div>
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I had designed the solar electric cargo bikes to cover ground between towns, so I knew that hill climbing was not their strength. The Longtail also has a direct drive hub motor, which really isn't the best for hills. My game plan was to get off for the very steep parts, and walk along with the bike turned on low. (My bikes have a speed control on the grips, not pedelec control.) Based on hills around my house the climb seemed very possible but slow, and a major goal was to not burn out the motor or it's controller and get too expensive. It was also encouraging that another (highly modified) direct drive bike had not only climbed Pike's Peak but had third fastest time, an article with some details is at: <a href="http://www.electricbike.com/pikes-peak/" target="_blank">http://www.electricbike.com/pikes-peak/</a><br />
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Inside the base tent- my Upper Valley Sierra Club display was on the far table.</div>
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Directly behind me was Chargepoint EV charging stations, and</div>
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Dolores Rebolledo of the NH Dept of Environmental Services,</div>
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Other displays were from sponsor NH Electric Coop,</div>
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Dragonfly Aerials, National Electric Drag Racing Association,</div>
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and Mohawk electric mowers. When it started raining later</div>
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the vehicles were moved inside around the edges of the tent.</div>
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In addition to several Teslas, there were two race cars from Entropy Racing,</div>
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an electric Cobra, a Fiskar Karma, and a Mercedes converted to a grease wagon.</div>
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Dartmouth brought their Formula race car up, and there were</div>
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EV team members from Olin and MIT. Photo credit: Benswing Rich</div>
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A cute little kart with an ETEK motor. Nicely done layout, with huge fins on the</div>
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motor controller. I'm not sure why a main contactor is mounted on the steering though.</div>
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Dr Bass of the Endless Sphere forum rode his Zero to the event. Notice the</div>
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panniers on both his and Benswing Rich's bikes that are packed with extra batteries,</div>
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and also upgraded chargers to make long distance travel more feasible.</div>
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To make a long trip like this, Dr Bass showed me a route map he creates</div>
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with software that lists the details of charging stations along the way.</div>
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The RooPod with both hatches open, and in behind it is a Dirigocar,</div>
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and then a Ford Fusion Energi. These are internal combustion engine cars.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtilZ826MyGSyrrL8mF-C1TjeYncP9winNVSJpx19riJKSZDlj7pHpPB4aZsB94OcrYjo3DLThCsUoxJOI1ry1eYZUholq6R6xyiO6Se0fFZJT6UF9FNIuabSyazesQVNKaFa8QJDf0xB/s1600/8+outriders+lined+up+at+beginning+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtilZ826MyGSyrrL8mF-C1TjeYncP9winNVSJpx19riJKSZDlj7pHpPB4aZsB94OcrYjo3DLThCsUoxJOI1ry1eYZUholq6R6xyiO6Se0fFZJT6UF9FNIuabSyazesQVNKaFa8QJDf0xB/s1600/8+outriders+lined+up+at+beginning+email.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Bikes included two Outriders, as well as eVelos, and a RANS recumbent.</div>
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Heat management is an important consideration when pushing design limits. I did a dozen runs up a 12% slope, 1.25 mile long hill near my house with an infrared thermometer in hand to prepare for the Summit. On one sunny day the controller peaked out around 119 degrees F- hotter than I like but within limits. (I use the "too hot to touch is too hot" rule for electronics.) I then modified the Longtail by adding a sheet metal bracket that moved the controller out into the air flow. One of the Outriders pictured above had it's motor overheat at mile 3, and unlike my Longtail they didn't have the option of getting off and walking alongside, so rather than burn it out the owner decided to coast back down. (The trikes that climbed Pike's Peak had custom cooling fans.) I'm trying to decide how to cool the mid motor on the third bike, because long before the electrical insulation catches on fire the permanent magnets start to degrade. At the moment I'm thinking of a small fan on the outboard end of the shaft (away from the drive sprockets), with small holes in the motor casing for air flow. If moisture turns out to be a problem, the holes could be sealed, and then the motor would become a regular TEFC (Totally Enclosed Fan Cooled) frame style. An advantage of a hub motor over an RC (Radio Controlled) type motor is the larger surface area, (most of the time only the frequency of magnetic transitions is considered).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6bifY6FJ_7ZRsGs9abJYGE6oUucVZ9eEZEEhSGBrQ9KmAknz_BsLDjbYSJem8PbdTelxA4BtfjoCYwWoAULCg8CsiA01LBF63554TmM3e1592_cTkGH4mcTaNZ2ia3G05vB-hahcyUalO/s1600/9+Four+front+sprockets+side+view+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6bifY6FJ_7ZRsGs9abJYGE6oUucVZ9eEZEEhSGBrQ9KmAknz_BsLDjbYSJem8PbdTelxA4BtfjoCYwWoAULCg8CsiA01LBF63554TmM3e1592_cTkGH4mcTaNZ2ia3G05vB-hahcyUalO/s1600/9+Four+front+sprockets+side+view+email.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is what a mid motor kit looks like on a recumbent. John Anderson </div>
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(see Yahoo groups: <a href="https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/power-assist/info" target="_blank">power assist</a>) added a Cyclone RC type motor with</div>
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planetary first stage speed reduction to his RANS, and fed the power</div>
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into a large fourth front sprocket riding on a crank freewheel.</div>
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This was the fastest bike of the day, however I would have some</div>
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reservations about building this and selling it to the general public,</div>
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as an unskilled mechanic could easily mess this up.</div>
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Randy Bryan had his Prius generator conversion display, and the </div>
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next display over was about weatherization and energy efficiency.</div>
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The climb turned out to be reasonable, not as steep as I had imagined, just much longer than the climbs on my errand runs. There are actually two 500' long sections of my town road that are steeper. Of the 7.8 miles, I ended up walking the Longtail for about 2. My original plan was to stop every mile and measure the temperature of the motor and controller, but they never got above lukewarm (~80F) so I didn't bother after the first few times. Part of the reason they stayed cool was the weather- the top third of the ride was 30 degrees F, with a 36 mph headwind (gusting to 42), and no solar heating (i.e. in the clouds). Another reason was that I was favoring the motor to prevent burning it out, but a large third reason they stayed cool was that the motor controller cut back on the energy it was delivering. I'll write a blog post about electric motor voltage (Kv), efficiency, rpm, and work, but for here the short explanation is that electric motors are sensitive to rpm just like a gas engine, and neither likes being lugged at a slow speed. It's true that at stall an electric motor develops it's greatest torque, but because the shaft isn't spinning all the energy going into the motor is coming out as heat, not as work. At low motor rpm's, there is a large amount of slip in a motor's field between the magnets and coils as it approaches the stalling condition, and the motor controller on my bikes (Infineon EB3xx series chip) reduces the current. (I have not studied the algorithms yet, only a program that allows me to reset some of the controller parameters.) I had noticed this effect occasionally for a few seconds during regular errand runs: At speed (20 mph) going up a slope the motor would be running around 700 to 750 watts with peaks around 800 w, but as the bike slowed down (on the same slope) the wattage would drop (due to amps, not battery voltage sag). During the sustained climb up Mt Washington at 3 to 9 mph much of the ride was around 480 watts, sometimes dipping to 340. I could try to remedy this by resetting the controller amp limits, but the motor would still be running at a less efficient slow speed. I've noticed a Chinese company that is now building a two speed geared hub bike motor, and a few companies that have also started offering gearboxes (often having only 2 speeds) for electric vehicles that need a wider speed range. For an EV under average use a gearbox is just added weight, expense, and something else to break down. As an example the first Tesla model had a two speed gearbox, which was discontinued. However under extreme situations the lack of low rpm performance can be noticed:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/lnGvSEcldzQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Luke Live for Physics's Death Bike racing a Tesla S</div>
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Neither of these vehicles has a gearbox, but the extra mass of the Tesla accentuates the low rpm problem. For the third bike I'm planning on using the derailleur system to allow the motor to be shifted, and the question isn't so much the benefits of shifting down, but more of how long a shifting mechanism and chain will last at 700 watts.</div>
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The road up Mt Washington is a medium width tar road for the first 5.5 miles, switching to dirt for one mile, and then back to tar at the top. I didn't take pictures on the way up, and am going to use a video from Entropy Racing to show you what it looks like, (notice the first 15 seconds as the motor speed gradually increases to a more efficient rpm range):<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/n9SO6k1A2nY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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The EVSR car reaches the top in 7 minutes, 28 seconds, or around 60 mph. My time was 1hr 31min 31sec, which is OK- faster than walking, but since the record time for a bike is 49 minutes, there is definitely room for improvement. In all fairness it should be noted that that I was able to get off the bike at the top and walk around looking at the views like a normal tourist and then ride down, whereas I've been told by a person who has been a pit crew for a bike racer that their job was basically to scrape the racer up off the pavement at the end and ferry them back down.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3V5nWVWy98bYqJYpJf8wS7sKknMARVNA6EQ_9W8GBfoHKQ0GE6gm8MhdsEwx4RFeNHhuRL0EeWyh6b7LVjE4tMwhATBXKBRZ34WqJiiE1-7-D-Y-IUllU3UVSKgosph8hDuVwk8fF2Wc/s1600/11+summit+building+and+cog+railway+far+view+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3V5nWVWy98bYqJYpJf8wS7sKknMARVNA6EQ_9W8GBfoHKQ0GE6gm8MhdsEwx4RFeNHhuRL0EeWyh6b7LVjE4tMwhATBXKBRZ34WqJiiE1-7-D-Y-IUllU3UVSKgosph8hDuVwk8fF2Wc/s1600/11+summit+building+and+cog+railway+far+view+email.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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The summit building with a cog railway train approaching.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcf0gU8jNG35EV-C2hTvSxpOlppm5uVR6QqhEPdLQjiQsTD8Qxfgc7q29x7K6Q176z96dZ2XkrgBEVxBT2xYyeJG7GpRpm-AU1DHOcME92TRmgTjyJgB6Yp3WrlB3qbrTeekioP618Fdfr/s1600/12+Four+eBikes+and+riders+at+top+of+Mt+W+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcf0gU8jNG35EV-C2hTvSxpOlppm5uVR6QqhEPdLQjiQsTD8Qxfgc7q29x7K6Q176z96dZ2XkrgBEVxBT2xYyeJG7GpRpm-AU1DHOcME92TRmgTjyJgB6Yp3WrlB3qbrTeekioP618Fdfr/s1600/12+Four+eBikes+and+riders+at+top+of+Mt+W+email.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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The four eBikes that made it to the top during the ALT Energy Summit (l to r):</div>
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-John Anderson, riding a RANS recumbent with Cyclone mid motor kit</div>
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-Larry Gilbert and coworker of Zoombikes riding eVelos</div>
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-Me with the solar electric longtail cargo bike</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikLP826XvQ_NclhBwixHEb5_vYZETh6Ulin1T7uq5fKm7yrCaBaahC4M2ciVT3MKgYpvNwJk1q78jmcGEIeyorMnliNNI-Vrb_qJjTcPaR6OXh2PtHyVO71MtS8EgC9Coz4CexMx0DJ8Cr/s1600/13+bike+lf+view+above+clouds+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikLP826XvQ_NclhBwixHEb5_vYZETh6Ulin1T7uq5fKm7yrCaBaahC4M2ciVT3MKgYpvNwJk1q78jmcGEIeyorMnliNNI-Vrb_qJjTcPaR6OXh2PtHyVO71MtS8EgC9Coz4CexMx0DJ8Cr/s1600/13+bike+lf+view+above+clouds+email.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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A closeup of the Longtail at the top. I need to get the rear panniers finished,</div>
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they would have looked nicer for a photo than a shopping bag. If you click</div>
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on the photo you can see the infrared thermometer in the front basket.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqh4bNRezz-XJfOp62h9z21khfOrMBH3hZeAyXLbwsVsWpendl1WpCUkHlQB36HmTXa_QW3NHYv7NbrVaw-9dTJbl7wXcRD8d3pN5IkuB7GM-29Obcy9C3kmFDElBhTY6osXcQQP_55rjF/s1600/14+Cairn+at+top+6288+feet+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqh4bNRezz-XJfOp62h9z21khfOrMBH3hZeAyXLbwsVsWpendl1WpCUkHlQB36HmTXa_QW3NHYv7NbrVaw-9dTJbl7wXcRD8d3pN5IkuB7GM-29Obcy9C3kmFDElBhTY6osXcQQP_55rjF/s1600/14+Cairn+at+top+6288+feet+email.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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The cairn at the very top of the mountain (6288'), with people having their picture taken.</div>
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There were at least 200 people hanging out in the summit lodge. This photo</div>
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is blurry because of the high indoor humidity condensing on my cold camera lens.</div>
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The building is built for severe weather and has an extremely tight envelope.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb15UGMQU_ZwmHOEEpoK35USe_GwHofXA8cicHRP1IHauzyV3WOKwadF7toioO0DK4ib0q_ydsl92pJ7WGHpcX9bjG76iGpsqJUqPzRvtaowxrytU9Zp0x5HUNb4MjxWmKI0BjTOZ0LecD/s1600/16+bike+at+foot+of+stairs+at+top+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb15UGMQU_ZwmHOEEpoK35USe_GwHofXA8cicHRP1IHauzyV3WOKwadF7toioO0DK4ib0q_ydsl92pJ7WGHpcX9bjG76iGpsqJUqPzRvtaowxrytU9Zp0x5HUNb4MjxWmKI0BjTOZ0LecD/s1600/16+bike+at+foot+of+stairs+at+top+email.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Looking down from the summit area to the parking lots, with the Longtail</div>
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at the base of the stairs. It was neat watching the clouds move by,</div>
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very much like ocean waves rolling over and around nearby mountains.</div>
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Gazing down into the deep blue depths of the ocean.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsYlsr0OkWs1rLr7483yWg9PHkgREQrmLoHo59DsLNMJ0Azb88Sx9ty1QATYy_eUxSyKBPVoJ9g_3fjpHV-eaR5WC0KrUhMf1oA13Ig7hFOCvqLct3zEc4R5clkIYOX1eHO-wIiXpls67/s1600/18+heading+down+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsYlsr0OkWs1rLr7483yWg9PHkgREQrmLoHo59DsLNMJ0Azb88Sx9ty1QATYy_eUxSyKBPVoJ9g_3fjpHV-eaR5WC0KrUhMf1oA13Ig7hFOCvqLct3zEc4R5clkIYOX1eHO-wIiXpls67/s1600/18+heading+down+email.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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After looking around for awhile, it was time to head back down,</div>
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especially since Ted had asked us to be back for an exhibition period.</div>
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It was just as well, because shortly after the weather turned to freezing rain.</div>
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3/4's of the way down I stopped to take a picture of a row of knobs with a very deep</div>
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valley between me and them. However the wind was probably around 45 mph,</div>
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and I had a hard time standing on the edge and holding the camera steady.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVc6em2GQ26CW56XiYrJINeMuA8T7zjYmIcp2xWCZyWbGYDCcOU9BX_oPaRCh0eAGQB9T47HHGkiCNXZzRLQq5ld5iGn4KKKXhJqG3LvCs6XEwlGXtp2S1o2tkyTwD_3itzCezD4NesDX/s1600/20+wavy+rock+outcropping+inside+turn+2+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVc6em2GQ26CW56XiYrJINeMuA8T7zjYmIcp2xWCZyWbGYDCcOU9BX_oPaRCh0eAGQB9T47HHGkiCNXZzRLQq5ld5iGn4KKKXhJqG3LvCs6XEwlGXtp2S1o2tkyTwD_3itzCezD4NesDX/s1600/20+wavy+rock+outcropping+inside+turn+2+email.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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There were some fantastic rock formations,</div>
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About half way down I realized that I was looking down</div>
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at a ski area under the clouds.</div>
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The Longtail used 670.97 Wh of electricity on the way up, giving 86.4 Wh per mile, at an average speed of 5.14 mph. This is one of the worst fuel mileages I've seen, similar to the other end of my road. Coasting back down I turned on regeneration and had a pleasant, leisurely ride looking at the scenery. Regen put 151 Wh, or 22.5% of the energy back into the battery, reducing trip energy use to 35.2 Wh/m, however a second glitch in the electronics showed up. After a few minutes of regen around 320 watts (15-16 mph), it turned off, and after I slowed down it turned back on again. The controller was cold, so my best guess was that the battery voltage rose above the upper limit, and the Battery Management System (BMS) shut off. I rode the rest of the way down using the brakes occasionally to hold the speed down to 200 watts (10-12 mph), (and also pedaling on the more moderate declines to keep the regen up), and the regen stayed on, At this point I don't think regen is all that helpful on a bike. During the last summer it has usually returned only 0.5 to 4% on my longer trips, and the only large regeneration happens for short time periods down one or two hills on my routes. It's best use seems to be a substitute for braking, but even then I haven't used it much- if I am coasting 15-25 mph down a hill I prefer to stay at that speed and cover ground, I've mostly turned it on above 25 mph for only brief periods of time. The solar panels are usually several times more productive (20-40% generation of load).</div>
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For comparison:</div>
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-John Anderson used 750 Wh on his RANS recumbent, at an average speed of 7.1 mph, (showing the advantage of using gearing to keep the motor rpm higher).</div>
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-Dr Bass commented that his 2012 Zero S, modified with a 2013 motor and ZF15 equivalent battery (13 kWh usable), with of total weight of 500 pounds, took 2071 Wh from start to the summit and got 800 Wh of regen on return.</div>
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-Ted Dillard had estimated about 2 kWh usage for his homebuilt electric motorcycle.</div>
-Tim Letourneau commented that the Ford Fusion Energi regenerated about 6.92 kWh on the way back down from the summit, giving him a 91% charge on the battery.<br />
-I heard anecdotally that last year a Tesla had regenerated about 60-65% of the energy used during the climb.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAHPoMzFfYkQ0ylEOtnMutMJVgW4XKkrjLV02gvaeaMUOXj1JuF9flmEr3quaRYrpsdled-KQGxBTF3UE9i_Zd7aJ9lwVk0na22sVIX3Derwy5HEO3hbfuqZgdT6stSqFN8ek1gYf0MA6z/s1600/22+hanging+out+waiting+for+the+group+photo+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAHPoMzFfYkQ0ylEOtnMutMJVgW4XKkrjLV02gvaeaMUOXj1JuF9flmEr3quaRYrpsdled-KQGxBTF3UE9i_Zd7aJ9lwVk0na22sVIX3Derwy5HEO3hbfuqZgdT6stSqFN8ek1gYf0MA6z/s1600/22+hanging+out+waiting+for+the+group+photo+email.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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At the end of the climb after the group photo. In behind my bike is</div>
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one of the Outrider trikes, the MIT 914 electric car conversion, and the</div>
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MIT trike with an Agnelli axial motor (see Cedric Lynch) and battery trailer,</div>
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Besides getting a better feel for designing a cargo bike for both distance and hill climbing, there were two other rewards for the day. The first was that a picture of the Longtail got posted on the Tesla Motors Club forum: (<a href="http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/30898-2014-Mt-Washington-Trip/page4" target="_blank">http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/30898-2014-Mt-Washington-Trip/page4</a>). The second was that after pushing some limits climbing Mt Washington, the upper Connecticut river valley forests and hills were an indescribably beautiful trip home.Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-78578440845084660662014-09-08T10:27:00.000-04:002014-09-10T11:46:31.282-04:00Cedar Circle Strawberry Festival 2014On June 29, Cedar Circle organic farm held it's annual <a href="http://cedarcirclefarm.org/events/festivals" target="_blank">Strawberry Festival</a>. The farm is managed by Will Allen, (author of <a href="http://cedarcirclefarm.org/war-on-bugs/" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">The War on Bugs</a>) and Kate Duesterberg, who had put in a large roof top solar array on one of their barns several years ago, and are now arranging a community array along the Ag fields on the northern border in a buffer zone that cannot be farmed organically.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3TCg_zpZXYt3QVrspart5DLIFrQitf1_Z9YObmPvo4ZLzyYh1hrLNSj3DxWlnKIo9l1gyv025WqPa8b0YEkvh44frCk_dgznv-rPZu0TKDgCjqhsb9PWHvXyAFs4zxN2Faj6nKlQ1d8i/s1600/1+berry+picking+under+blue+sky+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3TCg_zpZXYt3QVrspart5DLIFrQitf1_Z9YObmPvo4ZLzyYh1hrLNSj3DxWlnKIo9l1gyv025WqPa8b0YEkvh44frCk_dgznv-rPZu0TKDgCjqhsb9PWHvXyAFs4zxN2Faj6nKlQ1d8i/s1600/1+berry+picking+under+blue+sky+email.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a></div>
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The strawberry fields along the Connecticut river. Most of the displays,</div>
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tents, music, and food were behind me in the farm buildings up the hill.</div>
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I had taken part in the festival a couple times before, with a solar education display for Solar Hartland, and also with the Transition Town bicycle blender:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmZYvdv696XpMenn6Ga8sVjmlKbruknmmZroHBoxlnjIJZ0tgTVo90wbwpkcGwlByayyKDRBQOb3fpZMxN3oPVFAv8spz5FEAagZW48vlQNd267LP4MBo99pTnK9IgOUY434qbo_vtdg-S/s1600/2+cat+fiddling+2+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmZYvdv696XpMenn6Ga8sVjmlKbruknmmZroHBoxlnjIJZ0tgTVo90wbwpkcGwlByayyKDRBQOb3fpZMxN3oPVFAv8spz5FEAagZW48vlQNd267LP4MBo99pTnK9IgOUY434qbo_vtdg-S/s1600/2+cat+fiddling+2+email.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Farm Education Coordinator Cat playing music with the band at a previous</div>
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<i>Berry Brunch in the Fields</i> event while making a bicycle smoothie.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_1HUngHjXfRU6Gw87056aOc6lgP0dZNsDkFqfBnY9-nu3Wa5_WiZZGbukkPLKSBbrjT7NOZ18ruG2293MtlH6awsYz1PjtEO6MHc4LqmEHH3L4pzKsEvni5iWPNI34kPCnXNbO5Qm2Je/s1600/3+booth+with+tractor+and+sun+common+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_1HUngHjXfRU6Gw87056aOc6lgP0dZNsDkFqfBnY9-nu3Wa5_WiZZGbukkPLKSBbrjT7NOZ18ruG2293MtlH6awsYz1PjtEO6MHc4LqmEHH3L4pzKsEvni5iWPNI34kPCnXNbO5Qm2Je/s1600/3+booth+with+tractor+and+sun+common+email.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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My display was on the border of the fields and buildings,</div>
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between the farm's electric tractor and Sun Common's booth.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRk4xWebuFrsY0l3QhQO0UOq4xtBbm_T1gJTBnRV9O7uXCpIJBK_5Y2um_sTFPcNQf0-q4IhqFZge5TKF48kUtZjRPcZSyRu3RWAULw-b-atTHgPpVZWVsePQeLgxPsvFmCEcwp8Q42aY/s1600/4+Cedar+Circle+electric+tractor+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRk4xWebuFrsY0l3QhQO0UOq4xtBbm_T1gJTBnRV9O7uXCpIJBK_5Y2um_sTFPcNQf0-q4IhqFZge5TKF48kUtZjRPcZSyRu3RWAULw-b-atTHgPpVZWVsePQeLgxPsvFmCEcwp8Q42aY/s1600/4+Cedar+Circle+electric+tractor+email.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Cedar Circle converted an old Allis Chalmers model G to electricity by replacing the gas engine with an electric motor. It's turned out much nicer for the field crew planting and working alongside the tractor. A problem has been the lead acid batteries. I've read several times that lead acid batteries do not work well in an electric bike, simply because if they are discharged below half full the plates become sulfated quickly and ruin the battery. Most people cannot stop using an eBike assist during a ride as long as the batteries have any charge left, with the result that generally lead acid batteries do not last a year. After the festival we talked for awhile about the benefits of using lithium batteries (which can be drained almost to empty), and adding a few solar panels to the battery box cover.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpbpEFGAJ-j1xOSZcPWtcpKT_ihD6JCP7_nV_xS2pUwIeFFYHqWfuRu1yEL31yPMkLh6ZVi0ClkNFXStJ51t1VvYO_QpyOi1TOaCj-GCuJQ6ZG-Z6RUOZX1UBeWUPp1YMt8McNTVFcmnO6/s1600/5+bakfiets+and+me+at+strawberry+festival+2014+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpbpEFGAJ-j1xOSZcPWtcpKT_ihD6JCP7_nV_xS2pUwIeFFYHqWfuRu1yEL31yPMkLh6ZVi0ClkNFXStJ51t1VvYO_QpyOi1TOaCj-GCuJQ6ZG-Z6RUOZX1UBeWUPp1YMt8McNTVFcmnO6/s1600/5+bakfiets+and+me+at+strawberry+festival+2014+email.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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I brought up the Bakfiets, along with the new glassless, frameless solar panel and some pictures of the Longtail. It turned out to be a very cosmopolitan crowd, with 2 separate people telling me they had owned a Bakfiets (one in California, one in Amsterdam), and another young family who said that their Bakfiets was in storage in Chicago at the moment, awaiting shipment to Hanover. They had been using it in Portland, Oregon on relatively flat terrain, and we talked about the process of adding an electric drive to make it more usable in this area. Unfortunately there were no test rides, as there were too many people (1400) and little kids were running everywhere, I also had my picture taken with 3 high school students from NYC! They were looking for environmental projects to write about for a science class report.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHK9nKTEe8PoetowRkkJ17rfWnWep_Vo35rx2_UAuo0s8YLicYBahna03vUYPVviHRJ5EDbAYMaHKvTNifRkDSl-Y44iEmEQnjyuvMdi4jdY1QlvsRdLgUJMTsAzibIuQhE1W6L7nIXoeF/s1600/6+jim+fitch+and+team+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHK9nKTEe8PoetowRkkJ17rfWnWep_Vo35rx2_UAuo0s8YLicYBahna03vUYPVviHRJ5EDbAYMaHKvTNifRkDSl-Y44iEmEQnjyuvMdi4jdY1QlvsRdLgUJMTsAzibIuQhE1W6L7nIXoeF/s1600/6+jim+fitch+and+team+email.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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There were 3 teams of draft horses giving alternative transportation</div>
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hay wagon rides, this team is Jim Fitch's from Cornish, NH,</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5rG_gI37tUn6fa2zvLp07-zT3lZLcdMSuyDJr4U46Z36pozuvRJtQ2le6TwSu6ePQN2Qt45_tvwH3fdOygUOkEucMz0t8lkfedhFgtVLJdh5uJj4I7FRB-foh8dhpwtJb0BTAae86T1b/s1600/7+puppet+horse+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5rG_gI37tUn6fa2zvLp07-zT3lZLcdMSuyDJr4U46Z36pozuvRJtQ2le6TwSu6ePQN2Qt45_tvwH3fdOygUOkEucMz0t8lkfedhFgtVLJdh5uJj4I7FRB-foh8dhpwtJb0BTAae86T1b/s1600/7+puppet+horse+email.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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A local theater group also had horses that the kids could get close to.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZM53AFI6ICRcj4a3EmvfoTBYtMz5OY8wg7TTGh5GJVvzI9JEyn8QYHrQ-kzdG_Tg0FzY0x1xuMj7sKwcs74hvkKJhKWlGdCFO8RlkeXMix46Gp_Aco4HFadpQVCcN5BTFumpMPiKWmyX/s1600/8+bike+parking+area+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZM53AFI6ICRcj4a3EmvfoTBYtMz5OY8wg7TTGh5GJVvzI9JEyn8QYHrQ-kzdG_Tg0FzY0x1xuMj7sKwcs74hvkKJhKWlGdCFO8RlkeXMix46Gp_Aco4HFadpQVCcN5BTFumpMPiKWmyX/s1600/8+bike+parking+area+email.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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The bike parking area. Cedar Circle offered free admission to the </div>
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Festival for anyone arriving by bike or walking. Hopefully this</div>
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will grow greatly in the next few years.</div>
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Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-22505767062083050332014-08-23T20:05:00.001-04:002014-08-23T20:05:09.254-04:00Longtail construction (2/3) Rear rackIn the <a href="http://mysolarelectriccargobike.blogspot.com/2014/06/longtail-chain-stays-and-battery-box.html" target="_blank">first post</a> about building the Longtail frame, I covered extending the chain stays and putting in a platform for the battery box to sit on. The next step was adding on the rear rack and then tying the top and bottom horizontal tubes together to form a truss structure.<br />
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After installing the wheels, the frame was propped up along a line drawn on a flat and level floor. (You can do this work at any angle if you are willing to do a lot of measuring and calculating offsets, but it's much easier and more foolproof to just hold up a level.) I used an oxy acetylene torch to heat the tubing while bending human friendly curved ends on the rack, as the radius was too tight for any cold bending forms I had available. It was then rested on top of the battery box with 3/8" thick spacers to create space for a tie down rope to fit through, leveled, propped in place at the rear, and then notched to fit to the seat tube. There are wedges centering the front of the tire in the chain stays so that the tire tracks straight, and the boards clamped on each side of the tire are the right width to hold the rear of the rack centered. At this point the old seat stays are not connected to anything at the top.</div>
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The sequence for connecting the chain stays to the rack was based on working from the fixed point at the seat tube towards the tail end, and fixing any errors from welding heat warping as I went along:</div>
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1. Tack weld the front of the rack to the seat tube to stop things from moving around.</div>
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2. Cut and tack on uprights that just clear the back of the battery box.</div>
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3. Readjust the rack to be square and level, and add diagonals from the drop outs to support the back of the rack. The upper ends are notched as usual with a grinder to fit, but the lower ends were slit for an inch and squeezed in to make a taper on the tubing, and then hammered square to fit over the existing luggage rack mounts on the drop outs.</div>
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4. At this point the assembly is starting to be self supporting, and cutting tools can now be used on the top of the old seat stays to fit them to a new cross stay inside the rack tubes.</div>
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5. A diagonal is then run from the cross stay to the main chain stay junction.</div>
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All of the fitting work had to be done inside on the flat floor, which is OK for one project, but if I were going to build several bikes I'd make a table or jig in a better space or outside. Each diagonal was briefly tack welded in place with many plywood shields around it to contain sparks, and when enough triangles had been formed to stabilize the structure it was moved outside for more complete welding. Tack welding an assembly first also helps control warping from welding.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8M3ajHs18k535FVoIIZwryrRnaw7lJ28PMCKjsiKtuMwgxdvEKP2vWUMugicUDCihLyEvDS5rHjbDTgS_qWXY4OM8mobEq-lRUWFeM760yr40JBMqR0O5BzWfg8ueouXtU-VB3SSJhT5B/s1600/3+rear+stays+cross+brace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8M3ajHs18k535FVoIIZwryrRnaw7lJ28PMCKjsiKtuMwgxdvEKP2vWUMugicUDCihLyEvDS5rHjbDTgS_qWXY4OM8mobEq-lRUWFeM760yr40JBMqR0O5BzWfg8ueouXtU-VB3SSJhT5B/s1600/3+rear+stays+cross+brace.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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The cross stay that connects the top of the old seat stays to the rack tubes.</div>
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It also links to the diagonals running down to the chain stay extension junction,</div>
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and holds the rack tubes at the right width.</div>
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After making several mock ups, I decided that the board on top of the rack should be about 5" to 6" wide. If it was wider the corners cut into the insides of a passenger's thighs, and if it was narrower it wasn't as useful for supporting a load. Since standard 1"x 6" lumber is 5.5" wide, I used that width so it could be an option even though I planned on using thin plywood, as 5.5" would also allow strips to be cut from a sheet of plywood with a margin for a kerf but not too much waste. The rack tubes are 5 5/8" wide, so that the tubes stick out 1/16" further than the plywood on each side to act as a rounded bumper.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBZYk4ZUmwUADu38s9ZQNs3mG6b_rSm4UgoB4eR_8TERjLhiOhMsxiODvs6AbvOht_x1dIQbXpWA1a4gHtYnQ6NljeaJIegfLYP-aCWyasXFp14X0pX9rLd6iLbbBSLjU7gcaDpiYzky8/s1600/4+seat+tube+extension+and+battery+box+brace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBZYk4ZUmwUADu38s9ZQNs3mG6b_rSm4UgoB4eR_8TERjLhiOhMsxiODvs6AbvOht_x1dIQbXpWA1a4gHtYnQ6NljeaJIegfLYP-aCWyasXFp14X0pX9rLd6iLbbBSLjU7gcaDpiYzky8/s1600/4+seat+tube+extension+and+battery+box+brace.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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With diagonals welded in to form triangles, the rear section of the frame was pretty stable, and I went back to finish up the front of the rack. (Although some parts look yellow in this photo, there was no brazing, only welding.) I added two strips for attaching the top of the battery box, and finished the seat tube welds. Unfortunately the rack landed on the original seat tube exactly at the top, so I removed the old seat clamp lugs, and then welded a few inches from the top of another tube on top. </div>
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I try to work as cold as I can to avoid changing the properties of the steel, while still achieving a good weld penetration. But even though I also used a piece of aluminum tubing (it doesn't stick to a weld) inside the seat post to align the top extension, all the welding in this area deformed the seat tube enough that a seat post would not go in. I don't have the proper size reamer to fit this bore, so I taped a 1" wide strip of coarse grit belt sander cloth on a 3/8" rod, wound it around to build up the width until it just fit inside the tube, and spun it with a drill for about 20 minutes inside the problem section to open it back up.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUUUxuumWy060eASOtAK5XkRgDjUrnDHn9ByT59bnpt0pTT0SUliGpZaqJJOd7xe2OR_vqPmjHGJ_z97oY-FYzZgUPCgG2AjFTkWJ8Co_i_9TeJrIyVnGbCBynQY3q_MY9AM18yRcawKVN/s1600/5+rear+view+of+rack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUUUxuumWy060eASOtAK5XkRgDjUrnDHn9ByT59bnpt0pTT0SUliGpZaqJJOd7xe2OR_vqPmjHGJ_z97oY-FYzZgUPCgG2AjFTkWJ8Co_i_9TeJrIyVnGbCBynQY3q_MY9AM18yRcawKVN/s1600/5+rear+view+of+rack.jpg" height="400" width="298" /></a></div>
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Looking at the rack attached to the lower chain stay assembly from the rear.</div>
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I prefer priming the work after I've finished a section, mainly because it splits hours of sanding and cleaning for paint preparation into smaller sessions, but also because it immediately protects the newly worked metal from oils and salt from my hands and dirt, so there is less prep needed. With this method the primer needs only a light cleaning with a degreaser, a scuff sanding, and then a quick tack wipe when I'm ready to paint. I've always preferred a self etching primer for automotive work as it adheres a bit better, but I found out on the Bakfiets that the chemicals in it do not work well with an acrylic latex top coat. The water based paint reacted through the primer and rust spots bled through. For this Longtail I used a regular plain lacquer style primer and had no problems.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbU1cPDigq5GWGYjBTrzsGHAt6yOyRYkoWMkNeuJXBy0V2pFIZTs-oqHjJKhyphenhyphenmZI5flBlfkOmrMoXUKfwBOwSqbfiI3X8s4tKLwVc-gTmAZT8mTVTUw3KooFEjO_3wcyr_MZY3ivFFUYjZ/s1600/6+second+bike+frame+6jun2014+email30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbU1cPDigq5GWGYjBTrzsGHAt6yOyRYkoWMkNeuJXBy0V2pFIZTs-oqHjJKhyphenhyphenmZI5flBlfkOmrMoXUKfwBOwSqbfiI3X8s4tKLwVc-gTmAZT8mTVTUw3KooFEjO_3wcyr_MZY3ivFFUYjZ/s1600/6+second+bike+frame+6jun2014+email30.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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A side view of the rack assembly.</div>
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The weak spot in this design is the hole for the battery box, as it has only a short height diagonal brace under it that lands in the center of a seat tube section. However overall this design is overkill, as the loads in a truss are carried mainly in the top and bottom chords, which in this frame are well braced straight tubing spaced 17" tall. To give you a rough idea of the strength, compare this to a 10" or 12" high floor joist in your house- the load carrying capacity of a beam increases proportionally to the square of the height. Without considering the effect of width, a 17" high beam is 2.9 times stronger than a 10" high beam. A stiffer frame will also give better handling (more precise steering).</div>
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Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5522800111421671519.post-28031372956515763592014-08-06T21:40:00.000-04:002014-08-06T22:06:05.295-04:00The Strolling of the HeifersThe <a href="http://www.strollingoftheheifers.com/" target="_blank">Strolling of the Heifers</a> was founded in 2001 to benefit local food, farmers, and healthy agriculture. It has grown over the years, and now has a <a href="http://www.slowlivingsummit.org/" target="_blank">Slow Living Summit</a> to go with it. Brattleboro cargo bike advocate Dave Cohen put out a call for cargo bikes for the parade, and I took the Bakfiets down to it. A full range of bikes showed up, which included panniers, racks, trailers, trikes, longtails and bakfiets. I tried to take some pictures while riding, but there is a more complete video of the parade on their <a href="http://www.strollingoftheheifers.com/miss-the-parade-catch-the-video/" target="_blank">website</a> (the bikes are at minute 41). My overwhelming impression was amazement that so many people wanted to watch cows walk up main street. Bikes are much faster. But in keeping with the spirit of things, we rode at a heifer's pace, (which I think is just a little faster than the pace set by the preschoolers in my town's 4th of July parade).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIMyAGO7bbodws3mT9-AFjLttoM_Ca79asN4-OAwcCf8XlOmCbyf7Yl0MAICs49YD3vmeVGJ6fcsTWGcDAtxj_GhlpiDTavf7AevvIhgoQdv2u5GI1-2KwOXBpWdbXO5_YL-kK_obehE0K/s1600/1+Building+green+and+bike+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIMyAGO7bbodws3mT9-AFjLttoM_Ca79asN4-OAwcCf8XlOmCbyf7Yl0MAICs49YD3vmeVGJ6fcsTWGcDAtxj_GhlpiDTavf7AevvIhgoQdv2u5GI1-2KwOXBpWdbXO5_YL-kK_obehE0K/s1600/1+Building+green+and+bike+email.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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I parked on the south side of town and rode in to the parade. On the way I had to stop at the offices of Building Green, the energy efficiency building journal, next to the Estey organ museum, for a Green Photo. The row of old mill buildings along the street all have slate siding.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25IYvVdRqxN8tFUbucXWC8yXDoxN29cjjhAMqFsYXaXPQyKtjeDUUsUibQv05FCXP0E1oJke9DL3dW1igpiZdbOpVEpL43OWEhvzOH6O0P1_bTp-rLu9lyf_hpdH_2rycSdVlT4E66vo6/s1600/2+staging+area+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25IYvVdRqxN8tFUbucXWC8yXDoxN29cjjhAMqFsYXaXPQyKtjeDUUsUibQv05FCXP0E1oJke9DL3dW1igpiZdbOpVEpL43OWEhvzOH6O0P1_bTp-rLu9lyf_hpdH_2rycSdVlT4E66vo6/s1600/2+staging+area+email.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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This was our staging area, the hill in the background is across the river in NH.</div>
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(Click on pictures to enlarge.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiVUecLAsViE5OqZ1pSyMLxXgBvsTRjZHa6KWNnrHwB4sKEt4Xn7lEF6-BtKUkxcYB0zP9rBToaD-L9Ye2GQTjo6G8tqYbYjTBj2CR68yEWfauqj4JZtAtKn9i2ZVmu9VmQjwTCEc8QWLH/s1600/3+canoe+trailer+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiVUecLAsViE5OqZ1pSyMLxXgBvsTRjZHa6KWNnrHwB4sKEt4Xn7lEF6-BtKUkxcYB0zP9rBToaD-L9Ye2GQTjo6G8tqYbYjTBj2CR68yEWfauqj4JZtAtKn9i2ZVmu9VmQjwTCEc8QWLH/s1600/3+canoe+trailer+email.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Among the bikes were Kathleen's trailer/canoe,</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRtp-706Wkt70Yt0xDDMLZV8OKuUxOrR8tZ4VQE8f6myIradYbzlJiVmvQxePtnaMzIRqPUBnFmZ7sDbQvYHtX8MD76bns_MchhWWn6DS2CWdVLtDqXVr_Qoxo64_Xn8VierGF8zwg6aa/s1600/4+newspaper+delivery+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRtp-706Wkt70Yt0xDDMLZV8OKuUxOrR8tZ4VQE8f6myIradYbzlJiVmvQxePtnaMzIRqPUBnFmZ7sDbQvYHtX8MD76bns_MchhWWn6DS2CWdVLtDqXVr_Qoxo64_Xn8VierGF8zwg6aa/s1600/4+newspaper+delivery+email.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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a local newspaper bike delivery service,</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2sCMkQbvglrJD_ytaiPQwMetcnwovxdMka1Zjh_UeZwk_j4Kb1HxVAaX56Zv1Bqsjcr0OqlM2sUGzi18g12OR6xcHNlvIJ8FuGOaS8Na6o6eS-Ze9HHfO-SsbuaOwpDE8PAJyDfTfgrHz/s1600/5+Hannahs+vending+bike+frame+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2sCMkQbvglrJD_ytaiPQwMetcnwovxdMka1Zjh_UeZwk_j4Kb1HxVAaX56Zv1Bqsjcr0OqlM2sUGzi18g12OR6xcHNlvIJ8FuGOaS8Na6o6eS-Ze9HHfO-SsbuaOwpDE8PAJyDfTfgrHz/s1600/5+Hannahs+vending+bike+frame+email.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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the frame of a new vendors cart bike being built by Hannah,</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtbN1WvZtZdHYphNCeoSAiATPP5_UyNPaeNxoBrU-5QKxB7DWtnCahKifsZ7BA5SG4RGoQrLe8XEaf2kBTPH0MG5pP6g4E92ugX_glviw5UKvYn_0t2Ltw2pdR5Be-j7PO-k7014bK4fy/s1600/6+Jessies+Seneca+front+box+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtbN1WvZtZdHYphNCeoSAiATPP5_UyNPaeNxoBrU-5QKxB7DWtnCahKifsZ7BA5SG4RGoQrLe8XEaf2kBTPH0MG5pP6g4E92ugX_glviw5UKvYn_0t2Ltw2pdR5Be-j7PO-k7014bK4fy/s1600/6+Jessies+Seneca+front+box+email.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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and a nice cargo bike with a front box built by Jesse of Seneca Bicycle Works.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7zelWQi5uRYE1oZ4D8AGU_uonULj2tXWPLPksOJZHe-QFz2S0FcDey84rLAczDRPOC5-jPSfD581jGSJ-_UWjMra2bX27wteSZki-z7YlIEX5ZzvNc8GsQz10gHarzKAsg5BXwlMuaLmu/s1600/7+Todds+two+speed+custom+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7zelWQi5uRYE1oZ4D8AGU_uonULj2tXWPLPksOJZHe-QFz2S0FcDey84rLAczDRPOC5-jPSfD581jGSJ-_UWjMra2bX27wteSZki-z7YlIEX5ZzvNc8GsQz10gHarzKAsg5BXwlMuaLmu/s1600/7+Todds+two+speed+custom+email.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is Todd's custom ebike with a 2 speed front hub, pulling a trailer.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEN_gUj7t340kkt2aoecoXe3invVd23pOw6XO3b_wmwJS0eh2pIkee2ZrQQNNDkBWhV4C0Wr-xWok9OEZgogsLpnuQ0oxxl39SkXIAN3sbpiGt4zlY_Lq6RV_4stX0bI5cIEZYqzOnPqXw/s1600/8+Outrider+motor+and+belts+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEN_gUj7t340kkt2aoecoXe3invVd23pOw6XO3b_wmwJS0eh2pIkee2ZrQQNNDkBWhV4C0Wr-xWok9OEZgogsLpnuQ0oxxl39SkXIAN3sbpiGt4zlY_Lq6RV_4stX0bI5cIEZYqzOnPqXw/s1600/8+Outrider+motor+and+belts+email.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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The drive system of an Outrider trike in the parade. Note there are only 3 large wires coming out of the motor, so there is no rotor position feedback. This makes the motor harder to control and not as efficient, I'm in the middle of planning the motor and gearing for the third bike right now, and plan to cover this more in a future post.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8waeyEfFbF_67KDWVBD7P_U_YvyLAAsCUxztZnnuU9eo4MFa5AsEAyss24pumpJg1aw0aUqtiXgObSEhC-E_VdeVUDO1Sc9byS_UE023-M2V_OLaSwUnKg8yPO3b89vhK7oGkADo7QQdk/s1600/9+Peter+explaining+motor+change+on+ELF+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8waeyEfFbF_67KDWVBD7P_U_YvyLAAsCUxztZnnuU9eo4MFa5AsEAyss24pumpJg1aw0aUqtiXgObSEhC-E_VdeVUDO1Sc9byS_UE023-M2V_OLaSwUnKg8yPO3b89vhK7oGkADo7QQdk/s1600/9+Peter+explaining+motor+change+on+ELF+email.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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Peter explaining his motor upgrade in his very dairy (decorated with cow spots) ELF.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbHmUWUKQMGM57QRrNYzuWXLN0GDEay7jZeDaQZsaaqjZEgvqWNwxitDxEQ8oZ_5e4ta8YvPwT1QsGp2_2XJb9PFP-CAvNDulb_SYiDrlyp85yUDFVn2umCzvFVNfhFe4pnJj0G8un0byY/s1600/10+stoke+monkey+bionx+and+eager+passenger+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbHmUWUKQMGM57QRrNYzuWXLN0GDEay7jZeDaQZsaaqjZEgvqWNwxitDxEQ8oZ_5e4ta8YvPwT1QsGp2_2XJb9PFP-CAvNDulb_SYiDrlyp85yUDFVn2umCzvFVNfhFe4pnJj0G8un0byY/s1600/10+stoke+monkey+bionx+and+eager+passenger+email.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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Two Yuba el Mundos with a Stoke Monkey and a Bionx, and a passenger who is ready to ride.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmsAiuAq3GG4uvW-WGP_xsCK0un7v9-0IlRVsOZTfZ8JFzG6jrwCE1gs2x2W2ON2TG4ZTC3tXpZcm1E1F8GrBT6yyDKsV3WMm9H8gkTqkz7lU_dGUifQb674Vd71wGTdvIPXRxmnzwtdi1/s1600/11+heading+up+main+stree+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmsAiuAq3GG4uvW-WGP_xsCK0un7v9-0IlRVsOZTfZ8JFzG6jrwCE1gs2x2W2ON2TG4ZTC3tXpZcm1E1F8GrBT6yyDKsV3WMm9H8gkTqkz7lU_dGUifQb674Vd71wGTdvIPXRxmnzwtdi1/s1600/11+heading+up+main+stree+email.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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Heading up Main Street.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3omIbrkkGEgaXkgqeFrxbyZTqO_mS6eZwRcbmYWIzPV-t1KIvoIsDmSPdNIPQ_m7BgGW6KSm-4vQCk2ZtybKBTJsSXfj3YXJAjpdRkElZ8dVpkh1fCd0j31RZN9MAejXFSutfw49T9IS2/s1600/12+main+street+looking+back+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3omIbrkkGEgaXkgqeFrxbyZTqO_mS6eZwRcbmYWIzPV-t1KIvoIsDmSPdNIPQ_m7BgGW6KSm-4vQCk2ZtybKBTJsSXfj3YXJAjpdRkElZ8dVpkh1fCd0j31RZN9MAejXFSutfw49T9IS2/s1600/12+main+street+looking+back+email.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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Looking back down Main Street, (with 1/4 mile of people already).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdeox2lqmP0a9fyzA0Zl0ybvc_ptNkbmJlpGJTX-gXZneVNTyrueS93kXAyTFkv5g0KssvxYb4BUJEmsh4tgf5rZNxkc2YF9vkQPHyO3YCNvxrkPuwiR9chDeipVPUNosMEEp6q1RlY1ND/s1600/13+middle+of+main+street+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdeox2lqmP0a9fyzA0Zl0ybvc_ptNkbmJlpGJTX-gXZneVNTyrueS93kXAyTFkv5g0KssvxYb4BUJEmsh4tgf5rZNxkc2YF9vkQPHyO3YCNvxrkPuwiR9chDeipVPUNosMEEp6q1RlY1ND/s1600/13+middle+of+main+street+email.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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Rolling UnThunder. Quiet saves lives?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5pfAVAxZSAkN9Annz7W6JSJ5HE9BXoYZQQg10-VrpqxieNXKv1fr48VRR8UwUaj5g8bRi2p0WlaM3S7oEqzf3Cyz15gpzMccLw0YPy36Gg-trqB41CA_sPKMRdX_JECYywNV1GOOVbTSo/s1600/14+Stephen+&+Elijah+on+the+quadracycle+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5pfAVAxZSAkN9Annz7W6JSJ5HE9BXoYZQQg10-VrpqxieNXKv1fr48VRR8UwUaj5g8bRi2p0WlaM3S7oEqzf3Cyz15gpzMccLw0YPy36Gg-trqB41CA_sPKMRdX_JECYywNV1GOOVbTSo/s1600/14+Stephen+&+Elijah+on+the+quadracycle+email.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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Stephan and Eliah in their Quadracycle. Each rider was connected to one rear wheel,</div>
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with no link connecting the two sides. Photo courtesy of Dave Cohen</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQCm9JCESujpKhm6hmUvCg9khHpyOFd_AYUx_wRn-_vxpaNgLOkXBuAG7YUuak7hrZb8WuFb_qZMdVfNf3foeWLSW_5ygIZJSEmayzQDMrISLqKfJx1I5Odbc3Su-WlvXQsOeY_vp5kY7j/s1600/15+Karl's+Solar+Cargobike+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQCm9JCESujpKhm6hmUvCg9khHpyOFd_AYUx_wRn-_vxpaNgLOkXBuAG7YUuak7hrZb8WuFb_qZMdVfNf3foeWLSW_5ygIZJSEmayzQDMrISLqKfJx1I5Odbc3Su-WlvXQsOeY_vp5kY7j/s1600/15+Karl's+Solar+Cargobike+email.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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My Bakfiets. The person riding the bakfiets next to me is Dave Cohen.</div>
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His passenger (sitting backwards) is reading the book "Life is a Wheel".</div>
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Photo courtesy of Dave Cohen.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEineJw_jSAkooB2LIvDQ6tMm4QIYVCfJBJmgkcHwbtZx1AUigI2gaGMLOiphtH8qVLtIXp4FbJEOM4McmiWC-ISh4e66vq7fngb2bjDxraDkFVIEwAePUkj3QuUg2Tx4y3OU4Hhp7qJH-eC/s1600/16+y+junction+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEineJw_jSAkooB2LIvDQ6tMm4QIYVCfJBJmgkcHwbtZx1AUigI2gaGMLOiphtH8qVLtIXp4FbJEOM4McmiWC-ISh4e66vq7fngb2bjDxraDkFVIEwAePUkj3QuUg2Tx4y3OU4Hhp7qJH-eC/s1600/16+y+junction+email.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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About 2/3's way along the route.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlCKXOwfd61K3GH0VKGCbo5g3Ra33KikUWenA6RskogCy5L0nKGrerUbXwxtBg_0NoI3gJGI9A5ODCsq-d5I52IT9aIkMDfDWmeyz9OqenjcR7_oUb63pZJAQVYInTT3PloYSXPwLqzhO/s1600/17+sometimes+you+want+to+peddle+yourself+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlCKXOwfd61K3GH0VKGCbo5g3Ra33KikUWenA6RskogCy5L0nKGrerUbXwxtBg_0NoI3gJGI9A5ODCsq-d5I52IT9aIkMDfDWmeyz9OqenjcR7_oUb63pZJAQVYInTT3PloYSXPwLqzhO/s1600/17+sometimes+you+want+to+peddle+yourself+email.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sometimes you don't want Dad's help, you just want to peddle yourself.</div>
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She actually rode the whole parade!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7AOcMh5CgqwyTinDUeOx7NOy7iFxjjga74Pt4-ocb0fslyqAPrNTMn9L1i0FKFRXvqae4R3JzbEDxxMJcorjzh4u3M0z1YJRV4lJerlrO9ehb2PwYkFsoU4XAzlUTCZqNunQ0EQ5eW0y6/s1600/18+my+word+the+people+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7AOcMh5CgqwyTinDUeOx7NOy7iFxjjga74Pt4-ocb0fslyqAPrNTMn9L1i0FKFRXvqae4R3JzbEDxxMJcorjzh4u3M0z1YJRV4lJerlrO9ehb2PwYkFsoU4XAzlUTCZqNunQ0EQ5eW0y6/s1600/18+my+word+the+people+email.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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My word, the people! It's heartening to think that most of them are in favor</div>
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of local food and agriculture, and so were probably very interested in biking too.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs3Te6uTNZldf9WlPivF-qNirGJoBfZzp40sGrrEIXKx3UIxtwxZO8pOE0ynk1lJYl5CCm_zl5zjKqE3q1WuTaNf9qKVLsmnAa1J5pQFGMxc3gG2mvJfi0O6qO_hBO6UbU8UWwKIDdRCqG/s1600/19+our+line+up+of+bike+petting+zoo+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs3Te6uTNZldf9WlPivF-qNirGJoBfZzp40sGrrEIXKx3UIxtwxZO8pOE0ynk1lJYl5CCm_zl5zjKqE3q1WuTaNf9qKVLsmnAa1J5pQFGMxc3gG2mvJfi0O6qO_hBO6UbU8UWwKIDdRCqG/s1600/19+our+line+up+of+bike+petting+zoo+email.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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Our line up of bikes during the afternoon after the parade at the Bike Petting Zoo. We answered all sorts of questions about our bikes. I took a picture for a mountain biker from Virginia while he sat on the Bakfiets, and I had a great conversation with a couple from New Jersey about urban versus rural biking.</div>
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Yes, the LED flag staff lights up!</div>
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Karl Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911172524400644753noreply@blogger.com3