Optibike has been declared the best el. bike.
I had a look lately at Optibike regarded the best and for the reason of efficiency.
MBB - Motorized Bottom Bracket drives sprocket. Optibike can free-wheel, means after stopping pedalling motor can still drive sprocket. It means one-way clutch??
On Optibike web site hub motor is described as not for climbing hills and unsuitable for heavy persons.
Maybe Optibike is more efficient but emploiying one-way clutch they had to make darn sure it is the best one in the world for bike costing $8000.
My Merida had many problems with one-way clutch.
It was stucked many times.
You cannot have both worlds-simplicity of hub motor and efficiency of mechanically complicated system.
What do you think??
Would you buy Optibike?
Miroslaw
I would not pay $8000.oo for any bike at this time. I have a Merida and have also experienced the stuck one-way bearing. I found a good stomp on the pedal will dislodge it. As for the Optibike, I have looked at them very hard but as much as I like their design, I could not sanction the cost. I am sure it is a very good e-bike and I do like the bottom bracket design but I believe my Merida at 36-volts could keep pace with their bike, so why would I pay their price when I have only spent about $600.oo total on my Merida.
Grandpa Chas S.
They have got to be kidding on the price. What is it made out of, Gold? There is no market for $8000 electric bikes.
If I had $8,000.00 to spend on an EV, I would not get the Optibike. I would get a full sized Electric Motorcycle like this one for the same price.
http://www.electricmotorsport.com/store/ems_electric_motorcycle_gpr-s.php#
This el. bike is amazing from Motorsport.
Only $8000???
To make justice to Optibike only 800W model cost $8000, weeker on is ONLY $5500 at Electriccyclery.
It brings me to question:
Optbike comes in 400W, 600W and now 800W models. Is this phisically the same motor with twicked sofware or gearing or there are different motor?????
TidalForce also claimed 500W motor for Canada and 750W motor for USA, finally I found out with surprise that TF motor is capable of 1500W. But is phisically the same motor with the same windings, poles, etc. , sofware of controllers is just changed.
But TF didn't charged $2500 for upgrating like Optibike /plus still better components for 800 model/.
Well, the best components in the world plus sofware change does not justify $8000.
On the pictures of different Optibike I don't see any bigger motor.
Anybody's opinion on that?
Is it a practice to offer oversized motor and year later upgrate controller sofware to offer "new" model.
Please, your opinions?
MC
CM
Kevin at Electric cyclery said he will be receiving an Optibike OB1 soon for test rides. After seeing the video on youtube, I need to take a spin on one to decide if it's performance is worth the price. see video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDR-ZPcnRCY
Yes,
As I said before, how is it possible that they increase power , is motor on OB1 bigger?
I like idea of MBB , but it comes with penalty of mechanical components inside, means possible brakedown years down the road.
I would prefer hard tail and lower price. Again rear suspention means no sturdy rear rack. How much weight you can stress on seat post-5kg??? On one hand they brag they strived so much to lower centre of gravity, on other hand they offer you an option of luggage rack that high up? All seat post weight want to swing around, there is no way around it unless you want to drill post to drive a bolt?
Outdated halogen lights on $5500 Optibike/400W model/??Wastage of battery power.
That is not the best. The best is HID or high power 600Lumens LED, that`s the best.
For sure you will be thrilled when you ride on Optibike, I am sure, but when you realize you don`t get top end Lithium on $5500 bike you will be dissapointed.
You Bionx is silent, I am not sure about Opti noise, MBB motor cannot drive sprocket directly if it wants to stay efficient revs, has to be reduction gears.
Appeal of hand-made, USA-made parts and assembly is very irresistable to me however.
As example of Heinzman metal gears show they can last years.
I own USA-made TidalForce and motor with built-in controller is a showcase of quality.
It has rode me for amaizing 9600km and beforf the end of year I will reach mind boggling 10 000km. Well no gears, no clutch, just the rotor.
I like Bionx kit especially lower torque, high speed 500W model. But I suspect motor is Chinese -made for $1900 ????
Where Bionx take these motors from - I have problem with not knowing that.
MC
CM
I read somwhere OB1 price will be over 10 000dollars, which makes it THE MOST expensive in the world e-bike
CM
Just found out from the patents web site that Optibike has not one but 2 sets of 3sprocket planetary gears .
For 2008 they introduced "oil cooling" of motor and gears???
MC
CM
yeah very high price but nothing wrong with being at the top-end so I support their product and what they are doing, I really hope they succeed and keep moving forwards, and I think it is good for raising awareness for the general public and no doubt if I was wealthy I'd probably get one and add it to the "fleet". bit like tesla for the electric cars its a good thing. But seems to me a typical ebike enthusiast like people checking out this forum will if they had a hypothetical 8K to spend, immediately think about getting 2 or 3 e-bikes or getting very similar performance etc doing it yourself for a fraction of that.
If I were spending 8k I'd probably get a velomobile for the weather-protection. Add some nice batteries and a strong motor, and you have an awesome e-bike.
Firstly, I am 6' 6" weigh 250 lbs. I have a choice between buying a custom Zinn xxl megabike full suspension with 500 watt bionx system for $6500. Or I could by the 600li optibike for $8000. I will be commuting 16 miles round trip each day on fairly flat ground (cant sweat one way ) to work. I will be trail riding every weekend. I am curious which bike is the best bet for me: the smaller but maybe more powerful opti or the custom fit zinn with bionx? Please help.....
adamandbear,
I am sorry so much I am responding so late. All that time I didn`t post anything on V is forV , I didn`t logged in, had no idea a had private message from you. 500W Bionx is just version of 350W with differnt motor windings for more speed. As I read before here and on Endless S, 350W has more torque less speed, 500W hAS more speed less torque. 250lb rider, 16 mil. round trip - if I were you I would have a llok at Optibike. Do you carry stuff to work -rear suspension means problems with rear rack, seatpost mounted rack seems like problem to me - how much you can load/DANGEROUS/. but I undrestand both bikes has rear suspentions. I`ve never ridden Optibike and I rode Bionx bike around shop. Bionx quality is no match for US-made Opti. Bionx uses most probably Chinese motor, cannot be N.American-made. Opti choice of gearing is excellent, it encourages you to pedal, because motor drives bike through rear derailver. Batteries on both bikes are both NOT LiFePhosphate means they will both NOT last more than 1000. As long as I like mechanical side of Opti, electrical side is different story - halogen lights/outdated, they never heard of high power LED??/for that price it should have HID light. But what really important is drive system, seems to me that MBB on Opti will last-versus Chinese motor which get loose on Bionx. HANDS DOWN I will fork out another $1500 and go for Opti. Have you been to Google Tidal Force web site?? My Tidal Force bike afier I replaced factory battery has been trouble free. I got 10100km (!!!!} on it and counting. Durability of TF motor/controller/waterproffness is incredible. You cannot buy new TF - factory/Wavecrest/ closed stopped making them. But inventor Raikish started new company and he offers improved version of TF for around $3500. It is electrically identical bike as old TF I guess with almost identical hubs. Front hub houses battery pack and it is 30 NMH cells. NMH pack will last 500-600 cycles , around max 4 seasons. After that you replace facory wheel with regular wheel and buy LifeBatt 10Ah 36V pack, connect to rear connector and carry on rear rack or any other 36V battery. Battery cost $750+$225 charger at present made in Taiwan, 3-year warranty, very, very proffesionally made, no Chinese DIY crappy stuff. Just go and visit Google Tidal Force forum - it will open your eyes.
Miroslaw
CM
The opti if you look at its patent is flawed. I don't want to give details why... no free advise for corporations, who'll use it to make more money. Likewise on the response above, for that price I might as well get an electric motorcycle.
I like the new TF, except it should have full suspension.