WE Trike Project...Complete!

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surplus
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Last seen: 13 years 1 week ago
Joined: Monday, August 11, 2008 - 19:03
Points: 16
WE Trike Project...Complete!

After tinkering with it for a year and a half, I think I have completed my WE based Schwinn Meridian Trike. The drive system has been stable for nine months. But I have been playing with all the accessories to get it just the way I needed. So I thought it was time to share with all of you who have provided such great information on this forum. Thanks for all your help!

The trike has a top speed of just over 20mph on flat land when the weather is warm. When the weather is cold, it drops to about 18mph. But really the bike is most comfortable cruising at about 13mph. The trike uses 36 volts from 3 12 volt SLA batteries. The WE kit includes the 500W rated brushless hub with standard controller. I only go about 5 miles on trips around town, so I am not sure what the maximum range is.

One of the advantages of a trike is that you can put side view mirrors on it as it always stands upright. As far as the other accessories go it uses a Schwinn comfort seat (much better than stock one), Schwinn computer for odometer/speedometer, and front & rear lights (making it night legal). I confirmed the odometer and speedometer readings with GPS. It is remarkable how accurate the inexpensive Schwinn computer is!

The only major problem I faced was that the included charger in the WE kit was horrid. This was one of the problem chargers with the "blinking light" issue. But even with the fix posted on the forum, it wouldn't charge the batteries all the way. So I invested in a much better charger as shown in the last 2 pics below.

Thanks again for all your help!

John Kelly
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Last seen: 13 years 1 week ago
Joined: Saturday, May 22, 2010 - 10:15
Points: 14
Re: WE Trike Project...Complete!

Nice looking project! I built an electric trike as well... much heavier, and less practical than yours:

http://visforvoltage.org/forum/9011-bike-conversion-kit-vendor-recommendation-ev-universecom

John

surplus
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Last seen: 13 years 1 week ago
Joined: Monday, August 11, 2008 - 19:03
Points: 16
Re: WE Trike Project...Complete!

That is a really cool design, John! It looks like a very practical solution to transporting such a large item. I actually use an inflatable kayak which fits in a large gym bag. After seeing yours, I now wonder if I could carry it uninflated on the back of my trike to a nearby lake and then use the battery to inflate it. I'll have to try that some weekend. Thanks for the inspiration!

John Kelly
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Last seen: 13 years 1 week ago
Joined: Saturday, May 22, 2010 - 10:15
Points: 14
Re: WE Trike Project...Complete!

Glad you like it! I started out kayak surfing with an inflatable. Worked better than most people thought it would : )

John

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