cyclone ebike building help...

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hopbot
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cyclone ebike building help...

hey there all! ok, so i got my cyclone 500w kit! i started to remove the crankset to replace the spindle with the cyclone-specific one and discovered a few things - my bike has a cartridge type bottom bracket. i went to the bike shop to have them remove the cartridge and replace it with a cup and cone system and they called to tell me that the spindle i got from cyclone is not made for my bottom bracket width (i received a 68mm spindle, i need a 73mm spindle apparently).

so, am i stuck? i really want to use my bike but i have no clue where to get a version of that cyclone spindle for my bike. can these be made and where?

thanks for any help.

Sturdly
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Re: cyclone ebike building help...

These guys list one 73mm spindle, http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/bottombrackets.html about 3/4 down the page. Don't know if it is wide enough though to clear the motor. If not try looking through their special order online catalog. I have done business with them before, their parts and service were both good.

I think Shimano has some 73mm square taper cartridge BB's in up to 135mm width which I'm guessing is about the size you need. But I have not looked at them too closely.

As a last resort Phil Wood cartridges are available in many spindle widths and you can get them in 68mm or 73mm. 68mm could work in the 73mm if you don't want to wait on special order. You would loose some adjustment so 73mm would be best. These are heirloom quality and should outlast your bike, but spendy. You get some extra adjustment for width and centering with their special cups which could come in handy. Brace yourself for the price and measure carefully. They won't take back a scratched one.

The cartridge type is a good way to go as they are maintenance free, no removal and repacking required.

Good luck and hope this helps a bit.

Post some pics of your progress.

hopbot
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Re: cyclone ebike building help...

thanks so much Sturdly for the thorough reply. that sheldon brown site is awesome! since i'm using the 500w motor and its pretty wide i think the width of the spindle is much wider than any of the ones i've seen listed. i cant measure it tonight since its at the bike shop still, but i can pick it up tomorrow. i think i'm coming to terms with the fact that i just dont have the right bike and getting a new bike would be the most economical route, not to mention easier to mount the kit on.

drat! and i so love my trek 4300

2007 Dahon Matrix - Cyclone 500w - 17Ah 24V LiFePO4

Sturdly
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Re: cyclone ebike building help...

I was looking at the Cyclone kit when I first decided to do a conversion as I really wanted the 500 watts, but clearance issues steered me away from it to the elationebike BB drive kit. My issue was the rear wheel/tire. Later I heard that by using a 24 inch rear instead of the 26 it would probably fit.

Since you already have the kit take the motor and mount with you and check the fit on some floor models of the bikes you are interested in and of course check the specs of the BB for a 68mm shell size. Take some duct tape and put it on the motor mount so you don't scratch the paint on the bikes while trial fitting.

You might also consider getting something with an SRAM dual drive for extra hill climbing. The 05 and 06 I think Gary Fisher Presidio comes to mind as a possibility at around $400 for a mint used one on Craigslist, if you can find one.

Look closely at your Trek one of the Phil Woods should still be cheaper than a whole new bike. If you have a 113mm the 135mm symmetrical would give you about 22mm extra clearance adjusted all the way to the left.

Feel free to post any more questions and if I can will answer from past experience I'll help as much as possible. I find the hunt for parts and the actual converting to be quite a lot of fun.

hopbot
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Re: cyclone ebike building help...

hey there Sturdly, thanks again for the great input!

well, after much research, i think i'm going to have to sell the bike and get one better suited for the 500w Cyclone kit. Cyclone actually do provide a 73mm spindle, but only for their 350w kit. The 500w kit spindle is about 6 inches long (a little over 152mm) and i cant seem to find anything even close to that width.

i was thinking that maybe there are some tandem spindles out there that might fit, but i'm not knowledgeable enough to have found anything that seemed right. i dont know that there are many 73mm bottom bracket shells on tandems, again, not knowledgeable enough to know.

Jim from Cyclone USA got back to me and mentioned that the only solution he can think of is to actually cut the spindle and weld each end back to some tubing that adds the right width to the spindle. that is way beyond my capabilities unfortunately.

so, i'm selling it and am in search of a Dahon Matrix, which from my research so far, seems to be a great bike with the right measurements for my project. fingers are crossed!

2007 Dahon Matrix - Cyclone 500w - 17Ah 24V LiFePO4

friggerand
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Re: cyclone ebike building help...

Should have got a hub motor... Those cyclones aren't worth the effort, are loud, and the whole idea of gearing down and multiplying the torque....when you go to lower gears, you also drop your speed....Very pointless systems with the price and availabilit of good maintenance free, powerful brushless hub motors. If you really think gears are important, get a brushless hub motor with planetary gears. You will get awesome torque and power out of one of those, rivalling the torque and power of much bigger gearless motors.... and you don't have to take your whole bike apart to get the benefit of a geared system. Of course, if it was me, I'd leave the planetary gear motor alone too, and just get a GOOD gearless motor and run a 40-50A controller, and never worry about the gearset after. If you have to deal with the motor breaking down, or parts wearing out, an ebike is not practical anymore, you already have to replace batteries every year if you're someone that uses it as much as I do...

Giant Stiletto Bike
500W Golden Motors 20" front wheel kit
190lb rider
Flat ground speed: 36kph
Top speed: 44.8kph

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hopbot
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Re: cyclone ebike building help...

@friggerand: thanks for the info. i've only been looking at hub motors recently and it seems the prices are comparable for the setup i need (need to conquer SF hills, li-ion pack, etc), and maybe the cost is a little more - but being able to convert any bike is really nice!

until i do a second conversion, my first foray into e-biking is running well... IMG_3418.jpg

get a top speed of 45kph on flats, and a bit over 16kph on hills around here listed on the map as 18%+ grade - need to measure to find the exact grade.

2007 Dahon Matrix - Cyclone 500w - 17Ah 24V LiFePO4

Freddyflatfoot
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Re: cyclone ebike building help...

Thats Ok for you guys in the US, to go for a high powered hub motor!
Here, down under, we are leagally limited to 200 watts! So going for a good geared system seems to be the way to go.
I've just got my elation type system up and running, and so far, am fairly happy withe performance. Reckon its probab;ly over the 200 watts, but will know more when I get my Watts Up meter.
Just for info, I have a 24 v, 18 AHr system. Speed varies between low 20 kph, to about 28 kph, depending on terrain, Have seen over 40 kph witn a serious tail wind! ;)
Geared system works well for a low powered unit

friggerand
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Re: cyclone ebike building help...

Ya, if you are limited to 200W, you are pretty limited by what kind of motor would even be worth it. 200W max, that sucks... I'm still ticked off that we are limited to 500W when alot of places in the states can have 750W. But the reality of it is, as long as you don't blow by cops at outlandish speeds, how would they really know the TRUE output power. A Phoenix motor is rated at 750W...it's sold as a 750W motor, and would say that....if you were allowed a 750W system, the cop would see the 750W rating stamped on the motor and say, "yep, 750W, everything's fine here." Except that the motor produces 750W with the standard 20A controller at 36V. With the heavy duty 40A controller, at 36V, the motor produces somewhere around 1400W, and at 48V with the 40A controller, it produces 1900+Watts. The motor says 750W, but with a simple controller upgrade that 750W motor can produce close to 2000W....essentially, you are not riding an electric bike anymore at that output, you are driving an electric bullet with pedals.

There really is soo much involved and to simply take manufacturer claims of power and speed at face value is folly. Some overrate their motor power, some underrate it, each for their own somewhat obvious reasons.

You can have a decent usable system and still keep it a "200W system"...you just have to be a little creative with the setup you use, if you still want to have decent power.

Still, it's got to be tough at 200W... I'm frustrated by the speed of my 500W (740ish max power) system....and with my 20"wheel and low stance and layed back seating of the stiletto, I pull most cars through the intersection from red lights....not racing cars obviously, but I'm at 30+kph before I'm through the intersection by pedalling through the gears and hammering down on throttle at same time..it gives me awesome acceleration and shocks the cars that thought they were beside some goof riding a bicycle shaped like a chopper :)

Giant Stiletto Bike
500W Golden Motors 20" front wheel kit
190lb rider
Flat ground speed: 36kph
Top speed: 44.8kph

Visit High Voltage Choppers
http://highvoltagechoppers.bravehost.com
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friggerand
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Re: cyclone ebike building help...

Oh ya, for comparison, I've seen a planetary geared brushless hub motor that rated at 540W, will produce at 36V and 35A, 1200+W, and at 48V, 35A, 1900+W....so you can see the advantage of a geared motor...less amps, less rated power...same basic result.

Giant Stiletto Bike
500W Golden Motors 20" front wheel kit
190lb rider
Flat ground speed: 36kph
Top speed: 44.8kph

Visit High Voltage Choppers
http://highvoltagechoppers.bravehost.com
Fast Custom Chopper Ebikes!

hopbot
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Re: cyclone ebike building help...

@friggerand: good info, thanks again. so, with my 17Ah 24V LiFePO4, what controller/motor setup would i need to get the torque to go up the 18%+ grades around here and still get a decent speed (~30mph)? curious as to the price for a real wheel hub motor setup.

2007 Dahon Matrix - Cyclone 500w - 17Ah 24V LiFePO4

friggerand
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Re: cyclone ebike building help...

Honestly, I can't see you doing 30 mph with a 24V system. Now, get another one of those 24V batteries and wire them into 48V, and 30mph is easily attainable with a number of different kits. With only 24V though, I can't see you having that kind of speed...that sounds like a good battery, so long as it is rated to handle enopugh amps, both continuously running, and max amps for short time...you'll need those short time max amps for climbing those hills you are talking about. But, you might just want to bite the bullet and maybe sell that battery pack and switch to a 36V system, then with a powerful controller, you can achieve your goals...or a 48V system that would need a less powerful controller.

Giant Stiletto Bike
500W Golden Motors 20" front wheel kit
190lb rider
Flat ground speed: 36kph
Top speed: 44.8kph

Visit High Voltage Choppers
http://highvoltagechoppers.bravehost.com
Fast Custom Chopper Ebikes!

Freddyflatfoot
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Re: cyclone ebike building help...

I agree, certainly wont see 30 mph with 24v. I added a third SLA to my sytem the other day just for the heck of it, and saw 32 kph, and up to 35 kph. Good acceleration and torque too, much better than my 24v system! I just need to make some more changes, like controller, to go to 36 v.
Hope this is all helpin' ya! Cheers!

hopbot
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Re: cyclone ebike building help...

thanks again guys for the input.

2007 Dahon Matrix - Cyclone 500w - 17Ah 24V LiFePO4

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