Just ordered myself an electric bicycle with a 36V battery. So now I have the next challenges.
1) Charging the battery from solar. It looks like the simplest is Solar trickle charge -> big 12v lead acid battery -> 12V-240V Invertor -> Lion charger -> 36V LiOn. It feels like there should be a simpler, more efficient way of doing this but there's a big gap between the randomness of solar power and the detailed requirements of Li-On charging.
2) Building a PA that will run from 36V DC, small enough to clip onto the back of the bike and powerful enough to get some serious bass outdoors. Perhaps a 2.1 computer speaker system with an external PSU? What are the chances of finding one with a 36v PSU?
3) Rigging up a USB port for charging iPods and such like. The R/C control people have some tiny 12-48V -> 5V DC-DC convertors. It's just possible that car USB chargers can handle 36v on the input but they might just blow up. The one I'm looking at says 12v-24v input so who knows.
BTW, It's one of these. http://www.alienbikes.co.uk/page7.htm Can't wait. Already have several small customisations planned.
tag:google.com,2010:buzz:z12re54ramzncrdkn224yfkr1t2nwzjq404
Julian Bond
106416716945076707395
2 Sep 2010
2 Sep 2010
Mobile
Public
25-49 Musley Ln, Ware
25-49 Musley Ln, Ware, Hertfordshire SG12 7, UK
51.8137798
-0.0259119
Julian Bond
106416716945076707395
2 Sep 2010
2 Sep 2010
Mobile
Public
Just ordered myself an electric bicycle with a 36V battery. So now I have the next challenges. 1)...
Just ordered myself an electric bicycle with a 36V battery. So now I have the next challenges.
1) Charging the battery from solar. It looks like the simplest is Solar trickle charge -> big 12v lead acid battery -> 12V-240V Invertor -> Lion charger -> 36V LiOn. It feels like there should be a simpler, more efficient way of doing this but there's a big gap between the randomness of solar power and the detailed requirements of Li-On charging.
2) Building a PA that will run from 36V DC, small enough to clip onto the back of the bike and powerful enough to get some serious bass outdoors. Perhaps a 2.1 computer speaker system with an external PSU? What are the chances of finding one with a 36v PSU?
3) Rigging up a USB port for charging iPods and such like. The R/C control people have some tiny 12-48V -> 5V DC-DC convertors. It's just possible that car USB chargers can handle 36v on the input but they might just blow up. The one I'm looking at says 12v-24v input so who knows.
BTW, It's one of these. http://www.alienbikes.co.uk/page7.htm Can't wait. Already have several small customisations planned.
tag:google.com,2010:buzz-comment:z12re54ramzncrdkn224yfkr1t2nwzjq404:1283462977520000
Jason ON
107192195569453684660
An electric bike? Why? I love the feeling of a workout after riding my bikes.
2 Sep 2010
2 Sep 2010
Jason ON
107192195569453684660
An electric bike? Why? I love the feeling of a workout after riding my bikes.
2 Sep 2010
2 Sep 2010
Permalink
tag:google.com,2010:buzz-comment:z12re54ramzncrdkn224yfkr1t2nwzjq404:1283497048454000
Julian Bond
106416716945076707395
Jason ON Laziness, excitement, geekiness, lots of reasons. One of them is to further downgrade my transport needs. At the moment it's Car -> Megascooter -> Bicycle. So I'm introducing something that lets me do more than the bicycle and takes away some of the journeys that require the scooter. Then there's the ability to explore the backroads and countryside further afield. I've lived here long enough that I feel like I've ridden every path within 5 miles and most of them within 10. I want to get out and explore the next 20 miles. I can do that on a bicycle but getting home again is no longer fun. And if it's not fun, I won't do it.
I also feel like a hardware beta-tester. I think there's a huge future in electric bicycles but they're not yet a mature, commoditised technology in the west. 3 Sep 2010 3 Sep 2010
Julian Bond
106416716945076707395
Jason ON Laziness, excitement, geekiness, lots of reasons. One of them is to further downgrade my transport needs. At the moment it's Car -> Megascooter -> Bicycle. So I'm introducing something that lets me do more than the bicycle and takes away some of the journeys that require the scooter. Then there's the ability to explore the backroads and countryside further afield. I've lived here long enough that I feel like I've ridden every path within 5 miles and most of them within 10. I want to get out and explore the next 20 miles. I can do that on a bicycle but getting home again is no longer fun. And if it's not fun, I won't do it.
I also feel like a hardware beta-tester. I think there's a huge future in electric bicycles but they're not yet a mature, commoditised technology in the west. 3 Sep 2010 3 Sep 2010
tag:google.com,2010:buzz-comment:z12re54ramzncrdkn224yfkr1t2nwzjq404:1283545912878000
Jason ON
107192195569453684660
Good plan. I really miss living in Europe (I know, England isn't Europe) where I could ride my bicycle everywhere. Here in the states it's too spread out; everything seems to be 10, 15, 20 miles apart from everything else.
3 Sep 2010
3 Sep 2010
Jason ON
107192195569453684660
Good plan. I really miss living in Europe (I know, England isn't Europe) where I could ride my bicycle everywhere. Here in the states it's too spread out; everything seems to be 10, 15, 20 miles apart from everything else.
3 Sep 2010
3 Sep 2010
tag:google.com,2010:buzz-comment:z12re54ramzncrdkn224yfkr1t2nwzjq404:1283546808555000
Marie Hélène Visconti
106002545837976723927
Here in Paris, it would be nice if it was not so dangerous. So, I walk.
3 Sep 2010
3 Sep 2010
Marie Hélène Visconti
106002545837976723927
Here in Paris, it would be nice if it was not so dangerous. So, I walk.
3 Sep 2010
3 Sep 2010
tag:google.com,2010:buzz-comment:z12re54ramzncrdkn224yfkr1t2nwzjq404:1283843398496000
Julian Bond
106416716945076707395
It arrived! And it's really pretty sweet. I spent way too much time yesterday evening tweaking everything and tidying wiring and cable layouts. Did a couple of runs down the road before the rain came and it's exactly like a bicycle except that you're wafted along at 15-20mph.
All bicycles benefit from being set up and especially having the tyres pumped. It's amazing how many people have no idea how to do this. I have a constant stream of my Kid's friend's bicycles coming through and I try and make sure that they all leave the house in better shape than when they arrived.
This is the first bike I've had with disk brakes for quite some time. I find them really tricky to set up. Seems strangely hard to get them so they don't drag at all but still have a good bite point. 7 Sep 2010 7 Sep 2010
Julian Bond
106416716945076707395
It arrived! And it's really pretty sweet. I spent way too much time yesterday evening tweaking everything and tidying wiring and cable layouts. Did a couple of runs down the road before the rain came and it's exactly like a bicycle except that you're wafted along at 15-20mph.
All bicycles benefit from being set up and especially having the tyres pumped. It's amazing how many people have no idea how to do this. I have a constant stream of my Kid's friend's bicycles coming through and I try and make sure that they all leave the house in better shape than when they arrived.
This is the first bike I've had with disk brakes for quite some time. I find them really tricky to set up. Seems strangely hard to get them so they don't drag at all but still have a good bite point. 7 Sep 2010 7 Sep 2010
tag:google.com,2010:buzz-comment:z12re54ramzncrdkn224yfkr1t2nwzjq404:1283843794431000
Marie Hélène Visconti
106002545837976723927
I am unable to take care of my tires (I cycle in the country). Hopefully, hubby can help me !!!
7 Sep 2010
7 Sep 2010
Marie Hélène Visconti
106002545837976723927
I am unable to take care of my tires (I cycle in the country). Hopefully, hubby can help me !!!
7 Sep 2010
7 Sep 2010