Advice needed on conversion suitable for hauling heavy loads in trailer

[Jay Fora]

I am looking for advice please…Preferably from people who have a trailer on their bike already…. My bike is my ‘packhorse’. I don’t have a car, and am unable to buy one. I need a conversion kit and battery that will meet the following needs –

*Power a bike with a trailer and a 20 -50kg load. This is very important

* I currently travel only 2 or 3 km maximum on the bike, and having a powered bicycle and trailer is essential for me to carry heavy stuff

*Will allow me to pedal bike (without the load!) for exercise, without using the motor

*Battery has no, or minimal, ‘memory effect’

Will be used in temperatures up to 35 deg centigrade (I usually avoid being on the road when it’s such a hot day, however if I do go out, there will be no shade to park the bike in)

*Is easy enough for a reasonably savvy friend and I to follow the instructions to install
*There is no facility for recycling lithium batteries in my district, and this concerns me

Until recently my bike was powered by a Honda brushcutter/whipper snipper motor, which is now illegal as of 1st Oct.

I am a pensioner with reduced physical strength, and my powered bike and trailer are a lifeline for me, getting to and from market, and collecting whatever I need for my garden, some of which is very bulky and/or very heavy

The 60kg load is just once every couple of months
Thanks, Jay

 

[KirstinS]

Welcome jay

May I ask what bike you have now including (if you can) whether the bottom bracket is a standard 68mm one ? And if th frame is steel ?

Additionally it would be useful to know roughly where you live (to advise on local suppliers) and also if your route is flat or hilly

Thanks

 

[Jay Fora]

Hi Kristin, thank you for replying to me
My bike (picture attached) is an ordinary Malvern Star domestic 18 speed bike. i just measured the bottom bracket with a tape measure, it's about 70mm. I bought the bike secondhand about 4 years ago, and was told it is aluminium. Malvern Star is a popular long lasting bike here.
I don't live in the Uk, but we don't seem to have a pedelec forum in Australia. Freight from UK or Europe is much cheaper than many other countries, very expensive from USA, and a Chinese supplier with a very good reputation could be a good option.
I use my bike mainly on the flat for carrying heavy loads, and myself when i am too tired to walk. Having a conversion kit that would take me up the steep hills out of town, would be a bonus but not essential. The road to the beach is steep initially, and relatively safe, however the narrow windy roads that traverse the other hills are dangerous to share with cars, and pocked with large potholes.
Thank you, Jay

 

[Geebee]

Hi Jay, first up I do not tow a trailer but as I can't exert any power on the pedals the load is very high on the drive probably worse than your trailer, plus I am in Tassie
In Oz the first and easiest option is to buy an Ezee conversion kit they are about as grunty as you will get legally and 2 year warranty. http://glowwormbicycles.com.au/store/ezeebike-electric-bicycles/ezeebike-electric-bicycle-conversion-kit

I have a Tonaro/Aseako crank drive, they will climb anything without rider input so a trailer and some input from the rider, hills should be a piece of cake, the last hill I had trouble with was offroad and the issue was that I could not keep the front wheel on the ground, motor was happily driving still
http://www.aseakoelectricbike.com.au/
If bored here is a 64 page thread from an Oz forum on the Aseako's http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1949728

Another option is a crank drive kit ie. a BBS01 lots of chinese sellers and em3ev.com has a good reputation, if this sounds like what you are after let me know and I will PM an Australian seller who is cheap but is waiting on stock, I havent bought yet but have ordered one.

Ps. You dont see a lot of Malvern stars around any more, used to be every second bike was one.

 

[Jay Fora]

Hi Jay, first up I do not tow a trailer but as I can't exert any power on the pedals the load is very high on the drive probably worse than your trailer, plus I am in Tassie
In Oz the first and easiest option is to buy an Ezee conversion kit they are about as grunty as you will get legally and 2 year warranty. http://glowwormbicycles.com.au/store/ezeebike-electric-bicycles/ezeebike-electric-bicycle-conversion-kit

I have a Tonaro/Aseako crank drive, they will climb anything without rider input so a trailer and some input from the rider, hills should be a piece of cake, the last hill I had trouble with was offroad and the issue was that I could not keep the front wheel on the ground, motor was happily driving still
http://www.aseakoelectricbike.com.au/
If bored here is a 64 page thread from an Oz forum on the Aseako's http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1949728

Another option is a crank drive kit ie. a BBS01 lots of chinese sellers and em3ev.com has a good reputation, if this sounds like what you are after let me know and I will PM an Ausrtralian seller who is cheap but is waiting on stock, I havent bought yet but have ordered one.

Ps. You dont see a lot of Malvern stars around any more, used to be every second bike was one.

Hi GeeBee, Thank you for your advice. I looked at the threads and was horrified by the prices. I need to amend my request for advice so that it says the cheapest way of doing the conversion that will also give me a reliable motor and battery. Do you have any ideas please?( It would take me about a year to get the money together for the kits from em3ev.com, and as i have been suddenly hit with my motorised bke being made illegal, I need a fast solution for mobility and getting my heavy stuff home)
I wonder if a secondhand pedelec, and adding new batteries, could be cheaper.
I am just starting to look into all the possibilities, and hope I find one that is actually possible for me.
Thanks, Jay

 

[Jay Fora]

I am looking for advice please…Preferably from people who have a trailer on their bike already…
Hi, I am amending my original post -

My bike is my ‘packhorse’. I don’t have a car, and am unable to buy one. I need a conversion kit and battery that will meet the following needs –

*Power a bike with a trailer and a 20 -50kg load. This is very important
As is the need for the cheapest way possible to get something with reliable motor and battery, that is easy enough for a reasonably savvy friend and I to follow the instructions to install

* I currently travel only 2 or 3 km maximum on the bike, and having a powered bicycle and trailer is essential for me to carry heavy stuff
(However, being able to get over the hills to the beach, without the load, would be a bonus)

*Will allow me to pedal bike (without the load!) for exercise, without using the motor, however if this isn't possible that could be ok.

*Battery has no, or minimal, ‘memory effect’

Will be used in temperatures up to 35 deg centigrade (I usually avoid being on the road when it’s such a hot day, however if I do go out, there will be no shade to park the bike in)

*There is no facility for recycling lithium batteries in my district, and this concerns me

Until recently my bike was powered by a Honda brushcutter/whipper snipper motor, which is now illegal as of 1st Oct.

I am a pensioner with reduced physical strength, and my powered bike and trailer are a lifeline for me, getting to and from market, and collecting whatever I need for my garden, some of which is very bulky and/or very heavy

The 60kg load is just once every couple of months
Thanks, Jay

Phrases in italics are my own amendments

 

[Geebee]

There is Ebay options like this but direct drive and illegal and the seller is as dodgy as (I have dealt with him) http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Brand-New-500watt-36v-Electric-bike-conversion-kit-bicycle-complete-WARRANTY-/281452471953?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item4187dfe691

Dillinger do a folding 20" bike with sla batteries and low powered hub for just under $600 http://dillenger.com.au/shop/electric-bikes/20-cheetah-explorer-folding-electric-bike/

Cheapest option is keep an eye on Gumtree and Ebay for s/hand in your area, even if the bike is not what you want you could swap the kit to yours.
Just be aware that if the batteries are shot they can be expensive.

 

[Jay Fora]

Hi again GeeBee, What is the reputation of Dillinger bikes? Do you know? Your replies are helpful and giving me a reality check on what is around. The Dillinger would be a good suggestion if it could tow a load, and I had the money right now. I am obviously caught totally unprepared by the new law.
I wouldn't go for an illegal option, it's just not worth the investment to buy it.
I can't seem to find clear up to date information about what is needed for an electric bicycle to be legal in NSW. Thanks for mentioning that direct drive is not.
I need to find out what sort of specifications would meet my needs, so I can evaluate options that come up. I have noticed there is a technical forum, so will ask that question there. Thank you, Jay

 

[Geebee]

Hi Jay, Direct drive is legal see your other post.
Dillinger seem a bit average IMO but seem to sort most things out eventually.
I dont think the Dillenger would cope with the trailer too well but should be fine for just yourself as it is only 24v at 15 amps so all up peak of 360w as an example my legal Tonaro is 36v at 17 amps or 612w so close to twice the power.
Mind you it also depends upon your weight as a lighter person will need less power.
Try to find a 36v system as they will generally have more grunt.

 

[Jay Fora]

Hi Geebee, please could you explain to me how a bike with a peak power of 612w is legal? I am completely new to this, so that doesn't seem to make sense. Thanks, Jay

 

[Geebee]

Well , There is a calculation apparently, but it comes down to what the manufacturer rates the continuous wattage of the motor at, so in my case it was sold as 200 w rated motor but the same bike is now rated as 250 w, some of the newer hubs draw even more power but the manufacturers still rate them as 250w continuous so they are legal no matter what the peak wattage is.

Its a bit silly really, I find the best way to look at it is as long as the motor is manufacturer rated as 250w you should be covered.

If you want to do a lot of reading start here http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/new-epac-standard-en-15194-for-safe-e-bikes.3946/
or google EN 15194

 

[flecc]

I understand that Australia has now adopted what amounts to EU standards for e-bikes, bringing the former maximum rating up from 200 watts to 250 watts.

The EN15194 test for compliance includes two permissible methods of measuring the power, and one of those gives considerable flexibility. On current legal 250 watt e-bikes peaks of over 700 watts and continuous capability of around 500 watts are evident in some cases. 400 watts is commonplace and few are much lower.

Just as well, from knowledge of the earliest days of e-bike motors when the first designs had actual compliance, 200 watts only is so weak as to be completely useless.

P.S. Just seen your other thread and predicament through living by a State border, something that seriously affects e-bikers in the USA where there are many different laws.
.

 

[Cyclezee]

Hi Jay,

I understand that an eZee kit is over your budget, but if you are near any of the dealers, you could at least give one a try.
eZee's Oz dealer list http://glowwormbicycles.com.au/dealers