Alien gents power problem
- Thread starter Aidytodd
- Start date
It certainly should cogs. Wisper owners often get 40 miles from it and some stronger riders get more. That battery is 1.4 times your 10 Ah one if that's what you have, but you should get more than 1.4 times the range.
There's two reasons for that. First is that a larger capacity battery is less stressed by the motor loadings and therefore realises more usable capacity in practice. Second is the advanced cathode technology the Wisper battery uses, a lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt complex oxide rather than the simple manganese cathode of cheaper batteries.
And of course that's where the price difference comes in, that and the disproportional effect of percentage additions like VAT on dearer items.
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There's two reasons for that. First is that a larger capacity battery is less stressed by the motor loadings and therefore realises more usable capacity in practice. Second is the advanced cathode technology the Wisper battery uses, a lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt complex oxide rather than the simple manganese cathode of cheaper batteries.
And of course that's where the price difference comes in, that and the disproportional effect of percentage additions like VAT on dearer items.
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Just to let everyone know, i have got my battery replacement and all is well again, cant fault bob for his customer service(much appreciated) and i'm really happy with the bike as flecc says its the battery supplier not the alien bike/kit thats the problem. So glad to have it back my legs are killing me from having to pedal in and out of work lol
Thanks everyone for the advice
Thomas
Thanks everyone for the advice
Thomas
Glad you've got your new battery sorted. I hope it's trouble-free for you this time. I've been commuting on my Alien-based bike for nearly a year in all weathers (including the recent floods in South Yorkshire), and have really enjoyed it despite the problems/frustrations. Good luck!
Hi everyone, my first posting here so please be gentle with me! This topic intersested me as I was considering the Alien bike kit. However, after reading this thread I'm having second thoughts. I think I'd be inclind to pay more for a kit if I knew it would be more reliable. Any ideas on an alternative kit? I'm looking for a kit to commute to work 22 mile round trip - mainly flat (in Portsmouth area). I'm somewhat a novice at this eBike lark, and need advice. Appreciate any advice - thanks
Hello JMetz, welcome to the forum.
Lowish price kits are a bit of a problem since they are so rare. I can point you to good ones that are quite expensive like the eZee one at £895 or the Heinzmann ones at well over £1000, but apart from the Alien kit I can only think of the Cyclone ones that are readily available in the lower price range.
The Cyclone is a drive through the gears kit as you'll see, and not every bike can accept it for space reasons, details on their site, and it must also be bought direct from Taiwan.
As you will have gathered from this thread, it's batteries that are the problem, the best batteries costing from £400 to over £500, so they automatically make the first two kits I mentioned very expensive. Cheaper kits must use the older technology lower grade lithium batteries which are not always reliable, or the very old tech lead-acid (SLA) batteries which are cheaper and reliable but extremely heavy.
The one mainstream kit offered with those heavy SLA batteries is the Currie Electrodrive, an old design which is a bit noisy and drives the bike by being clamped to the rear wheel spokes with the motor at the side. The availablity of these has been variable, but you can inquire via this website. You'd need to charge at both ends with this kit though, the SLA batteries won't do the 22 miles on one charge.
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Lowish price kits are a bit of a problem since they are so rare. I can point you to good ones that are quite expensive like the eZee one at £895 or the Heinzmann ones at well over £1000, but apart from the Alien kit I can only think of the Cyclone ones that are readily available in the lower price range.
The Cyclone is a drive through the gears kit as you'll see, and not every bike can accept it for space reasons, details on their site, and it must also be bought direct from Taiwan.
As you will have gathered from this thread, it's batteries that are the problem, the best batteries costing from £400 to over £500, so they automatically make the first two kits I mentioned very expensive. Cheaper kits must use the older technology lower grade lithium batteries which are not always reliable, or the very old tech lead-acid (SLA) batteries which are cheaper and reliable but extremely heavy.
The one mainstream kit offered with those heavy SLA batteries is the Currie Electrodrive, an old design which is a bit noisy and drives the bike by being clamped to the rear wheel spokes with the motor at the side. The availablity of these has been variable, but you can inquire via this website. You'd need to charge at both ends with this kit though, the SLA batteries won't do the 22 miles on one charge.
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My Alien kit has not been unreliable. I absolutely take flecc's point about the battery being the weakest link on cheaper products, and with this in mind, you could consider the Alien with a view to upgrading the battery when it eventually requires replacement, which is what I shall do when the time comes. And don't forget, the Alien battery does have the 12 month guarantee.
The motor provided by Alien seems well powerful - which it needs to be to transport me across these hills around the Moray Firth. Considering you reside in a flat area I imagine your range (if you chose the Alien) would be greater than that which I can achieve (approx 20miles per charge).
The motor provided by Alien seems well powerful - which it needs to be to transport me across these hills around the Moray Firth. Considering you reside in a flat area I imagine your range (if you chose the Alien) would be greater than that which I can achieve (approx 20miles per charge).
I second what cogs has said about the Alien kit for you, and in a fairly flat area you won't be stressing the battery very much anyway. With these hub motors, they are least efficient in consumption terms at hill climbing speeds so hills do create high demands on the battery. As speeds increase towards the 15 mph assist maximum the efficiency increases and at cruising speed on the flat the battery has a very easy time.
When things like batteries and motors have an inherent fault which could lead to failure, any failure is almost always in the first part of their life, covered by the warranty anyway. Things that survive the first year of operation are likely to go on to their natural end of life.
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When things like batteries and motors have an inherent fault which could lead to failure, any failure is almost always in the first part of their life, covered by the warranty anyway. Things that survive the first year of operation are likely to go on to their natural end of life.
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Hi again, thanks for responses. Re- Cogs, yea that is a good way to look at it. I'm only looking for pedel assist and as you say, my journey is pretty flat, so I think you're right that I won't be subjecting the motor to reletively high loads (I'm on the small size as well, at 10st).
I appreciate that Alien has built up a good rep on customer support, which counts for a lot with me. Maybe I won't count it out yet.
Just changing tact slightly, I did ask for Alien's advice regarding motors and was surprised that he recommends brushed motors, over brushless. He reckons they give more torque. I'd value any opinions on this? Thanks again!
I appreciate that Alien has built up a good rep on customer support, which counts for a lot with me. Maybe I won't count it out yet.
Just changing tact slightly, I did ask for Alien's advice regarding motors and was surprised that he recommends brushed motors, over brushless. He reckons they give more torque. I'd value any opinions on this? Thanks again!
I'm not convinced and I think there's some mix up with power characteristics here. Brushless Hall sensor motors have a wider and flatter peak power curve which is useful over a wider range of speeds. Brush motors often have a higher maximum power at one peak point, but that peak is really only useful at one speed, though they are very effective at that speed.
Of course the comparison must be like for like with similar motors in terms of consumption and efficiency.
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