Battery advice

philsmusic2000

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jan 22, 2015
23
0
I weigh just short of 16st. I am 5'10" up until 6 years ago my legs were very strong.
I have arthritis in my spine,hip and knees. For the most part it doesn't make much difference to me but some days I find pedaling extremely difficult. As with walking etc.im 31 years old so the rest of me is OK ish.

In the summer I used to use my dawes giro for work. Which is a road bike. 11.4kilo this is why I looked into the mid drive kit as I couldn't find a Hub motor for my wheel at the Time.
Is is 18 miles the first 2 miles are slight incline then pretty flat until the last 4 miles then depending on the route either a constant slight incline but like being in a wind tunnel. Or the other way is like vertical hills and some down hills.although this is steeper I prefer it as going against the wind is a mega task.
On my dawes I could get to work in under 1 hr 20 and 1hr 5 on return.
On my ebike I make the journey in 1hr on average. And have managed 47 mins on the return. I think the biggest problem is having the hardest incline on the last bit of the journey when battery is lowest or dead.then it is not nice to pedal.
The reason I got the bike was over xmas when no trains are available but I have a horrible feeling that what money I had saved was wasted on this life cycle bike. This is because I thought because it's not a kit or conversion made and it was made as a electric bike that it would be better.i was wrong immediately as they left pedal and crank came loose. Headset was loose and screws for the Controller are missing.
Now I'm feeling like I just lost £800 what could of been better spent.
Now I have to save again. I look on ebay and the adverts have lots of conflicting information. This is why I asked about the mid drive as there is a gt road bike on there that says it will go fatser/further than others.



In regards to how fast I want to go the bypass (flatter) route has a cycle path off road so faster the better.
If I could do the journey in under a hour without being knackered at the end I would be happy.
Does it look like I should sell the life cycle?
 

trex

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 15, 2011
7,703
2,671

selrahc1992

Esteemed Pedelecer
Dec 10, 2014
559
218
I weigh just short of 16st. I am 5'10" up until 6 years ago my legs were very strong.
I have arthritis in my spine,hip and knees. For the most part it doesn't make much difference to me but some days I find pedaling extremely difficult. As with walking etc.im 31 years old so the rest of me is OK ish.

In the summer I used to use my dawes giro for work. Which is a road bike. 11.4kilo this is why I looked into the mid drive kit as I couldn't find a Hub motor for my wheel at the Time.
Is is 18 miles the first 2 miles are slight incline then pretty flat until the last 4 miles then depending on the route either a constant slight incline but like being in a wind tunnel. Or the other way is like vertical hills and some down hills.although this is steeper I prefer it as going against the wind is a mega task.
On my dawes I could get to work in under 1 hr 20 and 1hr 5 on return.
On my ebike I make the journey in 1hr on average. And have managed 47 mins on the return. I think the biggest problem is having the hardest incline on the last bit of the journey when battery is lowest or dead.then it is not nice to pedal.
The reason I got the bike was over xmas when no trains are available but I have a horrible feeling that what money I had saved was wasted on this life cycle bike. This is because I thought because it's not a kit or conversion made and it was made as a electric bike that it would be better.i was wrong immediately as they left pedal and crank came loose. Headset was loose and screws for the Controller are missing.
Now I'm feeling like I just lost £800 what could of been better spent.
Now I have to save again. I look on ebay and the adverts have lots of conflicting information. This is why I asked about the mid drive as there is a gt road bike on there that says it will go fatser/further than others.



In regards to how fast I want to go the bypass (flatter) route has a cycle path off road so faster the better.
If I could do the journey in under a hour without being knackered at the end I would be happy.
Does it look like I should sell the life cycle?
correct me if I'm wrong - but you describe a 36 mile commute (18 there, 18 back) - you're saying your ebike does it at an average of around 20mph - but that it wont do the full 36 miles on a single charge? I wouldn't sell it at all - I would take the charger to work and recharge there before returning. it all seems entirely adequate performance to me. some expression about frying pans and fires come to mind.
 

selrahc1992

Esteemed Pedelecer
Dec 10, 2014
559
218
correct me if I'm wrong - but you describe a 36 mile commute (18 there, 18 back) - you're saying your ebike does it at an average of around 20mph - but that it wont do the full 36 miles on a single charge? I wouldn't sell it at all - I would take the charger to work and recharge there before returning. it all seems entirely adequate performance to me. some expression about frying pans and fires come to mind.
headsets and bottom brackets and cranks cost peanuts for a Chinese bike like that with a hub motor and are as far as I know very similar across the board in that price range
 

philsmusic2000

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jan 22, 2015
23
0
Hahah . It doesnt get me there. I am happy to charge it at work. But it runs out after 14 miles.so the worst bit is without power and like pulling a tank.
I asked about the motor as would like it to get me to work if my hip is bad and I can't pedal.
But I'd like it to get up hills without the power dying before hand. I would really like the commute to take less than a hour. That 20 mph is pedaling too. And without power just 17mph. And up hills 2mph.
 

Alan Quay

Esteemed Pedelecer
Dec 4, 2012
2,351
1,076
Devon
Phil,

If you are getting 14 miles from a 17ah battery then something is very wrong. I'm a big fat knacker and can get about 40 miles out of 20ah (2 miles per ah). I ride it like I knicked it, and always use the throttle.

Did you get any sort of warranty with that bike?
 
D

Deleted member 4366

Guest
You can buy a new battery for your bike for about £250 including duty, which will take you both ways without charging half-way. Were you happy with the performance of you bike apart from the range?

Your present battery is knackered. It should easily do the return journey. Can you get anything back from the seller?
 

philsmusic2000

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jan 22, 2015
23
0
I bought it off gumtree and paid cash so not a great start to be honest.
I'm relatively happy with it but I would a little faster and more push up hills. I thought about getting another battery from life cycle and swapping half way but still going to be Low on help up the hills. This is why I end up asking 10.000 questions. Sorry if I p****d anyone off.
 
D

Deleted member 4366

Guest
OK, I was only thinking of the cheapest and quickest way to get you going again. As you have a long way to go, I guess speed is fairly important. I used to commute 30 miles a day on a bikes with a 500w Bafang BPM and CST motors. They had top speeds of about 22mph on the road. With a 20ah battery, I had easily enough power to go both ways at about 18 mph. Average consumption was about 9 to 12ah. If I went for the maximum speed, I could empty the battery.

A 500w Bafang CST and S12S Sinewave controller is an awesome combination for that sort of commuting. With a 20aH battery, that would cost about £600 in total. A 500w BPM motor is nearly as good and a bit cheaper. You can get a basic 500w Bafang BPM kit with the 20ah battery for about £500.

Hills and wind become insignificant with that motor. You can get a less powerful version of it (2/3 power) in a kit from Woosh, which will have about 33% more power than your present bike. Ideally, you need a 20ah battery if you want to go over 15 mph.
 

philsmusic2000

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jan 22, 2015
23
0
Sorry for the delay in replying.
I got a bit snowed under with work. When you could empty the battery going max speed is this the return trip or just one way?
I take it It's better to stick to the bafang make rather than the Chinese kits on ebay?
There is an identical bike to mine on ebay but is faulty.
The hub motor has packed up.
This has the same battery as mine.
Is it worth me getting to use both batteries and spares off it to make mine right? I will post the link in a second.
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,917
8,533
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West Sx RH
This is the item number

291362473280
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Life-Cycle-Electric-Bike-/291362473280?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item43d68e8540

Now at £227 you could end up with another duff battery it may be charging but how good does it hold it ? At least 227 towards a new battery or kit upgrade. To be honest as spares its not worth the money suntours on the front
£57 new ? I suppose you could open the hub and repair if it isn't working but what you want is a bit more grunt and a battery that works.
3 days to go it may even go higher ?
 

philsmusic2000

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jan 22, 2015
23
0
I have just looked through my watch list at the ended auctions and the bike d8veh was selling was in there that would have done perfect.
I will just keep looking for the bafang motor that d8veh mentioned.
If Im Looking good at a new battery.motor and controller I will see what I can get for my life cycle then get a lighter and better bike altogether.
For a bike that costs £1799 New it seems a bit of a let down even though it was 14 months old when I got it.
Rushed decisions. Always bad.
 

philsmusic2000

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jan 22, 2015
23
0
If I got my boss to join the bike to work scheme can you recommend a good place to get a new bike near Macclesfield or Manchester?
Also does credit rating make a difference to this?
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,917
8,533
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West Sx RH
Unlike the ebay one your bike works Phil albeit the battery isn't fantastic so see what you can get for it.
 

philsmusic2000

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jan 22, 2015
23
0
I came to work this morning and put it on the 15 mph limit.
I didn't pedal at all and it got me 16.6 miles
But that was just on electric.
I think the manual says it should get 20 -22 miles on a charge so with it being hilly I am assuming that it was not too bad. The down side is it too 1 hr and 40 mins and I was freezing because I didn't pedal.
So my bike must just drink the electric when I am going as fast as I can even when I
Pedal full too.
At least I know I can say it does 16 miles on one charge when I put it up for sale.
 

philsmusic2000

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jan 22, 2015
23
0
Are these bikes ok to jet wash as long as I miss the Controller and take off the battery?
Or will it screw up the motor or something?
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,917
8,533
61
West Sx RH
I spent about 1/2 hr cleaning mine today as it got filthy I used a hand held type mister set on fine squirt with cleaner in it and a rag and a watering can for rinsing. Problem with high pressure washers is that water gets in where it isn't needed.
 

D8ve

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 30, 2013
2,142
1,294
Bristol
It looks quite respectable.