Cheapish Motor Wheels

Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
20,365
16,870
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
The position of the motor is a point of safety. The Type of sensor isn't.

The type of sensor makes very little difference to any bike. It's only a sensor. It doesn't control any motor or power. All it does is to tell your controller that you're pedalling and often how hard too. It's the controller that has the power algorithms that affect how the bike rides.
I prefer crank drive's weight distribution nearer to the centre of gravity, making the bike feels a lot lighter than a similar bike with hub drive. Also, I never need a gear shift sensor riding around Southend.
 

saneagle

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 10, 2010
6,812
3,150
Telford
I prefer crank drive's weight distribution nearer to the centre of gravity, making the bike feels a lot lighter than a similar bike with hub drive. Also, I never need a gear shift sensor riding around Southend.
That doesn't compute! Why, then, do all 5 of the current bikes you sell have rear hub-motors? Is it that, like me, your customers think crank-drives are shite and wouldn't buy them?

It must be true that we're the uneducated, ill-informed people, who always vote for the wrong thing/person because we listen to too much misinformation instead of the authoritative sources. That's why democracy doesn't work.
 

Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
20,365
16,870
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
Until now, the bbs01b is too expensive for what it is, there is also the issue that many customers need a gear sensor and also can't replace the controller in them. Now, the ananda motor has fixed all the issues above. Reliability has vastly improved, no higher support cost than hub bikes. Out of warranty support is also easier: you undo 3 bolts, the whole unit comes off. I can sell the new bike (Andy wants to call it the Anaconda) for the price of my old camino.
Next time you drop in, take it out for a spin. You'll see why I wanted to revamp our whole bike strategy. I want to build bikes for ease of service for up to 10,000 miles. When the new bikes arrive, I will offer end of line sales on hub bikes.



The picture above does not do the rack justice , it's much better built and better looking than that in the flesh. I am in France at the moment, I'll ask Andy to take new pictures.
 
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guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
11,387
3,234
I am moving toward selling parts, commencing with motors and batteries.
Does this mean you're physically closer to the Post Office now than you were previously?


I am moving toward selling parts, commencing with motors and batteries.
That'll be a good move, in my humble opinion. You'll have greater momentum moving closer to the Post Office if you're carrying parts. Heavier the better.


For small parts, there is the long queue at the post office. I go there at 3pm. If I am lucky, the machines are accessible. If not, I have to queue for 30-40 minutes with people who need a driver licence or passport. Then there is the high cost of sending anything bigger than 1in at small parcel rate.
Don't you have like... employees?


Until now, the bbs01b is too expensive for what it is, there is also the issue that many customers need a gear sensor and also can't replace the controller in them.
What's wrong with your customers? Why can't they fit a gear sensor? Even I could do both. I admit installing a new controller is a tiny bit fiddly, the phase wires are a little weave (of one phase wire and connector), and if the controller and motor don't come together very easily without force, you've woven wrong. Perhaps make a bunch of instructional videos for Youtube?

 
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Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,917
8,533
61
West Sx RH
One expects a high % of buyers have little knowledge of bike repairs / maintenance knowledge let alone anything electrical, this isn't just Woosh customers but in general across the board.
 

sjpt

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 8, 2018
3,831
2,756
Winchester
Until now, the bbs01b is too expensive for what it is, there is also the issue that many customers need a gear sensor and also can't replace the controller in them. Now, the ananda motor has fixed all the issues above. Reliability has vastly improved, no higher support cost than hub bikes. Out of warranty support is also easier: you undo 3 bolts, the whole unit comes off. I can sell the new bike (Andy wants to call it the Anaconda) for the price of my old camino.
Didn't you have a Santana CD at some point? What became of that?
 

Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
20,365
16,870
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
Didn't you have a Santana CD at some point? What became of that?
Hub motors (the Santana 3) beat crank drive motors on user serviceability and price, and no need to worry about gear shift. The CD got replaced by the Rambla which was a brilliant bike. However, bafang charge a lot for their motors. The Ananda motor is much more affordable.
 
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guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
11,387
3,234
Until now, the bbs01b is too expensive for what it is, there is also the issue that many customers need a gear sensor and also can't replace the controller in them.
However irrational this may be: I believe one reason why the gear sensor works so well on my particular bike, is the straight cable run through it, and situated on a chainstay, rather than dangling and bobbing about kinking the cable under the handlebar. You could perhaps make user installation easier by glueing the sensor's end ferrules onto it's housing and outer cable, and supplying both complete with the sensor situated in the middle of say 8m of outer cable? Users can simply cut off the excess depending on where the sensor can be situated on their bike. Wasteful, probably unwise, costly, but may make fitting easier for your customers? Longer ferrules could work out better.

My gear sensor continues to work wonderfully three years on. As you can see in this photo of my awesome bike (gaze upon it's beauty and weep, for it will never be yours etc. etc.) both ends are protected from dirt and water by self-amalgamating rubber tape, which over the years has been moved a bit by being pulled forwards by the gear cable, but the sensor remains protected.

55825



Andy wants to call it the Anaconda
WOOSH!BigTorqueBiggerTrousers™ ®©

Advertise a 15A controller, but deliver 20A to avoid being stung by the Trade Description Act enforcement guys - if you get a lot of controller failures at 20A, ship 15.000001A controllers instead. Free huge trouser shaped rain cover with every bike. It'll fly off the shelves.

Consultancy and royalty fees to my Cayman account will be fine.
 
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matthewslack

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 26, 2021
1,854
1,341
It isn't. Crank-drives are shite! Anybody, who tried each in a side-by-side test would choose a hub-motor.
Maybe not on the Bealach na Ba!
 

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
16,895
6,500
A turd is a turd wherever you put it. The best place for it is flushed down the toilet. Never try to polish one - the smell becomes worse.
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you can convert shite to energon tho ;)