Hi from the top of the hill

[ancly]

Hello,

I've always been a cyclist one way or the other, more to get me around, to the shops, pub etc...although I did ride for Barnet a very long lime ago. Unfortunately the race was in south London and we had to bike to the venue. We got a lift back though.

Anyway, I've a number of bikes and decided to convert my Raleigh Max [the chromoly one] as it's last incarnation was cruiser style with crazy bob tyres and cow horn bars. It could wheelie!

So I read this forum a lot, visited the nearest e bike shop [Kentish Town], had a go on a converted Brompton and had a chat to a very helpful guy who was clearly enthusiastic and knowledgeable.

But I couldn't afford their prices, so I bought the Oxydrive CST HT 13Ah

Fitted it [just throttle so far] and rode it around till the battery ran out of juice. Charged it, and have done my first conditioning cycle.

So, the kit - was all there, but the only paperwork was the charger info sheet. No fitting instructions, no cable ties...instructions I found online...cable ties....I spent a lot of money and didn't get 50ps worth of cable ties. Oh well, I have lots anyway.

I was a little disappointed at first, unlocked the top speed and could not achieve 20mph [phone app not display]. After the first full discharge and charge it was faster, just OVER 20mph. Woohoo.

It does pull well, but I have a couple of questions if this is an ok place to ask....

Is it correct to do three conditioning cycles with a new battery? No info with the kit but two or three cycles seems to be recommended. Correct?

If I lift the back wheel and rev it to max the speedo reads 24mph.On the road I can only acheive 21mph [both indicated by the speedo. Can I improve this? Is it the fat tyres? Willl the battery get better? [it was freezing but the bike came out of the warm flat for it's test run] If I put some slicks on will it go faster?...or will it go just as fast but accelerate a bit quicker? Crazy bobs are not built for speed, I realise that, however they are pretty good at covering frozen grass at a fair speed.

What is a good throttle position? I have a gripshift on the RHS so put the throttle on the left, pushing downwards. Is that the best option?

The Brompton I rode had a twist grip throttle. Are they available/bodgeable for the oxydrive?

Lastly for tonight.....are there industry standard electrical connections? If I want to fit a different motor is it plug and play or more complicated?

OK, actually lastly...my motor does not have 250w anywhere on it. I was hoping to have at least a sticker just in case someone important asks.

Anyway, I have the bug. Hopefully a photo will arrive with this post....

Thanks for all the info that I have found just by searching.

All the best.

Andy

 

[Alan Quay]

When you lift the wheel you are seeing the 'no load' speed. This will always be a bit more than the top road speed. 24/21 is about right.

Different tyres will make a difference, but not much. You don't need to go thinner, just slicker. Big Apple, Fat Frank, City Jets all work well, but it will only be 1 mph or so.

I assume you have a thumb throttle? Mount it left or right, whatever you prefer.

You can get full twist throttles (ebay), but left hand versions are more difficult to find. I've tried all options and much prefer thumb throttle these days. Electrically, they are pretty much all the same as they run at 5v , and return 1-4v signal.

In the past I have moved grip shift gears to left side and used throttle on right.

 

[ancly]

Thanks Alan,

Yes, thumb throttle on the left pushing downwards, tried it the other way round and neither feels comfortable cruising, ok for control in traffic though, pretty good.

Good to know about the no load speed. Its definitely spinning faster after the first full charge.

Andy