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If I had a pound for

Featured Replies

I wish I could have a pound every time I speak to someone about my electric bike when they say "Does it recharge the battery when you go downhill?" everyone I've met on the bike has said that to me.
I wish I could have a pound every time I speak to someone about my electric bike when they say "Does it recharge the battery when you go downhill?" everyone I've met on the bike has said that to me.

 

 

Also, a number of people have told me to put a dynamo on it, and use that to charge the battery. They are all 100% sure that it would run forever.

 

After patiently explaining why this would not work to a friend, I overheard him re-explaining it to has father, who had just asked him the same question:

 

"Something to do with physics, and that fact that I'm a fishmonger and he's an engineer."

or when you brake.

 

Actually if I had my brakes on all the time the battery might last forever :)

  • Author
Artstu - Does it recharge the battery when you go downhill?"

 

Hey don't you start :p That'll be one pound please ;)

ha ha ha.

 

Instead of a 'swear box' let's have a 'cliche box' or a 'stereotypical comment box' ...... er..... or something :)

 

We could then soon open our own bank and charge 10% interest for ebike purchases for the poor and needy.

 

My wife says I am needy and poor in a certain department so I could be the first customer! :rolleyes:

I wish I could have a pound every time I speak to someone about my electric bike when they say "Does it recharge the battery when you go downhill?" everyone I've met on the bike has said that to me.

 

Artstu,

 

The next question will then be,can you re-sell the energy produced, back to the bike dealer or to even edf?

 

Mountainsport

You can charge the battery going downhill on some bikes and some have regenerative braking but it is arguable whether the features are worth it, as you do not get that much back.
You may not be recharging a battery when going downhill but would be recharging the biological battery, assuming one assisted on the climb.:p
I wish I could have a pound every time I speak to someone about my electric bike when they say "Does it recharge the battery when you go downhill?" everyone I've met on the bike has said that to me.

 

Artstu,

 

+1

If I had a pound for every time I heard this I would have enough capital to invest in the research needed to create the regenerative system to address the problem ;)

 

We did test this some time back and with current technology the resistance and weight gained on the bike was not worth the regenerative power it created.

 

Martin

Also, most of the regen systems I've read of are unreliable at best; a pita at worst, and an unnecessary drag most of the time.

It's probably best just to tell people that you've only ever gone uphill, so you don't know the answer, but keen to find out if they could research it for you.

 

Why would you need an electric bike to go downhill? Aren't folk weird :p

At least "Does it recharge the battery when you go downhill?" shows some degree of logic. So far I've only had "does it recharge the battery when you pedal?"
Yes, I always get the one about recharging when you pedal. What puzzles me is why everyone seems to think this. Where do they get it from? It's not as if ebikes did this before but now don't. I got exactly the same line from a highly intelligent academic in Denmark who insisted that the ebikes there recharged from pedalling. I assured him that this was most unlikely, but he pointed to the (empty) rear rack on my bike and said "No, I've seen it. There is a box here on the rack." I said something non-commital and changed the subject.

Me too

 

Only ever get two comments

 

From non ebikers - does it get power from braking/downhill (ie KERS )

 

From ebikers - very neat job !

 

I like second better :)

Just thinking Artsu.

Does it recharge the battery when you go downhill? ;)

  • Author
Just thinking Artsu.

Does it recharge the battery when you go downhill? ;)

 

Hey I've told you already... stop it :p I had the same conversation yesterday with a friend who I'd already explained that one to them, you're not related are you?

No, but if you manage to hit 88mph it will take you back to the future and you end up on a Penny Farthing. Then you really will be stuffed getting up the other side.
I wish I could have a pound every time I speak to someone about my electric bike when they say "Does it recharge the battery when you go downhill?" everyone I've met on the bike has said that to me.

 

Actually there are e-bikes like that. I tested BionX rear engine and it had ability to turn recharge on. also breaks turned the regeneration on. And you really want to train hard you can recharge your battery and pedal. I tested it and let the bike ride freely pretty long down hill, not really steep but still. Speed with full regen 8 km/h.

 

That could also be used in training. Lets say that you want to keep your heart rate at certain level. So in up hill instead going really slow you can get some assist and in down hill you can pedal with regen and still get work out out of it.

 

Z

  • Author
Actually there are e-bikes like that.

 

Thank you. Yes I'm aware that there are bikes like that, the consensus seems to be that they're not worth having. I've never seen any figures on how much power they put back in, it can't be much.

Aye- BionX announces return from 4% to 15%. So not a biggie. But if you can have even that. But yes generally it is not worth it I think.

 

Z

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