Old Atala Bike to be Electrified

[flecc]

Oh.. I only got the chainwheel side off and couldn't find a way to fit it. I'll get the other crank off too and take another look.

You should be able to reverse the sensor and fit it on the left as OldTimer advised in this post above.
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[juhuri]

You should be able to reverse the sensor and fit it on the left as OldTimer advised in this post above.
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Here's pictures:
I removed the right side crank, but theres nothing to fit the sensor plate. Therefore I thought I should remove bottom bracket using this tool? My knowledge of bike parts isn't that high yet, but I'm learning something here

Right (chainwheel) side
Left side, crank still in place.

 

[juhuri]

Here's pictures:
I removed the right side crank, but theres nothing to fit the sensor plate. Therefore I thought I should remove bottom bracket using this tool? My knowledge of bike parts isn't that high yet, but I'm learning something here

Right (chainwheel) side
Left side, crank still in place.

edit: here's where I'm confused: how should I attach the sensor? I read goldenmotors installation guide http://www.goldenmotor.com/e-Bike-DIY/GoldenMotor Pro-Kit User Guide.pdf and it says "After removing the the pedal crank arm, place the receiver ring into the axle and secure it in position using washers or superglue." Superglue? Really?

The actual Alien Kit installation guide http://www.alienbikes.co.uk/Alien_24v_Integrated_Battery_Rack.pdf tells to "fit pickup" and "replace BB end". Doesn't really help.. I'll give this one more time tonight and then I'll forget the pedelec sensor..

 

[flecc]

I can see what you mean, the BB spindle is very short and there's no shoulder to press it onto. Normally there's a bit of round shaft behind the square taper that the pedelec disc can press onto, or be glued onto.

I can see only two solutions for you. The first if there is roon behind the chainwheel is to glue the disc onto the rear of the chainwheel, the second is to fit a longer BB spindle, they are made in various lengths.

I don't personally know the sensor disc on this kit so can't be precise about it, but perhaps Dave (OldTimer) can advise if necessary.
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[juhuri]

Here's the bike's left side bottom bracket end removed and the sensor plate.
Sensor plate doesn't fit to bracket ends threads, but it's little smaller so it doesn't go through it either. So really not much to glu the sensor on.

Plan is to either find a spacer/plate that fits into bracket ends threads - and I could glue the sensor to that new spacer.
OR i could file the sensors hole a bit bigger and try to glue the sensor to bikes frame..

edit: bottom bracket threading is Italian.. 36 mm X 24 tpi, Sheldon says Sheldon Brown's Bottom Bracket Size Database that left and right cup direction is "right". Maybe that's why I weren't able to open the right side BB end..

 

[flecc]

Glueing to the frame might be the easiest way of dealing with the sensor mounting, as long as there's enough room to mount the disc.
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[Old Timer]

When I had problems removing my BB locking ring I considered bending the sensor mounting plate to about 90 degrees and then shaping it to fit the bottom of the BB framework, you could then consider a few ways of securing it and one way might be using a couple of cable ties around the BB frame area. Might seem a bit heath robinson but it isn`t a moving part so no problems. You could also remove the sensor from the supplied metal mounting ring and make up a special bracket that might shape up better to the underside of the frame. If you made the bracket long enough to reach the other side of the BB you would then be able to secure it with a cable tie each side for more rigitidy. The bracket wouldn`t have to be very thick material because there is no stress on it. You could cut up a piece of ali tube to get the shape of the BB housing. I wouldn`t mind betting you could actually make it from a length of upv tubing, if you cut out and left a lug at the sensor end and fold it down to mount the sensor it wouldn`t be able to fold itself back up again because the sensor itself would stop that happening. The sensor doesn`t have to be 100% squared up with the magnet disk as long as the disk is close enough to effect the sensor.

If you removed the sensor mounting plate I would even think you could hold the sensor in place with one decent cable tie around the BB framework.
Over the years I`ve worked wonders with silicon sealant, a nice dry frame, apply sealant and push sensor into it and leave overnight. I`ve fixed deadlocks into special very narrow framed ali doors with silicon and returned many years later and they are still in place and working.

If you are tight for room behind the crank arm for the magnet plate you can(as I did) grind a bit from the back of the crank arm to make room and you should find the magnet ring will stay put on any part of the bb spindle or just one pop rivet or self tapper into the rear of the crank arm.

To be honest, loads of ways to fix that little bugger.

( I wonder what would happen if you fixed the sensor to the crank arm and had it revolve around the magnet plate I bet it would work

Dave

 

[juhuri]

Thanks Dave, good ideas!

- removed sensor mounting plate
- siliconed sensor to frame
- waiting

 

[juhuri]

It might even work!

 

[juhuri]

It might even work!

Nope.
I put everything together. Twist throttle works without pedaling. Pedaling alone does nothing.. I tried the magnet plate both ways.

Maybe the sensor plates metal disc part is neccessary? Now I just have the red plastic part? I really don't know the electronics/mechanics behind this simple looking pedelec system..

edit: now that I look at the installation guide again I realize that the sensor should be other way round.. http://www.alienbikes.co.uk/Alien_24v_Integrated_Battery_Rack.pdf
edit2: no.. Any ideas how I could test this sensor?

 

[Old Timer]

Nope.
I put everything together. Twist throttle works without pedaling. Pedaling alone does nothing.. I tried the magnet plate both ways.

Maybe the sensor plates metal disc part is neccessary? Now I just have the red plastic part? I really don't know the electronics/mechanics behind this simple looking pedelec system..

edit: now that I look at the installation guide again I realize that the sensor should be other way round.. http://www.alienbikes.co.uk/Alien_24v_Integrated_Battery_Rack.pdf
edit2: no.. Any ideas how I could test this sensor?

I`ve PM`d you

 

[flecc]

The metal disc part isn't necessary. The sensor is a device that senses each magnet in the disc as it rotates past, sending a current pulse to the controller as each magnet passes. This is what tells the controller that you are pedalling, the pulse rate. The sensor face does need to be quite close to the magnets.
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[Old Timer]

I`ve sent you a private message to ring me if you like.

As flecc says, they need to be reasonably close and from my experience the max seems to be around 5mm and closer if you can. How do the magnets line up with the sensor, are they far on centre? If the magnets are passing more or less central and are no father than 5mm max away then it should work. I `ve been playing around with some old magnets plates and they are fairly strong for there size.

Dave

 

[juhuri]

Update:

I'll give the pedelec sensor another go sometimes in the future.
Now the bike is back to one piece, just need a little adjustment on the brakes.

Tomorrow, partially sunny, +8 degrees. Should be a good ride to work

- - also the gps tracker I bought didn't function correctly. Takes some time to get it replaced, so no way to measure speed atm. Unless I find a way to fix my PSP with gps to handlebars.. hmm..

edit: something like this..

 

[juhuri]

Here's rough numbers:
From home to work: 25 mins.
According to Google Maps the trip is 9,1 kilometers.
So average speed about 22km/h?
I'll change the route a little on the way back home. I spent way too much time on a couple of traffic lights.

 

[juhuri]

Finally got the gps tracker back from repairs (new one actually).

Here's the first tracking, my regular commute, oneway.



I'm quite happy with the average speed. 27.2km/h. Not too many traffic lights this time.

edit: another pic

 

[juhuri]

I wasn't planning to test the range of my bike, but..:

Forgot to charge the battery

After 1 days commute (abt 18km) I almost made it to work before battery died.
So the range on this thing is appr. 27 kilometers.

Riding back from work without any help from motor took 7 minutes longer than usual. 20 vs 27 mins.. And of course it began to rain after the 1st 20 minutes.