Rubbee X Introduction

[Gedas]

Hi guys !

I've been on this forum a couple of years ago and thought to share some news with you.
Not many of you know but I'm the guy who created the Rubbee friction drive
And now we are introducing the latest flagship model, the Rubbee X.
Regen braking, completely wireless, expandable battery modules.
Here it is, what do you think?

Would appreciate any feedback, do you like what you see? How about the features?
It would be amazing to get the community feedback.

Looking forward to hearing from you, thanks !

Gedas.

 

[Woosh]

very neat!
lovely job!
well done!

 

[Deleted member 4366]

It looks a nice product. Do you have performance data, like torque and speed?

What sort of pedal sensor does it have, and how do you fit it?

Did you fully test the wireless controls.? Other brands tried them, but they don't seem to be too reliable. They're great when you're on your own, but some of those Chinese dashcams and wireless stationary cameras can interfere with other wireless devices like yours.

 

[Gedas]

d8veh, good questions !
Speed and power curves are according to the EN15194 regulations, up to 25km/h/250W. Unless You upgrade the unit to 3 battery modules, then You unlock the 350W/20mph US standard (selectable via app, can work on the EU standard too).
The sensor is Bluetooth LowEnergy 4.2. with integrated accelerometer. It uses just two cable ties to clip on the crank. We do send an encrypted signal with double redundancy so no interference was detected in our R&D procedures.

 

[anotherkiwi]

Mudguard?

 

[Gedas]

Mudguard?

What mudguard? Yes, you do have to remove the mudguard. But Rubbee catches most of the splashing on the bottom part of it.

 

[anotherkiwi]

Panniers?

 

[Gedas]

Panniers?

People who don't use them that much are happy to trade them for electric assist

 

[anotherkiwi]

I rode home from the Asian supermarket the other day with a sac of rice and sundries. I can't imagine doing that with a bag on my back... Or without assistance: http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/number-two.23568/page-4#post-411256

Oh and in the rain...

 

[Gedas]

Well yes, the portability and ease of installation has it's drawbacks. Rubbee is designed for people who often park their bikes outside for the whole day/night and want safely disconnect the e-part from the bike. Our customers also appreciate the fact that they can use Rubbee for daily commuting and remove it once they want to get some exercise on weekends the bike becomes a multipurpose vehicle, without adding much weight. Thanks for the feedback !

 

[tommie]

How does it perform in our winters? Snow, ice, mud, rain?

Tyre wear? friction = heat?

What about noise as it hammers on the tread?

 

[Fordulike]

Does is work with nobbly tyres?

 

[Gedas]

How does it perform in our winters? Snow, ice, mud, rain?

Tyre wear? friction = heat?

What about noise as it hammers on the tread?

We solve friction using three methods:
1. Integrated suppression system (200N pneumatic spring);
2. Special roller material with aluminum oxide particles (lifetime warranty);
3. Electronic anti-slip control (similar to ESC in cars);
So we pretty much solved the "Achilles heel" of friction drives.

The roller material is designed to conserve the tire as much as possible, but tire can wear off 10-20% faster.
As for the sound - here's a a video of the old version being driven, the new one is even more silent due to better motor control.

 

[flecc]

Panniers?

 

[Gedas]

Does is work with nobbly tyres?

It does, but you can expect a bit more noise than in the video above

 

[flecc]

Mudguard?

No problem, a two part mudguard can easily be stayed with cross links between the front and rear section stays. There are mudguard kit parts available from bike part specialists like St Johns Cycles.

The Viking friction drive bikes of a few years back used two part rear mudguards:

.

 

[Clara]

What mileage can a rider expect, given that only a rough mileage can be estimated as i realise it depends on the weight of the rider etc. And can you buy extra batteries if you want to go longer distances than you might get from the unit, and can you easily change the batteries if you are on a ride already?

I am right that it needs re-charging? And how long does it take?

 

[Gedas]

What mileage can a rider expect, given that only a rough mileage can be estimated as i realise it depends on the weight of the rider etc. And can you buy extra batteries if you want to go longer distances than you might get from the unit, and can you easily change the batteries if you are on a ride already?

I am right that it needs re-charging? And how long does it take?

One battery module gives about 10miles (16km) of pedal assisted riding. So the fully upgraded unit (with 3 modules) can go for up to 30miles(48km).
Yes, base model comes with one battery module and you can buy and install up to two more modules by yourself. Modules are easy to install but are not designed to be "swapped on the go". After additional modules are installed the unit must be charged fully to equal the charge of battery modules.
Yes the unit is rechargeable, it takes 45 minutes/module to recharge.

Btw great questions guys !

 

[Clara]

One more question please, does the cost of the unit include all 3 modules?

Oh. And how long or what lifetime could you expect from the modules.

 

[Gedas]

One more question please, does the cost of the unit include all 3 modules?

Oh. And how long or what lifetime could you expect from the modules.

There are different pricing depending on the model. Base model with one battery module is £269, fully upgraded unit with 3 modules is £369.
The modules are made from 18650 cells, good for at least 2-3 years of fair use. Warranty is two years though and replacement only costs £45