Some advice on a project

[simon_lipari]

Hi all.
Just found this forum and thought I'd seek some advice, maybe some folks here have put together or heard of similar projects. I live on a hilly volcanic island in the mediterranean and do not have a drivers licence, so I've been looking into conversion kits and different bikes. The bike I need is like one of these many two-wheeled cargo e-bikes out there, but they are very expensive, so right now I'm trying to figure out an affordable solution.
I'm gonna need enough power to climb a 4 mile stretch(to get an idea of the climb: I can tackle it on my roadbike if I've eaten enough bananas), and I need a frame mounted front rack(for the 40 pound dog. I'm only 120 pounds, so 160 total) I've found an awesome cargo bike in the UK, http://donkybike.com/, that could work, but I'm not sure how it will work practically going upwards, since it only has three gears. I'm thinking maybe if the motor is powerful enough, the highest gear will be sufficient.


Thoughts?

Simon

 

[SAD12]

Looked at your link to the donkybike and see it's probably a nexus 3 hub gear change. I've got one of those on my cylotricity conversion and find it's fine for most ordinary hills in a 700c wheel (10 - 12%). Anything more and it's usually a get off and push but I'm 80kg and no dog. The site doesn't say how heavy the bike is so something to factor in. A 20" conversion wheel should be better torque but depends on the motor rpm. It won't be quick but you probably don't want to frighten the dog to death! I'd do it and most kits would be fine I'd say/ It's amazing how much assist the motor can give and you've no worries about where to put the battery on that.

Best of luck.

Shane.

 

[trex]

Simon, for hilly terrains, you need a big fat BPM motor.
Look into a BPM conversion - like this one:
http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?hubkits

 

[SAD12]

Not sure they offer a 20" wheel though. Many others out there but BPM motor does tend to be regarded as having the most torque in a legal way here. Not sure about the Med though.

 

[Alan Quay]

BMSBattery will lace a BPM into a 20" wheel for you. The 250w one should be legal, although I don't know about laws on your Mediterranean island.

If you chose the 201 RPM one, It would climb Everest (although slowly - 12mph ish). The 328 will go faster - 20 ish if you de-restrict.

 

[trex]

you would have more choice of bikes if you put the dog in a trailer.

 

[jackhandy]

I tried that with my old lab...

Everything was hunky-dory untill some muffin called out "Oh, look at that lovely dog in its trailer!"
Whereupon the dozy mutt tried to jump out & say hello.
Upscuttled the trailer which disconnected from the bike & took me 10 minutes to untangle the harness, bungees etc.

Luckily we were on a trial run on a cycle path, not the road.

 

[simon_lipari]

Hi again everyone, thanks for all the replies. I'm sorry I didn't respond; I moved to another house sans interwebs and my project ideas where put to the side.
I'm considering a mid drive, 750watt 48 volts. I considered the trailer but the traffic here is totally insane, especially during summer season, and the risk is high of getting hit by a passing scooter/bus/jeep whatever, since the trailer is wider than the bike and so on..
Thanks again!