Tongxin Information

[flecc]

I'm sure pong will sell you one at a reasonable price . I believe he imports direct from Woo Han

bw
musicbooks

Now that's funny, and informed too, better than SG any day.
.

 

[flecc]

thinking of a kit for my wifes Dahon 20inch wheeled folder...it this a better soloution then the Alien?

It's got the potential to be the best motor of all for a folder, efficient, silent, no drag, light, compact and economical, and it's excellent in the Brompton conversion.

That's the upside. The downside is that it's still around 100 mm wide so the forks need an engineering modification, and they have had a poor reliability record previously. They seem to have been improved a lot and the experience of Cytronex etc appears to bear that out, but it's early days.

On balance though, I'd rate it highly as a folder motor because it's so suitable for the job.
.

 

[musicbooks]

This site is becoming more enigmatic by the day........

thinking of a kit for my wifes Dahon 20inch wheeled folder...it this a better soloution then the Alien?

What can I say..the world is beyond satire

bw
musicbooks

 

[eddieo]

It's got the potential to be the best motor of all for a folder, efficient, silent, no drag, light, compact and economical, and it's excellent in the Brompton conversion.

That's the upside. The downside is that it's still around 100 mm wide so the forks need an engineering modification, and they have had a poor reliability record previously. They seem to have been improved a lot and the experience of Cytronex etc appears to bear that out, but it's early days.

On balance though, I'd rate it highly as a folder motor because it's so suitable for the job.
.

The gap between forks is only 70mm? its the "Helios" model Dahon an aluminum frame...not sure re forks. can I use the 16mm2 stud and nuts method to stretch? BUT 30mm seems a bit of a stretch

so I have to get motor built into wheel? SJS have my wisper wheel at the moment so could post to them.....

link for battery would be nice...which one is recommended?

I guess you need to be more technically adept with this kit......

 

[flecc]

I guess you need to be more technically adept with this kit......

True with many kits Eddie. The short Dahon forks could not be stretched anything like 30 mm without dangerously stressing them and it's generally a very bad idea to stretch front forks anyway, given the consequences of failure. Therefore it would have to be new forks if obtainable or a specialist welding job. The Nano Brompton for example has revised forks to take the motor.

Converting small wheel folders to electric kits is always especially difficult due to the short and very narrow forks and I think it's mainly suppliers who will sell them in numbers who are best suited to do it.
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[rooel]

If you have aluminium forks I would not recommend widening them at all. However if you have steel chromoly forks there should be no problem:

see this thread

http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/2506-24v-alien-installation.html?highlight=Dahon+Speed+TR

100mm is required for the Alien Suzhou Bafang motor and the forks have to be spread to 120/130 or so when they will spring back to 90/100 or so. I have had no problems with the first one I did and hope to do another one soon.

 

[Danny-K]

If you have aluminium forks I would not recommend widening them at all. However if you have steel chromoly forks there should be no problem:

see this thread

http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/2506-24v-alien-installation.html?highlight=Dahon+Speed+TR

100mm is required for the Alien Suzhou Bafang motor and the forks have to be spread to 120/130 or so when they will spring back to 90/100 or so. I have had no problems with the first one I did and hope to do another one soon.

Rooel, will you be posting a review of your evaluation of the completed TR conversion? If you're about to set to, on a second conversion kit, have you looked in to the possibly of adding a pedelec sensor - In the link, the opening poster has a photo of your motor fitted with the pedelec sensor. So maybe Alien Ocean can supply them?

 

[rosjen]

anybody managed to order one of these kits yet?

 

[bogmonster]

anybody managed to order one of these kits yet?

Nope, have tried but have not had a reply from my last PM. I'm having second thoughts.

BM

 

[bogmonster]

I am planning on collecting a motor on Saturday from John. Might be a while before I have it built into a bike as I need to get a wheel built and get a battery from Ping. Also, is meant to be a birthday present from the misses and it is not my birthday yet.

I will be putting a 175rpm motor into a 700c rim on an ancient Dawes Horizon. Will be using a 12ah ping battery.

The machine will not be built for speed, rather to help me get up some hills. Due to the nature of my hilly commute, this will be the biggest help. Many people put 260rpm motors in 700c wheels but I don't think this would work well for my needs.

I still have some design issues, mostly what to do with brake cutouts on drop bars and canti brakes...... nobody has had any real ideas on this yet

At the moment my run into work takes 1:15 and back takes 1:40. If I can get back in 1:15 or less then I will consider the kit a success.

Cheers, BM.

 

[frank9755]

One option for brakes would be to just fit the cut-out levers to your tops, as if they were flat bars. Your braking would then be from the tops only and your existing levers wouldn't work. Alternatively you could put them where your currnt levers are, if they were reachable in that form.
Either way, they may not pull the right amount of cable for your cantis so you may want to replace them with v-brakes, which would be straightforward to do.

 

[frank9755]

Adding to my previous reply; another possible complication is that older drop handlebars might not have the space for brakes on the tops, so you might have to replace with new ones, which tend to be a bit wider. You might decide that the best option is not to bother with brake cut-outs - if you have a throttle-only arrangement with no pedelec you don't really need them (as it's hard to imagine you keeping the throttle open while trying to brake).

One question; where are you planning to put your throttle on your drop bars?

 

[bogmonster]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I was thinking of changing the bars to:

Modolo Yuma Traveller Multi position Hybrid bars

I could even go for straight bars but would need a longer stem.

Not too sure yet. As for the throttle, I was planning to use a switch or 2 and not have a permanent need to a thumb on a throttle. Of course this would definately require cutouts.

On my current bars I spend 90% of the time in the hoods, The tops are too high and to close to the sadle and the drops are a bit low to be comfortable for long rides.

BM

 

[bogmonster]

Another option might be:

Profile Air Wing Low profile

BM.

 

[spike]

700c Tongxin spokes

Hi BM

Did you ever find out what approximate spoke lengths work with a Tongxin hub?

Thanks

Spike

Anybody got any idea on the spoke length needed to fit the TongXin into a 700c rim? And if so, where the best places to get them are?

My local bike shop is happy to make up a wheel, just concerned that the correct spokes might be hard to source.

Also, while on the subject, presumably the TongXin controlled uses the standard type of hall effect throttle assembly and cutoff brake levers (is the standard push to make or push to break)?

As far as battery meter is concerned, guess I don't really need one but if I change my mind an Alien style meter could be hooked up I'm guessing?

Cheers, BM.

 

[jerrysimon]

Its always best to measure the actual rim and then use a spoke calculator.

This is my favouritr one

Spoke length calculator for calculating spokelengths

Have you managed to source a Tongxin motor ?

Regards

Jerry

 

[spike]

Hi Jerry

Yes. I bought a 260RPM kit recently from the OutRider website. It's in a 26" rim at the moment and is running well.
See http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/6888-low-power-low-weight-low-assist-3.html

I just want to see if it is viable in a 700c rim before settling on which bike to use it on. I'm guessing the Cytronex version is customised slightly for the bigger wheel size. I might just buy a second motor already laced in a 700c to keep things simple.

Cheers

Spike

 

[jerrysimon]

Interesting they must have thought you were a supplier. They rarely sell them in ones and twos, though that site looks like its been updated/new.

For their 700c wheels, Cytronex use standard front 100mm spaced 175RPM Tongxin hub motors and I think they sell 190RRM motors for a little more (illegal) speed.

260RPM motors are better suited to 16" or 20" wheels.

If you do get one in a 700c wheel, it would be worth considering one with a smaller RPM.

Regards

Jerry

 

[spike]

A 26" 260 RPM Tongxin Update

Interesting they must have thought you were a supplier. They rarely sell them in ones and twos, though that site looks like its been updated/new.

For their 700c wheels, Cytronex use standard front 100mm spaced 175RPM Tongxin hub motors and I think they sell 190RRM motors for a little more (illegal) speed.

260RPM motors are better suited to 16" or 20" wheels.

If you do get one in a 700c wheel, it would be worth considering one with a smaller RPM.

Regards

Jerry

Hi Jerry

I've been using the Tongxin in a 26" wheel for a while now. It's been flawless so far (fingers crossed). I don't have many hills to climb and the controller I have is 250W so I'm feeding it a bit more juice than the recommended 180W. I'm so pleased I'm ordering a 700C 210RPM wheel as well (note the reduced RPM). If that is just as well behaved then I might try a bulk buy for Aussie enthusiasts.

You were right about being mistaken for a supplier. I was reminded that the samples are limited to 2-3 depending on the requirements. However, I would encourage anyone who wants a silent, light weight motor to give them a try.

Cheers

Spike

 

[jerrysimon]

Spike good to hear all is going well. As it has been said before the key to making them last seems to be to make sure you are rolling before using the motor and certainly never try and start them from stand still, worse still when on a hill.

I had tried to get them from the same supplier but they ignored my emails/enquiries.

However, through other means I have ended up with four of these little beauties now

Regards

Jerry