Two wheel drive electric bike

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Is two motors for back, front wheel better than rear motor costing as much as two motors?


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guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
11,252
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I wish it was, but love the iconic style and look of the bike. It is unique.
The mid drive brushed Heinzeman motor is 270w and the controller doesn't speed limit. No display is used as the bike has no PAS levels, it rides as fast as the rider wants it too.
Does your Swizzbee get a combined 30A from two battery packs? Do you charge them independently? Can you fit larger batteries into it? On the other hand, you might want to keep it as close to original as possible, there can't be many Swizzbees on the road now. I'd have noticed.
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
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I parallel a 23.2ah/80a & 17.5ah/100a together total poss current is 180a, the current is drawn from the pair with obviously one supplying a very slight higher current. Both batteries voltage reduction is steady and much in sync with each other.

I have two Swizz's the first one Jimmy replaced the old knackered Li-po pack with Boston cells, although the pack is 39a rated range is terrible. This bike has motor issues and the troublesome rear sram dual drive hub is very worn, I tried to source new brushes but wasn't able to get the right size or connection so managed to get some close and file them to fit. However the motor isn't running very nicely.

Sram no longer make hubs so not rally worth the effort repairing, an alfine 8 would be better and to remove the cassette altogether it is really fit for stripping and a conversion to a mid drive like a TDZS so that it rides in a similar way.

Bike #2 is all original, over the years they have had nicad, nimh, li-po and a few stull running updated to li-on. #2 had knackered nimh so I converted the set up to li-on.
How many are actually left ?
I know of two running bikes mine and a few in Germany, on the pedelec.de forum

Swizzbee 50C 24V – Chris Redel's 2-wheel offensive (e-bikefreun.de)

I did have a Chris's blog earmarked in my favourites, but my pc seems to have had a moment and erased it. Chris has bought up or taken possession of quite a few non used bikes for spares and has by the sounds of it plenty to keep him going for years.
 
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SouthdownsMike

Finding my (electric) wheels
Oct 23, 2021
5
2
I parallel a 23.2ah/80a & 17.5ah/100a together total poss current is 180a, the current is drawn from the pair with obviously one supplying a very slight higher current. Both batteries voltage reduction is steady and much in sync with each other.

I have two Swizz's the first one Jimmy replaced the old knackered Li-po pack with Boston cells, although the pack is 39a rated range is terrible. This bike has motor issues and the troublesome rear sram dual drive hub is very worn, I tried to source new brushes but wasn't able to get the right size or connection so managed to get some close and file them to fit. However the motor isn't running very nicely.

Sram no longer make hubs so not rally worth the effort repairing, an alfine 8 would be better and to remove the cassette altogether it is really fit for stripping and a conversion to a mid drive like a TDZS so that it rides in a similar way.

Bike #2 is all original, over the years they have had nicad, nimh, li-po and a few stull running updated to li-on. #2 had knackered nimh so I converted the set up to li-on.
How many are actually left ?
I know of two running bikes mine and a few in Germany, on the pedelec.de forum

Swizzbee 50C 24V – Chris Redel's 2-wheel offensive (e-bikefreun.de)

I did have a Chris's blog earmarked in my favourites, but my pc seems to have had a moment and erased it. Chris has bought up or taken possession of quite a few non used bikes for spares and has by the sounds of it plenty to keep him going for years.
 

SouthdownsMike

Finding my (electric) wheels
Oct 23, 2021
5
2
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Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,882
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You can't preach to some of us (the knowledgeable ones), we know exactly what we are doing and have been doing so safely for many years.

For your average joe/jane ebiker then paralleling is likely not a good idea, one needs to have good understanding of how batteries work to know what you are doing.
Some of us build our own from scratch so know exactly the pitfalls as we are often using 50 - 200 cells in P & S during construction.
 
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SouthdownsMike

Finding my (electric) wheels
Oct 23, 2021
5
2
I'm not trying to preach to anyone. Any one can read these threads, so all I'm suggesting is that that unless people really know what they are doing, (as I have no doubt you, and many people on this site, do) they excercise some caution when playing around with lithium cells.
Ok you build your own arrays, but I'm sure you will admit, it can be tricky and not really to be attempted by the average e-biker.
I hope this site embraces the whole pedelec community and is not just for experts.
 

guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
11,252
3,195
I parallel a 23.2ah/80a & 17.5ah/100a together total poss current is 180a, the current is drawn from the pair with obviously one supplying a very slight higher current. Both batteries voltage reduction is steady and much in sync with each other.

I have two Swizz's the first one Jimmy replaced the old knackered Li-po pack with Boston cells, although the pack is 39a rated range is terrible. This bike has motor issues and the troublesome rear sram dual drive hub is very worn, I tried to source new brushes but wasn't able to get the right size or connection so managed to get some close and file them to fit. However the motor isn't running very nicely.

Sram no longer make hubs so not rally worth the effort repairing, an alfine 8 would be better and to remove the cassette altogether it is really fit for stripping and a conversion to a mid drive like a TDZS so that it rides in a similar way.

Bike #2 is all original, over the years they have had nicad, nimh, li-po and a few stull running updated to li-on. #2 had knackered nimh so I converted the set up to li-on.
How many are actually left ?
I know of two running bikes mine and a few in Germany, on the pedelec.de forum

Swizzbee 50C 24V – Chris Redel's 2-wheel offensive (e-bikefreun.de)

I did have a Chris's blog earmarked in my favourites, but my pc seems to have had a moment and erased it. Chris has bought up or taken possession of quite a few non used bikes for spares and has by the sounds of it plenty to keep him going for years.
180A @24v! So how fast does Bike#2 go, on the flat? If I see any Swizzbees knocking about, I'll send you a message.
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,882
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West Sx RH
As fast as my legs can go 33mph, I feel safer though at 18/20mph.

Most will be garage/barn finds I expect, I know a few were sold in the UK back in 2006/7. I have two they are enough.
 
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guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
11,252
3,195
Most will be garage/barn finds I expect, I know a few were sold in the UK back in 2006/7. I have two they are enough.
Good job too! I had a really good scour, and couldn't find a Swizzbee for sale in any country - apart from one: 2015, Germany.
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,882
8,517
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West Sx RH
On the german forum the guys use to find them ( a lot more sold there and in suisse), mostly finds appeared to be spares/repairs as the dual hub and I here the bespoke Heinzeman mid motor brushed motor caused issues.
 
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