World's lightest electric bike (strange motor drive)
- Thread starter daniel.weck
- Start date
I've got a tiny little micro e bike folder that I'm working on at the moment. It's a great little thing. Not quite as light as that 1 but I think it's more practical and uses typical e bike parts, that should go the distance and are pretty robust too.
Looking at small external battery packs rather than the included internal pack as although the internal pack is pretty good and has a reasonable speed of 24kph with me on it and no pedalling along with a reasonable range, it's still a little weak IMO as the motor is only running 180W at standard voltage, claimed 24V, 6Ah, yet to be confirmed. The standard pack is absolutely tiny and weighs about 700gms
At a slightly higher voltage it's really nippy with a slighly illegal no pedal speed of 32kph which can of course be restricted to a legal 25kph plus acceptable error margin The weight penalty is not so big going this route either and that way you can use the battery you need rather than a 1 size fits all. There's a few problem with the model as it is but I'm gonna either convert them myself or work with the manufacturer to iron some little niggles and concerns that I have with it as is.
I'm getting really excited about these small foders, and can now see what people see in them. They're really great for just nipping around the city.
Looking at small external battery packs rather than the included internal pack as although the internal pack is pretty good and has a reasonable speed of 24kph with me on it and no pedalling along with a reasonable range, it's still a little weak IMO as the motor is only running 180W at standard voltage, claimed 24V, 6Ah, yet to be confirmed. The standard pack is absolutely tiny and weighs about 700gms
At a slightly higher voltage it's really nippy with a slighly illegal no pedal speed of 32kph
which can of course be restricted to a legal 25kph plus acceptable error margin The weight penalty is not so big going this route either and that way you can use the battery you need rather than a 1 size fits all. There's a few problem with the model as it is but I'm gonna either convert them myself or work with the manufacturer to iron some little niggles and concerns that I have with it as is.I'm getting really excited about these small foders, and can now see what people see in them. They're really great for just nipping around the city.
We were going to be the UK dealer for FMT but they decided to sell to all and sundry and it looks like theyre failing sales wise.We have samples here,theyre under powered and will only suit very light people.My 11 year old son likes playing on them,it just about sums the bikes up.I think they underestimated the UK adult weights.
I think you need at least a 250W motor on any ebike. Less than that is just so slow. I personally feel that this has been designed with weight as too much of a priority at the expense of function. For the weight saving given by the motor arrangement, they would have been better off sticking with a proven hub motor and sacrificing a kilo or so. Plus it's quite expensive.
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I found this on ES:And I've got a fairly good idea which 1 it is
Endless-sphere.com • View topic - FMT III
It looks like it could be useful in a limited urban environment, but I doubt that the handling and comfort would give it any commuters' love...There is a point below which the laws of physics simply cannot be ignored, and I think that the 16" (349mm) wheel of (e.g.) the Brompton is really the minimum size a rider can tolerate on any trip longer than a mile (unless of course the terrain is flat and smooth all the way...).
I bet it's quite fun though, especially if it does about 20mph and takes off like a scooter, to the amazement of all onlookers Just make sure to keep the seat low and back, or you might go over those cute little handle bars
It's not gonna be the same experience that you'll get on a Brompton for sure but it can serve a purpose and would be a whole lot cheaper. It's a twist and go with pedals TBH, but that could be improved a bit with the addition of a 3 speed hub gear to extend the gearing a little, slightly bigger wheels and a longer wheel base.
I think you'd be surprised by what it does but the standard battery pack is a bit too small IMO. The wheels are 12.5" but the tyres are really chunky, 2.25" wide, so the rolling radius is quite big for such a small rim (abt 97cm). You could always get it made a bit longer, fit slightly bigger wheels and fit a bigger, external battery pack too
Just make sure to keep the seat low and back, or you might go over those cute little handle bars It's not gonna be the same experience that you'll get on a Brompton for sure but it can serve a purpose and would be a whole lot cheaper. It's a twist and go with pedals TBH, but that could be improved a bit with the addition of a 3 speed hub gear to extend the gearing a little, slightly bigger wheels and a longer wheel base.
I think you'd be surprised by what it does but the standard battery pack is a bit too small IMO. The wheels are 12.5" but the tyres are really chunky, 2.25" wide, so the rolling radius is quite big for such a small rim (abt 97cm). You could always get it made a bit longer, fit slightly bigger wheels and fit a bigger, external battery pack too
Attached is what it now looks like Don't worry the battery will not be staying there. Going to break down an existing LiFePO4 pack i've got and put it somewhere as discreet as possible.
There is something really fun about a big lump of a westerner flying around the streets of shanghai on that thing I might put another motor in the rear too, for 2 wheel drive It's got the rpms to do about 30mph, but that might not be such a good idea when you see how most other road users behave...
Don't worry the battery will not be staying there. Going to break down an existing LiFePO4 pack i've got and put it somewhere as discreet as possible. There is something really fun about a big lump of a westerner flying around the streets of shanghai on that thing
I might put another motor in the rear too, for 2 wheel drive It's got the rpms to do about 30mph, but that might not be such a good idea when you see how most other road users behave...Attachments
Interestingly, people are equally amused to see a 5 foot 5 Oriental chap flying down the streets of Ipswich and Mid Suffolk on a Wisper at 17mph (which is fast for a cyclist here...)Attached is what it now looks like
There is something really fun about a big lump of a westerner flying around the streets of shanghai on that thing
Apparently in some circles I'm not supposed to call myself "Oriental" unless I am a cat, but I do give a long warning meow (like a Siamese cat) to cats/kittens if I think they might run into the road or are playing there, (I get glared at by the cats but they seem to realise its for their own good) so I think I am OK in that respect...
There's a joke that springs to mind here
What do scooters and fat g!?L$ have in common?
Fun to ride but embarrassing in front of your mates!
It's not a joke to my taste, too shallow and stereotypical, sadly it's still doing the rounds, it was years back since I first heard it.
Speaking as a 5'10" individual (UK average height) who owns a 16" wheel folder, I have to admit I get the strangest of looks, more like WTF! Even the little primary school kids point and laugh.
As I cycled past two old ladies at a bus-stop, one of them said to the other
"He must have really long legs!"
16" wheeled folder have been around for ages, where I'm from, Bromptons are for posh slightly eccentric folk, I'm sure Brompton gets referred to as something similar in middle England.
Adults on small wheeled bikes will always have some sort of stigma attached, that is just how society thinks.
To you guys promoting this type of thing, I wish you all the best with the venture, but they are just too qwerky for a mass market.
Go on to any normal bike shop website, they tend to categorise the wheel size to age:
16" 6-7 yr olds
20" 8-9 yr olds
24" teenagers
26" adults
If you want a to design a cool folding bike for an adult, google the contortionist hydraulic powered bike, described as 'cool enough for batman' by one review website.
What do scooters and fat g!?L$ have in common?
Fun to ride but embarrassing in front of your mates!
It's not a joke to my taste, too shallow and stereotypical, sadly it's still doing the rounds, it was years back since I first heard it.
Speaking as a 5'10" individual (UK average height) who owns a 16" wheel folder, I have to admit I get the strangest of looks, more like WTF! Even the little primary school kids point and laugh.
As I cycled past two old ladies at a bus-stop, one of them said to the other
"He must have really long legs!"
16" wheeled folder have been around for ages, where I'm from, Bromptons are for posh slightly eccentric folk, I'm sure Brompton gets referred to as something similar in middle England.
Adults on small wheeled bikes will always have some sort of stigma attached, that is just how society thinks.
To you guys promoting this type of thing, I wish you all the best with the venture, but they are just too qwerky for a mass market.
Go on to any normal bike shop website, they tend to categorise the wheel size to age:
16" 6-7 yr olds
20" 8-9 yr olds
24" teenagers
26" adults
If you want a to design a cool folding bike for an adult, google the contortionist hydraulic powered bike, described as 'cool enough for batman' by one review website.
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I take your point, but they're not for everyone. They're a big city bike, maybe ladies will like them or it's just about manageable on the tube, whatever. I wouldn't ride 1 through Salford but the centre of London, yeah why not.
I know that everyone that has tried it, has loved it. It got a lot more interest and positive comments than a proper full sized e bike. Just because it's different, doesn't mean it's bad or destined to be complete failure. If we all just carried on as we always did, we'd be still living in caves.
I know that everyone that has tried it, has loved it. It got a lot more interest and positive comments than a proper full sized e bike. Just because it's different, doesn't mean it's bad or destined to be complete failure. If we all just carried on as we always did, we'd be still living in caves.
Emission Free - I do genuinely wish you all the best with it, but it will only be a niche market, I'm sure those that buy it will have 'great craic'
Until something like the scooter in the OP appears in a Bond film, it will remain a concept rather than a success.
I'll be keeping my folder, despite the looks and its oddity, I even pass a fella on his 16" wheeled Dahon most mornings on the local cycle path, as cyclists tend to nod and greet each other, we seem to grin at each others bike
Until something like the scooter in the OP appears in a Bond film, it will remain a concept rather than a success.
I'll be keeping my folder, despite the looks and its oddity, I even pass a fella on his 16" wheeled Dahon most mornings on the local cycle path, as cyclists tend to nod and greet each other, we seem to grin at each others bike
Thanks NI.
Don't worry I'm not putting all my eggs in 1 basket and not looking to sell tens of thousands of these. There's more to life than big houses and flash cars, although I wouldn't say no if there was some going
This is just something that pricked my interest and was thinking about sending a few over for a friend who was looking for some folders to retail. The more I've used this bike, the more build and design issues I've found, so the only way I would get involved in it, were if I were to have something built to my spec, or receive some parts and finish it off myself. I'll give it to my girlfriend anyway once I've sorted a few details out, so I haven't lost out and I've learned a few things, so it's all good.
At the end of the day you supply something you are responsible if something goes wrong and someone gets hurt, so it needs to be right plus it's much harder to make a good reputation than a bad 1.
In China, the focus is too much on the money and just getting the sale. Often they are very short sighted. If you can take that product that is 80 or 90% right and sort the little problems out, they are often great little products, but without that extra work they are just cheap junk.
Personally, I quite like to be a bit different, who wants to be a sheep Function over form is also quite cool IMO.
Don't worry I'm not putting all my eggs in 1 basket and not looking to sell tens of thousands of these. There's more to life than big houses and flash cars, although I wouldn't say no if there was some going
This is just something that pricked my interest and was thinking about sending a few over for a friend who was looking for some folders to retail. The more I've used this bike, the more build and design issues I've found, so the only way I would get involved in it, were if I were to have something built to my spec, or receive some parts and finish it off myself. I'll give it to my girlfriend anyway once I've sorted a few details out, so I haven't lost out and I've learned a few things, so it's all good.
At the end of the day you supply something you are responsible if something goes wrong and someone gets hurt, so it needs to be right plus it's much harder to make a good reputation than a bad 1.
In China, the focus is too much on the money and just getting the sale. Often they are very short sighted. If you can take that product that is 80 or 90% right and sort the little problems out, they are often great little products, but without that extra work they are just cheap junk.
Personally, I quite like to be a bit different, who wants to be a sheep
Function over form is also quite cool IMO.Related Articles
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