Electric bicycles gaining traction

[jpak]

http://www.insidebayarea.com/argus/localnews/ci_5043678

Like a lot of folks on the Peninsula, Brian Howell is concerned about the environment. So, when Howell's Acura Integra died last January, he started shopping for a Toyota Prius.

But Howell, who has degrees in physics, mathematics, material science and engineering, found the Prius a disappointment. He said he wanted a car that didn't rely on the petroleum that sets U.S. policy and spurs international wars; he wanted to be free of the carbon dioxide bringing our planet toward climate catastrophe. What he wanted, he said, was an electric car.

When Howell couldn't find one, he purchased an electric bicycle and began commuting 7 miles from his home in Belmont to his job as a Sony engineer in Foster City.

Now, he's a convert.

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[sam sarrha]

1. im putting one on my 1954 Columbia tandem im building a side car for..

[proud patriot]

2. I'm very interested in your side car project

are you using any specs in paticular ?

My husband works with metal and we could
learn from your experience .

:hi:

[sam sarrha]

3. In 1976 we had an infant and couldn't afford another car, so i built a drive unit for a roller on th...

rear wheel using an old paperboys bicycle rack. i bolted a piece of oak on the rack and put double-nuts on all-thread in up and down.. 4 up to adjust the motor on for belt tension, and 4, 2 on each side that went thur brackets on bearings that i put an axel thru and used collars on each side of a rubber wheel off a big caster 4 or 5 inches in diameter i drilled thru the axel collars and fixed the wheel between 2 collars and set them to the axel..just turned the bolts till the wheel depressed the tire a bit..then i put an antique washing machine motor that had a mechanical clutch on it and a hand grip throttle with a cable to the carb.. i later put a B&S 2 hp on it with a Mercury clutch.. i drove it to work for a year and a half.. i figure is is easiest to put brackets on the bike with the pins on the brackets, they would be about 1/2 steal and go out out about an 1 inch or so and them turn up 1 1/2 inches, the car bracket 3" would fit over it and then another pin bracket going down would slide down to the up pin.. making a double strength non flexible connection..

the car will be made out wood forms covered with shaped foam and lite covering of fiberglass

i still have it and and i am doing some drawing to work out a shock of bungi and the attachments, upright pins on the bike and cylinders lined with rubber tubbing to isolate the vibration.. i plan to get make a spring steel leaf spring for side car.. and put an electric motor in it, trying to keep the 50's motif.

i am hopping that if it is successful i can get a grant to make the 3 wheel unit, i want to make an environmental display and put it on a harbor freight trailer.. and make it available to ecology groups to take to fairs and demonstrations.. as a come on to get more people to visit the booths.. and put the dogs in the side car for parades..

we have lost 4 good jobs to out sourcing in 6 years and are pretty broke right now.. i hope to have it going by next fall, i am still sketching the car.. there are some neat side cars.. there are racing classes for side cars.. the ultra lite car i want to make is based on Extreme Gravity racers.. check it out..!! only mine is a 3 wheel ultra lite, space for gorceries...if you find a source of plans let me know.. pretty simple high tech stuff.. the suspensions are made of laminated sheet metal and there are PLANS.. but i haven't found them yet.. i have been working so much over time,, i just don't have the time.

[proud patriot]

5. When my husband gets home from work

I'm showing him this . I'm so jazzed by this .

I know what you mean about being broke . The last
6 years have been extremely hard on my family's
income . Hopefully that will change soon .

[sam sarrha]

7. pm me

[proud patriot]

8. k

:)

[tinrobot]

4. Why do you even need a motor?

If he pedals that bike to work every day, he'd be a very healthy individual.

[sam sarrha]

6. i dont know about him.. but i am just too damn old .. i need help..!!

[Porcupine]

9. There are motor only and motor assist units

The motor assist units can input 30 to 40 watts of power allowing the rider to climb hills or achieve greater speed with 50 to 60 watts of rider output. At that output most of us don't arrive at work excessively sweaty.

I see people using these in town. I think it's a great idea. My 72 year old mom still pedals her cruiser to church on sunny sundays without assist.

Links:
http://www.greenspeed.us/
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/05/solar_powered_e_1.php
http://www.zapworld.com/ZAPWorld.aspx?id=152