Electric Bike Assist
Nov. 2nd, 2006 05:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
armbFirst of all: Astronomers of Rock.
I still have this theory that while I don't need an electric motor to be able to cycle all the way from home, and on a good day I go fast enough that one couldn't be legally useful, I might do it more often with an assist (and possibly get fit enough then to not need the assist).
I had a look at Cambridge Bike Hire's kit today.
Plus points: it's relatively cheap, compared to, say a Heinzmann, and the Li-ion battery is relatively lightweight.
It's available, whereas would-be Bionx distributers http://www.no-hills.com still say "Coming soon" (and I've just found http://www.powerscoots.co.uk/acatalog/Bionx.html, but that says price TBA).
Airnimal are based in Cambridge, and have now a Bionx on a Joey, so I might look into that (it's also more expensive though).
Minus points: relatively unsophisticated controls compared with the Bionx's proportional assist (sensing chain torque).
The "Jamie's still working on the wiring because they came without instructions" thing.
(They also had a Sakura Mustang, which was fun looking but impractical, and my legs are far too long for it.)
I still have this theory that while I don't need an electric motor to be able to cycle all the way from home, and on a good day I go fast enough that one couldn't be legally useful, I might do it more often with an assist (and possibly get fit enough then to not need the assist).
I had a look at Cambridge Bike Hire's kit today.
Plus points: it's relatively cheap, compared to, say a Heinzmann, and the Li-ion battery is relatively lightweight.
It's available, whereas would-be Bionx distributers http://www.no-hills.com still say "Coming soon" (and I've just found http://www.powerscoots.co.uk/acatalog/Bionx.html, but that says price TBA).
Airnimal are based in Cambridge, and have now a Bionx on a Joey, so I might look into that (it's also more expensive though).
Minus points: relatively unsophisticated controls compared with the Bionx's proportional assist (sensing chain torque).
The "Jamie's still working on the wiring because they came without instructions" thing.
(They also had a Sakura Mustang, which was fun looking but impractical, and my legs are far too long for it.)