doctorbrody Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 If it has 4 wheels, I want a Subaru. Two wheels, I'm willing to experiment. Here's an electric fat bike I built this fall using a Framed Alaskan Bluto from craigslist and a BBSHD motor kit from Luna Cycle. It weighs 50lbs, makes about 2hp (1600 watts), and it's silent. It'll do 41mph on a slight downhill, about 34 on the flats, and will climb steep hills in the snow all day. Range is about 40-70 miles depending on how much you're flogging it. I Mad Maxed it out with some LED truck lights running directly from the main 52V battery. There are plenty of factory ebikes out there, but they're ALL either overpriced, underpowered, or most likely both. I spent about $2k on this build and it's pretty amazing. Yes, I know you can buy a decent motorcycle or car for $2k. I have a motorcycle and a car already. This does things they can't do. http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r129/doctorbrody/1%20of%201BB154028.jpg http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r129/doctorbrody/Screen%20Shot%202016-12-30%20at%2010.37.58%20PM.png http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r129/doctorbrody/image_3392.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehsnils Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Interesting, but I'm a bit worried about the position of the motor, isn't that a bit exposed if you decide to take a bumpy path? And I prefer fenders on my bikes, lowers the risk of looking like I have crapped myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctorbrody Posted January 5, 2017 Author Share Posted January 5, 2017 The motor does cost you a bit of ground clearance, but it's a tough-ass motor case and can take big hits. I've got fenders, they're just hard to see in the photos. Fat tires throw a crazy amount of sludge at you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTEASER Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Wow! Sweet! GTEASER's 2012 Legacy GT - Sold GTEASER's 2009 XTeaser - Sold GTEASER's 1992 Legacy SS - Sold Stapp's Law: “The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle.” "Simple incompetence is a far more sinister force in the world than evil intent." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05GT Guru Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 Brushless motor? What kind of battery do you run? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctorbrody Posted January 13, 2017 Author Share Posted January 13, 2017 The BBSHD is a brushless motor, heavy duty and can run at full throttle uphill all day long (at stock power levels). I've got 2 batteries - one is a 9 pound triangle pack using Panasonic GA 18650s in 14S5P configuration for 52V nominal and about 900 watt hours. The other is a 3lb 14S2P pack using Samsung 30Q cells - about 300 watt hours. The 30Q pack can put out 1500 watts in short bursts, but the big GA pack can run at 1500 watts until it's empty. The BBSHD can be overvolted or used with a high-amperage controller, but you're way more likely to melt something if you do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesA Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Interesting! Why do you use fat tires, wouldn't skinny tires be more efficient? (I'm thinking of this as a city bike) Do you carry the batteries in a backpack or how does that work when you want to swap to another charged set? Do you use the motor as a "hybrid" where you also pedal or are the pedals more for use when you're out of battery power? How long does it take to charge up the batteries? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctorbrody Posted January 14, 2017 Author Share Posted January 14, 2017 Skinny tires are definitely more efficient - I use this bike almost entirely in the woods or on dirt roads. The fat tires really shine in snow and mud. They also add a bit of "suspension" to the bike, which has been made heavier by the motor and battery. I don't think I'd buy a non-electric fat bike, but fat bikes are fantastic to electrify. You can carry batteries in a backpack, but both of mine will fit in the triangle bag from Luna Cycle. 10 seconds to switch packs using XT90S connectors. The bike has a thumb throttle like an ATV, but you can also dial in 9 levels of pedal assist - I spend most of my time in assist level 3-5, or between 500-800 watts. Having 1500-1600 watts on standby is awesome for getting up steep hills ridiculously fast though. A 17.5ah battery takes about 3-4 hours to charge on a 5 amp charger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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