Where we are now
You're probably tired of hearing about it by now, but I had the opportunity to talk to people about electric vehicles at the Texas Tech Museum last week. Two friends were generous enough to bring electric cars to display, but I wanted an electric bike I could display too. So, last Saturday I gathered up pieces I had lying around and came up with the Huff-E-Rat. (Electric Huffy Rat Bike). And it was a big hit at the museum. So, I thought I'd do a quick post and show it off for you readers who like such things.
Where we started
A handful of years ago, my mother and two brothers gave me this old Huffy for my birthday. It has been together in a few different incarnations over the years, but none of them have really stuck. (Bicycles always make great birthday presents for me. My wife gave me a folding bike frame for my birthday this year and I am gathering up the pieces to make a very cool bike out of it!)
The Electric Bike Kit that is on it now
(If I had it to do over again, I would do things a little differently)
A few quick details - the battery (mounted on the rear luggage rack) is a 36 volt 10 amp/hour lithium battery. The motor is a geared rear hub motor. The controller is 250 watt and is pretty underpowered for a guy my size. It is a single-speed and (so far) only has front v-brakes.
The battery recharges by using a little charger. It's very much like charging a cell phone. And I'm very much enjoying the ride!
Just hanging out under the 34th Street LED streetlight
For those of you who are e-bike curious, here is a great Electric Bike Review article that covers a realistic view of e-bike ownership and costs: Electric Bike Review - The True Costs of Owning and Using an Electric Bike
On the Marsha Sharp Pedestrian Bridge
Leaning against the junky old Dodge I try to avoid driving AMAP
May you enjoy the ride cleanly, quietly, and non-destructively.
PS. I still want a Radwagon, but it's very nice to have this bike and the craigslist trailer!
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