DIY E-Bike Placeholder: A re-Run and a Propella

I am still working on the third installment of the BIY e-bike, and I know that at least 1.5 of you are waiting in anticipation, so I thought I'd throw out a minipost bone for you to chew on.

The first is an eight-month-old Mesquite Hugger post about e-bike basics. If you are following the DIY e-bike posts, this one will shed a lot of light on why and what we are striving to (virtually) build. Consider this one a strong supplement to that series since it will explain a lot of the third post:

Electric Bike Buying (and Building) Advice



 

 Our second post is a news article about the second generation of the Propella e-bike that is starting to ship now. While it may not look much like our project bike, it has a lot of similarity to our Mesquite Hugger DIY project formula - it's just skinnier, sleeker, and less powerful. And it comes to you already put together. We all have our virtues, and I think the Propella is a pretty cool little bike.

The News Article

The Propella Site

 

Hopefully, that'll give you a little info to gnaw on while I finish up Part 3 and get to work on Part 4.

 

May you know the feel of wind in your hair as you and a little motor pedal you on to the next great, eco-friendly adventure!

 

PS. How would you like the opportunity to be the one and only person who responds the 2017 Mesquite Hugger Survey? (The survey closes tomorrow and it would be great for this blogger's self esteem if somebody answered a question or two.)

Batteries and Butt-Wiggles! (Two Eco Friendly Trikes)

It all started with Big D's 9th birthday. He's been wanting one of those little folding Razor scooters, so I hopped on the craigslist and did not quite find one, but I did find this:

The Razor DeltaWing Scooter

It was new, still in the box, and not expensive at all. So I took a gamble.

I assembled it in the living room and was very curious about how hard it would be to ride. So I put my feet on it, wiggled my butt a little, and I was off and wiggling.

Video of the DeltaWing in action!

It's probably a good thing that I was the only one there. I spent the next half hour drift-triking through the house and grinning huge. The dogs kept barking that I had lost my mind. Those people at Razor are genius! A vehicle that runs on butt-wiggle! I am quite smitten and I keep thinking that I need a slightly bigger one for my work commute. I wonder if I'm in shape for 10 miles of round-trip butt wiggling?

This morning I hopped over to TreeHugger to see what e-bikes Derek Markham has been writing about, and there it was, the electrified adult version of the DeltaWing, or at least pretty darned close to it:

The DC-Tri

You want details?

• 250 watt
• 15 mph
• up to 30 miles
• $1500ish Kickstarter intro price

If you want more info, check in with Derek over at Treehugger.

 

 

Drifting, 'Roos, and Solar Panels - this video has it all!

I really like the DC-Tri, but I have one small problem with it - no butt-wiggle is required to get it going. Maybe the next-gen version could have something like pedelec built in - the buttelec! (Should I copyright that?)

May you get your butt moving, give up the gas, and save the planet!

A shout out to Derek and Razor! Thanks, y'all!

Some previous Razor fanboy posts:

I found my new dream electric vehicle - move over Tesla

Razor Ecosmart Scooter vs. the Storm Ebike

Razor Does It Again! My new favorite EV - the Street Fighter!

Fossil Free Friday: 2 More DIY Oddball E-Bike options

Two bikes that have snared a lot of attention lately on Mesquite Hugger are the Super 73 and the Monday Motors M-1 (formerly the Bolt.) And I can definitely see why. Both hearken back to a childhood hot rod spirit while also filling the bill for people who are tired of trashing the earth for their own personal transport and fun. Kind of a best-of-both-worlds thing for considerably less commitment than a Tesla.

Another part of their appeal (for me at least) is this sense of DIY adventure. I can hear the voice of the Rusty saying over coffee, "Oh yeah, we could build that. That sounds like a great project." (Rusty, Lubbock already misses you and that let's-build-the-crap-out-of-it glint in your eye.) Shoot, I already built an electric minibike and have gathered up all the pieces for an electric moped. This is a do-able thing, people.

Apparently, we are not the only ones who think so. As evidence, I offer up the Luna Banana and the HopMod.

 

The Luna Banana (for you Super 73 fans)

Luna Banana (pedal only)

Since Grizz ordered the Sondors bike, I have been paying a lot more attention to the offerings from Luna Cycles. Recently, a pair of maxi-minibike variations have popped up on their website. The Luna Banana (pedal only model) is a big kid dream come true - a big honking minibke you can pedal around on. If I lived near a boardwalk, I'd much rather be the dork on this thing than a nerd on a fat bike or a dweeb on a beach cruiser. It's got an 8-speed drivetrain and disk brakes at both ends. Pretty cool stuff! And, it has lots of room for batteries and motors and all kinds of good stuff. (Or you could just pedal it around, which would not be a bad thing at all.) Lots more info below:

 

For those of you with fewer ambitions or less time or more money, you can also buy one that's already impressively electrified:

 

30 miles per hour and you never have to pedal - but you should

 

On top of all these things, Luna can upgrade you to a much bigger motor and a much bigger battery for $325. That's a massive amount of power and range for this maxi-mini. (Make sure your emergency room insurance is paid up!) But in comparison with lots of other bikes out there, this thing is pretty inexpensive. And you can get it in red, white, or black - your three favorite colors! Nope, it's not the cargo-bike-of-my-dreams, but it may be just the thing for the hooligan you want to be.

The HopMod (for you Monday MotorBikes fans and for my buddy FlatTracker 23)

 

Okay, so you're not into the minibike thing as much as the BMX/flat-track/motocross/hot-rod/moped thing. The HopMod may be right up your two-wheeled alley. It's early in the Kickstarter phase right now.

 

See the Kickstarter Video here

 

Yep, this might look easier to put together than the Indigan moped kit for the DIY M-1 post. A lot of thought has gone into making this frame a universal platform with lots of room for personalization, and batteries and a motor. And you can get it in three stages of development:

 

Just a frame

 

Pledge Level 1

Frame and electric mid-drive setup

 

Pledge Level 2

 

The whole enchilada (and it does come painted)

 

Pledge Level 3

 

Once again, that's a whole lot of bike for the money, and this one comes from deep in the heart of Texas - San Antonio to be exact. For you nearby readers, this is your chance to shop local. (Remember the Alamo, Pee Wee!)

 

May you adopt your dream green vehicle, and may it be a joyous and earth-saving thing!

 

PS. Thanks (once again) to ElectricBikeReport.com for the heads-up on the HopMod!

Follow-up on the Big Electric MiniBike

(and its little brother)

Once in a while here on Mesquite Hugger, we get all sentimental and delve into the past to see how our old crowd-funded friends are faring. In this case, we found that the family had grown a bit.

You may remember the Super 73 post back in June. Lots of people read that one. I think it struck a blast-from-the-past chord.

So I went back to see how things are going and found that Lithium Cycles now has a second offering - the Super 73 Scout.

I hope you like it in white!

This new maxi minibike is actually a bit of a stripped down version. And that's okay. Sure it has less power and less speed, but it also costs a lot less money. (Around here, we're all about that less money thing. In this case, it's about $1400 less. Yep, good stuff.)

So, what's the difference? I am glad you asked:

Maybe this will help.

Don't get too caught up on the lack of a beer holder. A plastic cup and some duct tape could work wonders. But a few of the other changes are worth talking about.

For me, the most disappointing deletion is the pedal assist followed by the move from a mid-drive motor to a hub motor. I really like hub motors, but in this case it moves the motor weight from the middle to the back where the battery and the rider are already keeping things a little off-balance.

Limey goodness!

Now that I rethink it, though, if I chose to ride about on a massive minibike, I might indeed be more worried about where to put my beer than how the thing handles at high speeds. So forget about that weight thing and bring on the duct tape!

 

 

Oh yeah - the bottle opener too.

 

What else do you give up on the Scout? Orange, Dark gray, Lime Green, Black Matte, and Desert Tan. Yep, the more expensive 73 comes in several colors. The Scout comes only in white.
 

Orange you loving this thing?
 

The original Super 73's purchased on Kickstarter are just beginning to roll off the assembly line and be delivered. The Scouts should start shipping in February.

 

 

So, what's it gonna be? Do you lean toward the Super 73 or the Super 73 Scout?
 

May you get to re-live your childhood dreams without having to put up with gasoline and muffler burns!

Three MORE Low-Cost Electric Roadster-ish Bikes

In case you missed the last three bikes, you can find them in this post. Today's post is the one where I thought to myself, SnagIt, I forgot the________! After doing that a few times, I just decided to make another post. Don't be surprised if I do it again next week.

Karmic Bikes

The first on the list is one I was super excited about, then there was a little controversy of some kind, and it fell off of my very overwhelmed radar. But it survived the ripple, Kickstarted successfully, and now it's available for outright purchase. And it has one very big distinction from the other 5 bikes featured -  its frame is purpose-built for a mid-drive motor. (I drooled a little as I typed that.)

Karmic Koben

The Karmic Koben is a beauty that looks more expensive than it is. It is also very cool for a $1899 bike. (There is a more expensive version - the Koben S - that costs quite a bit more, has a bigger battery, and will do 28 mph, but I am featuring the  base model since it falls into falls into our sub-$2000 range. FYI, if you're looking for a step-through frame, Karmic is currently Kickstarting their Kyoto model.)

Impressive stats for both models!

\

The big deal about mid-drive is better weight distribution, a different type of power distribution, and it's a whole lot easier to change a flat tire. The big downside is wear and tear on the drivetrain and sprockets.  One reason many people choose mid-drive is to take advantage of a bikes many gear combinations, but the base Koben is a single-speed model. Hmm. (I know I said that I would not talk about the Koben S - but that's a phenomenal spec list - check out that CVT rear hub!)

 

The Koben S with the cool NuVinci hub!



 

Riide

 

Strangely similar and radically different from the Karmic Koben is the Riide. It's pretty elemental: single speed, throttle only (no pedelec), no fancy display boards, no removable battery. You don't find many e-bikes that are so close to being a plain, old, everyday bike. If you are trying to simplify BUT you really want an e-bike, this is the machine for you.

 

Riide

 

It has a 36 volt 250 watt power train. The battery is inside the frame. It has a top speed of 20 mph and a range of 25 miles. It weighs 40 pounds. It does not come in lots of colors. It doesn't come with lots of options. It's a take-it-as-it-is-or-don't-take-it-at-all bike. I like it a lot, but it may be that I was drawn in by their spoken-word Kickstarter video: (I just don't know if I am cool enough to ride it.)

 

 Riide Kickstarter Video

 

What don't I like about the Riide? Two things - the lack of a removable battery pack and the lack of pedelec system. As a guy who parks on the first floor and works on the third floor, I am a big fan of having my battery to go. (I really like that on the GenZe.) And I like the subconscious push of a pedelec over the very conscious choice of a throttle.)

 

For those of you wanting an e-bike but struggling to come up with the lump sum to buy one, Riide does have a fairly appealing finance program to help get you on your way - they call it the RiidePass program. [Blogger note: Don't create debt for yourself! Yes, Admiral, it is a trap!]

 

The Vela

 

And now for something completely different: the Vela. Nope, it does not come in matte black. Nope, the bars aren't flat and this thing does not look fast when it's sitting still. But it does have a certain Downtown Abigail appeal and it comes in at a pretty low price. It even has free shipping for you peeps living in the USA.

 

 

Vela Bikes

 

The removable 36 volt battery pack hangs out in the seat tube and carries the bike about 20 miles. The motor is a geared 350 watt rear hub motor. It has a USB port for charging your stuff and it has a built-in burglar alarm. Yep, I said it.It comes in four different colors. It's all pedelec - no throttle at all. It weighs a respectable 42 pounds. And it's as cute as a buginarug. AND, it comes with built-in front and rear lights!

 

So, how about you? Which one airs up your tires? Can you see yourself leaving the car at home and flying to work on one of these? Me? I got an email from the Radwagon people yesterday - it now comes in blue! (But I think I still like the orange one better.

 

May you find some way to quit burning fossil fuels and to enjoy life more. Thank you for reading!

 

PS. I will shoot for a super-cheap e-bike post in the near future for you broke cheapos like me!

 

 

Three Low-Cost Electric Roadster Bikes

For all you electric bike fans who are not cargo bike fans, I decided today was a day to veer away from my heavily laden single-track mind and offer up some bikes for normal people.

 

Roadster? Roaster? Donuts! (Dave Palmer Art)

 

Are you looking for an electric bike that is just a bike? You know - not a dedicated road bike, not a dedicated mountain bike,  not a cruiser, not a cargo bike, but a bike that could do a little bit of each? Well, it's a category I have been watching closely for a few years now. Keep in mind, that I am very cheap, so I have not been watching the Stromers and HaiBikes and Felts and such. I have been keeping it in the sub-$2000 range, and I am trying to stay out of the Kickstarterisms for this group so that you can keep these stewing and not have to make an impulse buy to get in on the deal. (Two of these, however, are only available for pre-order right now.)

So let's jump into it. The first bike on the list is no stranger to those who have poked around Mesquite Hugger in the past. It's the GenZe e-bike. It's technically one model that is available in a few different frame configurations. It's a solid bike with a few very cool features and it comes in at a very reasonable $1499. A few basic stats: 36 volt removable battery pack (integrated into the frame!), 250 watt hub motor, throttle/pedelec/human power/walking and stair climber modes, cool digital readout, it weighs only 46 lbs (not bad in this price range), disc brakes, and a 7-speed Shimano derailleur. It also comes in three frame sizes for the sport model and two sizes for the step-through model. Lots of good stuff. I hope silver is your favorite color - the GenZe comes in silver, silver, or silver. The frame is aluminum.

 

[GenZe sidebar: GenZe also offers an electric scooter that seems to be doing very well. I have been watching an electric scooter sharing company in San Francisco (Scoot Networks) that has adopted the GenZe 2.0 and is having great success with these low-cost ($2999) workhorses.] 

 

Genze e101 Sport

What's that? You're allergic to aluminum? You don't want to be seen riding around on recycled beverage cans? Well, maybe this next one will be more to your liking. Its frame is not metal at all. It's carbon fiber (or "fibre" for those of you from across the pond and whatnot). And it comes in a very stealthy matte black. It is from our old Canadian Beast-maker buddies, Daymak.

 

Daymak EC1 (Electric Carbon 1)

 

There are three versions available that cost $1899, $2399, and $3499. And they weigh 34, 32, and 28 pounds respectively. That's right - the cheapest version is 12 pounds lighter than the GenZe. I'll focus on that less expensive version - it's a 21-speed, has a removable 24 volt battery pack (the more expensive ones have 36 volts), has a 250 watt motor, disc brakes, and front suspension. But the big deal here is the carbon fiber frame - you just don't see that stuff in this price range - and 34 pounds is nothing to sneeze at. The bad news? If you want one next week, you are out of luck - this one is only available through pre-order at this time. But it is a cool machine.

This next one is for you speed junkies. The GenZe and the Daymak are both limited to 20 miles per hour, but the Cross Current has no such limitation - it'll do 28 miles per hour. If you are accustomed to riding around in a car, that may not sound like much, but if you are used to bicycle speeds, 28 mph is flying! 20 mph on a bike is actually impressively fast for us mere mortals. 28 will make you feel like a two-wheeled Chuck Yeager.
 

Juiced Rider Cross Current - One Bad Mamma Jamma!

The Cross Current is a product of Juiced Rider or Juiced Bikes, a small but very well thought of e-bike company best known for their rather sweet cargo bikes that have up to a 100 mile range.

[Okay, I'll be honest here. This one is my fave by far.]

Just like the GenZe, it costs $1499, but it is very impressive in features and hardware: Kenda e-bike tires (!), Samsung removable 48 volt (!) battery pack, 500 watt (!) motor, Tektro hydraulic (holy moly!) disc brakes, and an honest-to-goodness torque-sensing pedelec. Almost all e-bikes in this price range have cadence sensors - not the vastly superior torque sensors. This means that the Cross Current responds to how hard you pedal, not just to the fact that you are pedaling. Sweet!

And, it comes in sexy red or matte black. (For those of you who are worried about such things.) It also comes in three frame sizes, you can get a bigger battery for $200 more, and it has mounts for a utility rack (which has this eco-cargo dork all excited.) Sure it weighs the most (49 pounds), but who really cares when you get this much bike for the money!

(While visiting the site, I noticed that they are cross-currently sold out, but expect to have more in stock in late September.)

Add some taller bars, the bigger battery, a rear cargo rack - yep, I want one. Sure, I want a cargo bike, but this thing is cool sexy fast and all kinds of stuff that make the heart beat faster. Oh so cool!

 

May your heart beat faster and your carbon footprint be smaller.

 

Gratuitous Dog Pic with a Scoot Networks GenZe 2.0

 

 

 

Two American Success Stories and a Grocery Store Bike

So, there I was buying a few groceries in Alamogordo earlier this week when I saw a bike, and it was not just any bike - it was the 2016 New Belgium Cruiser. And it was extremely cool- definitely a departure from the earlier models - less of a cruiser and more of a stylish commuter.

Now that is my kind of groceries!

 

Yes, I know, it's just a bike, it's just more stuff to want and to gather dust and to put me in debt (if it were for sale.) But this thing reverberates with something much more.

 

Let's check out its origins.

 

New Belgium...

 

...is a Colorado brewery that embraces bikes in a big way. (Fat Tire Ale!) Since 1999, they have been working with high-quality bike manufacturers (Electra, Felt, Spot, Schwinn) to produce limited edition Fat Tire cruisers for their employees and for promotions and giveaways and such. There have been some beautiful bikes. (I am a big fan of the 2006 and 2011 Felt models.) New Belgium is a company that pursues very green practices for business and for life. Part of that pursuit is the celebration of the bike as enjoyable and healthy transport. Yes, I like New Belgium a whole lot and I want them to live long and prosper!

Detroit Bikes (Number 565 of 2500)

 

Detroit Bikes

 

Let's start with their mission statement: To encourage cycling by making an accessible, enjoyable bicycle while continuing Detroit's legacy of quality manufacturing and design. Detroit is a place that has had and continues to have real economic and social problems.  But Detroit is also showing some real improvement and companies like Detroit Bikes are helping to make that possible. (Detroit is also quickly becoming one of America's best cities for cycling!)

 

Detroit Bikes New Belgium Fat-Tire Bike

The business model is very solid - set up shop in an old warehouse, buy high-quality, second-hand manufacturing equipment, employ local talent, and produce a high-quality product to sell at competitive prices. And they have done a great job of that.

 

I'd love to commute on an A-Type - $699

 

I have been following their story for a few years, so it was very exciting for me to get to see one of their bikes in person. And they are simple, clean, and gorgeous!

 

So, let's sum up:

 

Eco-Friendly Beer Brewer (They have really good beer too!)

Made-in-America high-quality entrepreneurealshippishness bicycle maker

Trip to the grocery store

A couple of videos

The guy who strives for minimalism finds something else he wants

 

That pretty well sums it up!

 

May we see and support more companies like these, and may you be inspired in the grocery store!

Fossil Free Friday: Cargo Bike Dreaming (Again)

Personal Carbon Reduction = the Big Goal.

For me, finding ways to not burn gasoline is a big big big part of that goal.

So let's talk cargo bikes. Who needs a pickup or a minivan when you have a cargo bike?

Recently I learned that my favorite cargo bike can be had for much less money than I had thought.

Yep, the Yuba Mundo V4 7-speed can be had for $999. Let me try that again. The Mundo has been the cargo bike by which I judge all others. When I look at building my own or buying a conversion kit or finding a used cargo bike, I always look back at the Mundo and sigh.

The Yuba Mundo 7-Speed

Yep, the Yuba Mundo V4 7-speed (a very basic model) can be had for $999!!! (That's more like it.)

The RadWagon

That means that the Yuba Mundo can be bought (and DIY electrified) for about the same price as a RadWagon. Oh snap! For less than $1800 I could have either one parked in my garage.

The RadWagon came on the scene about a year ago and has held my imagination since. In many ways it's a Mundo clone, but it's a Mundo clone with a whole lot of cool add-ons and a pretty low price. It's $1700 but it seems to be on permanent sale for $1600. See those disc brakes? See that 48 volt, 750 watt electric running gear? It's a whole lot of cargo bike for the money.

The next one in our affordable cargo bike dreaming is a bit of a (very desirable) dark horse in the category. (I think it's the small wheels.)

The Juice Bikes - ODK

For a few hundred dollars more than the RadWagon, you could park a Juiced Bikes ODK Utility Bike in your garage.

Ladies and gents, this a cool machine! This bike is known for being easy to handle, easy to load, and built with very high-quality components. It is also known for its incredible electric range. The base model is rated at 40 miles and that can extend up to 82 miles at a price ($3200) that is still considerably less than most electrified cargo bikes.

 

 

Ok, I can see that you're starting to squirm a bit - $3200! Yep, that's getting way out of the Mesquite Hugger (Cheapo) price range, so let's get back down to Earth.



 

Let's look at turning an existing bike into a cargo bike.

 

Option 1: The Xtracycle Leap

 

The Extracycle Leap 

 

Ross Evans and the crew at Extracyle redesigned their FreeRadical concept and came up with a kit known as the Leap. Take the bike that you already have, buy a $600 basic kit, combine the two, and you have a pretty bulletproof longtail from the people who defined the category. If you want to add some accessories, there are a few more kits to get you going, but the basic kit will definitely get you started.

 

Option 2: A Very Exciting Newcomer - The Lift (What is it with the four-letter "L" words?)

Something new and green out of Colorado, the Lift is in Kickstarter mode right now, and it's doing well. I am normally a longtail cargo bike fan, but this product has me seriously questioning my bias.

Why do all cargo bikes look better with a dog in the pic?

 

The Lift is a Bakfiets-style cargo bike kit that is easily installed or removed from your existing bike. It will retail for $900, but you can Kickstart a Lift into your possession for $750. Early reviews are very favorable and they have easily reached their KS funding goal with time to spare. Be sure to watch their video showing the 60-second conversion - just wow!

 

Condo is not so sure about the Lift...

...but Kylie (and Mattie) are all about it!

 

So, there you have it. My top contenders in the cargo bike dreaming campaign.

 

May you find yourself dreaming of ways to get off the (exhaust) pipe while enjoying the ride.





A cheaper, more efficient Morgan 3-Wheeler? Yes! (Sort of...)

Sometimes it just all comes together.

Here on Mesquite Hugger we talk a lot about bicycles, electric bicycles, and carbon-neutral vehicles. We talk occasionally about velomobiles. Once in a great while we talked about an electric Morgan three-wheeler. If only we could pull them all together into one glorious machine...

Yep. You know where we're headed:

Morgan Three Wheeler gets the Velomobile Treatment

Yep, it has pedals!

I just learned about it, and had to do some websurfing to learn more.

I learned:

• originally built by Ekomobil in Russia
• unsuccessfully Kickstartered as a πCar (PiCar) in the States in December 2015
• available now from Velomobileshop.com for $5000 (with some type of Sondors ebike tie-in)
• it can be pedal-only or come with a 48 volt hubmotor (maybe)
• it would make (another) great Mesquite Hugger "official" vehicle/birthday present

You can see a little video action on youtube

 

What more can I say?

 

May saving the world really be this much fun!