Electric Bike Thread

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Originally Posted by gravitylover

This is pretty cool https://envodrive.com/product/envo-e...-snowbike-kit/ I think I have an extra frame or two I could use for this. Now I just need the $$

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I have a ‘real’ snow bike kit on my dirt bike, having ridden that, and looking at this kit, I think it would be pretty limited in where you can use it.
Probably be almost impossible to steer on any kind of hard packed trail as the snowboard ski would just wash out, it would need some sort of skeg on the bottom to make it track. And the paddles on the track are tiny so of you got into a decent depth of snow you wouldn’t be able to move on anything other than flat or downhill, not enough traction to go up a hill.

Edit: read some more, they claim it can go up a 20% slope, that is just 11 degrees, and their video only shows it operating on flats or downhill on what looks like spring snow. Definitely not something that is going to let you go bombing around on your local FSR in the powder.

So... That means we need to design one here. Something that will be the kind of fun we want it to be. I might be able to finagle a couple of e- drivetrains for an experiment but I don't have the fab skills to build the track unit. I'd go with the fatbikeski up front. The linkage is made by Frank The Welder and the assembly is done in VT by the guy that owns the company https://www.fatbikeskis.com/ What kit do you have on your dirt bike?

I have a camso kit.
Attachment 355083

Their Snow Cart looks like it would be more likely to work, has a real ski on it, and the dual track system probably gives it more traction. Issues would be that you probably can’t use it on any sort of sidehill as I can’t see how you could do the equivalent of snowmobiles leaning it into the slope. It would obviously not qualify as a bike though.

Not sure whether the first kit would either, since it doesn’t have any wheels, and that would probably be considered a defining feature of a bike, it would be illegal on bike trails.

There’s also this http://sniejik.com although I guess it defeats the idea of it still being able to use your existing frame and parts and for sure would not be legal on trails where motorized vehicles aren’t allowed.

So, other than the uniqueness, I am not sure what the market is. But I do see a whole bunch more opportunity for conflicts between users if these start showing up at the local toboggan hill. :cussing:

They’re getting closer, but when someone finally comes up with a lightweight, affordable, electric and fully functional alternative to a snowmobile, I’ll give them my money, and suspect many others will to.

They are still working on the electric snowmobile, and it has the ability to haul a way bigger battery. There is a lot of frictional loss in turning a track that doesn’t exist with the wheels on a bike, not to mention the drag of pushing thru the snow. I think it is going to take a couple more iterations of battery power density to be able to have any sort of usable range. But I admit, I would be happy to have a nice quiet version, sled engines even with the stock exhaust make my ears ache.

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Originally Posted by eldereldo

They are still working on the electric snowmobile, and it has the ability to haul a way bigger battery. There is a lot of frictional loss in turning a track that doesn’t exist with the wheels on a bike, not to mention the drag of pushing thru the snow. I think it is going to take a couple more iterations of battery power density to be able to have any sort of usable range. But I admit, I would be happy to have a nice quiet version, sled engines even with the stock exhaust make my ears ache.

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Yeah, my son is an engineer for Zero motorcycles and they just signed a 10-year partnership with Polaris to develop electric vehicles.

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Originally Posted by eldereldo

They are still working on the electric snowmobile, and it has the ability to haul a way bigger battery. There is a lot of frictional loss in turning a track that doesn’t exist with the wheels on a bike, not to mention the drag of pushing thru the snow. I think it is going to take a couple more iterations of battery power density to be able to have any sort of usable range. But I admit, I would be happy to have a nice quiet version, sled engines even with the stock exhaust make my ears ache.

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4 stoke. Quiet enough to talk to passenger if you've got 2 up seats.

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Originally Posted by Beaver

4 stoke. Quiet enough to talk to passenger if you've got 2 up seats.

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Add heavy as fuck and gutless without a turbo to your four-stroke list which is why they are not the first choice for mountain sleds.

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Originally Posted by jackstraw

Yeah, my son is an engineer for Zero motorcycles and they just signed a 10-year partnership with Polaris to develop electric vehicles.

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That's cool:

https://www.polaris.com/en-us/news/c...s-partnership/

Pretty sweet ride



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https://electrek.co/2020/10/18/start...w31rOvh81i1ItQ The idea and execution needs some dialing in but I like the idea. Charging stations would get me to do overnights and e-bike packing along some of the long rail trails and such. NY just announced that 750 miles of the NY Trail are connected and open so you can ride from NYC to Buffalo and Niagara Falls, it's just a matter of another year or two and we'll be able to go from Eastern LI to Ohio or Canada on the couple hundred miles of extensions still under under construction.

Picked up one of these last summer. It's not built for trails but it's great for chasing kids around the 'hood and getting me home from the bar. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...e8dd58f1dd.jpg

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How many times have you hit a pothole or big bump and slammed your junk into the battery?

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Originally Posted by gravitylover

How many times have you hit a pothole or big bump and slammed your junk into the battery?

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That's what the bag under the battery is for. I just keep the crown jewels pushed to the side and carry them safely in there.

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Alright the jong has game. You can stay for a while.

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Originally Posted by gravitylover

https://electrek.co/2020/10/18/start...w31rOvh81i1ItQ The idea and execution needs some dialing in but I like the idea. Charging stations would get me to do overnights and e-bike packing along some of the long rail trails and such. NY just announced that 750 miles of the NY Trail are connected and open so you can ride from NYC to Buffalo and Niagara Falls, it's just a matter of another year or two and we'll be able to go from Eastern LI to Ohio or Canada on the couple hundred miles of extensions still under under construction.

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Ya need that power assist to ride 6% grades eh?:tongue:

Bunion turning the frown upside down and checking in looking for an eeb. #funion2021

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Originally Posted by Bunion 2020

Ya need that power assist to ride 6% grades eh?:tongue:

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Yeah man. Fully loaded, none of that credit card touring, gotta have some assist ;)

GL, at least you have a sense of humor.

Riding old railroad beds is a fine way to see the country from the seat of a bike.

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Originally Posted by gravitylover

Yeah man. Fully loaded, none of that credit card touring, gotta have some assist ;)

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I can’t tell if you are joking or not, but internet BS aside I think that e-bike touring sounds like a great idea when the infrastructure is there. It would eliminate the sag wagon for the less hardcore bike tourists and open it up for a lot of people all while taking up so little space and energy. Maybe that’s already a thing somewhere?

I was and wasn't joking. Once the charging infrastructure is there I'd love to do long haul trail touring on an e-bike. With the new cross country trail and all of the other long run stuff going on like NY's Empire Trail it would be a great way to go. Pull a Bob trailer or something with an integrated tent like the truck toppers and go for it.

Was in the local Sportsmans Warehouse (Chain of fishin & huntin stores), they had fat E-bikes for right around $ 2800.00.

Seeing as how fat biking is kind of stupid, these actually looked interesting.

e-bikepacking could be awesome

I’d stay away from the cheap Chinese fatties with a hub motors. You want a mid drive from one of the majors with at least 10 gears. Good brakes are also very important.