The Purist goes E-Assist

I have been looking at E-Assist and after experiencing the Hills of Osoyoos last winter, I finally pulled the trigger and bought a Bafang BBSO2 Mid Drive kit from Luna Cycle. It arrived in April. The decision to go with the BBSO2 and Luna rather than an alternative was decided not so much on price and features, but on availability of  consistent reputation, parts and options.

One Karl Gesslein of https://electricbike-blog.com/ has spent the better part of the past two years and a small fortune doing his very best to destroy every e-bike motor including the Bafang BBxx models offered. His exploits on e-bikes are perhaps bordering on the insane. If a mid-drive e-bike motor can survive his torture tests, they should serve the normal person very well.

Educating yourself is a must, with no end of resources. As well as Karl's blog there are several others. Two I would recommend are electricbike.com, which is run by Luna Cycles a Bafang distributor and another Electric Vehicle and Technology Forums endless-sphere.com. Both are a wealth of information and opinions. You will need the resources they offer. The Power Assist  forum on BROL is also great

Ordering my BBSO2 kit from Luna was fairly straight forward, but I did not know what options I would need to mount it on a Rover trike so I only ordered a longer main harness, an upgraded battery charger, and a speedometer cable extension, opting to start the installation and then order additional cables after I measured things up.

Taylor at TerraTrike found me a spare Rover boom in his surplus inventory for $95 which I thought would be handy in that I could premount the Bafang drive without having to take out the bottom bracket and chainrings. If I ever wanted to switch back either permanently of temporarily (meet with no e-assist allowed) I could do it in a matter of minutes.

The beautifully packed Luna box arrived UPS as promised. I opened it, unpacked eveything and spent the next half day scratching my head and wondering what to do first. There was not a scrap of instructions. Not one of the various packages of parts and cables had a label on it. The grey matter had to do some extra work. It really was like the first day of school.

I mounted/dismounted the drive on the front of the boom a couple times. Slept on it and then did it again. Could it possibly be this simple?

Mounting the battery was a conundrum. I finally decided crossways behind the seat against the rear fender would provide the best weight distribution -about as far behind the front axle as the drive was in front of axle. A couple of pieces of 3/4 in plywood, my router to make an mounting notch, some wood screws, and a couple of heavy gear clamps made a solid platform for the quick release battery bracket. I used similar hardware arrangement to mount my Windwrap faring. It is solid, reasonably light and just works!

I put the boom with the drive through the crciform and into the frame tightened the grub set screws, and started measuring and plugging it wires. It went pretty well.

• I needed a power cable extension 22", a piece of HD ext cord soldered in- done
• speedometer ext was too short rather than order another I cut and extended with Cat 6 network cable using 3 of the twisted pairs to extend. Worked.
• installed speedometer sensor on left rear. straight forward

• plugged in over-length harness and routed along boom to cruciform and up left steering arm.
• Mounted throttle control and main control switch to left handle bar. Crowded but ok.

• Mounted Display computer to an accessory bar I previously used for cell phone. OK for present.
• Epoxied magnets for the Hall sensor brake power cutoffs to both brake handles. Took three views of different YouTube videos to figure that one out.
• Stuck Hall sensors on brake lever bodies.They have self adhesive pads. Works ok
• Plugged in left brake sensor. Works OK
• Right brake sensor requires extension cable which I must fabricate myself if I want.(don't think I will need it) About 24 inch. Cat 6 as with speedo cable would work fine.
• Zip tied the wiring up in place. Charged the Battery, Plugged it in. Nothing blew up or smoked. Played with controls and took for short run.
• It works flawlessly and very quiet.

Rover II E-Assist ready for first test run

The working installation is complete, but I have a number of things to refine. I need to tidy up the wiring and seal the connectors. I will redo the power cable extension as it is too long. The battery mount is fine but I need to put some stain and sealer on the wood. The wires down the main boom are shrink wrapped at the joints but I will put some loom over it to tidy it up. A better mount for the display is in order.

So how does it work. Fine, But lots to learn. However I no longer dread stiff headwinds or towering hill. And my knees are very happy. Details in next post

Down & Dirty

Some folks buy new trikes, or cars,,, so they can sit in the driveway nice and clean and shiny, looking pretty. On the other hand I get them to ride. "Wear 'em out!" is my motto. And I must admit that includes a modicum of abuse.With Rover II topping the 7000 km mark over this past year it was time for some serious spring maintenance.

The past winter in Osoyoos, BC with its attendant well salted roads, giant hills, and lack of dry, heated storage to carry out maintenance took its toll on Rover II as well as me. A bunch of sprocket crunching shifts when the slope overcame my reluctant leg muscles did nothing to pamper the driveline. And although I had some replacement parts, I put things off until I returned to Rainy River where I could work in the comfort of my own cluttered workshop.

(I had been considering some e-assist and in March pulled the trigger on a special Luna featured on a Bafang BBSO2B package, but more on that in my next post)

As well as rolling under my power for 7000 + km Rover II had spent a lot lot time and miles travelling back from Florida, across Ontario, and twice back and forth across most of western Canada. I can't imagine a worse spot for sucking grit, grime, and moisture into every nook and cranny of a trike, than on the back of a vehicle. Maybe it's time to invest in one of those hermetically sealed trike coffins that fits on the rear hitch.

After a thorough wash at the coin-op, I started to pull Rover II apart. I dropped off my Windwarp fairing and set all the bits and pieces carefully in one tray... it may not get put back on until next fall.The chain came off and was quickly consigned to the scarp heap...definitely shot.

After removing the seat (mine is tight and never goes out of adjustment), next I backed out the grub screws on the frame. Easy, peasy as I had forced grease into every one last spring after reading on the forums the joys of drilling our seized set screws.

Then slide the main boom out of the cruciform and rear frame. A pull, then a wiggle, and a stiff jerk yielded no results. Checked to make sure  all the set screws were out. Yep! A piece of hardwood plywood against the boom behind the bottom bracket and a couple of stiff blows with a two lb hammer started things moving. Took a few more to finally get the boom out. The amount of surface corrosion in the cruciform and frame was quite extensive, so I cleaned things up and poured some heavy oil through the interior to coat everything and made sure I coated the boom with heavy grease before reinserting it. Everything now slid together smoothly.

Corrosion on boom after one year: ridden 7,000km. transported 11,000 km

Rover II: Upside down and Apart

I did a thorough examination of the weld under the cruciform and frame. Everything looks fine with no sign of bends or cracks. The bearings on the front wheels and the bottom bracket seem excellent so no further action there.

The rear sprocket was, well, trashed... crunch, crunch, once (many times) too often. Replaced it with a Shimano HG31 8 Speed Mountain Bike Cassette (11-34T) Sold by: Sun Cycle Warehouse $17.77 which I had bought last year but never installed. Wish I had as I could have used that 34T low over the stock 30T on those Osoyoos hills. The rear bearing seems fine so cleaned and lubed it and checked the spokes for tightness... a few took a half turn and rim is straight. I'll leave the knobby winter tire on for present as I want to try some gravel roads.

The derailleur was a mess and looks pretty worn. I decided to order a new one as they are less than $20 MicroShift Mezzo Long Cage 8/9 speed Rear Derailleur, Sold by: Gap30Cycles, $18.65 from Amazon and in meantime pulled the old one apart, cleaned and lubed it and reinstalled. It works.

I had a spare set of brake pads I ordered from Taylor at Terra Trike in the winter so decided to put them on. Some wear on the old ones but not that bad. More a case of uneven wear rather than loss of performance. See lots of suggestions in the forums claiming BB7s are far superior to the stock Alhonga brakes, but I have never had a problem with Alhongas... easy to adjust and perform adequately. Changing pads and readjusting is a bit of a fiddly experience, as are working on derailleurs. A few points: a: work on a well lighted comfortable surface, because you will drop parts, your eyesight just ain't what it used to be, and your physical stamina is limited. b: watch the YouTube videos and bookmark them so you can find them again, because you will forget proper procedures and dyslexia is far too common to depend on written directions. Found a couple places on Rover II that used Torx screws rather than Allen heads. so be prepared.

Checked out my lights and chucked my Bell white strobe that has been taking on moisture and no longer takes a decent charge. Put on a new front white strobe c/w a pukey little horn (but legal now)

Put together the three SRAM 8 speed chains I had purchased from an LBS in Osoyoos last winter and with trusty chain tool took out the excess links. Put the seat back on and took Rover II out for a spin.

JOY!!

Details on the BBSO2 install next post

Note: As an aside I buy as many things from local suppliers as I can, but I don't have an LBS and Amazon, is generally priced competitively with delivery to my door in usually two days or less. Good service deserves a nod.

For the Birds

It was a crispy -15C this morning when I set off for coffee. Very little wind and the streets were okay as I pedaled up the hills. After coffee it had moderated to -10 so I stashed my camera under my jacket and headed down the MUP along Lake Osoyoos. I've been hearing a Great Horned Owl's mating call just after sunset some evenings. They are tough birds and mate and lay their eggs mid winter. Thought I might see one.

The Lake is mostly frozen over this morning but still some large chunks of open water where the current is faster and perhaps there are springs. Hundreds of geese and ducks in the water and along the shore mobbing every car, pedestrian or trike, looking for a handout.

Stopping to admire the ducks will get you mobbed by a few dozen or a few hundred waterfowl

How does an eagle spell lunch? D-U-C-K!

As I approached Walnut Beach Resort there was quite a commotion coming from the underbrush. It was California Quail (I think), several coveys of then. We see lots of them darting about in the orchards and lawns, rarely flying, just zip!zip! zip! They are also not very vocal as a rule, but today they were chattering away, noisier than the women's section at McDs. What was up? Then it happened dozens of them exploded from an evergreen tree right next to me as a smallish falcon/hawk darted in trying his best to catch lunch. He missed.... this time.

I tried my best to get some pictures but everything was a blur. And the quail were pretty much spooked deciding not to pose for any still shots. I finished my 5km loop and headed home as my feet were a little cold from not moving while in pursuit of photos.

This afternoon I went out again. Now -7C and had a beautiful ride around that 5km loop. this time pedaling faster to keep the circulation up... It works.

This immature Bald Eagle (I think) took off from the top of a cottonwood as I approached

A few flaps of its wings and it was out of sight up the lake

I have seen what I think are immature Bald Eagles in the big cottonwood trees and patrolling the shoreline looking for coots, ducks and perhaps a goose or two. They don't generally tackle adult geese, but I have seen them clean up weaklings and stragglers, back home in Rainy River. Sure enough as I came around a bend there was one up in a big cottonwood. I started shooting and pretty much got up to him before it launched out of the tree and headed up the lake.

Got several decent shots, but on blowing them up found I had lost definition as the focus was having trouble with the intervening branches. But still OK.

Two male California Quail of a covey of perhaps a dozen or better, busy feeding on berries in a driveway. Was perhaps 20 ft away

I. carried on down the road and turned around just in time to spot a covey of quail on a driveway feeding on dropped berries.Slowly wheeled up and got a good 5 minutes of uninterrupted shooting as they scurried about and fed. Must have been over a dozen of them and no hawks to spook them.

Five minutes was all it took for my hands and feet to tell me it was just too cold. So I turned on the power and headed for home as fast as I could. Nice and warm by the time I got there. Another good day, well wasted.

Another well wasted day triking around Osoyoos, BC even if it was a tad nippy

A year 'Bent

My First Ride on Rover I, Panama City Beach, FL: Dec 29, 2015

It's been almost exactly a year since Rover I arrived in that big box. It has been and continues to be a wonderful adventure. No matter the weather or location, that first roll down the street everyday puts a big, stupid grin on my face. And in spite of my wife's initial insistence, not one close encounter of the auto kind. The twice I did flop it over were minor stupidity and only cost a bit of skin.

Rover I was stolen after a month and about 8-900 km, but after a week of mourning and raging, I ordered Rover II and got on with my life. Never did see hide nor hair of Rover I since, but hope whoever now has it found the 'Bent experience as exciting as I have.

Rover II has been a really great trike. I've tried and will continue to add mods for enhancing the triking ride, but I can't think of one reason to abandon Rover II in favour of another. It has been super reliable and has never left me stranded on the road.

Maintenance and repairs have been minimal, With over 5300 km on the odometer, I have worn out a set of tires (replaced with Big Apples + one rear lug for the snow). I changed the 11T sprocket because I wore it out from continuous use in high gear before I put on the 24" rear wheel. I think the chain has pretty much had it, but has never broken and I have a replacement I will put on when/if I go e-assist. I have a set of replacement brake pads for the Alhonga disks, but last I checked the old ones are still fine and working well. So other than tightening a few nuts, bolts, spokes, and lubing the king pins, etc., All systems are go!

E-assist is still planned.Don't want a hotrod but I need the extra oomph to help me up those really ugly hills and extend my range on the gravel roads. The problem is legislation and availability of a legal, durable, reasonable cost kit. There are several that will do the job, but all have a sticking point someplace in the whole conundrum. Canada has enacted really short-sighted rules specifying '500W Max, stamped and certified by the manufacturer that it cannot be altered': obviously written by a bureaucrat because it cannot be met or enforced. Each prov/ state I may want to visit has another set of rules or none at all. Allowed/dis-allowed on MUPS, bike lanes, roadways, signals... the confusion goes on.

Even in Europe where pedelecs face pretty strict rules for speed and power, 'chipping' kits are now readily available to remove power/speed restrictions from the most popular ebikes. These mods are not externally evident and you can bet they work just fine as the same hardware is available at the higher power in other jurisdictions or for off road use.

In the end I will have to make a decision on my own and pioneer. I think one wags definition of a legal e-bike is one that "you can ride by a cop without getting stopped or ticketed. Stay tuned as I may have to start a 'Go fund me' campaign to raise bail.

So the past year has been a great adventure. Due to being 'Bent I am happy, active, and healthy. The weight and blood sugar is being kept at bay and in spite of my wife's insistence otherwise, the budget is not in bad shape either. Probably have about $2000 spent on this hobby so far... How many rounds of golf or gym memberships is that?

So whether I go zooming by you or the more likely scenario, you go zooming by me, smile and GRIN!

Happy New Year

Today, Dec 28, 2016, Dressed for -8C, Osoyoos, BC

Winter is upon us!

At least the temperature is, if not the calendar.

We are wintering in Osoyoos, BC on the BC/WA border which is at the northern end of the Sonora Desert... the rattlesnakes are in hibernation, but the cactus spines are lying in ambush for bike tires. Up until this morning the only snow in evidence was on the tops of the mountains. All that Pineapple Express moisture that slams into the Pacific Northwest drenching Seattle, Portland and Vancouver gets pretty well sucked dry going over the mountains leaving just the odd drip for the interior here.

 An Arctic Outflow played a really dirty trick on us all this week dropping temps here in Osoyoos to -13C at night and a couple days of stiff winds makes one wonder where the summer zephyrs went. Over the mountains to the coast that cold air went turning things white out there in Lotus Land. Here we got a dusting of about a half inch... one centimetre for the metrically inclined.

The Fountain this morning after three nights at -13

Sun shining through the
 Osoyoos Fountain
 when we arrived Nov 12

But this cold and snow hasn't stopped me so far.... only slowed me down and shortened down my ride segments a bit. My wardrobe  has changed a tad. The long johns are permanent now... three new pair for adequate rotation. Socks, sometimes an extra pair, but not always necessary as the WGX Fairing really protects the legs and feet. I have a set of wind pants but haven't really needed to put them on over my jeans yet. On my upper, I have now two fleece hoodies covered with a good windproof breaker

I am still wearing my bike helmet,(with reason...later) but have it lined with my winter hard hat c/w ear flaps. I pull my inside hood up over my helmet as well to keep the draft off the back of my neck. A pair of hd long cuff mitts completes the attire Think I may add a face/neck muffler as my wife demands her wool scarf be returned. The only place I was feeling any cold was on my back and where the metal seat supports were pressing against me. A piece of 2 inch foam 24 x36 " laid on the seat held by a strap wrapped around the seat fixed that
.

The 2" piece of foam that insulates my back and butt FANCY!!. MY riding clothes right where I hung them up in the middle of the kitchen floor

Heading back home from coffee at McDs. I can break the 30 kph limit  no trouble, so I stifle.
The trip back up requires 1,2 and 3rd gears

The Big Apple tires aren't much for tread so a little worried about a couple of steep parts of my route. Spun out on one ramp this morning, but perseverance got me over the top. May throw a knobby on the back to see if that improves things. Keeping the speed down and if its gets too icy may put knobbies on the front or just park Rover II for a while.

Always found the Rover very stable. Only an idiot could flop it over. Let me introduce you to an idiot....ME-  TWICE.

First time just rolling off a curb at a cross walk, barely moving when left wheel dropped 4 inches and right went up a couple and I did not lean. Pride wounded, no injuries, to me or Rover. Trucker that had stopped for me peed herself laughing. Did not learn my lesson  as three days later crossed the street with the sun in my eyes and ran the right wheel up on a 12 inch decorative  boulder and "Flop". Again wounded pride but no other casualties. That's why I've slowed down on my descent of Main St.

In spite of the abuse things have been holding together well on Rover II with well over the 5000km mark on the odometer now. With these hills around Osoyoos I have been running in the 28 tooth front ring most of the time which gives be a top pedaling speed of about 20 kph in 8th.I really need that granny gear in a few spots. Realize this is taking a toll on that 11 t cog, but plan on changing it out in spring. There is so much roll to the streets and paths here there is a lot of coasting. Brakes are working fine, but have a new set of pads to put in when I get a warmer day.

If you follow the switchback it's 27 km to the summit. Me thinks e-assist needed

Have been looking seriously at e-assist options and what I need/want in a mid mount just doesn't seem to be available right now. The Bafang BBS02 doesn't have torques sensorand at 750 watts is illegal in Canada except for off road and off MUP use; the TSDZ2 will do the trick but the blogs are full of inconsistencies on its reliability and quality. The new Bafangs w torque sensor are not yet available and require a different mounting bracket not the standard 68mm BB.There are so many new options coming down the pipe, I think I'll just keep looking for now.

Rover II by a vineyard at foot of Anarchist Mountain. Yes they have wine tasting at the dozens of wineries here!
Call it NAPA North

Besides I'm enjoying the ride and will  leave those steep hills for another day.

Getting Ready for Ol' Man Winter

A few brisk mornings had me layered up and still trying to peddle my butt and/or belly off. Been contemplating electric assist for the hills, distances and backroads.The leading candidate is a Bafang BBS02 because of its reliability, price, and North America support. I don't need or want to go 40 mph, half will be more than sufficient and the BBSO2 unit w a 52 v battery looks like it will be a good choice for my Rover.

However before I do that those brisk winds I've been encountering with the promise of more to come strongly suggest a fairing will be a necessary winter investment if I don't want to flash freeze my bod's tender parts. I ordered a Windwrap XG  blem (I'm cheap) c/w rubber mounting rubber screws from Terra Cycle and then took a quick spin up to my LBS (AKA the dump) to pick up a few recycle pieces.

Initial completed installation Fine tuning needed

 A front stem handlebar mount from a BMX and a selection of bolts from a plant stand were mated up with my stock of scrap aluminum. The old drapery tracks matched up with the supports from clothes drying line provided the main mounting hardware. Three hose clamps, some stainless steel bolts, and a piece of inner tube, a lawnmower handle, some water pipe foam insulation, and my trusty DeWalt drill and I set off on an engineering experience.

Watching Terra Cycle's installation video showed me how this was going to work, but like every good cook I was going to have to add my own twists to the recipe.

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
tools & supplies of the complete backyard amateur engineer

First the main upright was an aluminum paddle. I won't need that on the pontoon boat until next summer and I have lots of wooden paddles anyways. I thought it might need a little more beef in the bottom end where it pivots and the wooden rake handle was a nice snug fit... besides raking leaves is a highly over rated activity. The BMX handle bar mount fit the other end beautifully and after nipping off the tub with my trusty pipe cutter I still have lots of vertical adjustment if needed... might have to nip another inch or two off the paddle handle... we'll see. Oh let's not forget the obligatory tad of duct tape.

Mount for the main post. Attached with clamps (blue tape covers ends)
Rubber inner tube protects bike frame

The crowning touch, was the lawn mower handle. I had to bend it a bit ( by sticking it in the trailer hitch receiver) and drill holes for the TC  mounting rubbers. This piece was a tad unsightly so I covered it with the pipe foam insulation. A piece of inner tube provides the tension to hold the fairing back in the travel position and aluminum stops limit back and forward tilting

Handlebar head from LBS (aka the dump) provides attachment for top
crossbar plus vertical and rotational adjustment. Foam pipe insulation
is cosmetic to cover up ugly pipe bending

Had to take off the peddle extensions for my big clod hopper feet to fit under the fairing. Still have a bit of adjustment to fine tune, but the end result is it looks okay.

Had to remove the 3/4 in peddle extentions. Particularly on
right side as 3 ring sprocket moves peddle to right too far

Spent 10 minutes in private practicing my mount and dismount. Getting on is no problem. Getting off I have to remember to lift my foot high enough to miss kicking the top of the drive chain and not falling down.

Been for several spins up my 600 Bike route and around the town. No laughing and just a couple "What the heck is that?" queries. Never tried a fairing before, but it seems to work great. Very solid and quiet. It very noticeably reduces head wind resistance and heat loss. Doesn't take long to start dropping layers and undoing zippers.

Mount/dismount position. Lift your foot and
don't kick the chain tube

Thanks to Terra Cycle for the great service and videos and apologies for my seat-of-the-pants engineering.

Now onto that Bafang BBS02.

5000 Km and still enthused

With the full blessings of summer's heat in the rear view mirror it's time for a review. Combined distance on Rover I and II since the first of the year now topping 5000 km and still going strong and as enthused as ever. I now try to get out every day for my 24 km roll around the town. I try to scare the Canada Geese off our riverfront trail, but only managed to bring a little organic fertilizer back to the yard so far. My route up Hwy 600 has been out of order for the last month as that road is being resurfaced. I took a run up it today, but the surface treatment still has a way to go to be pleasant. Hopefully it will be a lot better next year.

Rover II is standing up well without even a flat tire so far, but the fronts are pretty worn down and one developed an aneurysm last week so I popped the original rear onto the front rim. Had to adjust the rear derailleur a couple of times as well as regular lube and maintenance and the odd bolt, tightened the spokes once, brakes are fine, but really not much else. I fabricated a derailleur post for the front and it worked... sort of, but I shift so rarely and just nudging the chaintube sideways works so well I removed it in preparations for future mods (more later)

I've learned a lot over the past 5000 kms... good and bad.

The good::

• Theft insurance a must.
• Cadence is king. Keep those rpms up for happy knees and pleasant riding. Got lots of gears...use 'em.
• The three speed chain ring on the front... great inexpensive addition.
• USB rechargeable lights- real bright, retina burning red rear...great
• Mirracycle Mirrors both sides... a must
• SPD type Clipless pedals and shoes... should start that way, don't delay,. minimizes heel strike too
• Bright yellow shirts and flags... Under Armour the most comfortable, but any is good.
• Layers. Weather is either too hot or too cold for what I go out the door wearing.
• Got rid of the old Schwinn MTB... yeah
• Trailer hitch Hollywood carrier works great. Hauled Rover II 8000+ kms.
• 24" rear wheel got rear derailleur up out of dirt, smoother ride, higher top end speed
• Cards with TT and website info.

The bad:

• Bike locks... close to useless. Thieves
• Helmets... mediocre. better brim needed, sunburn through the holes
• Chain tubes part top one is a bit too short so greasy chain contact. Tuck pant legs in socks
• Ranaico Bike Computer. Original plus free replacement both died after a month use

So the enthusiasm is still there. On the health front I lost a bit of weight 5+ kilos. My A1C hemoglobin is now 6.8 and 6.7. The first it has been below 7 in years. For years I suffered with resting or night leg cramps almost daily. Now they are extremely rare and I would credit that to better circulation from the exercise. My butt doesn't hurt, my back doesn't ache, my knees are great, my shoulders don't ache, and neither do my wrists.

So what from here? A new set of Big Ben tires all round is on order. See if that will help with some of my favourite bumps. I'm looking at the weather reports and thinking seriously about faring. Been spending much of my web surfing looking at E-assist and have it narrowed down to mid mount either Bafang BB02 or TSDZ2. Don't want to go 50 kph. 20-25 would be great with some help for the hills and headwinds and torque sensing would be nice. That field is changing so quickly almost afraid to jump.When I do I'll let you know.

So for the next while I'll be quiet. Wanted to make it down to Recumbent Con or the Chicago show, but ain't gonna happen this year. probably heading for the west coast this winter so may see you BC interior or Vancouver trikers.

Still grinning