The Rise of the Cargo Bike

[slim_boy_fat]

As a child my father mounted a small saddle on the cross bar of his big heavy sit up and beg monster. I have a faint memory of sitting on it and grasping the handlebars.

Aye, exactly the same here.

 

[Farside]

Now if only electrically assisted bicycles weren't limited to a ridiculously low power and speed and could keep up with urban traffic I would have one to do my local sub 5 mile errands (fetching the messages for us northerners).

Build your own.
I made one using a Claude Butler MTB and a 750W Chinese motorised rear wheel.
The expensive bit was the 10Ah battery pack - made of 36V powertool packs, and a charger. The same battery capacity now would be half the cost at most.
Top speed of 30mph, range of around 30 miles.
My knees were / are knackered for normal bike use, so I had no choice if I wanted to get some exercise. Contrary to what some people think, you do get some useful exercise on a leccy bike, it's just nothing like as knackering as a normal treader.

 

[GW8IZR]

Contrary to what some people think, you do get some useful exercise on a leccy bike, it's just nothing like as knackering as a normal treader.

after many years spent time trialing and touring my knees are well past pushing big gears and I have to spin up even the slightest grade, I'm expecting a nice tax refund after April and top of my list are the bits to convert my Marin MTB into an electric job.

 

[Spitwelder]

We lived in Holland for a while and the bike culture there was great. You really didn't need a car you just used a bike and the trains I normally ride a Gazelle Opa Fiets (dutch bike) but every so often you need a little more load carrying capacity for tools or a Spitfire part or two

 

[sardine]

Must have some thighs on her......

 

[rtcosic]

Build your own.
I made one using a Claude Butler MTB and a 750W Chinese motorised rear wheel.

I'll rephrase that.

'Legal' to fit a >250W motor and no speed limiter.

Unfortunately the local traffic police are very under employed knowing my luck would see me one day. They definitely know the rules on these bikes.

Given the volunteering I do I cannot risk a non-conforming vehicle.

 

[Farside]

I'll rephrase that.

'Legal' to fit a >250W motor and no speed limiter.

Unfortunately the local traffic police are very under employed knowing my luck would see me one day. They definitely know the rules on these bikes.

Given the volunteering I do I cannot risk a non-conforming vehicle.

Ah, was that the stamping ground of Brunstrom the Bully?
<taps side of nose>
Have a look on pedelecs uk forum.
Ok, Guvn'r.

 

[GW8IZR]

I'll rephrase that.

'Legal' to fit a >250W motor and no speed limiter.

Unfortunately the local traffic police are very under employed knowing my luck would see me one day. They definitely know the rules on these bikes.

Given the volunteering I do I cannot risk a non-conforming vehicle.

The controller is key to this, lets face it if you put a bigger potential on the 'legal' 250W motor it would become more powerful.

 

[Farside]

The controller is key to this, lets face it if you put a bigger potential on the 'legal' 250W motor it would become more powerful.

Yep, and a couple of German e-bike makers are good at pushing the envelope of allowed power, so if a legal bike is an absolute necessity, it may be as well to have a look there.

 

[GW8IZR]

Yep, and a couple of German e-bike makers are good at pushing the envelop of allowed power, so if a legal bike is an absolute necessity, it may be as well to have a look there.

I rode one belonging to a Swedish engineer that worked with me, he had a controller with an immobiliser that used magnetic or rfid keys. He had a normal running or commuter key, a service or programming key to set up the controller and a blue 'fun' key. I will be trying to get something similar.

 

[rtcosic]

I rode one belonging to a Swedish engineer that worked with me, he had a controller with an immobiliser that used magnetic or rfid keys. He had a normal running or commuter key, a service or programming key to set up the controller and a blue 'fun' key. I will be trying to get something similar.

Ah! Interest piqued. Let us know how you get on. Something stealthy like that might work.

 

[graffian]

Just before xmas I gave some bloke some spare treader wheels I had. He
wanted them for an electric recumbent he is building. It was something like
25kw!

 

[fixedfixer]

This sort of thing