The goal for this project was to build a bike that could get to most places around town and back on a single charge at a reasonable rate of speed. Performance was also a consideration as a good amount of torque and acceleration was also desired.

Bike

  • 2004 Kona Stab downhill mountain bike.
  • The extra beefiness of the downhill bike make it an excellent platform for adding electrics.
  • Slack head angle makes it more stable for riding at higher speeds when electrified.
  • Full suspension gives a much softer ride over potholes and other road hazards.
  • Upgrades include: 2003 Marzocchi  Junior T forks, 2014 X-Fusion Air shock, Brooks saddle.

Battery/Range

  • 44 V, 16 AH Lithium-Ion battery is good for about 20-25 miles at 20mph average speed.
  • Cells are Multistar 10C discharge from Hobby King, attached to a 60A BMS.
  • Custom aluminum-plastic triangle battery box is mounted on the water bottle mounts.

Motor/Speed

  • MAC geared hub motor in 8T winding.
  • 12 fet controller set to 35A.
  • Top speed about 28 mph.
  • In real world use, average speed is 23 mph.