My "New" Ebike

[gromike]

I recently purchased this 15 year-old ebike for $250. It's a Giant Twist Freedom DX W. Outside of one of it's 2 batteries being toast this thing is as if brand new. Figure it's a 2009 model.

I have been riding it around and it works really well, albeit it is slow. I guess back in the day, going the leisurely pace of a standard bicycle with a bit of electric assist was a novelty, and something that people would lay down $2,200 of 2009 dollars for. Who ever bought this hardly rode it at all, but thankfully stored it clean and dry.
I'm thinking of recelling the 2 batteries and keeping it the way it was.

 

[Bicyclista]

Very cool! It even has front suspension, rack, and panniers! A front hub motor, is that right?

 

[PCeBiker]

Is that sneaky cat letting the air out of your tires ??

 

[spokewrench]

Is that sneaky cat letting the air out of your tires ??

That's a dad-gummed porcupine. He looks harmless after a veterinarian removed his quills, but salt is porcupine catnip, and a porcupine will chew up a bicycle tire if sweaty hands have touched it. I once emptied a 15-shot semiautomatic rifle by lantern light at an attacking porcupine 10 feet away, to no avail. That's why I learned to shoot from the hip, aiming with my left index finger. No more wasted shots.

 

[gromike]

Very cool! It even has front suspension, rack, and panniers! A front hub motor, is that right?

Yes, though the batteries are in left and right panniers and take up some of the room.

 

[PCeBiker]

Welcome to the forum.

@gromike has been here for quite a while.
It's just his latest purchase that's new.

He usually buys a regular bicycle and adds a motor kit to it.

I think this might be his first purchase that was already an e-bike when he bought it ??

 

[JGcycle]

@gromike has been here for quite a while.
It's just his latest purchase that's new.

He usually buys a regular bicycle and adds a motor kit to it.

I think this might be his first purchase that was already an e-bike when he bought it ??

Thanks for the heads up. I really must start paying attention. LOL

 

[harryS]

A very nice find, and worth 250 bucks, You could probably rebuild the battery as a 28V12AH 9S-4P and have a little more power w/o blowing up the controller.

 

[PCeBiker]

A very nice find, and worth 250 bucks, You could probably rebuild the battery as a 28V12AH 9S-4P and have a little more power w/o blowing up the controller.

What about charging it ??

My bench power supply could do it, but are there any 28V chargers ?

 

[harryS]

What about charging it ??

My bench power supply could do it, but are there any 28V chargers ?

Grin Satiator. I believe Gromike owns one.

 

[Gionnirocket]

Very interesting and looks to be in excellent condition... but do you really want to ride this instead of one of your more modern bikes?
I'm not sure I could take that far a step back now that I'm back in the future.
More (actually less) power to ya! Enjoy!

 

[Gionnirocket]

Seems the original batteries for this bike were 24v nominal.
The Satiator bottom rating is 36v, so no go.. But I do believe the current is variable on it so you don't need to pump all 5a into a battery if it is usable.
So is the correct charger for 6 cells in series? 25.2v full charge voltage?

edit:... a Google shows a 7S 5P configuration with a 29.4V charger.

 

[gromike]

Very interesting and looks to be in excellent condition... but do you really want to ride this instead of one of your more modern bikes?
I'm not sure I could take that far a step back now that I'm back in the future.
More (actually less) power to ya! Enjoy!

It wouldn't be all that difficult to install a new controller and higher voltage battery. It's just that the design is so well integrated I'd hate to mess it up. As is, no one would desire such a slug. Nonetheless, it is enjoyable to ride.

 

[Daniel Nathan]

I recently purchased this 15 year-old ebike for $250. It's a Giant Twist Freedom DX W. Outside of one of it's 2 batteries being toast this thing is as if brand new. Figure it's a 2009 model.

View attachment 197398
I have been riding it around and it works really well, albeit it is slow. I guess back in the day, going the leisurely pace of a standard bicycle with a bit of electric assist was a novelty, and something that people would lay down $2,200 of 2009 dollars for. Who ever bought this hardly rode it at all, but thankfully stored it clean and dry.
I'm thinking of recelling the 2 batteries and keeping it the way it was.

Wow

 

[Gionnirocket]

You may have seen this as it's at the top of a Google...

https://ebikemarketplace.com/blogs/news/giant-twist-freedom-dx-e-bike-batteries?srsltid=AfmBOopxHimvX2KCll0ZoWj8I-si54jbU3YLBqILUeidHVrtQtWANK9n

 

[gromike]

If I can pry the nickel strips off the cells relatively undamaged I'll try re-celling it myself. It looks pretty straight forward, and I do have a spot welder.

 

[alihyder]

that’s a cool pickup, $250 for a practically untouched 2009 Giant Twist? That’s a total win. Yeah, those older ebikes weren’t built for speed, more like just making casual rides easier, but there’s something kind of relaxing about that slower pace anyway. And honestly, the fact that it’s been so well kept is rare. Recycling the batteries sounds like a great idea if you’re up for it, way cheaper than buying new ones, and it keeps the whole vintage vibe going. Kind of awesome giving an old ride a second life.

 

[Chazmo]

If I can pry the nickel strips off the cells relatively undamaged I'll try re-celling it myself. It looks pretty straight forward, and I do have a spot welder.

Hey, Mike, if you can, please take some pictures/vids of this. Would love to see it. Obviously, though, be careful!!!

 

[gromike]

I'll take some pictures of the disassembly and the re-celling of the battery and post them.

 

[gromike]

Couldn't pull the nickel strips off the original pack without their destruction, and without those re-celling the battery is unworkable. So I'm going to build a 4p7s battery to replace the 5p7s battery. It should fit in the battery's case and look from the outside like the original battery.
As the cells I'm using are 3500mah as opposed to the 2000mah original cells I will have a 14ah battery, which at 4p is almost half again more than the original 5p installed battery.