I finally took my ebike for a test ride.

[PCeBiker]

To me it appears as everything is backwards... Even the throttle rotation.

The throttle for the mid-drive is on the left and twists in the normal direction.
I was standing in front of my ebike looking at my voltmeter, twisting the throttle with my right hand.

To me it appears as everything is backwards...

Yeah, I was probing the wrong wires,..

So,.. Here's the redo.
Power on, no throttle,..

Motor turns on,..

Then the throttle voltage gradually increased to this, using Way more throttle rotation than my hub-drive throttles.

That 0.820 V throttle output at startup would throw a code, and shutdown the throttle with my KT controller (and I think all hub motors and throttles?).

The voltage needs to be above ~1.1 V

 

[Gionnirocket]

The throttle for the mid-drive is on the left and twists in the normal direction.
I was standing in front of my ebike looking at my voltmeter, twisting the throttle with my right hand.





Yeah, I was probing the wrong wires,..

So,.. Here's the redo.
Power on, no throttle,..

View attachment 212635

Motor turns on,..

View attachment 212636

Then the throttle voltage gradually increased to this, using Way more throttle rotation than my hub-drive throttles.


View attachment 212637



That 0.820 V throttle output at startup would throw a code, and shutdown the throttle with my KT controller (and I think all hub motors and throttles?).

The voltage needs to be above ~1.1 V

You should be able to set Start Voltage at 0.9...
If that throws an error... 1.0v should definitely work.
End V should be 4.1
This will give you a little more working rotation range and have it start sooner.

 

[PCeBiker]

Where do you have the test leads connected to?

This thing,..

 

[PedalUma]

Off topic again. Ditching the cast iron crankset and loose bearing American BB made a huge improvement on the analog coaster brake Electra. The distance between the bb and the chainstays was so long that it took two chains of equal length. I didn't have quicklinks, so had to carefully reuse the existing pins.

 

[PCeBiker]

I got the second brake switch installed,..

And I reprogrammed the start and end voltages for my throttle.

The throttle starts a bit sooner but I need to do a road test to see how it feels under load.

 

[PCeBiker]

Ditching the cast iron crankset and loose bearing American BB

We reinstalled the loose bearings.
That was a real PITA.

We had to grease up the cups and cones so the ball bearings would stick to the grease and not fall out.

It took us ForEver to get it put back together.

 

[PCeBiker]

I just fold the cable back on itself under the spiral wrap to loose the slack.

I've done that but with the Bafangs. I never liked how it bundled.

Well,..
I decided to fold it back on itself, on top of the hub-drive cable. (and shifter cable and brake lines)

I've got a Big Fat bundle of wires now.

No risk of snagging on anything and easy to access when necessary.

So, with that in mind, I labeled my connectors a bit, and I put the extra wire for the display in a half loop right above the connector so I can find it to plug in my programming cable,..

I left another half loop of wire for the mid-drive throttle further up in case I need to find that wire without unraveling everything.


I'm posting this here, so I can find it, because I'm sure to forget everything.

That damn Vado really has a way of making me feel like I gots Alzheimers.


This is a link to a post of mine about bleeding my brakes.
I forgot about that??

Zen Photon Pro - Disc Brake Pad Replacement

I concur.. The Dorado and Orion name seem to be interchangeable and are very similar visually. There is a $30 difference in MSRP but I'm guessing that's for the "e" levers on the Dorado. I have the TRP E.23 caliper which allows for the use of a 2.3mm thick rotor. They have awesome stopping...

forums.electricbikereview.com

And a post about my throttles in the same thread,..

Zen Photon Pro - Disc Brake Pad Replacement

I concur.. The Dorado and Orion name seem to be interchangeable and are very similar visually. There is a $30 difference in MSRP but I'm guessing that's for the "e" levers on the Dorado. I have the TRP E.23 caliper which allows for the use of a 2.3mm thick rotor. They have awesome stopping...

forums.electricbikereview.com

 

[PCeBiker]

I compressed my forks today to check the front brake line for clearance and noticed that they felt like they were binding on the first compression, then it stopped.


@Gionnirocket
What's that fancy lube you gots fer yer stanchions?

I forget if it's a spray or in a dropper bottle?

I've got a half-decent set of forks, so maybe if I bought the proper stuff to clean and lube them I'd actually clean them and lube them?

There's a first time for everything.

 

[Gionnirocket]

I periodically clean and then put a very thin coat of Slickoleum on the stanchions... Right above the sweep.
Exercise it a few times and then wipe off the excess with a microfiber cloth.
I keep the same cloth in a baggy for future use.
I find this reduces stiction and is great for small bumps and road vibration. Big bumps have enough force so there's no real improvement there.

 

[PCeBiker]

I periodically clean and then put a very thin coat of Slickoleum on the stanchions... Right above the sweep.

I must have known that?
I guess I forgot?

I've got a whole tub of the stuff,..

And that reminds me that I need to put another token puck in my shock,..

I thought I'd show you my ten minute lube job,..


1st, string the ebike up from the rafters so the suspension doesn't collapse when you let the air out of the shock,..

Then simply grab the shock tube and unscrew it,..

Then pull down on the shock tube to see how much goo is left,..

Then add more Ectoplasm,..

Then screw the can back on and refill it to ~200 PSI,..

Easy-Peasy all done.

It would have taken 10 minutes but I was taking pictures, and I had to check the air pressure 3 times cuz you always lose a few PSI when you unscrew the pump.

 

[6zfshdb]

Well,..
I decided to fold it back on itself, on top of the hub-drive cable. (and shifter cable and brake lines)

I've got a Big Fat bundle of wires now.



View attachment 212684View attachment 212685





So, with that in mind, I labeled my connectors a bit, and I put the extra wire for the display in a half loop right above the connector so I can find it to plug in my programming cable,..

View attachment 212686


I left another half loop of wire for the mid-drive throttle further up in case I need to find that wire without unraveling everything.


I'm posting this here, so I can find it, because I'm sure to forget everything.

That damn Vado really has a way of making me feel like I gots Alzheimers.


This is a link to a post of mine about bleeding my brakes.
I forgot about that??

Zen Photon Pro - Disc Brake Pad Replacement

I concur.. The Dorado and Orion name seem to be interchangeable and are very similar visually. There is a $30 difference in MSRP but I'm guessing that's for the "e" levers on the Dorado. I have the TRP E.23 caliper which allows for the use of a 2.3mm thick rotor. They have awesome stopping...

forums.electricbikereview.com

And a post about my throttles in the same thread,..

Zen Photon Pro - Disc Brake Pad Replacement

I concur.. The Dorado and Orion name seem to be interchangeable and are very similar visually. There is a $30 difference in MSRP but I'm guessing that's for the "e" levers on the Dorado. I have the TRP E.23 caliper which allows for the use of a 2.3mm thick rotor. They have awesome stopping...

forums.electricbikereview.com

I like the look of this 2.8mm "micro" spiral wrap. IMO, It makes for a smoother look. Takes a lot of it to cover a long cable run though.

Amazon.com: uxcell 2.8mm Flexible Spiral Cable Wrap Wire Cord Wraps Manage Cord 22M Length Black : Electronics

Buy uxcell 2.8mm Flexible Spiral Cable Wrap Wire Cord Wraps Manage Cord 22M Length Black: Cable Sleeves - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

 

[Gionnirocket]

I've found that the thinner wraps look OK initially.. but don't stay in place over time, especially if overloaded with a large bundle and on bumpy terrain. The 70's phone cord wrap I'm using now is bulky'r but it seems to be more up to the task.
Again I'm in love with the frame bag for neatness. In it you can fold back on the cables and Velcro tie into neat bundles leaving the programming cable (or any other necessary) free for fast connections. This way the cable bundle from the frame to the bag is as thin as possible.

I found I consistently loose the needles width of air on removal with my pump so i just go that much over... and done.
In the end 2-3psi is negligible.
And with that much Slickoleum in the shock... Is there any room left for air anyway?

 

[6zfshdb]

I've found that the thinner wraps look OK initially.. but don't stay in place over time, especially if overloaded with a large bundle and on bumpy terrain. The 70's phone cord wrap I'm using now is bulky'r but it seems to be more up to the task.
Again I'm in love with the frame bag for neatness. In it you can fold back on the cables and Velcro tie into neat bundles leaving the programming cable (or any other necessary) free for fast connections. This way the cable bundle from the frame to the bag is as thin as possible.

I found I consistently loose the needles width of air on removal with my pump so i just go that much over... and done.
In the end 2-3psi is negligible.
And with that much Slickoleum in the shock... Is there any room left for air anyway?

I would probably use the frame bag idea, but there is no place to put one on my step thru frame.

 

[Gionnirocket]

I would probably use the frame bag idea, but there is no place to put one on my step thru frame.

Same here... mine is on the handlebars.

 

[PCeBiker]

I like the look of this 2.8mm "micro" spiral wrap.

I wasn't aware of spiral wrap until my second ebike came with it.

I was only aware of "wire loom" ,..

I just reused the original spiral wrap.
It takes a while to get the hang of it. I had to make sure the whole bundle was supported by the shifter cable and brake cables.
I didn't want to be pulling on any wires or connectors.

Takes a lot of it to cover a long cable run though.

Mine is 10 mm, so I'd probably need 3-4 times as much?

I've found that the thinner wraps look OK initially.. but don't stay in place over time, especially if overloaded with a large bundle and on bumpy terrain.

Yeah, I'm kinda overloaded.
The bundle is over 30mm wide with the spiral wrap.

The 70's phone cord wrap I'm using now is bulky'r but it seems to be more up to the task.

I'll keep that in mind.

Again I'm in love with the frame bag for neatness. In it you can fold back on the cables and Velcro tie into neat bundles leaving the programming cable (or any other necessary) free for fast connections. This way the cable bundle from the frame to the bag is as thin as possible.

I'm gunna try it the way it is and see how it goes.
Meanwhile, I'll check out some bags that hang off the handlebars.

I've also got the option of pulling the cable inside the frame again.
I can pull and push on the wire this time, instead of just pushing.

I found I consistently loose the needles width of air on removal with my pump so i just go that much over... and done.

I'm losing way more than that.
More like 10-25 psi, with no consistency.

I think I figured out how to get a smaller, and consistent loss of pressure?

My shock pump works with both Presta and Schrader valves.

If I release the valve plunger before unscrewing the whole thing from the valve, I only lose the same tiny bit of air each time.
(The valve plunger is sealed)

I gotta get the hang of doing it.

And with that much Slickoleum in the shock... Is there any room left for air anyway?

Well, actually the one guy was saying that he uses it just like an "air puck" or "token" to reduce the volume of air in the can.

So I figger I gots lots of room for goo.
Air hockey pucks are pretty big,..

 

[PCeBiker]

Same here... mine is on the handlebars.

View attachment 212710

I found a frame bag that appears to be long enough (13.39") to fit my shock pump inside,..

If my bundle of wires doesn't work out for some reason (it is quite bulky) then having a dual purpose handlebar mounted bag, might be a great option?

Meanwhile I'm gunna mount my shock pump and a few tools to my rear rack.
Unfortunately my rear rack is half useless, because of my new seat with the backrest, but I still have some usable space on it.

 

[PCeBiker]

I checked to see how my speed sensor fits, and it's fine to be mounted beside the brake rotor,..

I'd just have to wire it up.
I'm going to wait and see what happens without it first.

@Gionnirocket
Is there some way that I can monitor the rpms of the motor itself?

I want to try to get my motor at the sweet spot of around 80% maximum rpms, but I'm not sure that I can monitor that directly?

It shouldn't have anything to do with my zero cadence or any tooth count.
I want to know the RPMs of the motor itself.
Do I need to install a Tachometer of some sort?

 

[Gionnirocket]

And I checked to see how my speed sensor fits, and it's fine to be mounted beside the brake rotor,..

I'd just have to wire it up.
I'm going to wait and see what happens without it first.

@Gionnirocket
Is there some way that I can monitor the rpms of the motor itself?

I want to try to get my motor at the sweet spot of around 80% maximum rpms, but I'm not sure that I can monitor that directly?

It shouldn't have anything to do with my zero cadence or any tooth count.
I want to know the RPMs of the motor itself.
Do I need to install a Tachometer of some sort?

Personally I never carry my shock pump with me unless I'm setting up a new shock and then only for the first few rides.

If you set your PAS Speed (page 1) to %, then you can set it to 80%. I believe the max output RPM of the BBS02B is around 140.

 

[PCeBiker]

Personally I never carry my shock pump with me unless I'm setting up a new shock and then only for the first few rides.

The 13" long shock pump works Awesome as a regular tire pump.
It's Way Faster and easier than the other stupid little pump I bought that would take seven days and nights to pump up a tire.

I don't bring my rechargeable compressor with me anymore.
The shock pump is all I need.
(It took me less than 5 minutes to pump up my Fat tire to 10 psi, and it pumps Real easy until you get up to ~60 psi. You need to brace yourself to pump up to 250 psi though, but it only takes a few pumps for shocks or forks.)

If you set your PAS Speed (page 1) to %, then you can set it to 80%. I believe the max output RPM of the BBS02B is around 140.

Ohh, OK
I didn't know what the "80%" was referring to?

I'll just keep them all at 80%

 

[PCeBiker]

How are you going to synchronize the motors?

I went for a 40 km ride today, and had my first real test ride.

It worked Awesome !!
It was Super Slick the way the motors worked together.

I rode out of town on the hub-drive to a gravel road with no traffic, turned off the hub-drive and turned on the mid-drive.


PAS 1 was Really powered down and full throttle was maxed at an amp or so, then I rattled to PAS modes 9 with 18 amps.

It felt like I was going faster than 32 kph, then I realized that I can turn on the hub-drive and use its speedometer.

Yeah, I was speeding with the top speed up over 40 kph depending on what the wind was doing.
The motor got its 18 amps and went whatever speed it could go using constant power.
The gear choice on the freewheel didn't seem to affect the top speed too much.

The newly added brake switches were working great, but I realized that I didn't want to use them like a clutch to shift gears, because the chain line stops moving the instant the switch activates.
I could pedal at that point to shift gears, but all I need to do is back off the throttle to take the pressure off the chain instead.

Then I started using both motors at once.
I locked my hub-drive throttle and started up the throttle on the mid-drive.
As the mid-drive added amps, the hub-drive lost the same number of amps.
The combined total amps used stayed the same (except for wind gusts, but they went up or down together)

Then, as the mid-drive started to speed (32 kph) the power backed off to zero on the hub-drive, and the mid-drive got a full 18 amps alone to go as fast as it could.

I also started off from a stop in top gear, and it was fine in PAS1 then I held the throttle full and tapped the PAS up to gradually add power as it got going.

Everything works Great and it feels intuitive and ergonomic.

I wanted to ride both motors no-hands, but I couldn't lock the mid-drive throttle, so I'm doing that next.
I'm going to install the speed sensor, so the mid-drive will power down at 32 kph.
Then I won't have to look to see if I'm speeding.


@PedalUma
There's No Way I'm removing chain guard !!
I'm not pedaling but my pant cuff is constantly rubbing on the spinning chain guard.

If that wasn't there, my pant cuff would fed into the spinning chain wheel.

@Gionnirocket is there a better option for a chain guard?
Maybe an alloy version?

I guess the plastic one is more than adequate to keep my from being fed into a 750 watt meat grinder?