Folding bikes. Already electric or kit builds, review here!

[tomjasz]

OK new vehicle and a project to hang a heavy duty hitch mounted rack. One that busts my back every time I use it so we don’t take our bikes as often as we would if it were convenient and easy to haul bikes.

Enter the folder. I have a couple NOS BBS01B. Not a quick bike by any stretch, but surely capable.

Any one have a folder conversion? A prebuilt eFolder?

Thinking a budget version like ZIZZO Euromini Forte. Cheap bike, $400, probably best suited to low power.

Yours?

 

[harryS]

I was quite wary of the $150 folders you can buy on Amazon or Ebay. DIdn't want the frame hinges crumpling under load, so I bought a Downtube 8FS (full suspension for $379) and a Downtube Nova (no suspension $279). You go to the folding bike forums and everyone rides Bromptons and Dahons, so people like us with beer budgets are ignored, but Downtube was viewed as a OK low cost bike. I like your choice of the Zizzo as a heavy duty bike..

The Nova creaked a bit at the hinge, but oil quieted that down. The 8FS has a loose tolerance bolt that allows the stem to wiggle slightly. I want to replace it, maybe with the same kind of stem as the Nova. Both bikes have about 600 miles each in the past two years.

Mounting 350W hubmotors on the rear was routine. Both motors use DNP 11-32 freewheels, and the front cranks are 52T and 48T, giving max pedal assisted speeds of 20 mph and 18 mph. Throttle only speed is about 18 mph on 36V. We ride tham at 12-15 mph. I use a variety of 36V batteries. A pair of 36V4AH hoverboard packs works nice for 20 miles, as does a 36V 10S-3P pack I had made. My controllers are 20A, and can run 52V if I want.

Each has about $500-600 in then not counting the battery. I found they travel better in a minivan if not folded. I just lower the bars and remove the seat. Taken them to Florida twice in January. For Wisconsin, they can go on a hitch rack.



Another 20" bike in our stable is a minivello. Picked it up for $150 new at Bike Nashbar on clearance. It doesn't fold, and I chose to try FWD with same motor as above. It's around 35 pounds with a funky UPP battery that loses about 2-3 volts a few days after a full charge. I need to figure that out. It's a nice riding bike. If I could get another one for my wife, I might put folding stems on both, and that would give us the portability and less concern about mechanical issues.


The folders, with a lot of weight positioned over the rear wheel, will lift the front wheel with 36V on if I pedal hard and use throttle on a steep hill. On 52V, I can do it with throttle at a stop light. I think they would be nice with a BBS01.

Smaller wheels do ride harder. The full suspension helps. The small wheels help them climb pretty wheel. They're probably more nervous than a 26" or 700cc,

 

[tomjasz]

thanks Harry!

There’s eBike sage advice in your post. All this time I missed your folders. I appreciate the share.

I’ve got a couple of hover board packs too. I’m pretty much in process of dumbing down the fleet, or selling 48v bikes outright.
36v as they fit my riding are just the one best value. Sounds like the same for you as well.
I’m just never in a hurry anymore and have found sub 20mph a far safer judgement zone as well.

I have a good suspension seat post and will add the weight of a full springer Brookes saddle.

I’m as excited by this sort of step back build. Never expected to build smaller or less powerful. But I’ve learned it’s about how you’ll ride. 15-18mph works for me.