Ride Report for Falco Emotor Bike

[MLB]

it's a 36v motor! The fully charged BATTERY will read up to 42v when fully charged. As you ride the voltage will drop until the bike stops running somewhere around 26v or so. Voltage (motors) go by factors of 6. 6v 12v 18v 24v 30v 36v = 40v fully charged, 56v is really 48v fully charged. 60v, 72v, 80v (Mowers now) are really 72v systems with a fully charged battery.
As direct drive motors are simply windings on posts, they can take a lot of voltage as long as the controller can take it. The 36v and 48v systems are the same except the battery.
So short answer,yes you can simply change the battery to 48v and you've got more power. Falco is great that way, you can use anyones battery and make the connectors match and you're ready to go.

 

[MLB]

<How hard you have to peddle to get the motor to kick in is adjustable via the torque sensor sensitivity settings>
If you make the torque response highly sensitive (responds to light forces), then the torque sensor becomes like a cadence sensor and you just change levels to get more power. If it is less sensitive, you won't be able to/want to reach peak power (when tired), and you will need to use the throttle, even in top level.

Yes, I greatly appreciate the technology when it acts like a real bike, not a small motorcycle.

 

[MLB]

I'll chime in too if you don't mind another opinion. I have the 500 watt motor and I think it's plenty of help for the kind of riding I do. Which sounds similar to the kind of riding you do. I have the same gearing with an 11/48 setup. My bike can do 35 mph with the 48V easily and I've topped out at 40 mph with the wind at my back. I started out with a 36V battery and upgraded to the 48V and there was a distinct difference. It just performs a better overall (more Torque, higher speed, better on hills, etc.) and I get a little better range out of it. So I'd recommend getting the 48V if you can afford to. I have never tried a 750 watt motor, but keep in mind, you'll be decreasing your range and it may create more internal heat, which is already an issue with Falco Motors. They kick into Thermal Protection mode pretty easily even with the 500 watt motor.

My understanding is the 750w setups are cured of the thermal protection bugs.

 

[MLB]

Thanks, Barey, for your input! That is quite helpful! I've read in previous posts, maybe yours, about the issue of heat and thermal protection. Is that an issue somewhat unique to the Falco systems, or is that more par for the course for ebikes in general?

So to get this 500w/48v kit plus installation at my LBS is going to run north of $2,000. Almost half of that is just the battery! Part of me just thinks that is insane. Someone on these boards nearby was selling, and may still have for sale, a 2014 Stromer ST1 Platinum for $2300. No throttle mode on that, but either option is about the same amount of money. I'm impressed that others of you have been able to take that leap of faith in buying a kit not knowing how it will actually perform on your own bike.

I could use some talking into here!

Thanks for all the wonderful advice!

I know this is old, but need to respond. Falco has a lot of design and engineering work that many others don't bother with. Wireless control display, bluetooth AND Ant+ connections,(Only setup I know that lets you use 1 phone to connect heart rate monitor AND bluetooth headset)
use ANY battery or controller you want, Software control years before others were doing it, Heart Rate controlled assist, etc etc
Expensive yes. Innovative, oh yes.

 

[Bike_On]

I have a few questions about the System. I bought my Falco Motor from a small Dealer and he has purchased the Motors from England. (Remainders)

The dealer said that´s a 42V motor. Even the sign on the motor shows a maximum dc voltage of 42V. Now I have saw in this post a picture with the max. voltage of 42V on the label but he is powerd up the system with a 48V Battery. Can I also do that?

Thank you,
Flo

There should be a label on the motor. My system was running on a 36V battery, (charged to 42V), but the motor label said 55V max. Thus I did upgrade to a 48V system.

 

[elektrikflo]

Ok. This is a other one you have?

Pics of Falco+Gravity set up. These are from last summer.

View attachment 1020

 

[Bike_On]

short memory, it did say 42V. sorry. Rakesh did confirm 55V max.

I bought a 48V battery and used it with the motor.

 

[Thomas Grote]

I added a 500W Falco Hx motor onto a Gravity Pro20 road bike. Total weight before rack, lights and Cycle Analyst was 39.2lbs. Upgraded tires from 25mm to Specialized 28mm Armidillos. 10-sp Shimano Ultegra set, but only a 9 sp freewheel, 13-32. Falco does not have a free hub design yet, but the motor is disk capable.

Here are my inbound commute ride stats. I use 3 computers: The Falco Console, a Garmin Edge 500, and a Cycle Analyst. I set all 3 to same wheel circmf. CA pick up is on the front wheel.

View attachment 1018

I'll download my Garmin data later, and a short video.

Hi, where did you get the temperature? Greeting, Thomas

 

[Bike_On]

The Garmin gives outside temp.

 

[elektrikflo]

I made an Firmware update but I am not happy with it. I want my old back but I have it not as a file. Have the following firmware tried out:

100481-Rev-d-500w-hsw-off-road.s19
100481-Rev-d1-1-500w-hsw.s19
100537-Rev-a to b2-4-500w-37t-SSW.s19
100651-Rev-b to c14-500w-hsw.s19

Does anyone have any other Firmware Versions?

Flo