Vello ebike

I wasn't familiar with this bike, but I just read the Indigogo campaign. It's very beautiful, and has a very nice form factor. The carbon belt drive and chromoly frame are real plusses. But it seems a little pricey for what you get, and I'd be concerned about shipping to the US once the campaign ends. Also, the regenerative / self-charging battery details are a little be sketchy, and I wonder if the hill climbing claims are accurate (I didn't watch any of the videos). Hope this helps.
 
ReallyGoodEbikes said:
I wasn't familiar with this bike, but I just read the Indigogo campaign. It's very beautiful, and has a very nice form factor. The carbon belt drive and chromoly frame are real plusses. But it seems a little pricey for what you get, and I'd be concerned about shipping to the US once the campaign ends. Also, the regenerative / self-charging battery details are a little be sketchy, and I wonder if the hill climbing claims are accurate (I didn't watch any of the videos). Hope this helps.
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Well, I would be willing to pay that much for the WEIGTH! That's how important it is for me. I don't even care for the regenerative aspect as it only works when you are in a regenerative mode and I would most likely be using Turbo mode. But the bike is not out yet :(
 
Well, if you want a very lightweight folding ebike right now, I can recommend the Velomini+, which has a twist throttle and 3 levels of pedal assist. It only weights 29 pounds.
 
I understand. I'm working on an ebike database which can sort all available ebikes by over 100 technical parameters including weight (not an easy task), but in the meantime, might I suggest the Oryx by Surface 604, at 35 lbs, one of the lightest ebikes on the market!
 
ReallyGoodEbikes said:
I understand. I'm working on an ebike database which can sort all available ebikes by over 100 technical parameters including weight (not an easy task), but in the meantime, might I suggest the Oryx by Surface 604, at 35 lbs, one of the lightest ebikes on the market!
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It's too big and doesn't fold.
 
What do I think about an ebike that supposedly recharges off the pedals? Marketing hype. To make it work, you're going to be working the pedals so hard, you might as well pitch the motor and pedal a lighter bike. Anyway, that's what I think. Maybe I'll be proven wrong. I can tell you that I've pedalled a Stomer ST1 in regen mode. Great bike, but why would anyone do this was my thought. Find a charger and have a cup of coffee. Prolly get you more charge than the same amount of time pedalling.

Are there are batteries hidden in the frame of the mini-vello? If so, it won't have much range at all.
 
harryS said:
What do I think about an ebike that supposedly recharges off the pedals? Marketing hype. To make it work, you're going to be working the pedals so hard, you might as well pitch the motor and pedal a lighter bike. Anyway, that's what I think. Maybe I'll be proven wrong. I can tell you that I've pedalled a Stomer ST1 in regen mode. Great bike, but why would anyone do this was my thought. Find a charger and have a cup of coffee. Prolly get you more charge than the same amount of time pedalling.

Are there are batteries hidden in the frame of the mini-vello? If so, it won't have much range at all.
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Just curious, where did you read about it recharging off the pedals? All I see is the following statement: "“self-charging” mode for a boost only uphill – battery recharges downhill/braking"
Perhaps you read about another bike mini-vello?
 
111.jpg


It's in the top screen, and they have mentioned how it's done while pedaling in videos for other e-bikes.
 
The frame design bothers me. Basically just a rectangle in the main frame. Strength is in triangles. I also wouldn't want to ride it off a curb, that magnet holding system would scare me!
 
rich c said:
The frame design bothers me. Basically just a rectangle in the main frame. Strength is in triangles. I also wouldn't want to ride it off a curb, that magnet holding system would scare me!
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I'm not worried I'm 100lbs.
I don't know about the magnet release system but they use the same folding magnetic system on their non-electric folding bike, I would think that by now you would hear people complaining about it if it was a complete BS but I don't know. Something to investigate.
 
Kathy Smith said:
What other e-bikes? They don't have any other ebikes.
What top screen?
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It says self charging ebike on that screen capture.

111.jpg


Other models? My mistake. Sorry. They have been talking up the self charging Vello bikes since October, 2014, and it was mentioned there. Didn't realize that this is the same one from the original video.


I do like the frame, but I don't see how they can pack much battery power into it. It also uses a blue tooth interface, which I feel is problematic unless done by good designers. Regen means direct drive motor, and one that is this small will be power starved, in my opinion. Geared motors work far better when the motor has to be small/light. I don't think it was worth going for regen as a feature.

Edit: This uses the zehus motor, and the batteries are inside the hub. It's a 160 watt-hr. I have similar sized batteries to run my folders. That's good for 90 minutes at 12 mph and less than an hour at 16 mph. I think that's OK, but I don't believe that many riders have the strength to recharge via pedaling. I was amused by Court's review several years ago where he mentioned the "optional" charge port. Tone down the self-charging hype and I would not be a critic.
 
Last edited:
harryS said:
It says self charging ebike on that screen capture.

View attachment 18139

Other models? My mistake. Sorry. They have been talking up the self charging Vello bikes since October, 2014, and it was mentioned there. Didn't realize that this is the same one from the original video.


I do like the frame, but I don't see how they can pack much battery power into it. It also uses a blue tooth interface, which I feel is problematic unless done by good designers. Regen means direct drive motor, and one that is this small will be power starved, in my opinion. Geared motors work far better when the motor has to be small/light. I don't think it was worth going for regen as a feature.

Edit: This uses the zehus motor, and the batteries are inside the hub. It's a 160 watt-hr. I have similar sized batteries to run my folders. That's good for 90 minutes at 12 mph and less than an hour at 16 mph. I think that's OK, but I don't believe that many riders have the strength to recharge via pedaling. I was amused by Court's review several years ago where he mentioned the "optional" charge port. Tone down the self-charging hype and I would not be a critic.
Click to expand...
The video doesn't mention any electric bike so I'm not really sure where you are getting this from.
As for self charging, again from what I read it says that it only recharges going downhills and breaking only in regen mode, you still plug it in if you want it to ride in a turbo mode.
NYCWheels will be offering this bike so I'll wait and see.
 
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