Yuba Mundo Classic w/ BionX Questions

[SantaCruzin]

Howdy all!

After a horrible experience with a Blix Packa, we thought we were done with the cargo eBike thing. However, we quickly missed the opportunity to haul our kids (3 and 1) around town without the use of a car and when I came across a used Yuba Mundo Classic with the BionX PL350XL and the 48 volt, 8.8Ah battery I couldn't resist. I read all of the warnings about BionX but it was a good deal and the Yuba Mundo seemed to be a great frame regardless of the shortcomings of the electronics stuck on it. I've gotten a few trips with the kids under my belt as well as a few errands, and a couple of questions have come up which I'm hoping I could get some insights on:

1. It looks like, when loaded, I'm getting about 10 miles of range. By "loaded," I mean my 185 lb self and about 100 lbs of kids/kid seats. This includes a fair amount of uphill as we live in the foothills above town. Obviously, this is low compared to what I'd expect, but how low? The bike has about 1400 miles on it and I try to ride using minimum assist (1 or 2) most of the time and only switching to 3 or 4 (rarely) when I've got a major hill to contend with.
2. Aside from BionX legacy in Canada, I've not found any replacement batteries and rebuilding seems to be the best option. Is there something I am missing?
3. The battery indicator starts at full charge whenever I turn the bike back on, is this just a quirk of the system?
4. The person I bought the bike from lost the key to the battery long ago. Any idea how to get the battery off the bike? Locksmith?

Thank you all for your time and help!

 

[indianajo]

Yuba mondo is a great bike. I would have bought one if a used one had showed up in my size here. I bought an unpowered bodaboda for $2000 with panniers, bread basket, 2 leg stand, free freight.
Bionx has a computer in the battery, so replacement batteries have to come from a dead company or be rebuilt from the old one. You are in luck. There are battery rebuilders in Southern California, so you can drive your old battery there. Shipping a used battery is not possible. https://electricbikereview.com/forums/threads/electric-bike-battery-repair-repacking.16033/
However it is probably a lot cheaper to replace the whole drive system. That leads to messy wiring, and no single source components. My battery & phase wire connectors, dorman insulated crimp terminals from the auto supply, are a lot more reliable than those many of the pushin batteries have.
Last week when I checked www.batteryclearancewarehouse.com had bafang front hub motors in a 26" wheel for $23. They are used so I would buy two. The freight would be $30. The one I bought for $38 worked. They also had 36 v 20 ah batteries for $70. Also takeouts. Also possibly defunct. If you want less of a ****shoot on the battery, buy a littakal for <$200. I do not recommend batteries off ebay or amazon, I bought 2 piles of trash there.
You can hang the battery in aluminum angle off the front with the 1/4" holes welded in the frame for the breadbasket. That helps balence the load, IMHO. You see mine in the atavar, wrapped in plastic foam and a green pvc bag. Use #10 or 5 mm SS screws & elastic stop nuts. 2 wannabe thieves have had a go at my battery at the grocery and gave up at 2 nuts of 22 loosened, none removed. I have my controller mounted under the seat with wires down out of the rain. I'm still using one I bought in spring 2018.
You'll need a Juli to rectangular converter harness off ebay. You may be able to reuse the throttle & PAS pickup but the display will match nothing. I ride without a display. I like throttles that show the battery voltage, tells me when to back off electric drive when the battery is going flat.
I would acquire a donor back wheel with sprocket cluster off a used bike out for the garbage. Or you can wave $20 bills at a truck driving by with a pile of metal on the trailer. Or buy a bike at a flea market or charity resale shop for <$100. Just because the chain or cables are rusty doesn't mean the freewheel doesn't work: which can be checked by spinning the rear tire forwards & backwards up off the ground.
I'm not a lock expert but you might try a bent tip pick in the slot to turn the tumbler before you take it to a locksmith.
Don't use front wheel drive on ice, wet rock steel or lumber (bridges). You could fall down. Not much ice in Santa Cruz I imagine. I pedal my bike normally or walk it across slick places.