Electric Brompton

[Jaded]

Get your reservation in now! Slightly more than a plain one...

[Jurek]

I wonder how that compares to a home-built one like, I believe, Tigerrr otp has.

[Zipperhead]

I had a look at it last Sunday.

It was lighter than my Brompton - but mine is a six speed and had the bike cuffs on the saddle rails at the time, and the electric one was single or two speed, and it didn't have a battery on.

But, things that impressed me....

When it was folded, without a battery, if you pick it up the balance doesn't seem to be affected - it doesn't try and lean in one direction.

I picked up the battery, that didn't seem very heavy - 2.6kg  is what I've read. It clips onto an extended luggage mount with a flap to cover the connections (as they face up)

It was in the Brompton shop in Covent Garden, they said that if I came back after the BWC then I could take it out and try it.

It seems a fairly hefty premium over a regular Brompton, but next spring after struggling through headwinds after long days at work, well I might be very tempted.

[Kim]

It's neatly done.  I hear the motor has a freewheel, to minimise resistance when not under power.  The real question is whether it's reliable.  (AIUI the Nano kit has definite issues.)

With a motor system, you don't need as many gears or a dynamo, so you can regard the hub as weight-neutral.  Putting the battery in the luggage is just sensible.  It'll be about as awkward as a well-equipped Brompton and a bag with stuff in it, so maybe not the ideal setup for the tube warriors, but since you can now go the distance / get up the hills / ride it without getting sweaty, there's perhaps less need to go multi-modal in the first place.

This will open up cycling as a means of transport for whole new demographics of rich city folk.

[SA_SA_SA_SA]

Moved to own thread

[Kim]

Velovision are badly in need of a big furry microphone, but:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Gt2Uawl3X-8&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/Gt2Uawl3X-8&rel=1</a>
https://youtu.be/Gt2Uawl3X-8


Sounds like it's got a torque sensor.  That's going to make it a good deal more pleasant to ride than most hub motor systems.

[Sergeant Pluck]

I wonder how that compares to a home-built one like, I believe, Tigerrr otp has.

Has to be better than the one I saw yesterday on the Freeride, which as far as I could see delivered power via a roller on the tyre tread.

[Kim]

I wonder how that compares to a home-built one like, I believe, Tigerrr otp has.

Has to be better than the one I saw yesterday on the Freeride, which as far as I could see delivered power via a roller on the tyre tread.

Everything in a box that clips above the front wheel?  I read about those somewhere.  Main advantage is that you can remove the entire system easily.

[sizbut]

I wonder how that compares to a home-built one like, I believe, Tigerrr otp has.

Has to be better than the one I saw yesterday on the Freeride, which as far as I could see delivered power via a roller on the tyre tread.

My other half (doing free maintenance for riders on the Freeride) got to lift up that particular Brompton. Shee doesn't swear often.

[Sergeant Pluck]

I wonder how that compares to a home-built one like, I believe, Tigerrr otp has.

Has to be better than the one I saw yesterday on the Freeride, which as far as I could see delivered power via a roller on the tyre tread.

Everything in a box that clips above the front wheel?  I read about those somewhere.  Main advantage is that you can remove the entire system easily.

No, it was one of these I think, having just done an image search for electric Bromptons:



Clever Cycles is the manufacturer.

[SA_SA_SA_SA]

moved to own thread
https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=86992.msg2196385#msg2196385

[rogerzilla]

It'll need hacking for full electric mode,then?

[Oxford_Guy]

I would've been more interested in a non-electric Brompton, but with an all-titanium main frame, but seems that's not likely to happen...

[Kim]

It'll need hacking for full electric mode,then?

Yes, as it's conforming to EU Pedelec regulations.  (Are the British EAPC regs now deprecated, or just marketing suicide^[1]?)


_{[1] Why build a bike with a less powerful motor that you can't sell in the rest of Europe...}

[rogerzilla]

My father's Powabyke Salisbury has a full electric mode.  It's worryingly fun.  Is it like DVD players, where the premium brands are crippled with all the legal stuff but the Chinese shite is multi-region and can skip trailers?

[Kim]

Sort of, yeah.

IMHO there's an important distinction between the higher-end torque-sensing systems and standard pedelecs.  The former feels like riding a bike that's magically easy.  The latter likes to give you sudden bursts of acceleration when you turn the cranks (it only knows that you're pedalling, not how fast or hard).

Personally, while I reckon torque sensing is the nicest user interface, I think the legal requirement that the cranks be turning is pointless.  A throttle that has to be held on by hand pressure is equally fail-safe.  Throttle-only opens things up to disabled people who can't necessarily pedal continuously (even without load), and makes things easier for the utility cyclists who don't care about a posh system that gives a realistic cycling experience, as long as they can get over Bastard Hill without dripping in sweat.