Mongo, 48v 1000w 'Magic Pie' hub on a Mongoose 'Snarl'
- Thread starter BarelyAWake
- Start date
BarelyAWake
New Member
I agree & an ebike makes it so easy to do so
...thing is, on clean smooth pavement I do prefer a hardtail as it cuts cleaner & with somewhat more sensitivity - but as "clean smooth pavement" is a mythical beastie 'round here, I've gone squishy w/no regret lolThanks Mike but sadly it'll look pretty crappy after a winter or two, which is one reason why I hadn't done the swap before. Just curious - but why a step through? Nothin' against 'em ofc, jus' wonderin' is all...
Awesome! Defo gonna need a test fit though, I'm a bit over 6' and I can just swing a leg over this Haro, even a touch taller and it'd be awkward. I s'pose the 29ers have prolly accounted for that however else they'd have precious few customers heh
Oh right, here's a spoof MBing.com pic for ya (I do love that sign)
Easy Rider
Santa Cruz Scooter Works
Nice bike Barely,
I gotta ask how your rack is holding up? Mine lasted a few months of mellow riding on trail that weren't too harsh but once I started riding a little bit more aggressive, my rack snapped even with a support bracket.
Is your rack steel if so, where did you find it?
Thanks
I gotta ask how your rack is holding up? Mine lasted a few months of mellow riding on trail that weren't too harsh but once I started riding a little bit more aggressive, my rack snapped even with a support bracket.
Is your rack steel if so, where did you find it?
Thanks
BarelyAWake
New Member
Thanks Easy The rack is aluminum but despite being crashed & smashed for about five years on now three different bikes, two with 16lbs of batteries on it as well as whatever tools & cargo I had in the panniers mounted, it's held up quite well - I even cartwheeled Mongo & landed on the silly thing last winter, you can just see the scuff on the top left of the battery pack;
...the "handles" under it are a bit skewed from assorted impact damage, but they're nonstructural, they're mostly for pannier support/tie downs.
You'd be hard pressed to break this 'un with cargo weight alone - however, being just post mount it will rotate out to one side or the other if slightly provoked... irritating at the least. I added vertical supports on the Schwinn & Mongoose hardtails, obv with rear suspension that's not an option so I'll be fabbing up a lock bracket to go from it's clamp bolts to the Haro's top tube gusset.
There's doubtlessly better racks available, but as usual it's tough to beat wallyworld's pricing for crap lol;
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Schwinn-Deluxe-Alloy-Rear-Rack/17248454
The rack is aluminum but despite being crashed & smashed for about five years on now three different bikes, two with 16lbs of batteries on it as well as whatever tools & cargo I had in the panniers mounted, it's held up quite well - I even cartwheeled Mongo & landed on the silly thing last winter, you can just see the scuff on the top left of the battery pack;
...the "handles" under it are a bit skewed from assorted impact damage, but they're nonstructural, they're mostly for pannier support/tie downs.
You'd be hard pressed to break this 'un with cargo weight alone - however, being just post mount it will rotate out to one side or the other if slightly provoked... irritating at the least. I added vertical supports on the Schwinn & Mongoose hardtails, obv with rear suspension that's not an option so I'll be fabbing up a lock bracket to go from it's clamp bolts to the Haro's top tube gusset.
There's doubtlessly better racks available, but as usual it's tough to beat wallyworld's pricing for crap lol;
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Schwinn-Deluxe-Alloy-Rear-Rack/17248454
Mike B
New Member
I just like the ease of use a step thru offers. Don't have to swing a leg over. Got plenty of motorcycles for that.
At the speeds I go, frame strength is not an issue. Also have nice smooth wide bike lanes here, don't need suspension either.
It's just an old grey-hair thing I guess -
At the speeds I go, frame strength is not an issue. Also have nice smooth wide bike lanes here, don't need suspension either.
It's just an old grey-hair thing I guess -
BarelyAWake
New Member
Well, that makes a lot of sense Mike & in fact I really don't "need" full suspension on my beater commuter either, as I had it anyway I figured why not lol
TBH I'm developing really mixed feelings about the rear suspension as under "ideal" conditions (clean, smooth pavement) it's actually a bit annoying, even conceivably a bit less safe then a hard tail - in a hard, steep turn. As the suspension compresses from the lateral force generated in a turn the wheelbase length, steering axis angle & trail changes. It's ever so slightly but enough to notice, particularly as absolutely everything on this build is exactly the same as the previous - excepting the frame & suspension (& crankset, but that's irrelevant). So as all the moments, the weight & balance, tires & traction, everything being identical it provides a unique perspective to the pros & cons of a suspended, two wheeled street machine... it's not enough for me to revert to the hardtail, but it is something I'm going to need get used to *shrug*
...and gettin' there w/fenders & lights FTW! Still need panniers & the forward 3/4 of the rear fender fabbed, but so far it's all just a collection of crap I had kickin' around anyway so there's that ...my old saddle bags are pretty wasted so I dunno if I'm gonna bother fixing them to work w/the suspended rack (no side support) & yes, the blue rope is tacky but temporary lol
TBH I'm developing really mixed feelings about the rear suspension as under "ideal" conditions (clean, smooth pavement) it's actually a bit annoying, even conceivably a bit less safe then a hard tail - in a hard, steep turn. As the suspension compresses from the lateral force generated in a turn the wheelbase length, steering axis angle & trail changes. It's ever so slightly but enough to notice, particularly as absolutely everything on this build is exactly the same as the previous - excepting the frame & suspension (& crankset, but that's irrelevant). So as all the moments, the weight & balance, tires & traction, everything being identical it provides a unique perspective to the pros & cons of a suspended, two wheeled street machine... it's not enough for me to revert to the hardtail, but it is something I'm going to need get used to *shrug*
...and gettin' there w/fenders & lights FTW! Still need panniers & the forward 3/4 of the rear fender fabbed, but so far it's all just a collection of crap I had kickin' around anyway so there's that ...my old saddle bags are pretty wasted so I dunno if I'm gonna bother fixing them to work w/the suspended rack (no side support) & yes, the blue rope is tacky but temporary lol
BarelyAWake
New Member
Easy Rider
Santa Cruz Scooter Works
You should try changing your rear shock to an air shock. The rebound is a lot slower and it feels more stable during fast and sharp turns than my other coil shocks I'm using a Manatou air shock on my current bike and that bike handle really good on both paved or dirt trails especially since I moved my battery's location.
BarelyAWake
New Member
Agreed Easy, a very good thought & in fact I've been toying with the idea of swappin' out the taddy's rear RockShox Monarch (air) with the Haro's X-Fusion Glyde (nitrogen coil over) for exactly that reason - as well as the fact the Haro is clearly undersprung whereas the taddy is surprisingly oversprung, even at only half the recommended PSI.
It's very tempting as the eyelet-to-eyelet length is exactly the same... catch being the Haro has a very unnerving behavior I'd really rather the taddy never, ever decides to exhibit & that's a somewhat violent & profound wheelhop while skidding, on any surface - wet grass or dry pavement, it doesn't matter. It'll also do it in a hard, steep turn if I hit a bump around the apex, which if I don't get sorted will almost certainly spell my doom lol
I've tried all the various combinations between coil preload & the obviously functional but still ineffective rebound damping adjustment and yet can only change it from bad to worse, while this could be a result of insufficient spring weight & so the taddy (needing less) wouldn't do it...
...well, TBH I'm a lil unnerved by even the thought of the taddy going into a wheelhop heh - still, I s'pose I'll try it & see what happens, under very a controlled "test environment" ofc
The tad's rear suspension geometry is also significantly different, a coilover might favor it - or try & smite my foolish self;
It's very tempting as the eyelet-to-eyelet length is exactly the same... catch being the Haro has a very unnerving behavior I'd really rather the taddy never, ever decides to exhibit & that's a somewhat violent & profound wheelhop while skidding, on any surface - wet grass or dry pavement, it doesn't matter. It'll also do it in a hard, steep turn if I hit a bump around the apex, which if I don't get sorted will almost certainly spell my doom lol
I've tried all the various combinations between coil preload & the obviously functional but still ineffective rebound damping adjustment and yet can only change it from bad to worse, while this could be a result of insufficient spring weight & so the taddy (needing less) wouldn't do it...
...well, TBH I'm a lil unnerved by even the thought of the taddy going into a wheelhop heh - still, I s'pose I'll try it & see what happens, under very a controlled "test environment" ofc
The tad's rear suspension geometry is also significantly different, a coilover might favor it - or try & smite my foolish self;
Easy Rider
Santa Cruz Scooter Works
And the best part is: It won't cost you anything to swap it out!
I know all about that dreaded wheel hop with the coil shocks. I'm still looking for a strong enough air shock for my Boxer. DMB gave me a shock with a rebound adjustment and although it reduced my wheel hop, I still get it once in a while.
I know all about that dreaded wheel hop with the coil shocks. I'm still looking for a strong enough air shock for my Boxer. DMB gave me a shock with a rebound adjustment and although it reduced my wheel hop, I still get it once in a while.
BarelyAWake
New Member
...unless the taddy decides to bite me for my troubles that is. Shamed to say I'm still a bit gun-shy after learning the limits of a recumbent tadpole's stability. Generally they're rock solid & stable, absolutely locked to the track no matter how hard the turn, even if you manage a bit of wheel lift a counter lean will do the trick - unless the rear wheel starts to come around (sand, skid, w/e) & then it suddenly & without warning is just as bad as any delta in a turn, for the same reasons (no support point countering lateral G).
Then, in some ways it's worse then a delta & far worse then sliding out a two wheeler as you can't recover, can't bail as you're backflipping & in the T3's case - 120lbs of traumatized trike is about to come down hard around you, an almost instant lesson in the folly of misunderstood physics
As wheel hop would pretty much guarantee "drifting" a turn, my better sense tells me to not coil-over the tad, to just get another air shock for the Haro, or leave it be as it's my winter beater after all... but my curiosity will likely get the best of me, I'll give it a shot & learn the lessons, such is the way of tinkerin' lol
I'm a bit surprised you've some difficulty finding a heavy enough shock for your Boxer, I mean - it's defo a beast n'all, but those downhill guys are really takin' equipment to a whole new level, blurring the line between bicycle & motocross in suspension tech anyway. Ofc for some of 'em it'd make for a decent down on a new house... there is that
Then, in some ways it's worse then a delta & far worse then sliding out a two wheeler as you can't recover, can't bail as you're backflipping & in the T3's case - 120lbs of traumatized trike is about to come down hard around you, an almost instant lesson in the folly of misunderstood physics
As wheel hop would pretty much guarantee "drifting" a turn, my better sense tells me to not coil-over the tad, to just get another air shock for the Haro, or leave it be as it's my winter beater after all... but my curiosity will likely get the best of me, I'll give it a shot & learn the lessons, such is the way of tinkerin' lol
I'm a bit surprised you've some difficulty finding a heavy enough shock for your Boxer, I mean - it's defo a beast n'all, but those downhill guys are really takin' equipment to a whole new level, blurring the line between bicycle & motocross in suspension tech anyway. Ofc for some of 'em it'd make for a decent down on a new house... there is that
BarelyAWake
New Member
PANIC & heartbreak !!1! 
After a coupla years of beating Mongo mercilessly & despite nary a complaint for such uncouth treatment - it finally quit... I mean it'd still go but the charger wouldn't charge the LiFPO4 pack or even recognize it was needed, so it'd be a mere matter of miles before it was kaput for good /sobs
So stressed that my trusty steed had finally failed & figuring it was the BMS or something else too complicated to fix, I parked it with a sigh & figured I'd get to it in the mornin' when I wasn't quite so tired, when such perplexing problems wouldn't perturb me so... but this is no small issue, I've come to depend on Mongo & winter's a comin' - there's no way I can do my needful things with the T3 or the '43 in the slush & snow, the salt would destroy them.
So "bright & early" (for me anyway), I cleaned the shop a bit & gathered my electronic tools, soldering gun & multimeter mustered & at the ready I disemboweled Mongo, spreading the wires & bits like sprawled entrails over the end of my bench...
...only to find I'd simply unplugged the primary charge lead to the pack the last time I'd fumbled the plug? That's it? Really?
Doubtful & suspicious I plugged it in & sure e'nuff the charger kicked on and started doin' it's thing... sometimes it doesn't pay to be such a pessimist lol, the "fix" woulda taken about a sec had I just thought to look >.< Ah well, the harness needed a tidying anyway - obviously, or this wouldn't have happened
heh, I love ebikes
After a coupla years of beating Mongo mercilessly & despite nary a complaint for such uncouth treatment - it finally quit... I mean it'd still go but the charger wouldn't charge the LiFPO4 pack or even recognize it was needed, so it'd be a mere matter of miles before it was kaput for good /sobs
So stressed that my trusty steed had finally failed & figuring it was the BMS or something else too complicated to fix, I parked it with a sigh & figured I'd get to it in the mornin' when I wasn't quite so tired, when such perplexing problems wouldn't perturb me so... but this is no small issue, I've come to depend on Mongo & winter's a comin' - there's no way I can do my needful things with the T3 or the '43 in the slush & snow, the salt would destroy them.
So "bright & early" (for me anyway), I cleaned the shop a bit & gathered my electronic tools, soldering gun & multimeter mustered & at the ready I disemboweled Mongo, spreading the wires & bits like sprawled entrails over the end of my bench...
...only to find I'd simply unplugged the primary charge lead to the pack the last time I'd fumbled the plug? That's it? Really?
Doubtful & suspicious I plugged it in & sure e'nuff the charger kicked on and started doin' it's thing... sometimes it doesn't pay to be such a pessimist lol, the "fix" woulda taken about a sec had I just thought to look >.< Ah well, the harness needed a tidying anyway - obviously, or this wouldn't have happened
heh, I love ebikes
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The_Aleman
Active Member
LOL! Must be nice to just need a soldering iron and a multimeter to fix your ride...when it's not just some errant harness or plug that got disco'd, anyway
BarelyAWake
New Member
LOL! Must be nice to just need a soldering iron and a multimeter to fix your ride...when it's not just some errant harness or plug that got disco'd, anyway
Indeed!
Although for all the simplicity of Mongo the T3 makes up for in complexity - fixes fortunately rare, delving into the tribrid taddy's harnesses makes "nice" a very comparative term & puts such silliness as my previous panic in perspective lol... sometimes I need sit back & remember this, first pic doesn't even include the lighting & accessories, the second pic that schematic; 
They truly are... couldn't really tell ya how many tire sets Mongo's gone through tho, as it gets the "hand me downs" offn my other rides when they're a bit too worn. Rear tires ofc wear faster & I've an aversion to rotating those to the front despite being a normal, even common practice - I jus' save the scabs for ol' Mongo, whom doesn't care s'long as they're round heh
...and will wonders never cease - I saw another ebike! Bicycles being somewhat a rare sight around here to begin with, I almost never encounter another motorized let alone electric. I mean, I know a guy that works at a LBS & commutes on a electric cargo bike... but I've never seen him ride it as he's already there when I show up, so it somehow doesn't count.
Anyway, it was the strangest experience & I better understand the crazy-eye I sometimes get while I'm riding mine. The guy was already in the store when I rolled up, so I snapped a coupla pics of this exotic encounter whist I waited to babble bikes a bit with someone of similar sympathies as I.
We'd a good howdy-do & the time came to go, he hopped on his & zipped off while I was still packing my stuff to same... but I jus' stood there one eyebrow up, my brain balked at the sight of a bicycle somehow "magically" moving, not a pedal stroke seen or vroom to be heard?
Silly brain, you own a ebike & have for years - every day ridin' regardless you experience everything you jus' saw... except seeing it from a distance ofc. Still, no matter the logic, knowledge or experience my numb noggin tried to discount it as some sort of special effect, 'cept much as I may want to sometimes it seems we still can't quite digitally enhance real life lol;
BarelyAWake
New Member
mmm... yeah... filing a TPS report mkay... (http://youtu.be/Fy3rjQGc6lA)
So, standing astraddle the ol' ebike babblin' with a buddy & gesticulating wildly as is my norm whilst ranting - suddenly Mongo bolted, having had enough of my nonsensical noise or jus' feeling randy unknown, punching the point of the saddle to my posterior & poppin' a wheelie. I flailed for fistfuls of the suddenly feisty handlebars, jabbing the regen brakes as I did so, then stood there pie-eyed, confused & feeling vaguely violated.
mmmk... apparently either we've developed a far closer relationship then I ever desired (I've commitment issues), or Mongo has a Throttle Position Sensor fault as me grubby paws were nowhere near the controls. Aggravated anthropomorphism aside, I figured the latter & for the rest of the ride it seemed so as twitchy would be an understatement - full throttle was a sorta & stop just wasn't, bucking from time to time in between I shrugged & set the cruise control to just get me home.
I thought it was water in the wiring as I'd just washed the thing but no, the sneaky lil corrosion creepers had been at the connections, nibbling a soldered pin till it was no more & apparently any intermittent contact with this particular pin isn't quite as binary as I'd believed, rather then "on/off" as I'd expect, it activates full pants-on-head mayhem mode.
So, fixed ...again. Last time we went so wildly wonky was after I'd a similar fault, that time the TPS sheared right off it's mount, some accidental acrobatics accountable as I'd cartwheeled the crazy thing.
Of note - if you've an ebike and aren't fond of such shenanigans (I won't judge), regardless of if you think regen braking is generally useful or not, make sure you've some way to quickly & easily activate it as it's the only means to throttle override on most of these things. If you don't want it activated by switched brake levers or can't (integrated shifter levers), use any momentary on switch mounted near the grips, in Mongo's case I use the disused horn button. This also permits you to choose when to activate the regen drag rather then every time you brake, a useful modification I strongly endorse.
Anyhoo, some tiny tinkertime spent & Mongo is now no longer so murderously malicious as to hurl into traffic after having it's way with me
So, standing astraddle the ol' ebike babblin' with a buddy & gesticulating wildly as is my norm whilst ranting - suddenly Mongo bolted, having had enough of my nonsensical noise or jus' feeling randy unknown, punching the point of the saddle to my posterior & poppin' a wheelie. I flailed for fistfuls of the suddenly feisty handlebars, jabbing the regen brakes as I did so, then stood there pie-eyed, confused & feeling vaguely violated.
mmmk... apparently either we've developed a far closer relationship then I ever desired (I've commitment issues), or Mongo has a Throttle Position Sensor fault as me grubby paws were nowhere near the controls. Aggravated anthropomorphism aside, I figured the latter & for the rest of the ride it seemed so as twitchy would be an understatement - full throttle was a sorta & stop just wasn't, bucking from time to time in between I shrugged & set the cruise control to just get me home.
I thought it was water in the wiring as I'd just washed the thing but no, the sneaky lil corrosion creepers had been at the connections, nibbling a soldered pin till it was no more & apparently any intermittent contact with this particular pin isn't quite as binary as I'd believed, rather then "on/off" as I'd expect, it activates full pants-on-head mayhem mode.
So, fixed ...again. Last time we went so wildly wonky was after I'd a similar fault, that time the TPS sheared right off it's mount, some accidental acrobatics accountable as I'd cartwheeled the crazy thing.
Of note - if you've an ebike and aren't fond of such shenanigans (I won't judge), regardless of if you think regen braking is generally useful or not, make sure you've some way to quickly & easily activate it as it's the only means to throttle override on most of these things. If you don't want it activated by switched brake levers or can't (integrated shifter levers), use any momentary on switch mounted near the grips, in Mongo's case I use the disused horn button. This also permits you to choose when to activate the regen drag rather then every time you brake, a useful modification I strongly endorse.
Anyhoo, some tiny tinkertime spent & Mongo is now no longer so murderously malicious as to hurl into traffic after having it's way with me
I had a failed throttle once. It would launch by itself and got worst over time. I just replaced with a new one that seems to be build of better quality stuff. Anyways, I also installed a throttle tamer to give me a smoother throttle. It basically adds an adjustable throttle curve and buffer.
Nice shot of the red EVG bike. I still have two of those brushed motors in my garage. Lots of torque out of those old things.
Nice shot of the red EVG bike. I still have two of those brushed motors in my garage. Lots of torque out of those old things.
BarelyAWake
New Member
Sorry for the misunderstanding Mike, I love regen braking - it's only that some folks don't (or jus' don't care) for assorted reasons & may not connect the feature, not realizing the potential safety hazard, even if only a comparatively minor one.
The only aspect of regen braking I don't like would be the inability to use it at your discretion rather then every time you hit the brakes, a "complaint" rendered invalid by the above momentary switch modification. In fact, the overwhelming vast majority of the spring, summer & fall seasons I use little else then the rear wheel regen braking to slow, with both it & the front disc to slow quickly and/or to stop completely. About the only time I use the rear disc brake at all would be in an emergency stop and/or adverse conditions (wet/icy surfaces, winter use).
I like the thought that it may extend my reserve, but I know the gain is minor at best - as I'm rural my braking usually rare compared to the massive consumption of both acceleration & constant cruise so the aspect of "regenerative" braking is pretty much moot for me. On the other hand, I really like the silent, smooth & relatively strong application of force provided by the braking aspect. Always not quite to the point of a skid on dry, clean surfaces it's as much as I could ever ask of a rear brake... except coming to a complete stop ofc lol
Needless to say, my rear brake pads now last seemingly forever
You're right snellemin, replacement/upgrade would likely be the best option... but I'm a cheap, stubborn SOB that more oft figures if it's busted anyway - I can't bust it no worse by trying to fix it, might even learn somethin' along the way lol
Besides Mongo is a bit tattered in jus' about every way these days, I've beaten it mercilessly, constantly & with very little lovin' as I never expected it to last longer then a winter... which is now comin' up on three winters ago much to my surprise. As a result of that & the fact it very rarely fails me, it pretty much never had a chance to get any new, replacement or repair parts in any case.
I was told attempted ebiking was absolute futility in a Maine winter, Mongo has happily, faithfully proved such affected aficionados to be little more then just that
The "red EVG bike" did seem nice indeed, sadly I know little about it as we didn't have much time to babble bikes - I seem to recall it was 36v, but he didn't know his wattage or AH. His acceleration was impressive for what it was though, which was part of me mild perplexity.
Naturally I wanted to race him, but he was gone by the time I'd gotten my goodies ofc. It'd be empty bravado & simple silliness anyway as Mongo has the voltage advantage & I'm prolly a third less the guy's age, I'd likely the pedal advantage too.
Still, it woulda been awesome had we raced & he beat me, as that would mean there's somethin' yet more to learn about this bike I now "know" so well
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