Storm, Worlds First Electric China Girl

GoldenMotor.com

biknut

Well-Known Member
Sep 28, 2010
6,631
409
83
Dallas
While you write these threads from the standpoint of an ebike industry lobbyist or Sondors marketing troll, .
I resent you calling me this. I've made as many posts about my great china girls as anything else. I only write about what I love, nothing more. You need to apologize, and then please stay away for all my threads in the future.
 

racie35

Active Member
Nov 17, 2012
1,702
5
38
usa
I think one of the keys to getting these electric bikes on the same page as everything else in the world will be getting the voltage up to very high levels,lowering their amp draw on the batteries. That's kinda what tools have been doing slowly. I remember when drills were 6 volt then 12 and so on. They have to get high....really high. That alone will make batteries less of a hazard.
Clear example of what not to do....look at those goofy hover boards. Why they call em hover I don't know...they roll.
 

bluegoatwoods

Active Member
Jul 29, 2012
1,581
6
38
Central Illinois
Also, folks, let's not forget that even those of us who still feel that the happy time engine is the better deal don't have to actually prove that we're correct, here and now. In this thread. It's not necessary at all.

I guess what I mean is that this is not the place to establish the china girl's triumph over the electric bike.

The OP, our host in this thread, is clearly no troll or shill. He simply feels that the electric will one day outshine the internal combustion engine. I have some skepticism about it. But I don't pretend that it's mathematically proven that I'm right and he's wrong.

Let him have his say. Be convinced or not based on what makes sense to you.
 

sbest

Member
Nov 3, 2015
343
2
18
Nova Scotia
I think he is absolutely right, electric will triumph over internal combustion. We are just waiting for the technology to catch up. Our China Girl engines are relics of a bygone era and we should enjoy them as an interesting aberration on the consumer scenery. Like the OP, I have both Electric and IC propelled bikes. Each have their charms, but it isn't hard to see the directions of trends.

Besides the tidal direction of technology towards more sophisticated end yet cheaper electric motors, batteries and drives, and the push away from carbon based fuels, there is another drive to this trend. Public perception of motorized bicycles will drive them more toward the more stealthy electrics, especially as louder and faster gas powered bikes come to the public's notice. The cheap entry price works against us as huge numbers of unschooled use these bikes irresponsibly as a cheap way around DUI and other restrictions. Speed and noise and irresponsible use and deaths and injury will eventually make the gas powered bicycle illegal here, as has already happened in China itself.

Steve
 

culvercityclassic

Well-Known Member
Sep 27, 2009
3,115
177
63
Culver City, Ca
I think he is absolutely right, electric will triumph over internal combustion. We are just waiting for the technology to catch up. Our China Girl engines are relics of a bygone era and we should enjoy them as an interesting aberration on the consumer scenery. Like the OP, I have both Electric and IC propelled bikes. Each have their charms, but it isn't hard to see the directions of trends.

Besides the tidal direction of technology towards more sophisticated end yet cheaper electric motors, batteries and drives, and the push away from carbon based fuels, there is another drive to this trend. Public perception of motorized bicycles will drive them more toward the more stealthy electrics, especially as louder and faster gas powered bikes come to the public's notice. The cheap entry price works against us as huge numbers of unschooled use these bikes irresponsibly as a cheap way around DUI and other restrictions. Speed and noise and irresponsible use and deaths and injury will eventually make the gas powered bicycle illegal here, as has already happened in China itself.

Steve

Very well said Steve.

I like what the OP has done with the Sonders bike, can't beat the performance that's for sure. I see big things in the future for ebikes...**** I have built 2 in the last 6 months and put the gas bikes in storage...wolf-e
 

biknut

Well-Known Member
Sep 28, 2010
6,631
409
83
Dallas
This bike is becoming pretty sophisticated as I keep upgrading it. Most people are not familiar with having all these controls on their bicycle. I'm still learning how to utilize them the most efficiently.

My bike offers several choices of how you can get down the road. First on the right side, there's a twist throttle of course. The throttle is king, and over rides all the other controls, but lets ignore the throttle for a minute.

This bike comes equipped with pas, which means you can also run the motor off a sensor on the pedal crank. This sensor has 5 magnets on a disk, mounted on the pedal crankshaft. Whenever the magnets are rotating past the sensor, the controller sends power to the motor. This is called, pedal assist system, or pas. The amount of power the pas sends to the motor is controlled by a button on the left bar side. The big number 3 on the left side of the LCD display is showing the pas power level. There's 5 levels, 6 if you count zero as a level. Zero comes in handy if you just want to pedal slowly without the motor coming on.

The computer also has cruise control capability. It works very similar to your car's cruise control. To set it you just get up to the speed you want to cruise at, and hold the down button on the 3 button switch for 3 seconds. This will set the cruise control speed. Then you can let off the throttle, and stop pedaling, and the controller will keep sending that same level of power the motor until you touch any control. Brakes, throttle, or pas will instantly take you out of cruise control mode.

Today I went on a 49 mile ride using pas 98% of the time. After pedaling 49 miles my 62 year old legs were in good shape, and I wasn't tired with I got home. I did get a lot of exercise though. Most of the time I was pedaling about 20 to 23 mph.

This used a little more than 1/2 my battery.




 
Last edited:

sbest

Member
Nov 3, 2015
343
2
18
Nova Scotia
I am 55. Used to fast bikes, cars and trucks.
What is it with us old guys going from power to play?
I went from jet ski back to canoe and couldn't be happier.
I see guys going from powerboats to sail, Litre-bikes to 125 enduros, hemi's to Model A's.

There is a saying that guys with loud exhausts and big vehicles are compensating for something.

I ride a China Girl cuz I'm ok with my inadequacies!

Steve

 

biknut

Well-Known Member
Sep 28, 2010
6,631
409
83
Dallas
I am 55. Used to fast bikes, cars and trucks.
What is it with us old guys going from power to play?
I went from jet ski back to canoe and couldn't be happier.
I see guys going from powerboats to sail, Litre-bikes to 125 enduros, hemi's to Model A's.

There is a saying that guys with loud exhausts and big vehicles are compensating for something.

I ride a China Girl cuz I'm ok with my inadequacies!

Steve
Add me to that group too. I was totally happy with fast bikes, and then a china girl bug bit me. It was never the same after that.
 

lowracer

New Member
Oct 17, 2008
1,319
2
0
Charleston, SC
Biknut,
I just started catching the bug to build an ebike and have been a long-time gas bike guy.
I think once we ride a decent ebike the stealthy nature and torque are quite addicting.
There is a u-tuber that goes by the handle 'electricbike' who has been tinkering with the Bafang mid drive 750W and now 1000W kits that have really peaked my interest.
True, 'good' battery prices are high but over time I see that coming down to reasonable affordability for the masses.
I just finished a new Christmas trike project, KMX 20/20 with Tanaka 47R & 1.5" friction kit that could end up electric real soon...
-Lowracer-
 

biknut

Well-Known Member
Sep 28, 2010
6,631
409
83
Dallas
Biknut,
I just started catching the bug to build an ebike and have been a long-time gas bike guy.
I think once we ride a decent ebike the stealthy nature and torque are quite addicting.
There is a u-tuber that goes by the handle 'electricbike' who has been tinkering with the Bafang mid drive 750W and now 1000W kits that have really peaked my interest.
True, 'good' battery prices are high but over time I see that coming down to reasonable affordability for the masses.
I just finished a new Christmas trike project, KMX 20/20 with Tanaka 47R & 1.5" friction kit that could end up electric real soon...
-Lowracer-
I too was always a dyed in the wool gas man. It was just a short while ago that I was laughing at eBikes. I'm not laughing now, except when I'm passing spandexers on a hill lol.

This huge 30 ah, 48v battery cost me $625 shipped from china. It's made from high quality Samsung 18650 cells, and has built in BMS. The 25 ah version of this same battery is about $425, and would be more than enough battery for most people. Same goes for the 20 ah one. I was thinking about building my own battery pack, but at these prices it doesn't seem worth the trouble.

It's true, electric is very addictive. The silence and smoothness only takes about 2 seconds to get used to. Super dependability is also quite welcome, but were I feel the greatest advantage lies over a gas bike is the ability to ride on city trails, and sidewalks when necessary, without having to worry about breaking any laws.

 

biknut

Well-Known Member
Sep 28, 2010
6,631
409
83
Dallas

biknut

Well-Known Member
Sep 28, 2010
6,631
409
83
Dallas
I added a new performance upgrade, probably the last lol. A 25 amp plug and play controller became available for my bike. It added a couple more mph on the top end, and a little more torque. Now I'm toping out close to 29 mph with good conditions, and I've seen over 30 mph with a tailwind.

$59 shipped. This is one of the reasons why this bike is so desirable. Storm has sold so many of them that venders are selling aftermarket parts specially made just for this bike. That makes it easy for someone that's not particularly mechanical to modify their bike like a pro.



It's hard to tell any difference from the 20 amp controller, but this one has a 1/2" longer body. It's 9 fet instead of 6 fet like the stock, and 20 amp controllers. All I nneded to do was move the top mount up the seat post a little. All the wires just plugged in like stock. At this point I feel I've created the perfect Storm.

 

lowracer

New Member
Oct 17, 2008
1,319
2
0
Charleston, SC
biknut,
I finally pulled the trigger and ordered the Bafang BBSHD from Luna.
I just got done installing it on my KMX Venom and took it for its maiden voyage today between rain storms.
All I can say is...WOW!
This thing is totally silent and pulls hard in any gear, its almost like magic...lol
Thanks for raising my interest in E-powered hpv's.
Time to start my own thread I guess.
-Lowracer-
 

biknut

Well-Known Member
Sep 28, 2010
6,631
409
83
Dallas
biknut,
I finally pulled the trigger and ordered the Bafang BBSHD from Luna.
I just got done installing it on my KMX Venom and took it for its maiden voyage today between rain storms.
All I can say is...WOW!
This thing is totally silent and pulls hard in any gear, its almost like magic...lol
Thanks for raising my interest in E-powered hpv's.
Time to start my own thread I guess.
-Lowracer-
I'm with you. It feels like magic to me too.