Blog

Some people love the rain, some people don't mind suiting up head to toe in gortex in order to brave the rain. But for most people, riding in the rain sucks. While recumbent bike riders have had fairings and protection for some time, Veltop from France is the best full cover bike canopy for upright bikes that we have seen.

It's not perfect but it's a step in the right direction, and for those who want to stay mostly dry without suiting up, and who don't mind turning heads everywhere, this can be a fun way to go. Your electric hub negates any extra wind drag of the windscreen. We've got a few extras on hand and have listed them on a new 'cargo/rain' section of the store site.

In our last Crystalyte shipment we brought it some of the very large 5400 series Crystalyte motors at the request of several customers. These motors are tanks, designed for 150mm rear dropouts, and their 13.5kg (27lb) mass means they can handle significant power levels for long periods of time before overheating.

The hubs are on our simulator, and have been modeled in CAD as well. We only have a handful left from this order available both independently or as part of a kit with a 40A 72V controller.

We've also dyno tested and modeled some lightweight (< 2.5kg) geared motors which are now on the simulator, including the Cute Q100 and a couple windings of Tongxin motor. It’s been on our mind for many years to have something in the small and light category for those who are only after 200-300 watts of assist. Whether one of these fits the bill is too early to say, but those who want to be on the on the early testing front can contact us for samples.

More Powerful eZee Motors

We've worked with eZee to help make a higher torque version of their geared hub motor, by upgrading to a wider 17mm stator core inside without any change to the external dimensions. This has increased the power and torque capability by almost 30% with only minimal increase in weight. We have the V2 eZee motors now in stock in all 20", 26" and 700c kit sizes and have modeled them on our motor simulator as well.

Change in the Accessories

There are several other changes we have made to the eZee kits as well. The eZee kits now come standard with a 25A rather than a 20A controller to take advantage of the extra torque capability of the motor. As well, previous items like the PAS sensor and ebrake cutoffs are now going to be handled via a Cycle Analyst, rather than directly to the controller.

LED Battery Indicator

The 3-LED indicator has also been eliminated. We will soon have a more comprehensive 5-LED option for those who want a basic indicator but don't require the full features of the Cycle Analyst.

And last but not least, the new disk brake compatible Kris Holm unicycles are in stock at our little uni shop too. The KH spirit cranks include a standard 6-bolt disk attachment that puts the rotor on the outside of your unicycle frame, and with a retrofit bearing clamp you can easily take advantage of disk brakes on any older unicycle as well.

Finally, the Cycle Analyst V3 Beta program is ready to ramp up to the next level for wider spread testing, as we have a fresh production run in stock. Please see the special V3 purchase page for details. We also have a good supply of Thun torque sensing bottom brackets with a custom cable harness that lets you install it and plug into a CA without any connector crimping, and are keen to see more riders experiment with a CA V3 pedalec mode.

While we were at it, we also tooled up a custom "Grin Tech" mounting bracket for the Cycle Analyst enclosure that is stiffer than the previous bike light bracket, uses 100% stainless steel fasteners so will not rust, and has a wider clamping range, going all the way down to 7/8" bars and up to 1.5"

We're also manufacturing a precision 1.00 mOhm potted shunt as a separate product, which effectively converts a CA-DPS into the Stand Alone Cycle Analyst. When a Stand Alone CA is ordered, you now have a disconnect between the shunt and the CA which can facilitate wiring, and makes it easy to later use your CA as a direct plug-in device should you get a compatible controller.

We've been working hard this year to update our Cycle Analyst line to keep relevant to the rapidly evolving ebike field. This includes big changes to the insides, slight changes to the outsides, and a very much revamped manufacturing process that will help us scale with the growing interest.

Version 2.3

The standard Version 2 series of Cycle Analyst has been upgraded to V2.3. While the external operation is nearly identical to the V2.25, the internals are completely redesigned. All units now all come default with a communication cable both, usable not only for datalogging but also firmware upgrades. The change list is explained here.

Molded Shunt and the Stand Alone Model

We're also manufacturing a precision 1.00 mOhm potted shunt as a separate product, which effectively converts a CA-DPS into the Stand Alone Cycle Analyst. When a Stand Alone CA is ordered, you now have a disconnect between the shunt and the CA which can facilitate wiring, and makes it easy to later use your CA as a direct plug-in device should you get a compatible controller.

Robust Mounting Bracket

While we were at it, we also tooled up a custom "Grin Tech" mounting bracket for the Cycle Analyst enclosure that is stiffer than the previous bike light bracket, uses 100% stainless steel fasteners so will not rust, and has a wider clamping range, going all the way down to 7/8" bars and up to 1.5"

V3 and Pedalec

Finally, the Cycle Analyst V3 Beta program is ready to ramp up to the next level for wider spread testing, as we have a fresh production run in stock. Please see the special V3 purchase page for details. We also have a good supply of Thun torque sensing bottom brackets with a custom cable harness that lets you install it and plug into a CA without any connector crimping, and are keen to see more riders experiment with a CA V3 pedalec mode.

Finally, thanks to those who made it out to the Sooke Slow Food Cycle last month. It was an honour to be invited back to one's hometown in order to spread community awareness about electric bicycles, and to see local towns take increasing interest in low impact transportation alternatives.