Blog

The Canadian dollar has lost nearly 1/4 of its value since the start of the year. We've held off adjusting the CAD prices for quite some time in hopes that this would normalize again, but it hasn't and we can't hold off any longer, so be forewarned that when we re-open in 2009 the Canadian prices on some of our inventory will go up by approximately 12-15%. In the spirit of good times though, we'll let the low Canadian dollar prices continue to apply for this last week so anyone who has been considering a purchase before the prices rise can do so. whether you are running a 24V, 36V, or even 72V system. 

In development for over a year and thoroughly field tested on the cross-canada ebike ride, the waterproof LED bicycle lights with wide ranging input voltage are now in early production and are available from our shop. These rugged and bright LED lights were designed from the ground up for the requirements of electric bicycles. The efficient DC-DC input will work directly with any ebike battery voltage, whether you are running a 24V, 36V, or even 72V system.

We have designed a universal stainless steel torque arm which we are having manufactured by a local metal shop here in Vancouver. These will slide over both 12mm and 14mm axles, and the two piece design will adapt to virtually any fork style or dropout angle. Although not strictly required, a torque arm does reduce the likelihood of an axle spinout and is particularly useful with higher torque motors that use small 12mm axles such as the Nine Continent hubs.

We are pleased to be part of the BC Scrapit program, which encourages people to retire old and fuel inefficient vehicles in exchange for a greener transportation choice. As an incentive to get rid of your old car, you'll be rewarded with a credit of $1300 CAD to go toward the purchase of an an ebike from participating stores. This is almost exactly the price of an eZee kit, a Crysatlyte 500 series setup, or (almost) a pair of Nine Continent kits to convert two bicycles. Please check the Scrapit Program Website for details.

It is more than a few months late, but the full fledged Cycle Analyst V2.0 User Manual has been recently completed and is now included as a booklet with all Cycle Analyst shipments. Many of the advanced setup features are explained for the first time, so even seasoned Cycle Analyst users may glean something useful from reading it. The document is available for download here.

We have received and tested the updated CPU chips for the aluminum Nexcell NiMH/NiCad chargers. These chips have a higher upper voltage threshold that allows the cells to properly come into balance at the end of the charging cycle. If you have one of the chargers from us with 3-LEDs, then we recommend upgrading to the newer microchip, especially if you are using it with a NiCad battery pack. There is a socket on the circuitboard for this part so no soldering or special tools are required for the replacement.

We are pleased to introduce a line of econonimcal 1.8 amp NiCad/NiMH chargers. For people who don't need the fast charge
time of the 3A aluminum units, these plastic units offer a lighter weight and more affordable charging option.

In order to simplify the ordering process for more common items, we have now made several conversion kits and accessories available through a paypal checkout system with a buy-it-now button. There is no need to wait for email confirmations and shipping quotes, and you'll get the instant gratification of sending us money right away. This option is available for eZee kits, Nine Continent Kits and Crystalyte DC motor kit, as well as our whole line of Cycle Analyst devices.

The cart system is still in place for more complicated and customized orders involving the many Crystalyte components and battery options.

These are rough financial times for many people, so we felt like making life a little easier for those who are contemplating an electric bicycle conversion project this winter. We are now offering free shipping anywhere in North America for the eZee conversion kits. This promotion will be last until the end of November, so treat yourself to an early Christmas present.

The November 2008 Crystalyte Shipment has been unpacked and the new items added to our store site. This includes a large number of 5300 series hub motors as well as rear 400 series motors. The inventory listings are all up to date and current.