Simon Rafferty's Triangular Folding EV Bike

Owner	Simon Rafferty
Location	Horsham, England United Kingdom ^map
Web	WebPage
Vehicle	scratcbuilt
Motor	Permanent Magnet DC truck electric fan motor 840 Watt, limited to 200 Watt (honest!)
Drivetrain	Chain
Controller	4QD Uni8 Very good quality and low cost controllers for low power apps
Batteries	25, 1.00 Volt, Nickel-Cadmium, Sealed/Dry 7 Amp Hour
System Voltage	30 Volts
Charger	RipMax SupaNova
Heater	Beer!
Instrumentation	the wind in my face
Top Speed	20 MPH (32 KPH)
Acceleration	Had to limit it - kept landing in prickly bushes!
Range	10 Miles (16 Kilometers)
Seating Capacity	1 adult
Curb Weight	0 unknown but I can hold it at arms length easily
Tires	6" scooter type
Conversion Time	a month
Conversion Cost	�500
Additional Features	Will fold / unfold in less than 1 second. Entirely built from Aluminium, Nylon and PTFE to minimise weight. It will fit in the trunk of most small to medium cars and can be easily lifted in and out. It has a mechanical front disk brake for doing "stoppy's" (and landing in the prickly bushes). All the batteries are contained inside the tubes which make up the frame.
I built a series of fun scooters, including a novel lean-to-steer thing. Unfortunately, they attracted too much attention from the law. I talked to the local police to find out how they decide whether to stop you. They said "If it looks like a bike, it's a bike. If it looks like a scooter - it's illegal". I decided it must be possible to build something which looks sufficiently like a bike to be legal, but has the performance and fun of a scooter. And it is! Great for going to the pub - bit wobbly on the way home ;-) The pedals are there entirely to comply with the law. They do work, but are a complete waste of time (the ratio is way to low). It has been fantastic fun - and sure turns heads! On my web site, there are a few other EV's including a folding 2 wheel recumbent, a skateboard and a frightening mountain board. These are only a fraction of what I've built, but sadly all I have photos of. I'm a fan of 4QD controllers, particularly the Uni and Pro series as they are the most bullet proof. My next project is likely to be grass skis, using toothed belts as tracks. Each ski powered by a pair of EV Warrier motors on 36v with a Pro120 controller. Batteries in a back pack and differential steer between the skis - just to make it a bit more exciting! Images of everything at www.sproklegrommet.co.uk Si I'm going to sell this bike to make room & finance the next one! If you think you could make use of such a thing - drop me a line simon@psi-design.co.uk and make me a sensible offer.

code by jerry