Not to laugh at your misfortune, but when the rusty chain broke almost immediately, I just about *fell out of my chair!* 😂 Your videos are incredibly enjoyable James. Really enjoyed this one my friend. Kudos to you for making something for your dad to get around easier. Take care, be safe and happy wrenching 🔧🔩
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! One good thing about doing videos like this is when things go wrong sharing them makes it less frustrating and more amusing. It definitely helps me keep going on the projects!
I never knew one could multiply fun by 4 times! I've been softening the wife unit up for a magically appearing tool... a welder. I can see that leading to multiple levels of fun with more tools appearing. Thanks for the video. Entertaining and informative as always!
This channel is the best! There's just no other channel like it! The wife scope of the projects you work on is just amazing! I always get a huge grin on my face when I see that you've posted a new video 👌😁
Your DIY bike is crying out for a 48v battery - maybe not 960wh, depends on the range needed. You could always try a 36v power tool battery (or 2x 18v in series). It will work but the range will be rubbish.
Ok, hear me out. Swap the seat and handlebars. Make the two tires the front, make them steer. Make the single tire the rear drive wheel. Like a Can Am. For cheap. Not only more stable, but able to see how wide you are without looking back. Love your videos. Been watching a long time.
Your content always amazes me I expect to see you working on a rusty old jeep but then you come out with a unique and cool build Now you need a camper trailer to tow behind it for an epic adventure
I've been doing electric bikes for years now and I have three that I ride regularly. One for commuting. One for errands. One for backup for either purpose. And So Much FUN!!!
The company Lectric Bikes is coming out with a E-trike too. It's rear wheel drive and honestly about half the price. I ride a two wheeler from them and it's opened up so many more fishing places and opportunitys along the coast for me. Plus I don't have to wear my old a$$ out carrying all the gear. Very much enjoy your videos.
We have the same motto. Along with "I make things up as I go," the other phrase that encompasses my process is, "When all else fails, read the instructions."
An amazing amount of people are interested in the eBikes. I remember just five years ago it was one out of maybe three callers. Now it is nearly 100% of the people I'm talking to about bikes. I'm glad you built our own with a kit. The true fun arrives when you are riding on two wheels or, a trike where the front wheels steer. A much more enjoyable ride on a recumbent. Great video!!!!!!!!!
Thank you. I almost peed myself laughing when the chain on the diy broke after repairs. Man you are my people. Laughter is under rated as a fix for so many problems. Thank you again.
To dad, all those complicated "extra" performance doesn't matter . But what his son made him is perfect and simple to use is more important. He's proud of you.
It's a pleasure. Watching and listening to the techs comments and explanations, he is very precise , secure and concrete in his presentation, would like to meet him if he isn't very far away,. I'm in Alabama near Birmingham. Thanks for your presentation.
I waited to watch this I thought it would be boring, but you did it again dude, you turned it into great information and fun. Thanks for sharing. Cheers.
I am a mechanical engineer and build high power electric bicycles that people barely notice because they are quiet and the motors and batteries meld into the frame pretty well. My bikes can go unspeakable speeds that you can't buy at the bike shop. All I can say is you are a smart guy and well done for what you do. If you like, you could build something with motorcycle like speed but that may not be your objective. The stealth aspect of riding with a motor is perhaps the biggest benefit. 2000 watts on a bicycle is a magic carpet ride. Ride safe.
Neighbor has one of those trikes, took it for a ride. Very different experience and I did have an ATC back in the day. Interesting little project was going to convert an old AMF moped to electric but sold it. Brother did an electric minibike works surprisingly well.
lts crazy how l can have little interest in the subject matter but these videos still draw me in. Even w/ my adhd lm locked in and learning. Love the channel.
Back in the 50's and 60's we used buttermilk in the tubes to act as stop leak. It worked. We also had to deal with the goathead stickers. The buttermilk didn't work 100% of the time . Just depended on how many goatheads vs how much buttermilk
I saw this video come up a long time ago and I thought you were just reviewing some bikes a company sent to you. YT has shown it to me again (because I’m rewatching your other videos) and I realized it says ‘DIY’ in the title and I thought “Oh, he’s building his own bike!” so I watched it and enjoyed it a lot, like all your other videos. Keep up the great work; I recommend your channel to other people often.
I've been debating on grabbing some old mountain bike and throwing an e kit on it. Would be great to zip around town on since I don't have a license at the moment.
I have a few cat trike bikes, just pedaling they can go over 25 MPH, but the thing is the tires are specifically made for trikes, regular bike tires wouldn’t work, but those have 2 front steering tires and one rear drive tire, way more stable that way
Catrikes are cool! Go Florida Go. I only have one of them but I have a few eBullitts. It would be fun to come across another Catrike one day. Have you ever come across a Pino tandem?
@@xozindustries7451 I forget the brand that makes the tandem trikes....But the Pino is a a tandem with the recumbent seat out front...and the back rider steers the bike. Very fun bikes and people can talk while they ride.
I got a new Chinese Trike for $400 , a Warehouse 350watt Electric Front Wheel for $200 , and a 14.4ah Battery for $250 ... Total $850 from Amazon ! ... My kids assembled it ! ... It cost 1/2 the amount of the next whole option , which you still have to Assemble ! ... and 1/4 the Price of your fancy bike ... Plus No welding ! ... I Will be having fun this Summer ! ... If I don't break my Neck ....... Cheers ! ... Great Show !
The admotor trike would be perfect for me. Legally blind,, 6-4". If I hit the lottery, I'm all in. For now though, I will keep riding my lawnmower to the store.
Rally enjoy your basic minimalist approach & sense of humor, I'm now 70 and dealing with disabilities plus age, not at wheel chair stage yet, but have gone from a couple DIY built Ice powered trikes 3-5hp 4 stroke, to an old vintage german made 2 wheel electric scooter with acid batteries & a 10 mile, 10 mph range max, to a nicely built American electric mountain bicycle with 30 mile range at 30 mph, hand throttle only.. bikes are a hard habit to give up, after 55 years/ 1.5Million miles of Motorcycle riding, If i was only 20 years younger, the e mtn -bike's not working for me due to balance problems, so electric trike is now on my menu. Problem is range, i live about 40 miles round trip across the desert to town, i could take the paved hwy/ road or a dirt road & some trails to town.. The highway is not awful busy but has its moments, people do drive awful fast these days 70-80 is the norm it seems, So thats a risk, plus so car drivers are have eyes glued to their cell phones while driving, which is very unsettling when i think of getting rear ended, so installing bright & continuing flashing lights on rear would hopefully catch the cell phone numbskulls attention coming up on my slow moving trike. I am past the point of a DIY build anymore, so looking for a good used e-trike as new ones run from 2500-4500 usd.. way out of my financial reach.
Re: finger tight pedals. Probably a quick way to ship, and reduce customer service calls from trying to bolt in a reverse threaded pedal, or destroying the threads trying to. Also keeps the packer from shipping 2 pedals of the same direction threads.
thats actaully really neat an the diy looks perfect for our dad, i used to have one of those frames sittin around the ranch at the folks that dad found at the dump, wonder if its still floatin around, its a small one for kids
you know, if you cut zip ties on the tail side rather than the head side you can cut a new point on the tail and reuse them until they're too short to reach around whatever. i save the zip ties on the packaging of everything i buy 'cause free short zip ties.
Excellent Low Buck Garage :) think a deep cycle marine battery on homemade built also because by one put acid water mix or distilled water if go low fluid plus last long time in years and fit baskets ! Plus recharge faster and charge last long depends how much used! I have used on talking CB , Ham mobiles rigs got 30 days for full charge plus do 8 hours use each time too and hope try out to! One used in past was 850 Cold Cranking Amps and 160 Reserve Amps Hours ! Plus did great heat of Summer Season plus Cold Winter season months when super cold even my back garage home not instaulled or heat all time only when at home! But also need 4 to 6 amp fast or slow charger to recharge battery! Hopefully this hints try out !
Hey. I think that front hub on the old tricycle is a generator for a headlight. I really didn’t get a good look at it. Maybe spin the wheel and test it for voltage.
About to complete my first ebike build, just waiting on the a few bits and pieces to tidy everything up. I also took some scrap parts and starting putting together a full suspension trike...after watching this, I think I may just make a motor mount for the trike too so I can swap the motor back and forth until I can get another one. I just took a smaller frame with 20" wheels, removed the rear and replaced with two 16" wheels / 2x threaded coupling with threaded rod connecting them. I had to swap sides the crank so it would align with new freewheel location. And i can just run two rear wheels with freewheels, one for motor, one for pedals. I had to drop to 16" rear wheels cause I didnt widen the rear tires out, and feet would hit 20" wheels when pedalling. It is pretty low to the ground...i could make it electric power only and go back to 20"...or maybe even some pedal extensions or a wider bottom bracket could let me run 20" without making a rear axle. (No welder, just angle grinders and nuts and bolts). I found these cheap plastic cutting boards that are just under 1/2" thick that i make a lot of parts from...motor mounts and bushings, mostly. Couple bucks, can glue it to make thicker blocks. It is great stuff to work with. Can also heat and bend it, of course. I got a small Mastercraft hand saw made for cutting pvc pipe that cuts through it great, and is only like $7 or something.
I went the DIY route similar to yours. It's fun if you're so inclined. I never got used to 1 back wheel stopping me when I pedaled backwards and the horrible noise the brake made over 10 mph😂
Ok! Addmotor wins ! I've been looking at three wheelers for awhile now. I even thought about doing the DIY thing too. Too labor intensive. I've got friends with AddMotor bikes who swear by them. Also looked at Rad and Lectric. The rest are Chinese junk (pun?). Thanks for the no boring sales pitch and very informative hands on video. Marc from Lake Elsinore California
I keep a list of all the companies that give stuff away to TH-camrs that I might purchase one day. If they weren’t giving stuff to people that could more than likely afford it if they wanted it. They could sell to all of us cheaper. I will never purchase from a company that does this and do my best to discourage everyone I know from buying from those companies. I might be wrong but it’s the way I feel and I’m entitled to my own opinions.
It's one of the most cost-effective means of advertising. If they only did conventional ads you'd have to pay a lot more. I do agree some companies get carried away (like ThruNite) when they want to approve your video before you can publish it.
As food for thought, I've been working in manufacturing for decades, and the biggest factor in the price of a product is volume. You spend a long time setting up a system to make a part in minutes. More sales drastically reduces the cost per part. The advertising goal is to get more sales, which reduces the cost per unit. Of course there's a balance point, but companies are going to spend money to advertise somewhere.
Great experience, Im sure the experience and performance would be closer if the DIY had similar batteries with less weight and more power. Your only running 24VDC.
the pre-built bike cost 10X as much, can't ride it in the rain, can't leave it in the sun. My vote is for the home built bike. Plus it was more fun to put together! :)
I know this video is old, but I don't care. I actually have a pedal-only fat tire bicycle, and I've had dozens of punctures, and the tubes are patched like crazy. I finally figured out that instead of going tubeless, just to inject the tube with sealant, solved all of those flats issues. Those stupid goat's head stickers were to blame for the vast majority of the punctures too.
That was an interesting and good video! Like you, I do things to try and help make my Dad's life better, and like you found out, simpler is better. Just today I "helped" him get his rechargeable electric razor working. The issue was that it is designed to operate only when the charge cord is disconnected. Because I suspected the charge cord had to be disconnected, I took care of that and it worked, but I'm pretty sure I saw those clouds of disbelief in his eyes. I was a little concerned when your Dad got close to the building on the faster and more powerful bike. If you're like me, you'll want to give your Dad the better bike, but be careful. Oh, with regard to the weights, I think the lead acid batteries added a lot to the weight of the DIY rig, and I'd like to see you try some inexpensive LiPo batteries. I started to say "cordless tool batteries", but the cost of those is a big reason I don't have many cordless power tools. I bought a cordless drill from Harbor Freight Tools, and I believe they buy downgraded batteries that have been rejected by other companies - mine have a high self-discharge rate, so must be charged the night before use. Maybe get name-brand used batteries from eBay?
Just a heads up, those replacement tires you got if they are anything like the ones made here they are not real rubber sort of plastic ish and will crack and fall apart after a couple years.
On the DIY by you should have come up with a way for the electric motor to power the freewheelin tire on back, then that way you have a two-Legger when you need it
Picked up a barely used Miami Sun trike 6 years ago for $200. I pedaled that little tug boat for 5 years. I am now 76 years old with a partially paralyzed leg. Last fall I put an EBikling 1200 watt front hub motor kit on it with a 52 volt 19.2 amp battery. With everything included I have $1300 in my Etrike. My trike will take terrain, hills, etc with ease. I have no idea how fast it will go, because 18-20 mph on a trike is FAST. I know the trike will do 30-35 miles on a charge, probably more. I have never let it go below 20% charge. I have the bike set at 25 mph, and with my 170 pounds, it approaches 20 mph. The pedals become useless around 15 mph. I could set it at 50 mph, or unlimited. I am just trying to stay legal....AND alive! I put 225 miles on it last winter. ...in Iowa! My dog runs along side me. Off leash through traffic! For me, I have the right trike and the right dog, in the right town, at the right time in my life.
I am running three dogs now. The Ebikling kit has been flawless. i do 6 miles a day when there isn't snow. The dogs love it! Great granddaughter's pup hits 19- 20 mph. I am 77 now, and i stay with him. Start with a good frame. I am thinking about the Addmotor 31 this spring.
The piece you have @ 16:35 is an adjustable cup for a bike bottom bracket At 19;03 that is a single speed freewheel, very cheap, often not worth rebuilding as the bearing races are usually crap Problem with many chains now-a-days, is they are made in china. It's hit or miss getting a good one. I fix and build bikes as a hobby, I see more broken chains in the last 10 years than 60' 70's, 80's, 90's, 2000's combined. I think it's called chinesium
Many international places limit those electric motors to 300 watts, so over 700 would be illegal on the road. Also 48V is very "chunky" as even 36V would be typical. It's probably a good idea to check local laws before buying.
I have not heard about leaving the battery in the sun, I have not had a problem on bikes and wheelchairs and never has any warning been given in any of the handbooks. Lead acid, gel batt and lithium plus my solar panels have 4 kw of storage in the attic in heat and have not shown a problem. Strange about not using it in the rain as well.
Probably a bit late for it to matter, but all of the electric bike parts of that ADDmotor are somewhat generic parts that should be readily available online. Could make for a DIY Etrike Mk.2
maybe use the m340 to turn the diy into a frankenstein that goes fast and is easy to use. cover the lithium battery with wood or plastic so the sun won't cook it and leave a gap for cooling.
Could you post what it is you put in the tire. I don't understand all words in my old age and the caption is somewhat convoluted and says weird things. First time I watch your channel. Good job.
Your dad raised a good man.
Not to laugh at your misfortune, but when the rusty chain broke almost immediately, I just about *fell out of my chair!* 😂 Your videos are incredibly enjoyable James. Really enjoyed this one my friend. Kudos to you for making something for your dad to get around easier. Take care, be safe and happy wrenching 🔧🔩
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! One good thing about doing videos like this is when things go wrong sharing them makes it less frustrating and more amusing. It definitely helps me keep going on the projects!
That piece of scrap you used to make the bush looks like a home made faceplate for a wood lathe. Spikes and screw holes to fix the wood.
sweet. I look forward to this the most on youtube.
I never knew one could multiply fun by 4 times! I've been softening the wife unit up for a magically appearing tool... a welder. I can see that leading to multiple levels of fun with more tools appearing. Thanks for the video. Entertaining and informative as always!
This channel is the best! There's just no other channel like it! The wife scope of the projects you work on is just amazing! I always get a huge grin on my face when I see that you've posted a new video 👌😁
You're a good son...nice job.
Your DIY bike is crying out for a 48v battery - maybe not 960wh, depends on the range needed. You could always try a 36v power tool battery (or 2x 18v in series). It will work but the range will be rubbish.
Right on time! Friday night extended episode FTW 🎉 (9pm here in the UK)
Ok, hear me out. Swap the seat and handlebars. Make the two tires the front, make them steer. Make the single tire the rear drive wheel. Like a Can Am. For cheap. Not only more stable, but able to see how wide you are without looking back.
Love your videos. Been watching a long time.
Your content always amazes me
I expect to see you working on a rusty old jeep but then you come out with a unique and cool build
Now you need a camper trailer to tow behind it for an epic adventure
I've been doing electric bikes for years now and I have three that I ride regularly. One for commuting. One for errands. One for backup for either purpose. And So Much FUN!!!
The company Lectric Bikes is coming out with a E-trike too. It's rear wheel drive and honestly about half the price. I ride a two wheeler from them and it's opened up so many more fishing places and opportunitys along the coast for me. Plus I don't have to wear my old a$$ out carrying all the gear. Very much enjoy your videos.
It was fun too watch you make more stuff,
And nice you get sponsers…
Free stuf is always……fun.
Thanks 😉👍
I almost lost it with the Smiling Polar Bear. Thanks for the entertainment!
We have the same motto. Along with "I make things up as I go," the other phrase that encompasses my process is, "When all else fails, read the instructions."
Just in time for supper, cool project!
Absolutely the best channel on youtube!!! Cheers
Your Dad will not want to give up the admotor trike, its nice. Ebikes are great.
An amazing amount of people are interested in the eBikes. I remember just five years ago it was one out of maybe three callers. Now it is nearly 100% of the people I'm talking to about bikes. I'm glad you built our own with a kit. The true fun arrives when you are riding on two wheels or, a trike where the front wheels steer. A much more enjoyable ride on a recumbent. Great video!!!!!!!!!
Thank you. I almost peed myself laughing when the chain on the diy broke after repairs. Man you are my people. Laughter is under rated as a fix for so many problems. Thank you again.
One of your best videos yet, your becoming one of my favorite channels. Right on par with the million subscriber channels.
To dad, all those complicated "extra" performance doesn't matter . But what his son made him is perfect and simple to use is more important. He's proud of you.
This is quickly becoming my most looked forward to channel. Great stuff. Please keep it up!
It's a pleasure. Watching and listening to the techs comments and explanations, he is very precise , secure and concrete in his presentation, would like to meet him if he isn't very far away,. I'm in Alabama near Birmingham.
Thanks for your presentation.
I waited to watch this I thought it would be boring, but you did it again dude, you turned it into great information and fun. Thanks for sharing. Cheers.
I am a mechanical engineer and build high power electric bicycles that people barely notice because they are quiet and the motors and batteries meld into the frame pretty well. My bikes can go unspeakable speeds that you can't buy at the bike shop.
All I can say is you are a smart guy and well done for what you do. If you like, you could build something with motorcycle like speed but that may not be your objective. The stealth aspect of riding with a motor is perhaps the biggest benefit.
2000 watts on a bicycle is a magic carpet ride.
Ride safe.
I need one that's why I watch ideas to DYS
Motorcycle helmets work on bicycles!
Plus you can have a bluetooth link to your phone!
I went with a dirtbike helmet for better ventilation & a visor.
Neighbor has one of those trikes, took it for a ride. Very different experience and I did have an ATC back in the day. Interesting little project was going to convert an old AMF moped to electric but sold it. Brother did an electric minibike works surprisingly well.
I’ll never forget when I was ljttle i would always drive my grandmas scooter around when she didn’t need it. 😂 the funnest toy for a 5 year old
That rv is an absolute gem😍❤
lts crazy how l can have little interest in the subject matter but these videos still draw me in. Even w/ my adhd lm locked in and learning. Love the channel.
Yes! Having 4 times the fun is always good. Awesome video.
Back in the 50's and 60's we used buttermilk in the tubes to act as stop leak. It worked. We also had to deal with the goathead stickers. The buttermilk didn't work 100% of the time . Just depended on how many goatheads vs how much buttermilk
I saw this video come up a long time ago and I thought you were just reviewing some bikes a company sent to you. YT has shown it to me again (because I’m rewatching your other videos) and I realized it says ‘DIY’ in the title and I thought “Oh, he’s building his own bike!” so I watched it and enjoyed it a lot, like all your other videos.
Keep up the great work; I recommend your channel to other people often.
I've been debating on grabbing some old mountain bike and throwing an e kit on it. Would be great to zip around town on since I don't have a license at the moment.
I have a few cat trike bikes, just pedaling they can go over 25 MPH, but the thing is the tires are specifically made for trikes, regular bike tires wouldn’t work, but those have 2 front steering tires and one rear drive tire, way more stable that way
Catrikes are cool! Go Florida Go. I only have one of them but I have a few eBullitts. It would be fun to come across another Catrike one day. Have you ever come across a Pino tandem?
@@Dancing_Alone_wRentals no, I’ve never seen a tandem one, sounds crazy
@@xozindustries7451 I forget the brand that makes the tandem trikes....But the Pino is a a tandem with the recumbent seat out front...and the back rider steers the bike. Very fun bikes and people can talk while they ride.
I got a new Chinese Trike for $400 , a Warehouse 350watt Electric Front Wheel for $200 , and a 14.4ah Battery for $250 ... Total $850 from Amazon ! ... My kids assembled it ! ... It cost 1/2 the amount of the next whole option , which you still have to Assemble ! ... and 1/4 the Price of your fancy bike ... Plus No welding ! ... I Will be having fun this Summer ! ... If I don't break my Neck ....... Cheers ! ... Great Show !
The admotor trike would be perfect for me. Legally blind,, 6-4". If I hit the lottery, I'm all in. For now though, I will keep riding my lawnmower to the store.
Yay for Dad.. Great Video!!!!!
Rally enjoy your basic minimalist approach & sense of humor, I'm now 70 and dealing with disabilities plus age, not at wheel chair stage yet, but have gone from a couple DIY built Ice powered trikes 3-5hp 4 stroke, to an old vintage german made 2 wheel electric scooter with acid batteries & a 10 mile, 10 mph range max, to a nicely built American electric mountain bicycle with 30 mile range at 30 mph, hand throttle only.. bikes are a hard habit to give up, after 55 years/ 1.5Million miles of Motorcycle riding, If i was only 20 years younger, the e mtn -bike's not working for me due to balance problems, so electric trike is now on my menu. Problem is range, i live about 40 miles round trip across the desert to town, i could take the paved hwy/ road or a dirt road & some trails to town.. The highway is not awful busy but has its moments, people do drive awful fast these days 70-80 is the norm it seems, So thats a risk, plus so car drivers are have eyes glued to their cell phones while driving, which is very unsettling when i think of getting rear ended, so installing bright & continuing flashing lights on rear would hopefully catch the cell phone numbskulls attention coming up on my slow moving trike. I am past the point of a DIY build anymore, so looking for a good used e-trike as new ones run from 2500-4500 usd.. way out of my financial reach.
Re: finger tight pedals. Probably a quick way to ship, and reduce customer service calls from trying to bolt in a reverse threaded pedal, or destroying the threads trying to. Also keeps the packer from shipping 2 pedals of the same direction threads.
Great video
thats actaully really neat an the diy looks perfect for our dad, i used to have one of those frames sittin around the ranch at the folks that dad found at the dump, wonder if its still floatin around, its a small one for kids
That "wrong tunnel" used to be on an old Jeep trail I would drive my 3B through back in the day.
You can get more speed out of the bike if you replace those 12-volt car batteries with 12-volt motorcycle batteries.
Glad to see the family getting involved. Great seeing your daughter and Dad.
Thanks for the awesome, funny content
Your videos are great 👍. You are like a mad scientist. I get comedy mechanics and innovation all in one. Keep having fun!!
Grandtan looks good
Great video. Thanks for sharing.
Fantastic video content , love your sense of humour , and your creative mind , thank you for sharing with us
you know, if you cut zip ties on the tail side rather than the head side you can cut a new point on the tail and reuse them until they're too short to reach around whatever. i save the zip ties on the packaging of everything i buy 'cause free short zip ties.
20 mph looked scary but the home made one looks more fun and less dangerous too!
Thanks for the video! It was nice seeing the scenery.
Your conclusion is interesting and thoughtful. Thanks for sharing
Excellent Low Buck Garage :) think a deep cycle marine battery on homemade built also because by one put acid water mix or distilled water if go low fluid plus last long time in years and fit baskets ! Plus recharge faster and charge last long depends how much used! I have used on talking CB , Ham mobiles rigs got 30 days for full charge plus do 8 hours use each time too and hope try out to! One used in past was 850 Cold Cranking Amps and 160 Reserve Amps Hours ! Plus did great heat of Summer Season plus Cold Winter season months when super cold even my back garage home not instaulled or heat all time only when at home! But also need 4 to 6 amp fast or slow charger to recharge battery! Hopefully this hints try out !
Hey. I think that front hub on the old tricycle is a generator for a headlight. I really didn’t get a good look at it. Maybe spin the wheel and test it for voltage.
cool trike reminds me of the meter maid carts used , 3k though that 1k more than the explorer i drive
About to complete my first ebike build, just waiting on the a few bits and pieces to tidy everything up. I also took some scrap parts and starting putting together a full suspension trike...after watching this, I think I may just make a motor mount for the trike too so I can swap the motor back and forth until I can get another one. I just took a smaller frame with 20" wheels, removed the rear and replaced with two 16" wheels / 2x threaded coupling with threaded rod connecting them. I had to swap sides the crank so it would align with new freewheel location. And i can just run two rear wheels with freewheels, one for motor, one for pedals. I had to drop to 16" rear wheels cause I didnt widen the rear tires out, and feet would hit 20" wheels when pedalling. It is pretty low to the ground...i could make it electric power only and go back to 20"...or maybe even some pedal extensions or a wider bottom bracket could let me run 20" without making a rear axle. (No welder, just angle grinders and nuts and bolts). I found these cheap plastic cutting boards that are just under 1/2" thick that i make a lot of parts from...motor mounts and bushings, mostly. Couple bucks, can glue it to make thicker blocks. It is great stuff to work with. Can also heat and bend it, of course. I got a small Mastercraft hand saw made for cutting pvc pipe that cuts through it great, and is only like $7 or something.
I stumbled upon this and was hooked! Thank you 🙏
Wild success!
Chain breaking and slow acceleration would be fixed with a larger driven sprocket on the rear axle of the DIY trike.
That e-trike is so well built. I can see it in the video. The price went down. Well worth what the price is. (Just under $3000).
Ebikes are pretty popular here when there's not any snow. I've been too cheap to buy one though
Hey I really enjoyed your video and that was a pretty nice well-informed feel that you did!
Good show. Definitely inspiring.
I went the DIY route similar to yours. It's fun if you're so inclined. I never got used to 1 back wheel stopping me when I pedaled backwards and the horrible noise the brake made over 10 mph😂
Ok! Addmotor wins ! I've been looking at three wheelers for awhile now. I even thought about doing the DIY thing too. Too labor intensive. I've got friends with AddMotor bikes who swear by them. Also looked at Rad and Lectric. The rest are Chinese junk (pun?). Thanks for the no boring sales pitch and very informative hands on video. Marc from Lake Elsinore California
The sprocketed spikey doohickey looks like someone made a homemade wood lathe drive or that what my mind came up with.
I keep a list of all the companies that give stuff away to TH-camrs that I might purchase one day. If they weren’t giving stuff to people that could more than likely afford it if they wanted it. They could sell to all of us cheaper. I will never purchase from a company that does this and do my best to discourage everyone I know from buying from those companies. I might be wrong but it’s the way I feel and I’m entitled to my own opinions.
It's one of the most cost-effective means of advertising. If they only did conventional ads you'd have to pay a lot more. I do agree some companies get carried away (like ThruNite) when they want to approve your video before you can publish it.
As food for thought, I've been working in manufacturing for decades, and the biggest factor in the price of a product is volume. You spend a long time setting up a system to make a part in minutes. More sales drastically reduces the cost per part. The advertising goal is to get more sales, which reduces the cost per unit. Of course there's a balance point, but companies are going to spend money to advertise somewhere.
Fantastic!
The thing with the sprocket and the brass bushing looks like a drive for pig roasting, the spikes go into the pigs back end to turn it on the spit.
My best guess for the spikey thing with the nuts welded on is it's a makeshift lathe dog. Someone rigged up something to turn wood.
Does it make sense that the add motor is twice as fast because 48v vs 24v on diy?
Thanks for sharing your talents and adventures.
Great experience, Im sure the experience and performance would be closer if the DIY had similar batteries with less weight and more power. Your only running 24VDC.
the pre-built bike cost 10X as much, can't ride it in the rain, can't leave it in the sun. My vote is for the home built bike. Plus it was more fun to put together! :)
Get another motor & power each rear wheel, then add a hub motor for the front wheel.
I know this video is old, but I don't care. I actually have a pedal-only fat tire bicycle, and I've had dozens of punctures, and the tubes are patched like crazy. I finally figured out that instead of going tubeless, just to inject the tube with sealant, solved all of those flats issues. Those stupid goat's head stickers were to blame for the vast majority of the punctures too.
That was an interesting and good video! Like you, I do things to try and help make my Dad's life better, and like you found out, simpler is better. Just today I "helped" him get his rechargeable electric razor working. The issue was that it is designed to operate only when the charge cord is disconnected. Because I suspected the charge cord had to be disconnected, I took care of that and it worked, but I'm pretty sure I saw those clouds of disbelief in his eyes. I was a little concerned when your Dad got close to the building on the faster and more powerful bike. If you're like me, you'll want to give your Dad the better bike, but be careful. Oh, with regard to the weights, I think the lead acid batteries added a lot to the weight of the DIY rig, and I'd like to see you try some inexpensive LiPo batteries. I started to say "cordless tool batteries", but the cost of those is a big reason I don't have many cordless power tools. I bought a cordless drill from Harbor Freight Tools, and I believe they buy downgraded batteries that have been rejected by other companies - mine have a high self-discharge rate, so must be charged the night before use. Maybe get name-brand used batteries from eBay?
Just a heads up, those replacement tires you got if they are anything like the ones made here they are not real rubber sort of plastic ish and will crack and fall apart after a couple years.
What a wonderful video!
On the DIY by you should have come up with a way for the electric motor to power the freewheelin tire on back, then that way you have a two-Legger when you need it
Great comparison
dodge different, good on ya.. love the channel.!
Picked up a barely used Miami Sun trike 6 years ago for $200. I pedaled that little tug boat for 5 years. I am now 76 years old with a partially paralyzed leg. Last fall I put an EBikling 1200 watt front hub motor kit on it with a 52 volt 19.2 amp battery. With everything included I have $1300 in my Etrike. My trike will take terrain, hills, etc with ease. I have no idea how fast it will go, because 18-20 mph on a trike is FAST. I know the trike will do 30-35 miles on a charge, probably more. I have never let it go below 20% charge. I have the bike set at 25 mph, and with my 170 pounds, it approaches 20 mph. The pedals become useless around 15 mph. I could set it at 50 mph, or unlimited. I am just trying to stay legal....AND alive! I put 225 miles on it last winter. ...in Iowa! My dog runs along side me. Off leash through traffic! For me, I have the right trike and the right dog, in the right town, at the right time in my life.
I am running three dogs now. The Ebikling kit has been flawless. i do 6 miles a day when there isn't snow. The dogs love it! Great granddaughter's pup hits 19- 20 mph. I am 77 now, and i stay with him. Start with a good frame. I am thinking about the Addmotor 31 this spring.
The piece you have @ 16:35 is an adjustable cup for a bike bottom bracket
At 19;03 that is a single speed freewheel, very cheap, often not worth rebuilding as the bearing races are usually crap
Problem with many chains now-a-days, is they are made in china. It's hit or miss getting a good one. I fix and build bikes as a hobby, I see more broken chains in the last 10 years than 60' 70's, 80's, 90's, 2000's combined. I think it's called chinesium
Many thanks for making this amazing video! Your bike looks nice also. Enjoy your time with our #Addmotor #Grandtan 😊.
Many international places limit those electric motors to 300 watts, so over 700 would be illegal on the road. Also 48V is very "chunky" as even 36V would be typical. It's probably a good idea to check local laws before buying.
U really help me thanknu. Just trying to do same u are building I don't know how
I had a motorized trike it’s top heavy it needs the center of gravity much lower so you don’t fall over
The part you are talking about looks like an old starter from maybe a riding mower or something
Elephant Butte lake. Last time I was there was in 1980 with a Honda ATC 185 from Champion Honda in Roswell. lol
I have not heard about leaving the battery in the sun, I have not had a problem on bikes and wheelchairs and never has any warning been given in any of the handbooks. Lead acid, gel batt and lithium plus my solar panels have 4 kw of storage in the attic in heat and have not shown a problem. Strange about not using it in the rain as well.
Probably a bit late for it to matter, but all of the electric bike parts of that ADDmotor are somewhat generic parts that should be readily available online. Could make for a DIY Etrike Mk.2
Your Lil'Talk at the End. Well, It shows just how much our country is Screwed Up anymore. It shore ain't the same one as I grew up in❕
I put a 1500 watt motor /wheel on a trike and it gets about 30 mph - but the tires and brakes needed upgrading
19:37 I agree, Everything should have a twist throttle.
maybe use the m340 to turn the diy into a frankenstein that goes fast and is easy to use. cover the lithium battery with wood or plastic so the sun won't cook it and leave a gap for cooling.
Could you post what it is you put in the tire. I don't understand all words in my old age and the caption is somewhat convoluted and says weird things. First time I watch your channel. Good job.