Electric-Bikes.com

Date: Fri, 25 Jul 2003 16:37:50 -0000
From: "Paul Heinzerling" <pheinzerling@uakron.edu>
Subject: Crap Scooters

Well --- they're not a total waste IF you don't expect too much and IF you don't pay more than about $200 US.

On a whim, I made an impuse buy of two of them (250W motor, 12AH batteries) from a neighbor at my summer lakeside home community. I have a Currie F-18 and a bike with original EV Warrior system, so I have units of at least fair quality to compare them with.

I and my contemporaries are now getting to the point in life where we're dealing with bad backs, knees, lungs, feet, and attitudes. Speed is starting to scare the crap out of us, and we're looking for ease. These cheap Boreem-types are OK for popping down to get ice cream, going to the lake, and general sightseeing. I am 205# and it will take me up a reasonable incline, albeit slowly and with throttle balls-to-the-wall. (If anyone wants to know where that expression originally came from ask, but I won't lengthen the post with it).

Here's what I found:

They are designed better than they are built. The first thing you have to do is take them apart and finish the manufacturing - much like my 71 Chevy when it was new; China doesn't have a monopoly on crap manufacturing. Mainly, you have to correct for the fact that in China they apparently can't see straight! Motor and chain sprockets were laterally and axially out of line - a lot! Wheel sprocket tilted maybe 10 degrees from motor sprocket. So -- strip to the frame, bend the rear frame elements that hold the wheel, and make custom spacers to line the wheel up again laterally. Sorry, Deafscooter, but put it back together with the same parts. Maybe run some wires out the seatpost hole so someday you can add extended run batteries and ammeter, voltmeter, or Wattmeter. Lubricate everything.

I reverse-engineered a schematic, and conceptually it's not too bad. But it's a good idea to go through all the taped, soldered splices to make sure they haven't made a bad connection. Molex must be a dirty word in China.

No cost here of any kind, unless you want to add Molexes to make it easier the next time.

The batteries were reasonably fresh, and a log showed that the charger is indeed "smart" and fully charges them.

Guest love 'em and grandkids love 'em. Cute. Might even make a reasonable mobility scoot when you get ready, but probably won't last that long.

Please no responses telling me how gullible I am. I'm fully aware of their limitations. This is just to say that they're not a total loss.

Best, Paul Heinzerling, Hudson, OH

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