Anyone actually riding the Golden motor electric kit???????

[dray]

I want to buy one but I need some real life answers..

How do they compare to Crystalyte?
How fast are they really?
Can I add another battery for more speed?
Are they durable (im 220lbs lol)
Whats the "actual" distance wiht 3 lead acid batteries?

I know the guy did an instructable on it but there was nothing about how much he enjoyed it , how fast it was etc..

I a mthinking of buying in bulk possibly not huge but maybe 100 kits for friends and I have a 10,000 sq foot shop in Orange county Ca and I was thinking of possibly selling a few on the side if they are decent kits. They don't have to be great but if people get on and are surprised at how fast and how powerful they are etc it would be a fun side venture. (I get tired of building cabinet after cabinet lol)

Danny Ray
http//:www.drayconstruction.com

[Draggin]

    Danny Ive had one for two months.  I've put 1000km or 600mi on my Golden hub motor.  From what I gather Crystalyte is slightly more refined but are about three times the price.  I have read that they suffer from the same problems that plague hub motors and that is connectors/wiring and some problems with the hall sensors.  This causes a pinging sound when you rotate the tire.  Mine even does it when the battery is unplugged.  This hasn't hampered preformance just sounds like a car alarm chirp.  Chirp chirp chirp every 4th revolution of the wheel.  I'm short and fat 5 foot 5 and 250 well 240 now since I got the kit.  I am exactly 10 mi or 16km. from work. It takes never more than 32 min even in a wind compared to 45 min on my racebike.  I have 3 moderate hills enroute 50-75' verticle.  I top the hills at 31 km/20mi per hr.  On my road bike its like 12km or 8mi/hr topping the hills.  Without pedalling the ebike goes 31km or 20mi/hr.  If you pedal cruise is about 36km most of the time.  average speed for the trip is 32km 20mi per hr. but I have done 34km average with a tail wind.  The added battery goes in a back pack.  When my kit was new I only got 10 mi per charge the weather was cold 26-28 degrees it took a full 6 hrs to charge.  The batteries are soon conditioned and I think the range is about double now 2-3hr charge is common.  Now about this kit.  I now do not mind stopping at stop signs.  The torque is outragous.  Everybody who rides it comes back with a big smile on there face.   At 5 dollars a gallon this kit was almost free already.  next time I'm in the city I'l pick up some hall sensors and some bell wire and rebuild robocricket.  I think this problem is rare however.  I don't really think you can beat this kit.  The speed controller sure looks like the 48v 1000w one in the picture.  Mine says 350w on the stator maybe thats on 24v the dimensions says its 600w.  The performance is good.  You will think after a few miles that you are going slow till you try and make a turn then you realise that you came very close to the curb on the other side of the road......4 lanes away.  I put extra big brake pads on the front, well worth it.  Construction took two evenings and included a coat of tremclad on the doner bike.  And remember if the battery goes dead your Draggin.     

[Brandnew]

Draggin, Thank you. I have ordered two kits and am now feeling much better about them. I am buying these because I need two kits and the GoldenMotor's price makes it possible. Are you running your kit on 36 or 48 volts? Also am I understanding it correctly that riding your bike with the hub motors unpowered(batteries removed) that there is considerable drag from the hub motor? What do you do about the Hall Effect, the chirping? This would drive me crazy. Thanks Gary Lockhart

[Draggin]

  Gary, My kit runs on 36 volts.  I wouldn't want to go any faster.  Its fun when you are 5 mi into your ride when you see another bike on the horizon.  I a min. you can half the distance and in another you are on his fender.  Thats when you spot the $8000 bike with lots of spandex even biking shoes and biking glasses.  I wonder what he's thinking when a short fat guy blows past wearing work boots and a backpack.  Riding with the battery unplugged is like a regular bike.  it feels alot slower because you have been spoiled from the 600w boot in the rear.  Remember you are 100watts about and Lance Armstrong is 150w

[myelectricbike]

Don't feed the trolls.

[doc]

Ha ha ha! I can't tell you how many $8000 bikes with spandex clad bikers I've blown by against the wind with me wearing work boots, fat tires, and sitting upright on my $100 Schwinn with a 36V brushless motor on the front.  Most riders have no clue it is electric because it is so quiet.  I've put my extended battery pack in a nylon cloth cooler that fits perfectly around the plastic battery case.  It is really tough to realize it is an electric bike unless you know what hub motors look like.