# eCarbon



## exi (Aug 28, 2016)

This was first posted in Fat Bikes
If you think it is okay for a 70 +year old to ride an ebike on mountain bike trails, then read on.

Another bike wasn't really needed in the garage, ebike or otherwise... but if a "last bike" was to be constructed for an old guy and truly be the "last bike" built, it needed to be special.

Timing is everything and after many months of shopping a NEW carbon full suspension frame that was large and strong enough for 6'-4" geezer showed up. The frame from XM Carbon Speed In Stock! CS-001 newest full suspension fat bike frame 26er for 177*12mm axle - Xiamen Carbon Speed Sport Goods Co.,Ltd fit the parameters because its lower frame spacing would allow the motor to be mounted above the crankset. That is not saying the current favorite Purple Mountain bike with a Bafang BBS-HD is not awesome, but the BBS-HD motor slightly below the crankset does some dirt excavating and bark trimming a little too often.

The chance to buy carbon parts "directly" from persons with excellent online reviews was a deal not to pass up. It was good to find out that all good things said about Peter and Bella at XM Carbon Speed were true. They answered questions promptly and carefully packed/shipped the frame fast. The frame fit and finish is excellent and it was easy to mount existing components from other bikes to XM with no issues. The wheels are of equally excellent and are easy setup for tubeless. It would be more honest to say the wheels were actually exceptional, as they were the easiest 4.5" tubeless setup ever installed. Using only one layer of 75mm Orange Seal tape and 46mm valve stems, they actually held air for over a day before adding the liquid sealer (don't use goralla tape, it is too heavy and thick)FHR80C-35mm 2016 Super tough Carbon Speed - Fat Club 80mm fat bike rims 80mm width 35mm depth - Xiamen Carbon Speed Sport Goods Co.,Ltd

Someone may be saying this excellent bike is being ruined by adding an electric motor? That is much easier to say if you are not over 70 with years of too many crashes. Luna Cycles sells a Cyclone 3000 motor that offers the flexibility necessary to build the inside frame configuration. Although motor has more power than needed, custom mounting brackets would allow the motor to be mounted inside the frame for better ground clearance. The package is topped off with 52 volts with 16 amp hours of HobbyKing LiPo Multi-Rotor Drone batteries installed in a hydration backpack. The backpack without water is only about 14 pounds and the bike rolling weight is less than 48#. Which is excellent for a large 21" frame full suspension electric mountain having 4.5" tires with a motor cranking out more torque than an old 250cc dirt bike. The motor could handle 72 volts, but that power could make it a unicycle rather than a woods bike.

Bottomline, the strength of the XM Carbon Speed full suspension fat bike frame combined with awesome Cyclone power this may be the ultimate geriatric
mountain bike.

See picture of the eCarbon and the Purple Mountain it updates

​


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

exi said:


> This was first posted in Fat Bikes
> If you think it is okay for a 70 +year old to ride an ebike on mountain bike trails, then read on.
> 
> Another bike wasn't really needed in the garage, ebike or otherwise... but if a "last bike" was to be constructed for an old guy and truly be the "last bike" built, it needed to be special.
> ...


Wow.

Just... Wow.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


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## WoodlandHills (Nov 18, 2015)

Le Duke said:


> Wow.
> 
> Just... Wow.
> 
> Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


 I know....... That's a couple of nice bikes! Ditto WOW.......


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## WoodlandHills (Nov 18, 2015)

Don't retire the Sniper/BBSHD rig yet: the carbon one is only legal on motorcycle trails AFAIK


BTW, how loud is the Cyclone compared to the BBSHD? I am thinking of building up one for the Green Sticker trails in the National Forests as my next winter project, but I am in love with having a quiet BBSHD today.


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## fos'l (May 27, 2009)

Fantastic build; how about some close ups. Also, did you use an 8-speed chain on the Cyclone gears? Getting ready to nestle a Cyclone in a Kona Honzo frame and run at 52v. What's the top speed; estimate at least 35 mph. BTW, WH, what do you mean by "winter" project. You mean when the temp drops below 80 F?


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## Moe Ped (Aug 24, 2009)

Very cool bike(s); nice cars too!

Very much like something I thought about building up; that Cyclone package at Luna is almost too good of a deal to pass up.

Of course I would only ride such a machine on my private property or at the local moto park; you'd better have a good way to prove that you're only pimping 750 watts everywhere else.

_"...cranking out more torque than an old 250cc dirt bike"_; yep that's a moto right there.


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## exi (Aug 28, 2016)

The BBS-HD is silent and I have never seen walkers, rider or dogs notice. The Cyclone can be quiet at a fast walking pace, but if you crank on it the chains seem to make a more obvious noise than the motor. The eCarbon is not geared for speed, the main sprocket is 44t and the sprocket driving the rear wheel is a 34t or 36t. I do not think anything larger than a 36t will clear the chainstay.

IMHO, it is more about the Cyclone torque not speed and there is no intention to add a speedometer. The Purple Bikesdirect Sniper with the BBS-HD will be the best bike for multi-purpose trails, but during weekdays the Cyclone should be okay if ridden carefully.

Bottom-line, because Luna has priced the Cyclone right... everyone should build one and making the bracket from sheet aluminium is not hard. You need a metal cutting saw, 1 3/8" bi-metal hole saw, alloy tubes for better spacers, bolts and some ingenuity to make stronger bracket attachments than what comes from Luna

.


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## life behind bars (May 24, 2014)

Le Duke said:


> Wow.
> 
> Just... Wow.
> 
> Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


Yep.


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## slapheadmofo (Jun 9, 2006)

exi said:


> may be the ultimate geriatric mountain bike.


Cool rigs, but NOT mountain bikes.


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## Moe Ped (Aug 24, 2009)

slapheadmofo said:


> Cool rigs, but NOT mountain bikes.


Agree; mountain mo-ped is what it is.


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## WoodlandHills (Nov 18, 2015)

fos'l said:


> Fantastic build; how about some close ups. Also, did you use an 8-speed chain on the Cyclone gears? Getting ready to nestle a Cyclone in a Kona Honzo frame and run at 52v. What's the top speed; estimate at least 35 mph. BTW, WH, what do you mean by "winter" project. You mean when the temp drops below 80 F?


 Winter, the cooler "rainy" season, is the best riding season especially if we get mud. But the summer is when I can pack up and drive to the mountains for a few days of camping, riding and cool air. So I like to build stuff over the winter while limiting my riding to Topanga State Park which is a few hundred yards from my home and then try to break it over the summer!


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## fos'l (May 27, 2009)

WoodlandHills said:


> Winter, the cooler "rainy" season, is the best riding season especially if we get mud. But the summer is when I can pack up and drive to the mountains for a few days of camping, riding and cool air. So I like to build stuff over the winter while limiting my riding to Topanga State Park which is a few hundred yards from my home and then try to break it over the summer!


WH, just kidding; I do the same although am in Orange County and don't know about rain. Maybe it's the stuff that Noah talked about. Anyway, like you I'm relatively close to the beach and the cooler air helps keep the surrounding parks more pleasant.


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