Need help with electric bicycles - (((paging Longhorn)))

[Swamp Rat]

My car was messed up in New Orleans and I can't, nor do I want, to buy another gas powered car. My commute to school (approx. 20 miles round trip) is too difficult and long on a regular bike, and will be way too dangerous at night, especially since there is a lot of debris on the road after Katrina. I haven't very much money and may end up buying a cheap, used balloon-tire bike or mountain bike (I can't ride my Trek and Nishiki road bikes any longer because of back problems). If I have to ride a regular bike, it will take me 2 hours to get home, at night, with literally insane drivers on the road and very few police to protect me. An electric bike would decrease my travel time by 50% or more.

I found this website:
http://www.electric-bikes.com/bikes.htm

So far I like the "Charger" the best:
http://www.electric-bikes.com/others.htm#Charger%20Bicycles

Any other recommendations?

[Longhorn]

1. Hey, Swamp Rat!

I wish I could claim to be an expert on these bikes but I only have experience with the one I have, the Lashout. I have learned a lot about the bikes, though, and if I had it to do again, I would add a BionX kit to an existing bike or I would get one of the higher-power Lashouts from NYCE Wheels. TidalForce has gone out of business so any bikes you see on ebay are likely part of a scam.

Here are some sites you might want to check:

www.nycewheels.com (Giant makes an electric bike that sounds good.)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/power-assist/
http://www.evdeals.com/

I've done business with EV Deals and NYCE Wheels with good results, though I got my bike from a local dealer. The site you mentioned was a good place to start, by the way. It's the first site I found, too!

My bike would be better if I didn't have so many hills. I have taken to carrying a second battery, which adds a lot of weight but doubled my range.

Good luck and let me know if you have any more questions!

[Swamp Rat]

2. Thanks!

I'm still trying to find a comprehensive review of available e-bikes on the Internet. I tried searching through the yahoo board you linked, but to no avail.

Do you personally know of anybody who has experience with the BionX kit?

[Longhorn]

3. The Yahoo board is hard to search.

It only searches a few posts at a time and then you have to keep telling it to search some more. Your best bet to get info there is to join the group and post your questions. There are folks on there who have the BionX kit. There are many on that board who also like the Crystalite kit.

When I first looked into this, I almost got a Wilderness Energy kit for my Trek. It's a front hub kit. However, there were warnings about putting it on a bike with a suspension and aluminum fork, both of which my bike has. Plus, they were going to cut the dropouts to make it fit, which would weaken the fork even more. I didn't want to alter my Trek so that's why I went with the turnkey e-bike. The only problem I've had is low-voltage cutouts toward the end of my 17.5 mile hilly commute. That's why I added the second battery in parallel, which has taken care of the problem. However, my bike now weighs about 100 pounds!

NYCE Wheels has three models of Lashout bikes, each one with a more powerful motor and battery system. If your commute is relatively flat and you pedal a lot, you won't need the extra power but if you have a lot of hills, you might. You also might need to carry your charger and recharge at work.

I've been doing a one-way commute where I drive to work with my bike on a rack, ride home, ride back, and drive home, then repeat on Wednesday and Thursday (I don't work Fridays.) I teach at a community college and my schedule in the spring semester (beginning next month) will allow me to do a full commute so that's my next goal. However, this is the last week of the fall semester and I haven't been riding for the last couple of weeks (I went on a cruise and then came back sick :( ) so it will be more than a month before I get back to it.

For advice on bike commuting and a place to share, you might want to check out www.bikeforums.net. It's a very active board and there are commuters from New Orleans on it, too. Not a lot of info on electric bikes (other than me!) but other than the motor assist, cycling is cycling! :)

[Swamp Rat]

4. Again, thanks!

You have been very helpful. :pals:

If you have the time, please take a look at this e-bike: "The Charger." I am seriously considering it because of the combination of price, features, and the possible top speed of 30 mph! (with a slight modification)

http://abc.eznettools.net/D300013/X300109/eBike1.html

[Longhorn]

5. The Charger sounds like a good bike.

I was wondering why I couldn't recall anyone on the Yahoo board having one but I think it's because they quit production and are just starting up again. The different levels of assist sound similar to what the TidalForce bike had -- it was considered quite a sophisticated bike but very expensive -- $2500 and up! I would definitely be interested if I didn't already have the Lashout! The Charger is about the same price as mine was.

The tough part about this is not being able to see the bikes for yourself. We have a dealer in Austin so I was able to test ride my bike but I wish I could have checked out others. This is such a new and developing field that we're all somewhat pioneers! I'd still post a query on the Yahoo board -- I haven't found another with as many knowledgeable ebike riders -- but keep in mind that some of them are dealers so they have their own prejudices. But they seem to be honest in explaining why they have their views. They were very helpful to me in figuring out what to do with my motor cutout problems. I was ready to chuck the bike and get another one and even though they don't think highly of my bike, they advised me on how to make it work.

Let me know what you decide and how it's going! It's good to have another ebike rider here at DU! :)

[Obamanaut]

6. You might try here also

http://www.bentrideronline.com/

Go to their messages button and then search. If you join, you can post a question and get a multitude of answers. This is mostly a recumbent site, and I've read articles about electric assist on some trikes

[lfairban]

7. I have had a Currie e-bike for years.

It has been relatively trouble free. Got it at a discounted price of $900. Shop around, I have seen them being sold in the $5-6 hundred dollar range. It looks much like the one in the picture, but is built on a Schwinn mountain frame.

I burned out the motor once trying to go up an embankment that was way too steep, company bought me a new motor since it was still under warranty.

The controller broke, got a new one from the company, installation was easy.

The original batteries wore out after years of service. They guy at the company I talked to said I could get an exact replacement at Radio Shack. The local RS didn't have the right size ones in stock so I got two slightly smaller ones that weighed less and have less range and life expectancy. I figured this would be advantageous since I do mostly short rides.

OK, it looks like over the last six years, I have replaced most of the system, but it has still exceeded my expectations.

You may find that Car drivers are a little more tolerant if you can go from 0-18 mph effortlessly from a stop light and can maintain it as a cruising speed. They will just wait to get around you, and sometimes in a 25mph zone, will just stay behind you because their is not much point in passing.

http://www.currietech.com/html/currieCatalog/CTI_comfortProd.html

When I first got the bike, it hard to get ahold of the company for support, but they were soon sold and taken over by people who do a good job of getting back to you.

The Charger looks like a good choice for $700, except that I don't think I would like pedal actuation. I know of a lot of times it is easier to get started by just hitting the thumb switch than putting your feet on the pedals. This may not seem like much, but if you are in an awkward or tight situation, it can be a big thing.

If you have back problems, it is a bigger consideration. When I was having back problems, I could ride with ease but had problems standing at a stop light. Thumb control or twist throttle might be better for you.

Due to the long distance you are considering on a daily basis, don't skimp on the batteries. Lead Acid would be OK but you might consider a system that will accommodate Lithium Ion or Lithium polymer batteries. They cost a fortune but really reduce the weight and last longer. L/A batteries can add 20 or more pounds to the overall weight which degrades performance.

You may also wish to visit this site for feature comparison of various models:

http://www.werelectrified.com/

One more thing:

Modifying a bike to exceed 20 mph or 700 W may run you afoul of regulations, you may need to register it as a motorcycle instead of a bike and it may not be legal for bike paths. Actually, I doubt that anyone is actually checking this yet.

[Swamp Rat]

8. Thanks for the info

:hi:

[happyslug]

9. Check your Motor Vehicle code as to the need for a License

My Home State of Pennsylvania Treat Electric Bikes as Mopeds and demand you have a Driver's License to operate them (In the 1970s this was a separate license but today all you need is a regular Driver's License or a Motorcycle License). The Moped itself must also have a License (including bicycles with Electric motors attached).

In Texas the opposite rule applies, no license (At least according to Longhorn). You need to check your motor Vehicle code (Do NOT go by what your Local Police say, most do NOT know).

[BiggJawn]

10. In Indiana, it's horsepower and top speed.

Anything less than 2 hP that can't go over 25 MPH requires no license.

Since there's no 2-stroke noise coming from the bike, Rat could probably bullshit the cop. "Dude! you ever see Lance Armstrong cruisin' at 30 in that Frenchy race?" ;-)

[Swamp Rat]

11. LOL!

I once went 53+ mph behind a truck on a highway (on a Trek road bike, 700Cx19 tires). Though I didn't crash, I'll NEVER do that again! :eyes:

As long as the assistance doesn't exceed 20 mph, it's totally legal throughout the USA to ride with no license. I'm thinking about the "BionX" that only works while pedaling (no throttle), so it looks like a regular bicycle except for the battery and rear hub.

[Longhorn]

12. I'll be anxious to hear how it turns out

if you decide to go ahead with the Bion X. Or anything else, for that matter.

I haven't ridden since November and it may be a couple of months before I can commute again. I really miss it, too. But I was assigned an evening class in a town 30 miles away two days a week. Once it starts getting dark a little later, I think I'll be able to commute the other two days. I don't really like riding in the dark on these country roads, though I do have a good light system.

Good luck on your decision!

[happyslug]

13. NO IT IS NOT LEGAL IN EVERY STATE

Unless the Federal Government preempted State Law, State Law is what you have to go by. In Pennsylvania ANYTHING with an engine is a Motorcycle, a Motor-Driven Cycle or a Motorized pedal-cycle (or a regular Passenger car, SUV or light Truck or commercial truck). There are NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE In Pennsylvania.

Now most states seems to have adopted the rules Texas and Indiana have, but some states have adopted other rules. Check with your state.

Pennsylvania Definitions as follows:

"Motor-driven cycle." A motorcycle, including a motor scooter, with a motor which produces not to exceed five brake horsepower.

"Motorized pedalcycle." A motor-driven cycle equipped with operable pedals, a motor rated no more than 1.5 brake horsepower, a cylinder capacity not exceeding 50 cubic centimeters, an automatic transmission, and a maximum design speed of no more than 25 miles per hour or an electric motor-driven cycle equipped with operable pedals and an automatic transmission powered by an electric battery or battery-pack-powered electric motor with a maximum design speed of no more than 25 miles per hour.

Motorized pedal-cycles do NOT need to be inspected, but Motor Driven Cycle are:
http://www.dot10.state.pa.us/pdotforms/pub_45/section_jk.pdf

Both MUST BE LICENSED (Fee $9.00 per year):
http://www.dot10.state.pa.us/pdotforms/mv_forms/mv-70s.pdf

And you have to have a Regular Driver License (Called a "Class C" License) in Pennsylvania to operate either:
http://www.dot10.state.pa.us/pdotforms/vehicle_code/chapter15.pdf

Most other states do NOT require what Pennsylvania calls a "Motorized pedal-cycles" to be registered with the state NOR does the operator have to have a Driving License, but Pennsylvania requires BOTH.

If you operate a Motorcycle in Pennsylvania who have to have a Motor Cycle License (Which also permits you to operate Motorized Pedal-Cycle or Motor Driven Cycle).

For more see Pennsylvania Vehicle Code:
http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/vehicle_code/index.shtml

[Swamp Rat]

14. Thanks, but I have no intentions of riding a bike in Pennsylvania.

Too cold.

Anyway, there is a new federal law which defines bicycles (SR 1156):

http://www.electricstar.org/inventors.html

http://www.extraenergy.org/main.php?language=en&category=information&subcateg=39&id=671

Section 2085. Low-speed electric bicycles

(a) Construction
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, low-speed electric
bicycles are consumer products within the meaning of section
2052(a)(1) of this title and shall be subject to the Commission
regulations published at section 1500.18(a)(12) and part 1512 of
title 16, Code of Federal Regulations.
(b) Definition
For the purpose of this section, the term ''low-speed electric
bicycle'' means a two- or three-wheeled vehicle with fully operable
pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts (1 h.p.), whose
maximum speed on a paved level surface, when powered solely by such
a motor while ridden by an operator who weighs 170 pounds, is less
than 20 mph.
(c) Promulgation of requirements
To further protect the safety of consumers who ride low-speed
electric bicycles, the Commission may promulgate new or amended
requirements applicable to such vehicles as necessary and
appropriate.
(d) Preemption
This section shall supersede any State law or requirement with
respect to low-speed electric bicycles to the extent that such
State law or requirement is more stringent than the Federal law or
requirements referred to in subsection (a) of this section.


A00071 Memo:

TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the definition of electric assisted bicycle

PURPOSE: This bill clarifies the vehicle and traffic law to define electric assisted bicycles; establish that electri assisted bicycles, as defined, are bicycles, not motor vehicles; and establishsafety and operational criteria for their use.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS: Section 1 of the bill adds a new Section 102-c to the vehicle and traffic law, defining electric assisted bicycles as:

A bicycle with two or three wheels which has a saddle and fully operative pedals for human propulsion, and also has an electric motor. However, the electric motor should not have a power output of more than one thousand watts, and should be incapable of propelling the device at a speed of more than twenty miles per hour on level ground. The electric motor should also be incapable of further increasing the speed of the device when human power alone is used to propel the device at or more than twenty miles per hour.

Section 2 adds an exception in section 125 of the vehicle and traffic law to the statutory definition of motor vehicle for electric assisted bicycles.

Section 3 adds a new section 1240 to the vehicle and traffic law, making the rules, regulations and provisions of the vehicle and traffic law applicable to bicycles applicable to electric assisted bicycles; makes the federal equipment and manufacturing requirements for bicycles or motor driven cycles applicable to electric assisted bicycles; and adds the following operational and safety requirements for electric assisted bicycles: electric motor disengagement criteria; all operators and passengers are required to wear bicycle helmets; and no-one under the age of 16 may operate or as a passenger on an electric assisted bicycle and establishes the civil fine and enforcement procedures for failure to wear a helmet.

Section 4 is the effective date.

EXISTING LAW: None.

JUSTIFICATION: Defining and establishing operational criteria for electric assisted bicycles will clarify for authorities that these vehicles are more akin to bicycles than motorcycles. This will assist in interpreting the application of the appropriate vehicle and traffic laws to operators and passengers of these vehicles.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2004 A.588 - Passed Assembly; S.7389 - died in Senate Rules Committee

2000 Original bill - Died in Assembly Transportation Committee.

1999 Original bill - Died in Assembly Transportation Committee.

1998 Original bill - Died in Assembly Transportation Committee.

1997 Original bill -Reported by Assembly Transportation Committee;
Died in Assembly Rules Committee

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect immediately.

Edit: Pennsylvania may impose their own laws, such as the one you mention, but it doesn't mean people will follow it, nor does it mean Pennsylvania police will be able to inforce it statewide.

[happyslug]

15. Appears to apply to HOW bikes are made NOT how their are used.

16 CFR 1500 et seq covers who regulates bicycles for Safety Purposes, thus the stature affects WHO regulates electric Bicycles, i.e. electric Bicycles are to be regulated by the CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION (CPSC) NOT The Federal Highway Safety Administration (FHSA).

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title16/16cfr1512_main_02.tpl Since the law only covers who regulate the safety of Electric Bicycle NOT how they operate on the Highway, that is up to the states, and Pennsylvania have NOt changed their State Law as to Electric Bicycles.

[Swamp Rat]

16. I had a feeling you were going to see that.

:D

Anyway, I'm in Louisiana where it is (almost) legal to drink and drive... laws and statutes are barely enforced here, and since the hurricane, almost NO traffic laws are obeyed. Cars regularly go through red lights/stop signs in New Orleans, for example, because there are hardly any police. I fear to ride a bike now because there are thousands of drunk Texans (building contractors) driving around at night in their SUVs, hauling their Mexican laborers from bar to bar. These guys literally drive around, day and night, while holding bottles of beer. A couple of days ago, a drunk driver in a Dodge Ram (Texas plates) nearly killed me in front of my driveway when he drove backward at full speed going through 3 stop signs. :scared:

The upshot is, unlike Pennsylvania , we do not have restrictions on pedal assisted electric bicycles like the Bion X system. :)

[Longhorn]

17. Even if you did have such regulations,

most people can't even tell my bike is an electric bike. I have to point it out to them. Many think the battery is a storage box. I also suspect that unless I'm doing something dangerous or illegal, the police have other things to do than to stop me. Now, if I was tooling down the road at 45 mph, that would be a different story. :D

[happyslug]

19. I Know

I have been looking at the Heinzmann Hubmotor Electric Drive for use when I climb my local hill (Ok It is Allegheny Mountian). You can get it as a Rear Wheel or Front Wheel Drive. I am looking at a Front a Drive Wheel, with it I could just change out the Wheel. The Hubmotor is just a lttle bit bigger than my existing Front wheel Hub Generator. So yes, it will hard for a officer to see it is an electric Motor NOT front Generator.

http://www.heinzmannusa.com/components.html

[Kolesar]

18. If I can get to work 20 minutes sooner and not sweaty, I want it

My commute is 15 miles each way with 900 feet of climbing to work and 500 feet of climbing on the way home. (See profile here: profile) It takes about 70 minutes if I hustle (a few more on the way up). A third of it is through a beautiful metropark, which makes the trip appealing. With distances like that, time becomes a factor and the best I have done is the much-talked-about "half commute" where I leave the automobile at work over night.

My highway commute is 14 miles--10 miles on the freeway, six traffic lights, and 25 minutes

I am discouraged by the time in the morning. With all that climbing, I definitely have to go to the shower at the fitness center in the morning. That discouraged me from doing the commute, especially when the sun comes up late in the morning.

I read all of the links on all of the posts that you earnest DUers put up on the thread :thumbsup: . My impression right now is that electric bike technology cannot sustain 27 miles of cycling in a day, and even struggles to accomplish ten miles of electric cycling. The battery technology is not up to it. A moped with a small ICE may be the solution for such distances, but they are heavy-ish. The BioneX system with its high-energy-density battery seems to be the closest fit to my needs. It could give me an extra 200 watts of pushin' on the hills, give me speeds of 10 mph instead of 6 mph, and get me to work sooner. I would be pedaling for exercise, and I would ride round trip. I would put fenders on the rig and laugh at the afternoon rain.

It is undeniable that I am going to have to be lugging another 20 pounds of apparatus around with the battery, controller, and the motor. The ol' Nashbar is going to be sluggisher off the line and I am going to have to do more "work" (E or W in the classical physics term) to move that twenty pounds on all the flats and slight grades when the motor system is off. I won't be able to borrow 100 watts from the system on the flats just to zip me along 5 mph faster, because I will need to leave the charge in the battery for the hill. I am still figuring how and whether to recharge my battery at work. I don't want to have to lug my charger on the bike. That's not minimalistic.

So, I am trying to figure whether I can get that quick commute to work I dream of. There are three traffic lights at very busy streets that can eat up three minutes of my morning. If I could net 20 mph, instead of the 13mph (I recall) I was getting, I could be at work in 45 minutes.

Looking at this data from http://www.electric-bikes.com/bikes.htm , it is apparent that I will be still getting a work out and lugging a discharged battery for a lot of the trip:

Another way to compare performance is the ability to gain elevation. Here are some anecdotal estimates:
ZAP DX system with 13-lb battery can gain about 450 feet of elevation
Currie U.S. ProDrive system with 20-lb battery can gain about 800 feet of elevation
Betterbike Model 20 with two 20-lb batteries can gain about 1600 feet of elevation
EV Global 36-volt bike with 20-lb battery can gain about 800 feet of elevation

We have very expensive electricity at 13cents/kWh, I figure it will take over 200 commutes for a BioneX kit to pay for itself. The labor of installing it is just something I would do for the love of Earth. Having read all this, do you think I will be happy with the BioneX kit? :)

[Longhorn]

20. I don't have all the answers but here is what I do know from experience:

My commute is very similar -- ten miles and 15 minutes in my car via the highway; 17 miles and about 1-1/2 hours by bike. I have lots of hills, slightly more downhill going to work than coming home. I never had trouble with enough power to get up the hills -- even the 11-percenter leading up to my campus -- but I did have trouble with range until I added the second battery. My motor has an internal controller with a cutoff that is notoriously too low. I have ridden a TidalForce bike that has similar technology to the BionX and it takes hills with little effort. Unfortunately, those bikes were expensive and now the manufacturer has quit making them.

My battery charger is maybe twice the size of my phone charger. In other words, carrying it with me is no big deal at all. A second charger just costs too much, in my view, compared to carrying the charger. And you would definitely need to recharge at work. What is a hassle for me is carrying the two batteries and my gear up to my office from the bike rack. To solve this problem, I bought a small dolly that I can lock to the rack (I'm about the only cyclist on campus) and use to carry my gear up the elevator.

My bike, without panniers, weighs about 100 pounds with the two batteries. However, I honestly don't notice it on the flats and I can even pedal up some low grades without the motor.

As great as that electric-bikes.com site is, it is somewhat out of date. Some of those bikes have been improved or are no longer available; others have since come on the market.

Check out the yahoo group I mentioned up thread -- you'll find more people with experience with the different bikes. Good luck and have fun!

[Kolesar]

23. How many minutes to get to work now?

Thanks for writing all that and I studied your thread. I have been off reading the links. The yahoo group really moves swiftly.

Your hope was to make it to work in 75 minutes instead of the two hours it looked like originally. What times are you pulling?

I am also trying to figure if I can use my hyperglide (Shimano) freewheel on a hub motor provided by Bionex or another company. It is a 1980s vintage design with the old "wide" chain. I kind of doubt it. If not, I'll be putting it on the front wheel, which has less traction.

[Longhorn]

24. The last time I rode in November

it was taking me about an hour and a half. So I do think the 75 minutes is within reach after I start riding again. Right now, it's just too dark when I get off work to ride home on dark country roads where no one is expecting a cyclist, even with all my lights and reflectors.

I hope the conversion works out for you. Keep us posted! :hi:

[Kolesar]

25. I have been doing lots of reading on this

BioneX now has a 350Watt motor and a 36 Volt battery pack. That rig would really "earn its keep", which is to say it would bring my speed up for a lot of the trip and not become a dead weight. A Lithium battery pack is $995, and the system is $1525 with shipping. My calculations say that it would take 400 trips to work & back to pay off the cost in gasoline. However, I would save 10,400 miles on my car! That's like a year of driving. (!!) An NiMH battery pack is cheaper at $1150 but is so big & heavy it has to go on the rear rack.

http://www.greenspeed.us/bionx_350_lithium_battery.htm

Nycewheels has the owners manual and installation manual pdf files to peruse: http://nycewheels.com/BionX-user-guide.pdf

You can run at 200% power assist for 25km, it says. I started getting visions of power assist uphill on the way to work, and then going insane speeds like 40mph on all the downhills, even the slight downhills. Then I read that the assist tails off at 12 mph and ends assisting at 20mph. I have heard those things can be defeated. Or I will reprogram it to say I have 20" wheels and fool it. I could go ~30% faster, but I would not know my real speed, though.

My hunch is that the Bionex motor has a permanent magnet field "stator" on the wheel, and a variable speed AC drive driving a multipole "rotor" on hub.

I better get some kind of rain suit like the motorbikers wear. This won't just be a sunny-day commuter.

[Kolesar]

21. Ohio

I would presume from all this that a bike with an electric, or any motor, needs a license.

4511.01 DEFINITIONS

Vehicle: Every device used for the purpose of transportation on a highway. Exceptions are motorized wheelchairs, devices powered by overhead electric trolley wires, or which moves exclusively on stationary rails or tracks, and devices other than bicycles moved by human power.

Bicycle: Every device (other than a tricycle designed solely for use a s a play vehicle by a child) propelled solely by human power and having either two tandem wheels, or one wheel in the front and two wheels in the rear, any of which measures more than 14 inches in diameter.

4511.713 Prohibition of Motor Vehicles on Bicycle Paths - No person shall operate a motor vehicle, snowmobile, or all-purpose vehicle upon any path set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles, when an appropriate sign giving notice of such use is posted on the path. This law does not affect any rule of the Director of Natural Resources governing operation of said vehicles or bicycles on lands under his jurisdiction.

I would have to go with the "hub motor looks like just a generator ruse" to ride on the multipurpose trail. Some park rangers know me as "the guy who organized the anti-Bush rally", and they are not unfriendly. ;)

[Kolesar]

22. We're Electrified Site

http://www.werelectrified.com/index.html

[Swamp Rat]

26. Thanks for the link

I hadn't seen that conversion kit before.

[Kolesar]

27. Heinzmann Hub Motor, DC, brushed

I believe that it has a centrifugal clutch. There is actually a gear train built into the hub motor. This sounds like a good product. Can be mounted to the front or rear wheel. Rear wheel applications sound tricky due to "dishing" issues, but I am not sure I read it right.

http://www.kinetics.org.uk/html/the_motor.shtml

[Swamp Rat]

28. Thanks for the link n/t