A lot of people ask me about my bike: what brand is it, where did I get it, how much did it cost etc. Here’s the scoop. And look here for an excellent overview of all electric cargo bikes.
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Frame Surly Big Dummy $1500 I ordered my bike from Glenn Swan, local Ithaca bike mechanic extraordinaire. The frame is a Surly Big Dummy. That’s right it’s called a Big Dummy—you got a problem with that? The bike is surprisingly light and nimble despite it’s size. It has very high-quality components. The shifting is quick and reliable, which is important when using a geared electric assist. And in Ithaca you can’t skimp on brakes—you really need disc brakes when you’re going downhill at 35 mph with your daughter on the back. If the cost of a Big Dummy is more than you are prepared to swing, consider converting an old mountain bike to an Xtracycle using their $240 Free Radical kit. |
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Motorization Cleverchimp Stokemonkey $2000 I purchased an electric motor kit for my bike: the Stokemonkey made by Clever Cycles in Portland Oregon. The Stokemonkey is made especially for the Surly Big Dummy and other Xtracycle bikes. The Stokemonkey kit comes with all the hardware and electronics you need, including a mounting bracket, chain, speed sensor, computer, motor, and motor controller. I purchased a top-of-the-line LiFePo4 battery. It took me and Thea three or four hours to install the motor. The first thing you will notice about the Stokemonkey is that it feels heavy: the motor weighs 13.2 pounds and the battery weighs another 12. But the next thing you notice is that the Stokemonkey is capable of carrying four hundred pounds of people and groceries up the steepest hills in Ithaca. Cool! This motor can carry 16 times its weight! If I were that strong I could carry 3,200 pounds! Most electric bikes incorporate the motor as the hub of a wheel. The Stokemonkey motor, in contrast, attaches to the crank. In that position it is able to take advantage of the whole range of gear ratios that your feet enjoy: low gears for carrying big loads slowly, and high gears for tearing up the boulevard (at up to 20mph at which point the motor cuts out as required by law) If the price of the Stokemonkey frightens you, note that if you live in an area less hilly than Ithaca a $500 hub motor kit may do you fine. Check out kits sold by Cycle 9 or E-BikeKit.com. |
Accessories |
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Racks Xtracycle Longtail and Cargo Van kits (the Longtail kit comes with the Big Dummy; the Cargo Van kit adds another $140) The Surly Big Dummy is a “longtail” cargo bike, so-called because it incorporates the open-standard “Xtracycle” extension. The Xtracycle extension is also available as a kit to convert a normal bike into a longtail bike. The Xtracycle people also sell various add-ons so that make it possible for longtail bikes to carry passengers, massive amounts of groceries, lumber, and even other bicycles. My Big Dummy came with the Xtracycle Longtail kit consisting of the vertical V-racks, the FreeLoader bags, and the snap-deck-thing-that-looks-like-a-skateboard-on-top. I’ve since purchased the Cargo Van kit consisting of the horizontal h-racks and straps. |
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Lights ebikes.ca Waterproof LED Lights $60 The fact that my bike has a large battery makes it possible for me to power various accessories. I’ve added especially sturdy and bright front and rear LED lights that were especially made for electric bikes by ebikes.ca. I’ve wired the lights so that they are always on when the bike battery is turned on. The lights draw so little power that I just leave them on day and night when I am driving my bike. |
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Canopy Clarkberg Xtracycle Accessories Laboratory about $150 for parts It has been my great pleasure to design this DIY canopy for the Xtracycle community. See my recent post. |
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Solar Panels Clarkberg Xtracycles Accessories Laboratory $900 to $1200 in addition to the canopy Extend the range of your electric cargo bike by solarifically charging your battery as you go. Read more about my adventures with My Solar Bicycle. |