[theluckycountry]

My health is very good for a 60'yo, I put it down to regular cycling and some light gym work at home. Since I retired I have picked up the cycling with short midweek rides, nothing gut busting, I don't believe in that, just 10 miles or 15 miles at a reasonable pace so the heart rate is up around 125 for a sustained period. I'm losing weight as a consequence which is good news. Not that I was grossly overweight, just 6 or 8 kg, middle-aged spread I think they call it. My right weight is about 92, that's with a flat belly.

[The_Toecutter]

My health must be pretty good given how fit I am. I'm pushing 40 and random strangers who don't know me mistake me for a teenager, so I'm doing something very right. I can do 100 pushups in a row with ease, and if I turn the electric motor of my custom trike off, I can sprint to more than 35 mph with nothing but my legs powering it. Riding my Milan velomobile 100 miles in a day also is not taxing to me physically; I can sprint to almost 50 mph in that on flat ground, and it has no motor at all.

Speaking of that custom built bike, I've got the rear shock almost installed. It will soon have full suspension. My new 3T wind motor is installed and that should allow it to reach more than 100 mph once I build the next battery pack for it. With the body removed, I took it to 40 mph last weekend on a 46.8V battery pack, and it had plenty more to go before topping out. I had a lot of fun doing donuts in parking lots and hooning it about the neighborhood. A new body necessitated by the changed dimensions(adding rear suspension and going to a smaller rear wheel allowed me to recline the seat back further and slightly lower the ground clearance) is being designed, based upon the Milan velomobile I purchased. I'm aiming for the lowest drag I can get while maintaining accessibility/serviceability to all of the components as well as having enough ground clearance for going over bad roads at highway speeds without bottoming out.

I'm targeting the ability to cruise 35 mph on flat ground using only 300W power draw from the battery without any pedaling, while riding on DOT rims and solar car tires and lugging around a roll cage. If successful, I'll have the world's most efficient "car", so efficient that you can turn the motor off and pedal it to car-like speeds if sufficiently fit. Turn the motor on, and it will do donuts in parking lots and take modern cars off the line at a stop light drag race, and get the equivalent of thousands of MPG. If I get it slippery enough, I'll be able to cruise 60 mph on 1,000W, and 100 mph on 4,000W. The entire complete vehicle will weigh under 100 lbs.

Before I removed the body on my custom trike to add the rear shock, I could do 150-200 miles @ 30-35 mph on 1.5 kWh, or about $0.15. Light pedaling was required. Most new cars at today's gas prices won't even go 1 mile on that amount of money. The next body will cut that consumption to about 1/2. It's also going to get solar panels.

[AdamB]

Before I removed the body on my custom trike to add the rear shock, I could do 150-200 miles @ 30-35 mph on 1.5 kWh, or about $0.15. Light pedaling was required.

I could do 150-200 miles @ 120mph on the autobahn? No pedaling required. And who cares what is costs, A) it would be the autobahn and B) it is on 2 wheels at the speed of light aircraft.

Most new cars at today's gas prices won't even go 1 mile on that amount of money.

Too bad folks aren't looking for efficient bicycles. And until you solve that pedaling thing...well...that and the A/C issue.

The next body will cut that consumption to about 1/2. It's also going to get solar panels.

Keep up the good fight Toe. Let me know when you've got something for sale commercially. Without all that pedaling and stuff of course. And if it could get high efficiency at 120 mph on the autobahn, that would definitely be a plus!

[Newfie]

Toe,

Good for you. I like to hear someone who actively trying to solve problems. Keeping the hands and mind busy is another very necessary form of exercise.

How is the job doing?

[The_Toecutter]

Too bad folks aren't looking for efficient bicycles. And until you solve that pedaling thing...well...that and the A/C issue.

The pedaling issue is easily solved. Gut the bicycle drivetrain and install a thumb throttle or twist throttle, or rig up an accelerator pedal. I was using a thumb throttle to do donuts in it last weekend. It lights the back tire up effortlessly and with this new motor allows it to accelerate like a 150cc motorcycle.

I only have the pedals and bicycle drivetrain to pass as a "bicycle" to law enforcement, especially since I have no license and the vehicle is uninsured, untagged, untitled, and unregistered. And in some jurisdictions, including where I live, it legally is a bicycle.

A/C would be more difficult, because there isn't an AC system on the market small enough for this application. I'd have to design one. Not a priority in the least. If I were to try to commercialize a one-seater car version of this vehicle, making such a system as an option would be prudent.

Keep up the good fight Toe. Let me know when you've got something for sale commercially.

That will take an amount of money that in all likelihood I will never have from working a job. Maybe I should sell dope?

And if it could get high efficiency at 120 mph on the autobahn, that would definitely be a plus!

Doable. Probably not with my current motor(it will only make about 4 horsepower continuous, but more than 20 peak), but if I put in a Hubmonster 6-phase PMDC motor that could do 50+ horses peak and more than 15 horses continuous andand got the aerodynamics right, this part is relatively trivial compared to other things I would like to do to this vehicle. Maybe even 150 mph cruising would be possible.

It would only need about 6 horsepower to do 120 mph. That would be ~0.040 kWh/mile with a high efficiency Hubmonster motor. If electricity isn't your thing, theoretically, even a lawnmower engine could do 120 mph @ > 200 mpg, and a small diesel would fare significantly better.

How is the job doing?

Taking up way too much of my time. Many weeks I've worked over 60 hours. If I had the free time, I could have had this project much further along. I still have lots of parts laying around uninstalled.

Hoping to buy some land soon.

[AdamB]

Too bad folks aren't looking for efficient bicycles. And until you solve that pedaling thing...well...that and the A/C issue.

The pedaling issue is easily solved. Gut the bicycle drivetrain and install a thumb throttle or twist throttle, or rig up an accelerator pedal. I was using a thumb throttle to do donuts in it last weekend. It lights the back tire up effortlessly and with this new motor allows it to accelerate like a 150cc motorcycle.

Well, a 150cc motorbike isn't a bad start.

Keep up the good fight Toe. Let me know when you've got something for sale commercially.

That will take an amount of money that in all likelihood I will never have from working a job. Maybe I should sell dope?

Ah, it sounds like you are having a good time, getting better at building your dream 2 wheeler, I say keep it up, old fuddy duddy's like me are satisfied with EVs far less cool than what you're building.

[C8]

I took it to 40 mph last weekend on a 46.8V battery pack, and it had plenty more to go before topping out.

I'm targeting the ability to cruise 35 mph on flat ground

That's got to be dangerous in a vehicle with no safety elements like a crumple zone, etc. Aren't you worried about a crash?

[The_Toecutter]

Ah, it sounds like you are having a good time, getting better at building your dream 2 wheeler, I say keep it up, old fuddy duddy's like me are satisfied with EVs far less cool than what you're building.

The dream is actually a 4-wheeler. I have 3 wheels because of legal reasons. My vehicle is legally a "bicycle" because of the way I configured it. 3 wheels also provides the static stability that 2 generally cannot and I never have to worry about keeping it upright. As fun as 2 wheels is, I don't like the effort that goes into riding such a vehicle. I prefer 4. 3 is a good compromise based upon what the law defines a "bicycle" as.

In the long run, I'd like to build a 1-seater "car" with 1 peak horsepower per pound of vehicle weight, that only needs about 1.5 horsepower to cruise 60 mph. With AWD using a hub motor in each wheel and no transmission to sap power, one might get enough traction with solar race car tires to accelerate from 0-60 mph in 1.9 seconds, 0-120 mph in 4.5 seconds, and if limited to 120 mph, do the 1/4 mile drag in the mid to upper 8 second range with a trap speed of 120 mph. And if someone gets into a police chase, they could pick it up and carry it into an apartment for hiding.

That's got to be dangerous in a vehicle with no safety elements like a crumple zone, etc. Aren't you worried about a crash?

A) That is why I'm designing a roll cage for the next design iteration. It will weigh about 20 lbs but provide enough protection that it might be safer than cars from the 1970s.
B) It isn't exactly safe, but it is safer than a moped or motorcycle and it used to have a body that could take an amount of force in excess of that generated by the vehicle's laden mass and gravity. Someone rear-ended me when I was stopped at a light and I was uninjured as a result. I used some old election signs to repair the bodywork for the tail section. Pics of the original body below:






Its safety with that body design is probably comparable to a car from the 1940s. Better than nothing, but not exactly acceptable either.

[Plantagenet]

Every few years we get an explosion in the number of Tiger Swallowtail butterflies up here in central Alaska.

This is one of the years they are everywhere.

One of my favorite hikes goes along a sunny, grassy ridge, and there are thousands of butterflies there to rise into the air as you approach, and then settle after you hike on by.

They look like Monarch butterflies, but they are homegrown Alaskan butterfly giants.



Cheers!

[JuanP]

My wife and I expect to become US citizens in less than 2 weeks.

We have also found a gorgeous piece of land in the Dominican Republic, which we are in the process of purchasing. It is a beautiful spot on a mountainside with ocean views and beach access with a dock nearby. We intend to build a handful of hurricane proof cabins and create an off grid eco resort. This will be in a partnership with 3 great friends who will manage the property and business. They are retired Americans with dual citizenships residing there. We are very happy right now!

[JuanP]

Every few years we get an explosion in the number of Tiger Swallowtail butterflies up here in central Alaska.

This is one of the years they are everywhere.

One of my favorite hikes goes along a sunny, grassy ridge, and there are thousands of butterflies there to rise into the air as you approach, and then settle after you hike on by.

They look like Monarch butterflies, but they are homegrown Alaskan butterfly giants.



Cheers!

Very pretty! We have 10 species of swallowtail butterflies in Florida, including Giant Swallowtails, which can be up to 8 inches! My favorite is the Palmedes Swallowtail, but it's hard to pick just one type. They are truly majestic! My wife and I manage multiple pollinator gardens, both public and private.

[The_Toecutter]

Rear suspension installed:



I might have it going again this weekend. I look forward to taking corners with it at > 1.0G lateral. With the more reclined seat angle and the resulting lower center of gravity, that may be possible. The tires will be the limiting factor.

A 130V battery pack would theoretically be enough to reach over 110 mph with the current motor and continuously maintain 90 mph on flat ground, once the aerodynamics are optimized. This is with a 4 horsepower continuous motor that might make 10-20 horsepower peak depending on how I set everything up. Acceleration will be very car-like from 0-60 mph, perhaps under 8 seconds.

A new redesign of the body is underway. As is a re-iteration of the roll cage I want to make for it. But all of this is a giant set of iterative design processes to optimize it for my application.

I'm intent on it being sufficiently low in aerodynamic drag that I can turn the motor completely off, and in spite of its mass, reach 45+ mph pedaling it on flat ground. This means it will move faster than most new cars with even only 10 horsepower peak available from the electric motor. And it will get me around for tenths of a cent per mile, or maybe travel from St. Louis to Chicago on $0.30. Not even mass transit could do that.

[AdamB]

I'm intent on it being sufficiently low in aerodynamic drag that I can turn the motor completely off, and in spite of its mass, reach 45+ mph pedaling it on flat ground. This means it will move faster than most new cars with even only 10 horsepower peak available from the electric motor. And it will get me around for tenths of a cent per mile, or maybe travel from St. Louis to Chicago on $0.30. Not even mass transit could do that.

Quite an efficiency/engineering accomplishment. Are you going to attempt such a St. Louis to Chicago transit to prove the point when it's finished? I remember the first time I set off to "prove" a point as a young man, while I failed miserably, it was a wonderful experience that I still cherish to this day.

[Doly]

We have also found a gorgeous piece of land in the Dominican Republic, which we are in the process of purchasing. It is a beautiful spot on a mountainside with ocean views and beach access with a dock nearby. We intend to build a handful of hurricane proof cabins and create an off grid eco resort.

What's your plan B if TSHTF before you can build your cabins?

[C8]

My wife and I expect to become US citizens in less than 2 weeks.

We have also found a gorgeous piece of land in the Dominican Republic, which we are in the process of purchasing. It is a beautiful spot on a mountainside with ocean views and beach access with a dock nearby. We intend to build a handful of hurricane proof cabins and create an off grid eco resort. This will be in a partnership with 3 great friends who will manage the property and business. They are retired Americans with dual citizenships residing there. We are very happy right now!

I went to DR once on a resort vacation- very nice place. A lot of Haitians were at the resort, it was almost like a day trip for them. I really remember the peacocks. Is your land near the sea?

[JuanP]

My wife and I expect to become US citizens in less than 2 weeks.

We have also found a gorgeous piece of land in the Dominican Republic, which we are in the process of purchasing. It is a beautiful spot on a mountainside with ocean views and beach access with a dock nearby. We intend to build a handful of hurricane proof cabins and create an off grid eco resort. This will be in a partnership with 3 great friends who will manage the property and business. They are retired Americans with dual citizenships residing there. We are very happy right now!

I went to DR once on a resort vacation- very nice place. A lot of Haitians were at the resort, it was almost like a day trip for them. I really remember the peacocks. Is your land near the sea?

A few blocks away. I will go see it in person in about 10 days, before the closing. I like the DR very much and have very good friends living there in a Permaculture farm I helped design and build. It will be my last departure from the USA using my Uruguayan passport.

[Newfie]

We spent 3 weeks in Luperon, took a bus to Santo Domingo, rented a car and drove high into the mountains.

Very neat place. But the noise from the motor bikes!

[The_Toecutter]

Since I had the day off, I rode my Milan velomobile around the local area. Here's some pics:

Lets take a look at the future which companies like Boeing will bring us:



Riding around the airport:





















This used to be a homeless camp, but it looks like the cops drove everyone out:







Gub'ment housin':



More gub'ment housin'(Pro-tip: carry a weapon when travelling through here at night. You might need it. Better safe than sorry.):



Abandoned gas station:



Met a neighbor with an interesting car at a different gas station:

[Newfie]

Not a pretty world we are making.

[AdamB]

Not a pretty world we are making.

Toe, if you don't mind, what general part of America, or an American state might you live in? That one abandoned looking apartment building would be multi-million dollar real estate where I live, rather than a trashed out looking hulk. I'm familiar with what big chunks of Appalachia looks like, and those pics just didn't have that flavor to it.