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FAQ'S
- Frequently asked
questions
What
are the differences
between the various
Bike Electrified
Models?
The B-36 is a BrushLESS
motor system (the
motor has no brushes
inside it), and is
our "top of the
line" kit. It has
better "start-up
torque (and
consequently is
harder on your
batteries), than the
BFP-24. Although the
top-end speed and
performance of the
B-36 is roughly the
same as the BFP-24
(which is a BrushED
motor system), you
will get 20 - 25 %
more range out of
your battery pack
with a B-36 system
compared to the
BFP-24. The other
advantage of the
B-36 is that you
will never have to
change the brushes
inside the motor.
How soon will I have
to change the
brushes in my BFP-24
hub motor?
Even with heavy use
(riding your Bike
Electrified BFP-24
two hours a day),
you will still get
two years or more
use out of your
Brushed motor before
you have to change
the brushes. A
regular BFP-24 user
can expect five
years use before
they need to worry
about changing the
brushes. When it
becomes necessary
for you to change
the brushes in your
Brushed motor (you
will notice
intermittant power -
it will not start
sometimes, and shut
off for brief
periods of time then
restart), you can
either send your
motor back to us and
we'll change the
brushes for you, or
you can do the job
yourself. The
hardest part is
getting the motor's
case open; changing
the brushes is about
a 30 second job. We
will have a
"Changing Motor
Brushes" page on
this website soon,
within the next few
months.
Why should I buy the
BFP-24 instead of
the B-36?
The BFP-24 is our
least expensive kit.
It's brushed hub
motor is very
sturdy, and the
electronics that run
it are simpler than
the electronics of
the B-36. The
standard controller
that comes with your
BFP-24 has a maximum
amperage (the amount
of power that can be
sent to the motor at
one time), of 10
AMPS, so even though
it doesn't have
strong start-up
torque, it is much
easier on your
battery pack than
the B-36, so your
batteries will
probably take more
charges and have a
longer life-span
than they would with
the B-36. (see
"Battery Rating"
overview below in
the battery section.)
If you want more
start-up torque out
of your BFP-24, and
don't care too much
about getting a lot
of charge cycles out
of your battery
pack, then you can
upgrade to our
Brushed 35 amp
controller. One
final advantage to
the BFP-24 is that
it can be run at 36
volts by adding
another 12 volt
battery to your
battery pack.
However, bear in
mind that this may
not be legal to do
in some areas, since
you will be
increasing your
top-end speed by 33
% (26-27 mph on a
26" wheel - and many
states/municipalities
have a street limit
of 20 mph bicycle
speed.) You will
also void your
Wilderness Energy
warranty. But if you
want speed, then the
BFP-24 is the kit
you want because it
can be run at a
higher voltage than
the standard
designation, whereas
the B-36 cannot.
Why should I buy the
B-36 instead of the
BFP-24?
The B-36 uses a
BrushLESS motor
instead of a
Brushed, which means
it's efficiency is
much better; about
20-25% better than
the BFP-24. So if
you're planning on
using a bicycle for
longer trips, such
as commuting 10
miles or more to
work; then the B-36
is the kit for you.
The B-36 has no
brushes inside the
motor, so you will
never have to worry
about changing them.
It also has better
start-up torque that
the BFP-24 with the
standard 10 AMP
controller. The B-36
has a lighted thumb
throttle, which
tells you when you
are powered up, and
when your battery
pack is running low.
How sturdy is my
Bike Electrified kit
and how long will it
last?
We at WE (Wilderness
Energy), have gone
to great lengths to
perfect our kit as
much as possible. We
feel very confidant
that our kit is the
very best on the
market today. If you
treat your Bike
Electrified kit with
love and care, it
should last you
years and years!
Plus, our kit is
componentized, which
means if that you
happen to abuse, or
inadvertently break
one of the
components in your
Bike Electrified
kit, i.e.: you dump
your bike and smash
the thumb throttle
to bits - you can
order a new part
from us and when it
arrives, unplug the
bad part and plug
your new one in, and
nobody will be the
wiser! This applies
to all components in
the Bike Electrified
kit: Hub
motor/wheel,
Throttle, Key
switch, Controller
unit, Battery pack,
and Smart charger.
How fast will my
bike go with the
Bike Electrified Kit
installed?
On a 26" wheel, your
bike will reach a
top speed of 20 mph.
On a 24" wheel - 18
mph, 20" wheel = 16
mph, and 16" wheel =
14-15 mph.
How far can my Bike
Electrified go?
With the B-36 kit,
we like to use the
formula: 20/20,
which means your
bike will go 20 mph
for 20 miles, but
that is under the
following
conditions: 26"
wheel with thin,
slick street tires,
150 lb. rider, flat
riding terrain, and
no stops or starts.
In the real world,
you will probably
get 15 miles per
battery pack charge
with the standard
battery pack, and
about 10 miles more
(25 miles +) with
the extended range
battery pack.
How much drag does
the motor create
when I am not using
it and pedaling
instead?
The motor has
magnets inside it,
which do create a
slight amount of
drag. You probably
will not notice the
resistance when you
are pedaling on a
flat surface. On a
hill you will notice
the slight drag, but
this would be a good
time to hit the
throttle and let the
motor assist you!
Is
there any way to
increase the range?
Yes. The first thing
you can do is pedal
with your motor,
especially when
accelerating from a
dead stop, since
this is where the
most power is used.
Also, using high
pressure tubes (65
psi or above) and
street slick tires
can increase your
range by 30% or
more. Decreasing
your "rolling
resistance" will
always increase your
range.
How can I determine
if the Bike
Electrified kit will
fit on my bicycle?
If your bicycle
wheels are any of
the following
standard wheel
sizes: 16", 20",
24", or 26", the kit
should fit! However,
make sure that your
bicycle has a
minimum of at least
3 ¾" distance
between the front
forks - 4" is
better, 4 ¼" is
pushin' it, and 4 ½"
is too wide. Also,
you will need to
have 4" clearance to
a minimum of 5" up
from the fork
mountings, so if
your front bike
forks taper in as
you go up, you'd
better check the
distance where the
forks narrow 5
inches above the
fork mountings to
make sure that you
still have 4"
clearance.
Will the Bike
Electrified kit come
mounted in a 700C
wheel?
At this time, we do
not offer the Bike
Electrified hub
motor mounted in a
700C wheel.
Can I buy the Bike
Electrified kit
without the hub
motor mounted in a
rim?
You can purchase our
kit without rim and
spokes; however, we
do not recommend
this. You will incur
many costs trying to
get your hub motor
mounted in your
custom rim:
approximately $20 or
more for a rim, $8
or more for spokes,
and most bicycle
shops charge $30 or
more in labor to
build custom wheels.
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