Below are photos showing the exterior and interior of a well-used PedalEasy hubmotor (as well as several showing how it looked when it was new). Detailed internal inspection showed no sign of significant wear, dirt, or corrosion, and it was still well-lubricated with the original grease – a testimonial to the sealing and durability of these motors! This […]

For several reasons we designed our bikes to be motor-assisted at the front wheel, as opposed to the rear wheel or at the crank. One reason is better weight distribution. With a rear mounted battery (or seat-tube mounted one for that matter), having the motor on the front wheel helps make the bike feel more […]

  This is an update on an earlier post “Our Batteries”, please refer to that article for background on NCR chemistry. Estimates of the service lives of lithium ion batteries, particularly of new chemistries like the Panasonic NCR batteries we use, are of necessity based on what is termed “accelerated aging” tests (because this new variant […]

Virtually all electric bikes now use radial flux brushless DC motors (BLDC). These motors however, vary considerably in audible noise level. Many (particularly geared hub motors) produce quite a noticeable hum, particularly under load, accelerating or when climbing a hill. The hum is gear clash that stems from the high frequency electrical pulsing that all […]

  “Efficiency” is key to engineering an ultra lightweight vehicle of any type. Both motor and drivetrain electrical and mechanical efficiencies have been optimized in our bikes: Motor With a peak hubmotor electrical efficiency (ratio of output power at the road to battery power consumed) of 75%, our motor ranks amongst the most efficient motors […]

(Paper presented to Ontario Science Expo Youth Group, Nov 2013)   For the past four years I have been working on what I consider to be the ultimate vehicle…the lightest electric bicycle on the market. But rather than dwell on technical details, I would like to (1) give you an overview of what I see […]

(Paper presented jointly by Ron & Claudio Wensel at University of Ottawa Heart Institute, 26 September 2013) First & foremost I want to thank you, the team members of this fantastic facility. I, like many others, owe my life to you. But…today (thankfully) I am not here as a patient. Rather, My son and I […]

Serial number__________________(metal-stamp on underside of frame bottom bracket)   Safety Checklist: Brakes Check that both front & rear brakes effectively stop the bicycle Check cables and housings for kinks, corrosion or other damage Check that housings are fully inserted in housing stops Check brake levers are securely fastened to handlebar Check that V-brake arms move […]

Over the past few years my wife and I have travelled to numerous places for extended cycling trips of various types… cycle-path touring in Belgium and the Netherlands, road touring (Italy), and mountain touring (BC). My wife uses a conventional bike and I use my Pedal Easy electric bike. Air travel with our bikes has […]

Our “hybrid” model bikes have characteristics of a road bike (light weight, 700c large diameter wheels for low rolling resistance) and characteristics of a light-duty mountain bike (somewhat wider tires, non-drop handlebars, more upright riding position). A hybrid design allows riders to sit in an upright position that gives them good visibility, good control, and […]