I started yakking about this on my other thread "folding fat tire electric bike", and also have mentioned it in my ski flying thread, but thought I'd start a thread specific for the Montague and how it's working out.

I had it out in the real world yesterday, for the first time in a busy urban area (Logan UT) and also for the first time on level snow free pavement. I was short on time and needed to get downtown from the airport, so screw the pedal assisting and getting exercise, I just floored it and kept it there until I was in traffic. Mostly I was making just a bit under 30 mph, and that's moving pretty good on a bike. The lack of any noise is weird, overall it's a fun experience and still lets you flaunt most of the traffic laws that would get you a ticket if in a car or on a motorcycle. Parking is a non issue of course, just like any bicycle. I ran long in town and ended up short on daylight for my unlighted strip, or so I feared,so I again gave it all it had for the ride back, and ended up getting home at 5:15, about as dusky as I want to try on my strip.

It was a round trip of 12 miles according to the bike odometer, and I used, compensating for the fact that I started with a battery that was only charged 80%, a bit more then half of it's capacity. Slowing down even a little will greatly increase this range, as will slowing down to normal bike speeds. Slowing down and pedaling a bit will easily double or triple it. Being in a big hurry, it was nice the folding process went as usual, quick and easy. But damn, I could never had pedaled this distance in the short time it took, my little airplane has just got a bunch more practical. Having a way to get around quickly and easily once on the ground is the bugaboo of most of us pilots and while it only has 2 wheels it gets the job done amazingly well. I can't wait for my first xc this summer where I'm cruising along looking at the sectional and planning a fuel/food/whatever stop, based on how close to town a strip is. Now my choices are going to be vastly increased. I'm also looking forward to some fairly serious trail riding, I just ordered a different gearing setup that will give me the same already adequate top speed, but a bit more of a stump puller/crawler low low range. These little electric motors love the higher RPM's, it keeps the heat down, heat kills them.
Letting others ride it at flying get to gathers this year is a given, look me up

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Love the concept. I would think maybe more electric folding bike manufacturers ought to consider having exhibits at events like Sun-N-Fun or the MidWest LSA Expo show in Mount Vernon, IL.

http://www.midwestlsaexpo.com/2014-pictures.html

Also, I would think this would be the perfect opportunity for a bicycle company like RANS to develop an electric folding bike that fits PERFECTLY into an LSA aircraft like the S7 Courier or the S20 Raven shown below. I can't member who makes the S20 Raven ? ... I am sure the RANS people can find out

I have 2 montague folding bikes and really like them. My friend also has a couple of montagues and converted one last year to electric.

OMG that bike is awesome. Other than the fact that it doesn't quite fold up as small, it is awesome. I actually felt like I was putting myself at risk riding it going wide open. It was simply too fast! And it is crazy quiet. There was a guy watching me ride it out at the airport and I know he thought that I must be some sort of super human riding a bike that fast because my legs were barely spinning.

courierguy wrote:Mostly I was making just a bit under 30 mph, and that's moving pretty good on a bike.

Damn, you have bigger huevos than I do. I'd call that "terrifyingly fast on a bike"...

Squash wrote:I have 2 montague folding bikes and really like them. My friend also has a couple of montagues and converted one last year to electric.

OMG that bike is awesome. Other than the fact that it doesn't quite fold up as small, it is awesome. I actually felt like I was putting myself at risk riding it going wide open. It was simply too fast! And it is crazy quiet. There was a guy watching me ride it out at the airport and I know he thought that I must be some sort of super human riding a bike that fast because my legs were barely spinning.

Ha ha, you nailed it Squash!

Randy S. of RANS has seemed oddly uninterested in the whole carrying the bike in the plane thing, somewhat surprising as he is also a long time bike guy. That's cool, I'm not going to wait for him to sanction it. I clearly remember the the first time I saw a bare S-7 fuselage (about '93) and I instantly realized here was something I could fit a bike into! How well it worked out, even with the many minor changes over the years to both the Montague and the S-7 models, blows me away. Now with this latest E motor addition and it's STILL a viable option, thus my excitement over my hugely increased "area of operation" once landed somewhere. Sure it'd be real nice to be able to carry a passenger and two bikes, but that isn't going to happen until a person trades up to a Maule or other much larger airplane, and that's not for me with my 400' long strip.

I forgot to mention that what precipitated my quick trip to Logan the other day was while in the middle of lubing my tractor I ran out of high pressure grease, and rather then drive into Poky, I figured I'd fly to Logan and also see the bike dealer there. Well, at the end of a fun and interesting day, as I was pulling the plane back into the hangar, I realized I had forgotten to get the grease

I forgot to mention that what precipitated my quick trip to Logan the other day was while in the middle of lubing my tractor I ran out of high pressure grease, and rather then drive into Poky, I figured I'd fly to Logan and also see the bike dealer there. Well, at the end of a fun and interesting day, as I was pulling the plane back into the hangar, I realized I had forgotten to get the grease

Sounds like you better head back to Logan & try again.

I have some hard numbers on what seems to be the range of the bike now. Until I installed the use specific watt meter I now have, all I had to go on (pun intended) as to battery state of charge was a cartoonish icon of a battery, that would slowly disappear. The watt meter nails it down to the fraction of a watt.

I rode into town from the Preston airport the other day, about 4 miles one way. Landing here, and several other sites on the way. This is how a snowboarding/E-bike riding/ ski pilot leaves tracks 7K plus alt. both sites.




On the way in, I set the assist level (handlebar on the fly adjustable, 0-5, it adds a certain amount of electrical assist when it senses you pedaling, the more you pedal the longer your range) to level 2, and pedaled....but it was very easy pedaling thanks to the assist. Like I had a strong tailwind, not really work at all. I kept the speed right around 20 mph (it has a digital speedometer) as even bikers suffer from drag, and there is a big difference between 20 and 30 drag wise, the drag quadruples as the....., blah blah. Once at the cafe, I found I had used
35 watts, that worked out to 10.6 watts per mile covered. On the way back, I sat on my ass and played motorcycle, using the thumb throttle to set the speed again at 20, using the same gearing I had used earlier. You don't want to lug the motor, it likes high revs, it's totally silent no matter what, eerily so. I used 129.5 watts doing it this way, with no pedaling at all. That's 32.5 watts per mile.

A little math shows that I have a total of 600 watts (more or less) available in the battery I have, and I can get bigger, smaller, or another of the same size. So, if I play motorcycle, at 20 mph, I can go about 18.5 miles. If I help out just a little, I can go about 56 miles This should be more then adequate for my needs, though all these numbers are subject to wind, road surface, and most of all a heavy hand on the throttle (it's too much fun to resist going faster at times) I for sure should be able to haul ass at 20+ mph 5 or 8 miles into wherever, and back out, on a single charge, without pedaling at all. Recharge takes 2 to 4 hrs, dependent on several factors. A partial charge doesn't hurt anything. If it's the end of the day, and I'm over nighting somewhere with power to handle the recharge (less then 1 KW, call it a dimes worth of power) , it'll be pedal to the metal, efficiency be damned. If I have another stop or two planned and need the range, I'll pedal. In fact I'll probably pedal most of the time, as it's so effortless, not really work at all, and the payback is so great. So far the main reason I don't pedal every now and then is see if anyone notices anything odd about a bike really moving out on level ground with no movement by the rider, it's fun too. Crap, another expensive hobby

I like this thing so much, I just ordered another one, this one will replace the small fat tired 350 watt x 36 VDC hub drive (thus one speed) Trail Viper" I have carried in the crane the last month. The 1300 watt x 52 VDC mid drive (8 speeds, with subsequent gains in torque and speed over the simpler and less expensive hub motor) power unit in the Montague has so much more power, speed, and efficiency, the Viper suffers in comparison. Not another folder, it doesn't need to be for the crane it turns out, though I will have to make some folding chrome moly handlebars for it. It's going to be even more powerful, and geared lower, this will be my local trail bike, the one I'll be able to ride up stairs with. Fat tires of course, plus since weight won't be such a factor as the one for the plane, a battery twice as big.

Really interesting. Where do you buy the motor controller and battery from?

Best source of overall info: www.Endless-sphere.com the general E-bike forum Best source of gear :lunacycle.com also bikedirect.com

After circling for some time and then making a few low passes at a LZ I have used before when checking in with an off grid solar customer of mine, I was getting a little apprehensive. The pasture was snow just a few days ago, now it was scattered ponds and the "dry" part wasn't maybe that dry and probably damn soggy. Pretty tight too by the time I missed the standing water. The 3 sand hill cranes I spotted on the last low pass didn't help. For those that don't know, they are the size of an ostrich, or at least look that way when they are in your LZ. 3 or 4' tall, seriously.

I really needed to land though...... and then I realized I had a new tool in the box, the motorized Montague. I peeled off and headed a couple miles away to a range road that had a handy corral off to one side, just right for tying up the plane for an hour or so. Minutes later I pulled up at the job site after a swift and fun (and real easy) ride. I need to get used to thinking further/bigger now with the bikes increased capability. It's really proving to be a very practical way to get around, I have to re calibrate the eyeballs as to what is "too far" to ride, it ain't anymore. It was hilly enough to have been a PITA with no motor, with, it was fun and real quick.



After the work, a little ice skating/water skiing fun on the way back.

I finally finished the electric conversion of my Montague bike to the same system Courier Guy used but with the 1500 motor. They seem to be changing/upgrading this stuff by the week. The installation was very simple and straight forward. I now have 52 miles on the bike and all I can say is WOW. This thing is amazing and total fun. I find my real comfort level is between 15 and 20 mph , any faster than that and I have to pay attention to what I am doing. My standard setting is 4/5/6 gear and pedal assist #1. It is like pedaling along with a good tail wind. When I come to a hill I just roll a little throttle in or up the pedal assist to 2 or 3. I was thinking of replacing the stock 46 tooth front sprocket with a 42 tooth unit for better low speed power but I am going to hold off on that for a bit as this set up seems to work just fine for now.
The real value of this bike is IT TAKES THE WHEEZER OUT OF THE GEEZER.

I've been wondering how you've been coming along. Yeah, it's like being 20 again, but hell even when I was 20 I couldn't ride like I can now! You have the bigger (but heavier, and why I didn't get it for my little plane) motor, I'm sure it's a real crotch rocket! Re-check all your hardware, especially the main big nut that holds the motor in the bottom bracket, after everything seats in. Just like hanging a new prop, re torque after a while.

I threw that big chain ring that came with the unit away, into the scrap metal bin anyway, the 42 T Lekkie is much lighter and I still can go almost 35 top end. I am even considering going smaller, like my fat bike's Might Mini 30T. Once I do some major (as in steep) trail riding with the Montague I'll decide, lugging these motors down for any time climbing steep grades in too tall a gear is to be avoided at all costs.

I have been riding steep stuff, lots of it in fact, but with my fat bike conversion, the one with the bigger motor like you have. With the 30T chain ring it is damn near unstoppable This is a pic of yesterday's ride, at the top of a 28 degree slope, that's very difficult to walk up, climbing these the front wheel gets REAL light but the fat low pressure tires easily have the traction to climb slopes like this without coming close to spinning. It's gradually occurring to me that not only do I live in a pilot's paradise, I also have some fantastic riding terrain right close by. Several times now, I have flown and rode one of my bikes in the same day, that is a great combination.

The longest ride yet on the Montague, 46 miles, through one mountain range and over another. This thing is awesome! I am linking to the e bike forum I post on, towards the bottom of the thread is yesterdays ride. http://electricbike.com/forum/forum/mai ... s7-s-combo

Looks like this is changing up a gear, all kinds of new options coming.

http://www.tetongravity.com/story/gear- ... tain-bikes

If I was not building a hangar, a car and a kayak I would like to convert a bike. On the project list.

That Shimano unit is only 500 watts, the fun doesn't start until 1000 and above! Right now it is impossible to beat the bang for the buck the Bafang mid drives offer, just saying. But yes indeed, an incredible amount of innovation going on, along with a little scamming, buyer beware!

Just flew 1.7 hrs checking out tomorrows crane job, and landed a new hill site along the way. Now I have to see a customer about a little solar system for a cabin, I'll be e biking in there from 15 miles away through an existing trail system. One thing I have been doing, like today: it was perfect flying conditions this morning, so I went for it. Now, getting towards late afternoon, the wind is up, so the bike comes into play. Either way I get my fun button pushed, doing both in one day is

I love the concept and generally support ebikes. But for the love of all that is good in this world please please don't take one of these things in wilderness areas or single track that is not designated for motorized vehicles. These things are not bicycles, the are electric motorcycles. Lots of conflict going on with these things in the biking community - which has had to fight tooth and nail for access much like we do for aircraft access.

Indeed, a lot of MBR's are up in arm over sharing "their" trails, that used to be just for game until hikers came along, then the hikers got excited about the MBR's showing up. I rode 17 miles today on a single track, no faster then anyone else ( though I saw no one), never spun a tire, and didn't make any noise. Its not a motorcycle, my legs are telling me that! The fear seems to be that e bikes will somehow raise such holy hell that the non e bikes and everyone else will lose their access. It ain't happening though, lots of unbased accusations. These things are primarely being ridden by old farts, they ain't cheap, old farts who have paid a lot of taxes and are not causing any problems, and have low testosterone levels ! We ain't the problem. Maybe an age limit is the way to go, 65 and above, that'll work for me.! Wilderness areas? Of course not. So far, I've found the best riding far away from the dedicated MTB trails (well, them, hikers, runners, and horses, they all share, heaven forbid any e bikes come along) so not a big issue for me. Like landing off airport......a little common sense goes a long way.

Courrier guy said:

These things are primarely being ridden by old farts...

Courrier, you set the hook on my wife and I too. We've had a couple Costco mountain bikes for 20 years. For the past ten years we've been riding about once a year. We live where any direction we ride except up a hideous rocky road is down hill. We pretty much quit riding because us two old farts...both over 65...didn't like gutting ourselves riding back up that hill.

Two months ago we bought two Evelo ebikes. My wife loves her Evelo Luna. We ride most every day. We haven't told any of our neighbors that the bikes are electric. They see us riding all the time and none have seemed to have noticed.

Our first ride we went 17 miles. We got plenty of exercise and it sure was nice not to gut ourselves riding back up that hill to get home. Thanks for the ebike idea.

I really like learning about the electric bikes...really interesting innovations. My dad got one and loves it. I'm still firmly in the peddle-bike camp, but if I live long enough that'll change.

soyAnarchisto wrote:I love the concept and generally support ebikes. But for the love of all that is good in this world please please don't take one of these things in wilderness areas or single track that is not designated for motorized vehicles. These things are not bicycles, the are electric motorcycles. Lots of conflict going on with these things in the biking community - which has had to fight tooth and nail for access much like we do for aircraft access.

Interesting take on it...I guess I don't really see any difference as long as they're used peddle-assist and the e-bike speed isn't a hazard to other users. All bikes are prohibited in wilderness areas. The impact of an ebike doesn't appear any different from the impact of a peddle bike...same tire print, same noise level, same emissions. I'm at a bit of a loss to see the downside/difference from a peddle-bikers point of view. I guess some people feel that if you didn't suffer as much as they did you don't deserve the reward.

The only ebike I've tried was 100% peddle assist...there was no throttle and the speed you could attain wasn't really much more than a strong biker could get without the boost. I guess if people are just sitting there and working the throttle there's an aesthetic difference, and if there's enough power to be spinning the tires that changes the impact significantly. Otherwise I simply don't see any difference.

This morning I went for an ebike ride up the hideous road in the canyon. This guy and his horse didn't mind the bike at all. He was impressed.