The Boda Boda is an elegant looking cargo bike made by YUBA. The step through version is very nice but it’s hard to find somewhere to locate the battery when converting it to become electric. Alex, the crafty mechanic from South Beach Cycles, has found a solution. He cuts and laminates a piece of ply wood and creates a 2nd layer under the carrier rack. With holes in the correct locations it’s possible to turn the switch on and off and also get the key in there to remove the battery. If you’re looking for an electric cargo bike then these guys are the ones to visit for sure.
Monthly Archives: April 2016
Chalk and Cheese electric bicycles
Here we have a couple of electric bikes we put together and they couldn’t have been more like chalk and cheese. The first one was brought in by a customer and in all honesty it was such a piece of junk that it was hard to talk the customer out of converting it. Anyway, ahead we went and put on the motor and battery he wanted. In the end, we had to put a new rear wheel on, new brakes, new cables, new seat post brackets etc. Was a lot of work scrubbing the grit out of the chain but in the end it was a pleasant surprise and it rode ok.
The next bike however was a pleasure to put together. A new Carpe 50 from ORBEA, everything went together so smoothly and the bike ran like a dream. This is really a top model for a great price. We used the Panasonic 11.6Ah 36V lithium ion tube battery pack and a rear mounted hub motor. These bikes have such nice geometry for a flat bar road style bike that it feels more like a hybrid but with great handling. All up a busy morning here.
Solar Bike, January 2016
David and Roxy’s electric bikes
It was a pleasure to set up a couple of my favourite electric bikes for my friends David and Rosy for some of the first for the new year. These were the Orbea Carpe 30 – a lovely bike with great riding geometry and hydraulic disc brakes. Rosy’s was the Breezer uptown. A stylish ladies bike. Both are regular bikes we convert here in our new shop in Freo and I hope to do a bunch more this year!
Matt, Solar Bike, January 2016