Retro Electric Bike

by TheFullMetalAlchemist

50K35755

Intro: Retro Electric Bike

This is a custom pedal/electric bike I designed and built for school. This slideshow shows the start to finish build of the project.
I am doing Metal Fabrication Engineering along side a boiler making apprenticeship. I am looking to head into custom electric motorbikes or the automotive fabrication area after my apprenticeship and maybe one day have my own shop.
Location: Melbourne, Australia.
Inspired by the bikes from the 30s and 40s with a touch of WW2 Japanese Zero Fighter.
Bike Specs.
Frame: 4130 Chromoly
Swing arms and Front end: 6061 Aluminium.
Tank and Fenders: Aluminium
Leaf Spring Suspension
181 Hand cut pieces
30 parts
86 Bolts.
600+ hours over 16 weeks
Materials and parts $2500 AUD
Electrics : 500w 36v Front Hub 3 X 12v 12Ah AGM SLA Batteries Control and cycle Analyst from http://www.ebikes.ca

61 Comments

KennethJ52 6 years ago

All I can say is "incredible'. Love the design. Very original.

Junior Paiva 8 years ago

Hello! you are the author? Authorizes me to sell the project in Brazil? Would be great! Thank you!

Junior Paiva 8 years ago

Thank you! I'll try to make a simpler design

TheFullMetalAlchemist 8 years ago

Hi, yes I am the author. Generally I don't give away my designs, they cost me too much time and money to make. I would consider selling the concept however.if you'd like to talk PM me.

CAbeachguy 9 years ago

Really a great project, and nice craftsmanship. If you are heavy into boiler making why not consider a steam powered warning whistle?

gfunk5 10 years ago

Great looking bike

wobbler 11 years ago

If you could distill and bottle genius, this is what it would look like.

paqrat 11 years ago

It is a thing of beauty. Beyond my meager skills though.

TSC 12 years ago

Great Job!

TheFullMetalAlchemist 12 years ago

Thanks mate, this was some time ago I'm surprised people are still looking at it.

TSC 12 years ago

Your welcome!

TSC 12 years ago

Yep I really like it!

diarmaid_h 13 years ago

Brilliant design, Whats it like to ride? I'd love to do somethin similar (eventually) but the only thing i'd be worried about would be that the riding position would be too low for decent leg extension when dealing with tough hills etc, i know the motor will help, but was this a concern when you were designing it?

TheFullMetalAlchemist 13 years ago

 Thanks diarmaid_h
I have been up some really steep hills and it goes ok. It does feel a bit weird to pedal but it wasn't a concern. On a fresh charge she is great fun to ride, It quite stable and you can go around corners pretty laid down. It definitely more of a cruiser.
I designed this as an electric motorbike really but school was worried i'd sue them if I hurt myself so I told them I was going to make a "pushbike" instead. My teacher was cool with it but as far as administration knows the big black thing in the front wheel is a "hub brake" ahahah. 
Having pedals has the advantage of appearing like a push bike if an officer of the law goes past me too ;) We have a 250w limit on electric bikes in Australia, which I think is f***ing ridiculous
I'd always planned on a bigger motor and better batteries but towards the end it was turning into a money pit. It will happen when time and money permits.


diarmaid_h 13 years ago

Haha pedals for show! Ya i don't know what the limit in ireland is on wattage but i'm sure we're equally as bad! I've been lookin into doing something with a 72volt bike design but the money pit just seems to explode once you go past anything like an assist hub motor! check out www.electricmotorsport.com to see what i mean. Alot of other insturctables feature grand electric bike conversions but no way of charging other than buying a big unit for over $800!

TheFullMetalAlchemist 13 years ago

Yeah the price certainly does exploded. I have already designed its big brother, intended to be a proper motorcycle so I wanted fast with long range. I spec'd it on the extreme end but the whole package was going to leave a 30,000(AU) dollar hole in my pocket. 20,000 for the motor and controller (it was a 150Kw motor) and about 10,000 for the batteries necessary to power it ha. It was just a pipe dream, I don't even know if the batts would fit in the frame. I'd still like to build it but maybe around 100hp motor would be more realistic.
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