So, while the welder is still gathering dust, and I start to have free time again I'm looking to modify my commercial TerraTrike GranTourismo. They used to have a Falco based hub motor conversion kit, but issued a recall, and have now gone over to the Bosch mid-drive on a replaceable boom. Price point is oof!
In my case, before I'd pay shipping and custom's fees I'm buying the GT all over again. So, I've started researching, factoring in my mass, the trike's mass, the gear I anticipate carrying, and thanks to the folks over at Grin Technologies (not advocating or shilling for them - I'm just really impressed with the info they make available - including a very good pro's and con's discussion on mid vs hub drive bikes) I'm seriously considering the GMAC direct drive or something similar - the Grin Technologies Cycle Analyst V3 seems to have a way to program in a virtual freewheel effect so that you don't fight the resistance of the magnets - they draw just enough power to overcome it. I may still skip that, and go for a freewheeling hub motor - that way I won't fear a motor or electronics fault keeping me from getting home, or at least to a vehicle accessible pickup point. There are enough places on the routes I plan to ride/commute that calling for a pickup means a very long uncomfortable walk pushing the trike. (Cycling shoes just don't have the best flex for walking y'know?
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On the flipside, she-who-must-be-obeyed, discovered riding an upright is no longer for her various joints, and we lucked into an ad for someone selling off one of the Chinese made Zmerk suspension trikes with e-assist already built in - she's now fairly sold on recumbent trikes. It's a hub motor system - so far, no service required other than shortening the boom to allow it to fit her, and a T-cycle cockpit mount to put the controller in a better spot. It's quite quiet, and I have to work to keep up with her when her knees give up and she engages the assist. She has now developed bad habit of wanting to talk to me at the top of a hill where we usually have to wait for the lights to change, and well, I resemble a very tired horse with the huffing and puffing I do.
I'm hoping to use this conversion experience to help me work out some kinks for a possible build - y'know, knowledge in the tool chest as it were!