GEM 1 - What does a modern girl do in her spare time?  She gets on her bike - electric of course. Follow her progress on this website.

Already well known for her robot design one pupil made the move from Hawks Farm School to Hailsham Community College earlier this year.  Now she is putting the finishing touches to her latest project - to design a practical electric cycle.  The first thing to do was paint the bikes frame blue.  This student admits It is a basic machine with an old 24v pallet cart motor driving the rear wheel.  The normal pedal chain-set is reverse fitted to the rear wheel.  The on/off (go) switch was initially mounted on the handlebars, made from some copper brake tubing - but it just couldn't handle the amps and got too hot.  It was decided to make a new beefier switch from 15mm copper pipe (plumbing), beaten flat and folded to form the contacts.  This switch was moved to the foot pedal for comfort and works much better.

'Gem 1' - cycle motor

Battery weight is a problem.  Gemma is using two bulky lead-acid leisure batteries for 'Gem 1', but sees this machine as a development stage in the search for more performance.  It's not that the bike isn't fast - it is - around 30mph in 3rd gear (unconfirmed).  It's just that it could be so much more efficient with a smaller motor such as the Lynch pancake design, an electronic controller and better gearing.  Gemma says she wants to make the bike more fashionable and is considering if it is possible to incorporate solar cells somehow or a reversible fuel cell!  We like the sound of this especially, but it's all down to cost.

She is now looking for a new frame and motor to build a more advanced 'Gem 2'.  If anyone is interested in helping with the supply of components, or wants to tell us of their own project, please use the email contact at the foot of the page.

ELECTRIC CYCLE LINKS:

http://Ev-Motors.com

http://cycletothesun.net

Electric cycles