Belle Amie Part 2, New Propeller, Solar Panels, 20kWhr Battery on 32 Foot Electric Sailboat Grin Technologies 2022-07-12 | This is a 5 month follow up on Grin's 2nd electric sailboat conversion, the 32 foot Belle Ami we introduced here:youtube.com/watch?v=oPMxY4LinKAWe installed one of the larger Grin motor drives with a 48V battery bank and since then she's done many long and short boating trips without even a hiccup. But it was topping out at around 4 knots, a result of poor propeller pitch for this particular motor and several years of marine growth on the hull. And at full power there was a lot of vibration that was a bit disconcerting. So once Toni mentioned that she had the boat on an improvised tidal lift to repaint the bottom, we took that opportunity to come visit and install a more suitable 3 blade propeller. This video shows that process and gives an overview of the battery bank and solar array that have also been installed.In our next Part3 video we promise some actual sailing footage! and data collection!UPDATE: Part3 is here: youtube.com/watch?v=GbVXhBRx-Oo
Week 4 - GRIN IT TO WIN IT - Customer Project Gallery Grin Technologies 2024-04-30 | Two crazy looking winners this week and stoked to see our first video submissions! $1000 GRAND PRIZE - Best Video: Create a video showcasing your contraption, upload it to YouTube with "GRIN IT TO WIN IT" in the title, and include the link in your project submission. You have until June 1st to craft and share your video, offering us a glimpse into how you've embraced electric transport in your life. Weekly Draw Prize: Share your build in the gallery over the next 2 weeks and automatically enter our weekly draw. Each draw exclusively selects from that week's submissions, increasing your odds of winning! (Your build must include a Grin component).Staff Pick: If your creation stands out for its ingenuity, originality, and unique functionality, elaborate on it in your submission with detailed explanations and captivating photos. Our Grin Employees are on the lookout for exceptional projects that exemplify what Grin is all about! Congrats to our two new Winners:Cyclops - Castlemaine, Victoria, Australiaebikes.ca/projectgallery/cyclops-castlemaine-victoria-australiaCargo Fatty - Chicago, ILebikes.ca/projectgallery/cargo-fatty-chicagoCustomer Project Galleryebikes.ca/project-gallery.html
Week 3 - GRIN IT TO WIN IT - Customer Project Gallery Grin Technologies 2024-04-23 | $1000 GRAND PRIZE - Best Video: Create a video showcasing your contraption, upload it to YouTube with "GRIN IT TO WIN IT" in the title, and include the link in your project submission. You have until June 1st to craft and share your video, offering us a glimpse into how you've embraced electric transport in your life. Weekly Draw Prize: Share your build in the gallery over the next 3 weeks and automatically enter our weekly draw. Each draw exclusively selects from that week's submissions, increasing your odds of winning! (Your build must include a Grin component).Staff Pick: If your creation stands out for its ingenuity, originality, and unique functionality, elaborate on it in your submission with detailed explanations and captivating photos. Our Grin Employees are on the lookout for exceptional projects that exemplify what Grin is all about! Congrats to our two new Winners:All-road/trail commuter: Surly Krampus GMAC build - Columbia River Gorge, Oregon USAebikes.ca/projectgallery/all-road-trail-commuter-surly-krampus-gmac-build-columbia-riverLong Range Cruiser - Ottawa, Ontario, Canadaebikes.ca/projectgallery/long-range-cruiser-ottawaCustomer Project Galleryebikes.ca/project-gallery.html
Grin Techs Torque Arm V7 - Built for Regen Grin Technologies 2024-04-19 | The Torque Arm V7 is a unique design that actively clamps the axle with tremendous force so that there is no play even with motors that do regen and have alternating torque. Hub motor systems with regenerative braking have been notoriously prone to nuts getting loose and axle spinout, even with a torque arm is present. This V7 arm design works on both front forks and rear dropouts, and is compatible with motors that have M12 and M14 axles and 10mm flats to prevent rotation. It is the culmination of extensive lab testing at Grin and uses specially hardened 17-4 stainless steel and Grade 12 bolts right at their strength limit. [Of course, the best solution is a motor that has the torque arm fully integrated with the axle and not as an afterthought. But if you've already got a Chinese hub motor that relies just on axle flats for torque transmission, this arm is as good as it gets.] Here is Grin's general torque arm info page:ebikes.ca/product-info/grin-products/torque-arms.htmlHere is the .pdf user manual:ebikes.ca/amfile/file/download/file/260Here is where you can buy them from Grin directly:ebikes.ca/shop/electric-bicycle-parts/torque-arms.htmlAnd we also have an amazon listing for those who like to deal with the devil:amazon.com/dp/B0D1LX21BPShot and Edited by Aaron Enevoldsen
Week 2 Prize Winners - GRIN IT TO WIN IT - Customer Project Gallery Grin Technologies 2024-04-16 | Still 4 Weeks left to submit your Grinspired build! How does one GRIN IT TO WIN IT? Weekly Draw Prize: Share your build in the gallery over the next 4 weeks and automatically enter our weekly draw. Each draw exclusively selects from that week's submissions, increasing your odds of winning! (Your build must include a Grin component).Staff Pick: If your creation stands out for its ingenuity, originality, and unique functionality, elaborate on it in your submission with detailed explanations and captivating photos. Our Grin Employees are on the lookout for exceptional projects that exemplify what Grin is all about! Best Video Prize: Create a video showcasing your contraption, upload it to YouTube with "GRIN IT TO WIN IT" in the title, and include the link in your project submission. You have until June 1st to craft and share your video, offering us a glimpse into how you've embraced electric transport in your life. Congrats to our two new Winners:Classic eMixte - Vilanova i la Geltru, Barcelona, Spainebikes.ca/projectgallery/classic-emixte-vilanova-i-la-geltru-barcelona-spain-revisionYuba Supermarche family hauler with FH212 - Langley, BC, Canadaebikes.ca/projectgallery/yuba-supermarche-family-hauler-with-fh212-langleyCustomer Project Galleryebikes.ca/project-gallery.html
Contest Details - GRIN IT TO WIN IT - Customer Project Gallery Grin Technologies 2024-04-09 | How does one GRIN IT TO WIN IT? *Weekly Draw Prize:* Share your build in the gallery over the next 5 weeks and automatically enter our weekly draw. Each draw exclusively selects from that week's submissions, increasing your odds of winning! (Your build must include a Grin component).*Staff Pick:* If your creation stands out for its ingenuity, originality, and unique functionality, elaborate on it in your submission with detailed explanations and captivating photos. Our Grin Employees are on the lookout for exceptional projects that exemplify what Grin is all about! *Best Video Prize:* Create a video showcasing your contraption, upload it to YouTube with "GRIN IT TO WIN IT" in the title, and include the link in your project submission. You have until June 1st to craft and share your video, offering us a glimpse into how you've embraced electric transport in your life. Congrats to our two new Winners:*Staff Pick* Electric bike side car - Cortes Island, USAebikes.ca/projectgallery/electric-bike-with-sidecar-whaletown-on-cortes-island*Draw Winner* Solar Fat Bike with Solar Trailer - Germanyebikes.ca/projectgallery/solar-fat-bike-with-solar-trailer-germanyCustomer Project Galleryebikes.ca/project-gallery.html
Project Gallery Giveaway Coming Soon - GRIN IT TO WIN IT Grin Technologies 2024-03-28 | Cycle Season is well underway and whether you're dusting off your Ebike or building a new one, as long as it has something Grin on it, might as well take some photos and enter in our upcoming prize campaign to encourage more submissions. If you haven't seen our Customer Project Gallery:ebikes.ca/project-gallery.htmlCongrats to our recent winners from Finland, BC, Ontario, NY State, Idaho, and Kansas!
A Powered Bike Lane Sweeper? Interview with our neighbor Cedric at the 2024 BC Bike Show Grin Technologies 2024-03-22 | Stationed next to us at the 2024 BC Bike Show was Cedric of Lal bikes with two very original creations at his booth. One is a bicycle derailleur system that separates the tensioning system from the shifting system, opening up all kinds of robust frame geometry. The other is an inexpensive lane sweeping device that that could be appreciated by municipalities and cyclists everywhere. We love seeing how ebike technologies (motors, controllers, batteries) can be applied to different projects in so many domains to achieve more with less. We've seen our ebike gear used in all kinds of original agricultural machines, winches, wind generators, you name it. But for now this one takes the cake. Learn more about Lal's drivetrain here:lalbikes.comAnd his lane sweeper here:bikelanesweeper.com
Grins Perspective on Ebike Battery Fires, 20 Years of Experience - Live from the BC Bike Show Grin Technologies 2024-03-15 | This was a topical video presentation that we gave at the 2024 BC Bike show on the subject of ebike battery fires, which has been getting a lot of media attention in the past year. Unfortunately most of the formal dialog on this topic emphasize the importance of only ever using the "official" charger for your battery and only getting batteries that are UL certified. This messaging is very much in the financial interest of global players in the ebike industry, erroneously blames the consumer, and we don't think it addresses the root cause of most current micromobility fires at all. Aftermarket chargers and batteries are an _essential_ component for a healthy industry and are being wrongly implicated as the problem here. From all the direct and anecdotal evidence we see these days, the majority of ebike fires are not from user misuse, poor pack assembly, or aftermarket parts, but simply stem from the use of substandard cells in the pack construction. The best way to ensure ebike batteries are as safe as laptop batteries or powertool batteries would be to implement controls on the actual brand and model cell that is used in the pack construction.
Grin Kits with Modern Display? No Way! Introducing our SuperH Conversion Platform Grin Technologies 2024-03-01 | Yes it's been a long time coming but we're glad to kick off 2024 with a conversion kit family that supports modern ebike displays while keeping key features previously only available through our Cycle Analyst platform. This took a while to release since we didn't want these systems to result in a huge step backwards in regenerative braking or PAS control. Significant firmware limitations and hardware limitations that had to be overcome first. This video is meant as a high level overview of this product launch. More videos tutorials will be coming soon on the specific setup, configuration, and installation of SuperH kit systems. Full Superharness Manual: ebikes.ca/amfile/file/download/file/307/product/1885List of SuperH Conversion Kits: ebikes.ca/shop/kits-by-type/superh-kits.html0:00 - Intro0:26 - Background Saga2:05 - Throttle and Regen Control3:30 - Lighting Control4:18 - Display Options5:47 - Conclusion6:15 - Boring stuff
Introducing Grins V3 All-Axle hub motor series. SRAM XD, torque sensing, and Fat Bikes included Grin Technologies 2024-01-25 | We just rolled out a significant design update to our direct drive hub motor lineup. This video summarizes those changes. For more background context:youtube.com/watch?v=J32B243Apyo (V2 Front Motor Release - 2019)youtube.com/watch?v=8AHI2KeXgjU (V2 Rear Motor Release - 2023)youtube.com/watch?v=II1Z1T_EzU0 (Motor MFG Peak - 2022)Full technical details, user manual etc. are available from our product info page:ebikes.ca/product-info/grin-products/all-axle-hub-motor.html0:00 - Intro1:08 - Torque Sensing Freehub1:34 - SRAM XDR Driver2:05 - PAS only freehub2:15 - Axle Interface2:40 - 45mm Fat Motor3:50 - Frame Compatibility4:50 - Front motor cable clearance7:15 - Thermistor7:38 - Summary
Grin Techs Torque Arm V6 - Installation Video Grin Technologies 2024-01-06 | The Torque Arm V6 is a universal design from Grin Technologies that secures both 12mm and 14mm ebike axles against spinout, using a hose clamp to secure the end of the arm. For bikes with fender eyelets you can also consider the V5 model (youtube.com/watch?v=-TGo-PVCQWs)This design evolution came about from extensive lab testing and is many times superior to our V3 (rront) and V4 (rear) arms. The one model works equally well on front forks as rear chainstays. The splined insert accommodates a range of dropout angles, and is made of a specially hardened 17-4 stainless steel alloy that provides over double the spinout strength of regular stainless. Where other torque arms smear apart, this V6 arm holds tight. Here is Grin's general torque arm info page:ebikes.ca/product-info/grin-products/torque-arms.htmlHere is the .pdf user manual:ebikes.ca/amfile/file/download/file/258Here is where you can buy them from Grin directly:ebikes.ca/shop/electric-bicycle-parts/torque-arms.htmlAnd we also have an amazon listing for those who like to deal with the devil:amazon.com/Grin-Technologies-Universal-Ebike-Torque/dp/B0CCZ36RXP
Grin Techs Torque Arm V5 - Installation Video Grin Technologies 2023-12-01 | The Torque Arm V5 is a universal design from Grin that secures both 12mm and 14mm ebike axles against spinout, and works with both front and rear dropouts that have fender eyelets. This design evolution came about from extensive lab testing and is many times superior to our V2 eyelet torque arms. The splined insert allows for versatile installation angles and is made of a specially hardened 17-4 Stainless Steel alloy that provides over double the spinout strength of regular steels. Where other torque arms smear apart, this V5 arm holds tight. Here is Grin's general torque arm info page:ebikes.ca/product-info/grin-products/torque-arms.htmlHere is the .pdf user manual:ebikes.ca/amfile/file/download/file/259Here is where you can buy them from Grin directly:ebikes.ca/shop/electric-bicycle-parts/torque-arms.htmlAnd we also have an amazon listing for those who like to deal with the devil:amazon.com/Grin-Technologies-Universal-Ebike-Torque/dp/B0CCXKT228
School of Watts Part 1: The Power to Propel Bicycles Grin Technologies 2023-10-31 | This is part 1 of a 3 part educational series we're producing all about WATTS as it applies to the world of electric bicycles. There is copious misinformation about how much power is needed to push bikes around a city, about how much power electric motors can produce, and about how this entangles with legislation. We're doing our bit to set the record straight for those wanting to be properly educated on this topic, and hopefully inform regulators on how to make more sensible ebike regulations going forward.In this first section we go in-depth about the actual power needed to move electric bikes and other PEV's on the roads, not just on flat ground but with hills, headwinds, and tailwinds.0:00 - Introduction0:30 - Familiarity with Watts1:26 - Human Power Generator2:00 - 4 Places Power Flows 4:08 - Flat Ground Power Curve5:08 - Effects of Rolling Friction5:50 - Effects of Bike Aerodynamics6:30 - Effect of Winds9:18 - Effect of Hills11:07 - Effect of Vehicle Weight12:35 - Summary of Bike Trip
Week 1 WINNER - Customer Project Gallery Submission on ebikes.ca Grin Technologies 2023-07-27 | We pulled our first random prize winner and it turned out to be a customer all the way out in Switzerland! Kevin uploaded his project "commuter conversion" with a rear eZee hub motor installation well suited to the hilly terrain of the Swiss country side. This upcoming Monday we're tripling the prize and announcing our staff pick prize as well, meaning 4 winners to come. If you have a DIY ebike built up with Grin hardware now is the time to add it to our Project Gallery:ebikes.ca/project-gallery.html
Grins New Ebike Project Gallery. Submit Yours for Chance to Win Big Grin Technologies 2023-07-15 | Do you want to have a ebike or related project made using Grin components and want to show it off to the world? Our two summer co-op students Lena and Max have been hard at work crafting an online gallery to showcase these projects. ebikes.ca/project-gallery.htmlTo jumpstart these submissions and make up for lost time, Grin will do a random draw EVERY WEEK on the recent additions to pick a lucky winner. The winner gets to choose from either: 1) A free Satiator Charger (ebikes.ca/product-info/grin-products/cycle-satiator.html) 2) A free Phaserunner motor controller (ebikes.ca/product-info/grin-products/phaserunner.html) 3) A $150 ebikes.ca store credit to use on anything you fancy, or 4) A coupon code to give 15% off your next order
Introducing Grins REAR All-Axle Hub Motor. Quick Release and Thru-Axle, Integrated PAS Grin Technologies 2023-06-15 | Well FINALLY you say! No big suprises. The rear thru-axle compatible hub motor from Grin is everything you'd expect:*Lightweight (just 4.3kg for a direct drive motor)*Universal Installation with various axle inserts*Integrated Torque Arm for robust installation*Cassette Freehub Compatible for modern drivetrains *Looks pretty badass compared to generic direct drive motors*Made in Canada, not ChinaPlus, it features an internal 12 pole PAS sensor on the freehub body allowing for pedal assist modes and back-pedal regen without the need for an additional crank sensor. For more context, have a look at our front motor videos from 2019:youtube.com/watch?v=J32B243Apyoyoutube.com/watch?v=S1bVijEFcQkThe motors can be purchased by themselves here:ebikes.ca/shop/electric-bicycle-parts/motors/grin-all-axle-hub-rear.htmlAnd as part of a kit here:ebikes.ca/shop/electric-bicycle-kits/grin-all-axle-kits/grin-rear-all-axle-ready-to-roll-kit.htmlIf you want to ask "how powerful is it", please refer to this table in the product info page:ebikes.ca/product-info/grin-products/all-axle-hub-motor.html#MotorPowerThat shows both the continuous and 5 minute power output both with and without Statorade coolant at different wheel RPMs. As you can see, depending on your usage scenario this could be considered anywhere from a 250 watt motor to a 2500 watt motor. ebikes.ca/learn/power-ratings.html
Quick Look at Grins Rear All-Axle Hub Motor Grin Technologies 2023-06-01 | Not much to say, it's now live and available to buy! Some lengthier product overview and installation videos will be coming next, but those who know what this is all about can jump aboard now. ebikes.ca/shop/electric-bicycle-parts/motors/grin-all-axle-hub-rear.htmlebikes.ca/shop/electric-bicycle-kits/grin-all-axle-kits/grin-rear-all-axle-ready-to-roll-kit.html
Rad Factory Ebike Hack, Part 3. Adding Regenerative Braking with a Welded Clutch Grin Technologies 2023-04-14 | In the 3rd part of our factory ebike mod video we show how you can add regen braking to an ebike that originally had a geared hub motor that freewheels. Please see the first two videos to see how we got the bike bike to this stage. Part 1 - Upgrading the motor controller youtube.com/watch?v=sL3bjQZGjoQPart 2 - Adding torque sensing bottom bracket youtube.com/watch?v=7Am96zl1S4EAlthough those were on a Radrunner and this is a Radmini, the exact same modifications were in place at the start of this video. 0:00 - Previous Upgrade Summary0:32 - Benefits of Regen0:57 - Wheel Disassembly1:55 - Clutch Welding3:00 - Regen Torque Arms6:18 - Cycle Analyst Setup7:45 - Controls Summary8:35 - Rider FeedbackAs per previous posts in this series. 1) No, we don't offer any services to upgrade more modify factory ebikes and have no interest in that regardless of how much you are willing to pay us. We present this info for the adventuresome people who love a good DIY project and the satisfaction that comes with it. Our business is purely about making and supplying rugged hub motor conversion kits for non-electric bicycles. 2) If this seems complicated or outside your skill zone, then we are in no way suggesting you should attempt it, even if the end results are appealing. 3) Obviously by pursuing mods like this you are voiding any and every warranty and need to take full ownership of your project. Not that many generic factory ebikes have much meaningful warranty to begin with.
How to get REGEN braking from your geared hub motor. Lock that clutch! Grin Technologies 2023-04-07 | In this video Justin shows two of the techniques to get regenerative braking from a geared hub that otherwise freewheels, unlocking the regen potential of these powerful little motors. In one case we're just swapping out the planet carrier for a fixed (non-freewheeling) carrier, and in the other we're modifying the stock planet assembly and welding shut the freewheel clutch mechanism. To understand and appreciate WHY we would do this, have a look at our live presentation on the benefits of regen from a couple years ago:youtube.com/watch?v=gYCj4asp9pEAnd also check out the GMAC motor which was at the start of this mission:youtube.com/watch?v=cnaucA7qVGsVideo Timeline:0:00 - Freewheeling vs Regen2:08 - Exception with Helical Gears4:09 - Locking an eZee front motor with Swap5:48 - Locking the Shengyi SX1 Freewheel7:25 - Care with Metal Filings7:53 - Welding (No-Tips)9:31 - Locking Bafang G62 Fatbike Freewheel11:02 - Caveats of Regen and Axle Wiggle12:23 - Loctite Retaining Compound on Planet CarrierStay tuned to our channel for more information on locking torque arms, that's coming next!Special thanks to our friend Phil who's played a pivotal role in field testing and proving out regen with some of these smaller motors over the last year with his custom line of cargo ebikes:sustainawave.ca/product/the-carrier-wavetwitter.com/PhilipMarciniak
2023 Satiator Update: New Adapters with Firmware for EUCs, Scooters, and EBoards! Grin Technologies 2023-03-28 | We've long had inquiries from various electric unicycle, skateboard, and scooter customers who want to use the Satiator, but were put off having to make their own adapter to fit the various pin GX12/GX16 charge ports used in these products. Fortunately the fine folks at eevee's PEV shop here in Vancouver (eevees.com) have helped us test and formally release adapter cables to simplify using the Satiator with these personal EV's. We've got the following items now available to show for it:ebikes.ca/shop/electric-bicycle-parts/charger-accessories/xlr-gx12-3f.htmlebikes.ca/shop/electric-bicycle-parts/charger-accessories/xlr-gx16-3f.htmlebikes.ca/shop/electric-bicycle-parts/charger-accessories/xlr-gx16-4f.htmlebikes.ca/shop/electric-bicycle-parts/charger-accessories/xlr-gx16-5f.htmlIn the end it wasn't just a matter of creating the right adapter cable, these high voltage EUC's often had BMS circuits that periodically disconnect the charge port and check for a voltage to see if the charger was attached. That's because the exposed male pins of the GX16 plugs would pose a serious shock hazard if they stayed energized when a charger was not attached. Unfortunately, our Satiator charger has identical protection circuitry built in on it's side, and would interpret this short BMS cutoff as if the user had unplugged the battery, resulting in odd oscillatory behaviors and loss of charge statistics. This has been remedied with a V1.039 firmware update which is now released across the board. If you have an older satiator on hand and now want to use it on high voltage EUC's, skateboards, or scooters, be sure to update the Satiator firmware as described here:ebikes.ca/product-info/grin-products/cycle-satiator.html#downloadsongpunjabi You can buy a new 72V Satiator along with these new adapter cables from our online store site:ebikes.ca/shop/electric-bicycle-parts/chargers/satiator-high-voltage-model-5a-max.htmlIf you made all the way to here, we thank you for taking the time to expand and read the actual video description. Seems very few people bother to do that these days...
V6 Phaserunners Grin Technologies 2023-02-09 | Many people went a little mad waiting, but they are finally here:ebikes.ca/product-info/grin-products/phaserunner.html
A Holiday Farewell to Ryan Grin Technologies 2023-01-01 | With a new year there is usually some staff turnover as well. Ryan is a UBC student we hired in April for an 8 month co-op job to help with our web development and automation tasks. But in spite of being a natural with code, he was never given the opportunity to learn to ride a bike growing up! That was a wrong that we had to fix. So on Ryan's last day at Grin we setup a 1km lap around the warehouse for Ryan to tackle in order to get a passing grade for his work stint. Here's the result.
Grins Ebike Motor Simulator PART 3 Advanced Features (Temperature, KV, Wind Speed, Comparisons) Grin Technologies 2022-12-16 | In Part 3 of this tutorial we go over some of the more advanced options in the simulator options:0:00 - Intro0:40 - Winding Temperature1:25 - Customizing Motor KV (rpm/V)3:15 - Seeing Effects of Wind Speed5:00 - Comparing TWo Setups with System B8:35 - Simulating Dual motors10:20 - URL Encoding11:25 - Hiding Graphs Plotsebikes.ca/tools/simulator.html
Grins Ebike Motor Simulator Tutoral: PART 2 Overview of System Options Grin Technologies 2022-12-10 | The 2nd part of the motor simulator tutorial series covers in more detail each of the various dropdown options available for setting up the simulation. ebikes.ca/tools/simulator.html
Grins Ebike Motor Simulator Tutoral: PART 1 Basic Overview Grin Technologies 2022-12-08 | This is the first part of what will be a very long series on how to properly use the many the features of our popular motor simulator for ebikes:ebikes.ca/tools/simulator.html
The TSM-A5, a Direct Drive Hub Motor with Integrated Torque Sensor Grin Technologies 2022-10-29 | In this Video Robbie introduces a new motor from TDCM that we are now stocking here at Grin. This is the first hub motor that we are carrying which has a built-in torque sensing freehub so that you can have torque control without the need to install a separate bottom bracket torque sensor. Although a few motors like this have existed on the market (BionX, Falco, and others) they are still surprisingly rare in aftermarket kits.Additional details are available from the product info page:ebikes.ca/product-info/grin-kits/tsm-a5-kit.htmlWith a limited quantity available to purchase as part of a kit on our RTR kits page:ebikes.ca/shop/ready-to-roll-kits/rear-rtr/rear-tsm-a5-ready-to-roll-kit.html
Stéphane Bertrand, Another Solar Ebiker Visits Grin! Grin Technologies 2022-09-28 | This summer we had no less than three people on super long distance solar ebike tours drop by Grin's facilities as part of their journey. In this video we profile Stéphane Bertrand who completed in both the 2015 and 2018 suntrip rides and is now on an adventure of his own choosing across the Americas. He started in Montreal, Canada and made it to Vancouver in just 4 weeks where he got to hang out with the Grin team for a few days. He is now headed south to San Francisco, then Mexico, and with a final destination in Ushuaia. He's like us and not super big on social media but there is a facebook page here with occasional updates:facebook.com/people/Stephane-Bertrand-avec-D%C3%A9clic-%C3%A9co-viva-las-americas/100064158363502The bike build was done with Declic-eco, (https://www.declic-eco.fr/), a small french company that has been at the forefront of custom solar ebike builds.
Belle Amie Part 3, Cruising experience to Vancouver, Speed Trials, and a Northbound sendoff Grin Technologies 2022-09-17 | In this installment of the Belle Ami electric sailboat conversion, Aaron tagged along with Toni and her friend Maria as they left Sidney to start heading North for the summer. They met up with Justin and the Shamrock sailboat in Vancouver for the fireworks, did a bunch of repairs, and then ran speed / power trials to better characterize the system while heading up to the Sunshine Coast. The whole footage was nearly lost when the camera carrying our memory card was knocked overboard just before the fireworks show. But luckily Diver Dan came to our rescue and was able to salvage it from the deep. So thank you Dan! 0:00 - Intro1:35 - Sea Tales of Maeve2:32 - Gulf Islands Passage4:40 - Crossing the Straight of Georgia7:06 - English Bay and Fireworks8:23 - Data Logging11:55 - Trip Experience14:27 - Camera DiveHere are the two previous episodes covering this conversion:Part 1: youtube.com/watch?v=B8Uh4onqTAUPart 2: youtube.com/watch?v=oPMxY4LinKA
David Eldertons Cirkit Ebike - Customer Profile Grin Technologies 2022-08-11 | For 14 years David Elderton has been an exemplary dealer of Grin Tech's catalogue. From upgrading factory ebikes with Grin hardware to offering our standard retrofits, Hilleater's new 3500 Watt dual motor Cirkit E-bike demonstrates David's acquired mastery after many years in the ebike business.Aaron travelled to Salt Spring Island to pay David a visit and uncover what's going on in David's shop.#ebike #conversionkit #caferacer #hilleater
Ligo 10X - Whats in store to succeed the original LiGo and LiGo+ Stackable Battery Modules Grin Technologies 2022-07-30 | We're just about finished producing the last of our original LiGo batteries ( see youtube.com/watch?v=zjaUeh3jbFM ) due to semiconductor shortages making additional BMS runs nearly impossible. We plan the replace this product with a similarly featured but even more versatile 100 Wh module called the LiGo 10X and are giving a preview of what that looks like. This is a short video pitch we made as part of a grant application to the Center for Clean Energy:newswire.ca/news-releases/b-c-centre-for-innovation-and-clean-energy-cice-awards-climate-solutions-funding-through-inaugural-open-call-for-innovation-841837033.htmlcice.caWe didn't make the cut to the 2nd round, but we are pursuing the LiGo 10X project all the same via the hard work of bootstrapping that we're used to. It's one of several new fully home-grown products under active development at Grin right now.
RadRunner hack Part2, Adding a Torque Sensing Bottom Bracket Grin Technologies 2022-07-27 | In our Part1 video we replaced the stock controller on the Radrunner for the Frankenrunner and CA3youtube.com/watch?v=sL3bjQZGjoQPart 3 Adding Regen Braking youtube.com/watch?v=4f-cK8RtMf4In this video, we show how the CA3 enables an easy upgrade from a basic cadence control scheme to a torque sensor. In the case of a fatbike like this, the bottom bracket will usually be 80 or 100mm wide rather than 68mm, which requires more specialized torque sensor, but luckily we had a few 100mm Sempu sensors lying around in our shop which which fit the bill.
Mark Havran Solar Bike Part 3, a sojourn at Grin en route to Alaska Grin Technologies 2022-07-22 | Mark Havran's epic round the world solar ebike journey is in full swing. He's been solar cruising up the west coast of North America and once again stopped over for few days with us here at Grin. He was staying at Justin's place helping with some home renovations and they decided to head out on the electric sailboat to join the eSk8 group EV ride, and on the way catchup on his trip experience so far. You can see the part 2 video when he visited Grin last year as part of an 8000 km shake-down test ride which goes into a lot of the technical detail and refinement of the build:youtu.be/a-4JPYHcfxQAnd our original custom profile on Mark from 2018 when we met up with him at the Bay Area maker faire where he told us of his original ambitions:youtu.be/7RGBBNctWNAMark's website is:https://solare.bike/author/markhavran/
Interfacing Parts on Factory Ebikes, Example Hacks to a RadRunner Grin Technologies 2022-07-06 | Part 2 - Adding torque sensing bottom bracket youtube.com/watch?v=7Am96zl1S4EPart 3 - Adding regen braking youtube.com/watch?v=4f-cK8RtMf4This video shows the process of swapping out the controller in a turn-key ebike for an aftermarket motor controller. It's not a fun process, it's definitely not "plug and play", and in can in fact be a real pain-in-the-ass job. However, there are cases where in spite of that it still makes sense:1) The bike is broken and no warranty support is available for replacement parts from the supplier, or2) You have a legit understanding of DIY ebike stuff and need to modify the platform to have different performances and behaviors than the stock bike. Here at Grin we're really solely focused on conversion kit retrofits and don't deal with factory ebikes at all. We have very little interest in attempting to interface to them. Never-the-less we get asked about this kind of work ALL THE TIME from people who have an ebike that doesn't live up to their expectations. So we figured it was worth at least making an educational video to show what that process entails, and really more than anything to discourage people from getting in over their heads. If you want to do this kind of stuff, you are on your own, no one will hold your hand through the process and you have to be prepared for nothing to work out.
Electric Dirtsurfer Conversion, Part2. Tuning it up for the Vancouver ESK8 Summit Grin Technologies 2022-07-01 | The 2nd video in this series covers the day before a group electric skateboard, unicycle, and scooter ride that was taking in Coquitlam, BC, on May 20th. It covers Gordon making mechanical upgrades to the leg activated throttle control and preparations to add Regen braking as well. And then off to the group ride! See part1 here: youtube.com/watch?v=mZGmWAb4TTM
Electrifying a Vintage Dirtsurfer Grin Technologies 2022-06-08 | Aaron our resident videographer also happens to be an ex-pro at riding Dirtsurfers, a snowboard like contraption with 2 bike wheels for riding downhill that had a short window of popularity some 20 years ago. What do we do with something like this? Throw on a hub motor and LiGo's of course! We gave it to some of our newer Grin staff to retrofit, with a goal of finishing before the May 20th eSk8 summit in Coquitlam: (reddit.com/r/boostedboards/comments/ubc6w2/vancouver_esk8_suburban_summit_group_ride_may_20th)This is part 1 of the build where we first fire it up with some proof of concept hardware. In Part2 we'll make numerous refinements.
Convertirte una bicicleta con motor de rueda Bafang Grin Technologies 2022-05-27 | Miguel recently joined Grin as a front of house sales associate and we love his enthusiasm. Part of our training process involves having staff get their hands dirty retrofitting bikes so that they know what our customers have to deal with, and we decided to capture the process on film. It's not a detailed tutorial but we for people in a similar situation there could be some useful tips. Real world kit installations rarely go without some kind of hiccup or another and creative solutions are sometimes needed. In this case his front fork lacked the eyelet needed for a torque arm, the disk rotor was installed without first removing the plastic spacer.
Quick look at the hub motor ebike conversion process Grin Technologies 2022-04-25 | This video is meant for to give a visual summary of what's typically involved in ordering and installing a hub motor kit from Grin. We produced it to run on a loop at the BC bike show booth and are also releasing it here for first time viewers of Grin's website (ie www.ebikes.ca ) who aren't quite sure what we're about. It's not a detailed step-by-step tutorial video that talks about all the potential nuances and complications that can be present in a DIY kit install. We have other videos of that nature and plan to produce many more too.
New toys to make new products Grin Technologies 2022-04-15 | Last year we applied for and (much to our surprised) actually won a grant that was put out for BC companies manufacturing components for the zero emission vehicle sector. Historically electric bicycles have been totally overlooked in this space with all government funding squandered by silly things like fuel cells and the hydrogen highway, so it was nice to see these smaller EV's finally on the radar. This info was publicly put in the news earlier this week:vancouversun.com/news/local-news/bc-clean-technology-grantsWe just wanted to thank the people behind the ARC Grant for choosing us and show some of what these funds are going towards with a cheery little video. It's helped us secure the space, tools, and machinery needed to seriously ramp up our in-house motor manufacturing capabilities.
New Cycle Analyst 3.2 Beta, Firmware Features (updated regen controls and more) Grin Technologies 2022-03-31 | This video covers some of the new features and additions that are in upcoming in the 3.2 firmware update for the Cycle Analyst device. There is a heavy focus expanding the regenerative braking capabilities with some of the activation modes described in our regen video (youtube.com/watch?v=6v-_HECwBAQ). It also expands the torque sensor behavior to support torque only sensors with no cadence signal, along with some bug fixes and other niceties that are covered in the release notes. The firmware update is available to beta testers via the CA setup utility application and we look forward to hearing additional feedback before making this into a full release later this month.
Regen Braking and Electric Bicycles, Justins Presentation from 2022 BC Bike Show Grin Technologies 2022-03-22 | On March 5th 2022, Justin gave a talk at the BC bike show about regenerative braking as it pertains to the world of electric bicycles. Regen is an important topic that's been largely misrepresented by the ebike industry due to the focus on mid-drive and freewheeling hub motors, so we wanted to set the record straight on many areas. This follows some of our original research on regen which we posted on this Endless-Sphere thread many years ago:endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=78910:00- Intro0:33 - What is Regen?1:53 - Electrical Principles4:40 - Problem with Freewheels7:15 - Negative Marketing8:11 - Is it Worth It?10:04 - Motor Drag12:27 - % Recaptured16:10 - Saved Brake Wear17:45 - Cost Savings20:04 - Regen Motors23:00 - Activating Regen26:00 - Variable Regen Brakes27:40 - Alternative Regen Controls30:29 - Backpedal Regen35:22 - Speed limit regen37:45 - Regen Efficiency38:20 - Comparison with Mid-Drive40:18 - Motor Heating40:45 - Axle Wiggle42:05 - The Future42:45 - Q&A
Production of the Grin All Axle Hub Motor, with Cargo Wheel Preview Grin Technologies 2022-03-10 | We applied for the ARC grant in 2021, a program directed for companies in BC in the zero emission vehicle space who were in a position to scale up production:arcbc.caMuch to our surprise and delight, we made the cut! And since then have been hard at work setting up new streamlined manufacturing benches and QC stations to meet expected motor demand. This video shows a peak behind the scenes of the motor assembly process as well as a new partnership project we've been working on with Alligt cargo wheels from the Netherlands to make a custom e-cargo wheel:http://www.alligt.nl/Alligt has been producing specially molded wheels for use on single side mounted cargo bikes, and have tooled up a version that can fit right over our hub motors. If this works out, it will be a great way to bring both power and regenerative braking to fleets of cargo delivery vehicles all over the world.
Intro to Belle Amie, 32 foot Electric Sailboat Conversion, Part1 Grin Technologies 2022-02-25 | Toni from Victoria reached out to us after seeing our conversion series about Shamrock, the 25 foot sailboat that we electrified with an adapted ebike hub motor. (youtube.com/watch?v=JuIG5Uqk4_c&list=PLH8T1SX8ZJv-cP7opmQiJs0DYDIGi5Ps7)She has a 32 foot live-aboard sailboat and has long dreamed of shedding the troublesome diesel engine in favor of an all electric drive. Meanwhile, we were looking for a platform to field test the higher power version of this motor in a larger vessel than Shamrock, and thus the stars aligned for our second foray into an eboat conversion! This is the first part of a series that will document our experiences with electrifying Belle Amie. We hope you enjoy what it with lots more to come as the spring and summer unfold.UPDATE:Part 2 is here: youtube.com/watch?v=B8Uh4onqTAUPart 3 is here: youtube.com/watch?v=GbVXhBRx-Oo
Fixing up an old ebike hub motor with water damage, shot bearings, and a broken hall sensor Grin Technologies 2022-02-15 | This video goes over the process of overhauling a customer's ~10 year old generic 9 Continent hub motor that has suffered from exposure. These direct drive motors are quite resilient, so even with water and rust inside, broken hall leads, and partly disintegrated ball bearings, it was still actually in running condition. But it sure didn't sound very healthy and inspire confidence, and we decided to document the repair process for others. 0:00 - Intro1:49 - Opening the side plates to see inside3:05 - Bearing removal4:14 - Scrubbing stator clean6:30 - Cleaning the rotor 7:26 - How water gets in10:53 - Vent hole option11:27 - Ball bearing insertion12:00 - Testing and replacing hall sensors15:25 - ReassemblyOld direct drive motors like this can be found in discard piles and scrap metal yards on a regular basis, and with a little mechanical effort most of them can brought back into fine running condition again as we've shown here.
Showcasing the Satiator, Grins Programmable Battery Charger for Ebikes Grin Technologies 2022-02-03 | The Satiator has been one of Grin's flagship products, developed to suite the needs of ebike enthusiasts and average riders alike. It's one unit that can be configured to charge a wide range of battery types and does so at 2-3 times the rate of a typical bike charger. This video is just a short preview of the features. For a more details, see the Satiator product info page:ebikes.ca/product-info/grin-products/cycle-satiator.htmlAnd our basic usage video:youtube.com/watch?v=aY7xUlSiUnUIt's available on Grin's online store:ebikes.ca/shop/electric-bicycle-parts/chargers.htmlAs well as directly from amazon (amazon.com/dp/B00VB2BXGG for 48V model, amazon.com/dp/B01LWT3UH0 for 72V model)
Why Direct Drive motors use Statorade, Motor Cooling that Works Grin Technologies 2022-01-01 | It's been over 7 years since we stumbled on the phenomenal cooling ability of certain ferrofluids while searching for solutions to hub motor heating. But most of our content explaining this has been analytic and technical so we tried here to summarize it all in a nice short clip here. Enjoy!The syringes are available by themselves from amazon:amazon.com/Statorade-Electric-Motor-Cooling-Ferrofluid/dp/B01M29CEDUAnd more detailed background and test results are on our Statorade info page:ebikes.ca/product-info/grin-products/statorade.html
How to Use the ebikes.ca Hub Motor Spoke Calculator Grin Technologies 2021-12-11 | ebikes.ca/tools/spoke-calc.htmlThis is a long overdue video explaining in detail how to use Grin's online spoke calculator.0:00 - Intro1:34 - Hub Settings5:40 - Paired Spoke Holes6:30 - Rim Settings8:35 - Lacing Options11:50 - Elbow Position14:00 - Hub Shift14:40 - Swap Spokes17:28 - URL encoding18:56 - Spoke Types and Gauge
The Double Bob and Triple Bob, Grins Ebike Battery Mounts Grin Technologies 2021-12-03 | Our Double Bobs and Triple Bobs simplify the installation of a downtube battery. Every bike frame is different, and the stock mount doesn't always put the battery where you want it. Bob's give freedom to mount your downtube battery almost anywhere, without being limited by the strength and location of your waterbottle eyelets. More information at our mount hardware info page:ebikes.ca/product-info/grin-products/battery-anchors.htmlAnd in they can be purchased either directly from Grin's online shop:ebikes.ca/shop/electric-bicycle-parts/battery-accessories.htmlOr from Amazon if you are in the USA:amazon.com/Grin-Technologies-Mounting-Downtube-Batteries/dp/B09BH3ZJJKamazon.com/Grin-Technologies-Mounting-Downtube-Batteries/dp/B09BHFH9HB
How to Measure Hubs and Rims for Perfect Spoke Lengths, Ebike Hub Motor Wheelbuilding Grin Technologies 2021-10-30 | If you are lacing a hub motor that's not in our dropdown list, you'll need to input things like the rim ERD, the hub flange diameter etc. This video shows how you can measure those values for your particular parts without using any special calipers or shop tools, just a measuring tape and some flat surfaces.See: ebikes.ca/tools/spoke-calc.html for our actual spoke calculator page. Robert is our resident wheelbuilding pro here at Grin, and his last video showing how to lace a hub motor without all the special lacing tools shop proved to be quite popular. We're hoping this video further helps people do their own wheelbuilds by getting their spoke lengths right the first time.
