Cruiser Catastrophe

Well, it transpires the beach cruiser is unsuitable for converting to an e-bike. There are two reasons for this:

1. The rear, pack-peddle hub brake is incompatible, and
2. The gap between the rear forks is too small to accommodate the motor wheel.

The gap between the rear forks wouldn't be insurmountable on a steel-framed bike as they could be bent to accommodate the wheel, but the frame is aluminium and could therefore fracture during the bending process, or even at a later stage. The existing rear hub being a pack-peddle brake would not be an issue, as I'm not that keen on this method of braking anyway and was intending to affix a normal rim brake.

It's a nice bike anyway and I'll keep it as a run-around for flat terrain.

Another, 2nd hand base bike has been purchased for the conversion and will be taken to the local bike emporium today to have the motorised wheel and Pedal Assist Sensor fitted, while simultaneously being given an overall health and safety check.

The replacement LED screen and controller for the fried parts on my original creation have also arrived from China so, hopefully, I'll have two, fully functional e-bikes by the end of this week. I need both operational by the weekend after next, ready for our next outing in the van to the Brecons.

I'm not looking forward to performing the work outside in this weather, but Hay is taking her dad and his partner on a holiday to Cotswold Water Park for a few days later today, which means I may be able to accomplish the task in the living room without her knowing.   Perhaps not....

Talking of the van, I have a small issue with it currently. The fridge, which has a gas, a 240v and a 12v supply, won't work on the 12v, which is meant to be used while driving between destinations. I've checked all the fuses, which are fine. The electrical display panel additionally registers no power in the 12v system, which is driven from the starter battery. Now the battery is fine and has plenty of power, so I can only assume a 12v relay has packed up, but I'm buggered if I can find the 12v relay for the fridge. 

The wiring diagram is of no use, as the relays on the diagram bear no relation to locations within the physical space of the van. Might have to call in an auto-electrician. Not a massive problem, just a niggle, especially in this weather - it can be overcome by packing the fridge with frozen chill packs before setting off on a journey. Once on-site, I can use either the gas or 240v hookup supplies. It is possible to use the gas supply en-route, but it's not recommended at all for safety purposes.