BionX Bad Boy Ultra Electric Motor Powered Bicycle

[GreatAlexander10]

this is not a bad boy any more...its like... gudget boy

[ILikeWeatherGuy]

:P its so expensive! i was just wondering how the securities system would work if theres like no battery like if you take the baterry out to recharge it

[BladeDC5]

@ILikeWeatherGuy Not sure the "security" system would stop anyone but the battery is locked to the bike... I usually left the battery on the bike to recharge. Pricey but I think the PL-350 with 36V Li-Ion 10AH battery goes for ~$1600 on eBay now.

[GreatAlexander10]

So...for that you buy all this stuff????To make cyrcles around a studium???????

[BladeDC5]

@GreatAlexander10 Um, no I rode to the park and then I rode back home, lol! A short easy 25 Km ride.

[TimpBizkit]

We have a shitty law in the UK which prohibits manufacturers from mass producing any bike that's providing assist at any speed over 15.5mph!! The motor switches off completely!! You have to build your own bike if you want help above that.

There's also another rule about having to pedal for the motor to work but I don't care about that rule as turning your legs at 30rpm with no resistance like an old granny constitutes as pedalling. Personally I'd pedal anyway for a power boost.

[dellam04]

how long does the battery last on full charge...?

[BladeDC5]

@dellam04 It depends on what level of assist is used, how steep the hills are but I usually get about 50-60 Km range on a very hilly Salt Spring Island before the battery level indicates low. If you rode on a more level area then of course the range would be far greater and you probably wouldn't use beyond level 2 assist (out of 4).

[PalmOliveSoap]

sweet ride and the motor is super i do how ever wonder what the cost for the kit was?

well done buddy

[BladeDC5]

@PalmOliveSoap The motor and Li-Ion battery kit was $1800 CAD. Some kits from China are much less but I have no experience with those. The NiMH battery pack costs a lot less also but I opted for the lighter and greater range of Li-Ion.

[bluemountaindrivepae]

Nice hybrid bike. Most e bikes use low end 100 dollar cruiser bicycles. Lot of stuff on handlebars maybe a 8 speed would give you more frame space and handlebar space and weigh less.

[cujafish]

why are you pedalling, whats the point of the motor ?

[BladeDC5]

@cujafish "electric assist" means you either pedal a little or you don't move very fast. It really does make you feel bionic when you are hardly putting in any effort. On level ground you can just hold the throttle down but there isn't much level ground on Salt Spring. Besides, a little exercise won't kill you eh? Unless you are allergic to it of course =)

[room575]

socks rule

[zwtcrack]

Get this nerd a handkerchief. Cool bike though. :-)

[BladeDC5]

@zwtcrack Nerds rule the world ;-)

[hwygti]

I've never heard about 'BionX Bad Boy Ultra' socks before! Cool bike too.

[BrotherIncocnito]

i own a CD BB, an it looks absolutely awesome...but this one here is f***king ugly...Un der these fact i piss of an electric motor!

[TimpBizkit]

Does the motor automatically shut off above 20mph, because in good conditions (i.e a tailwind), a 350 watt motor should be able to push faster than that.

[BladeDC5]

@TimpBizkit 32 Km/h but you can pedal and go faster if you wish... The bike, motor, battery weighs a bit more than the average bike at 50 lbs. It is easier peddling against the wind with the assist that is for sure.

[Cinciauctions]

Ill always argue. I've Been mad about this for 30 years.you still years behind,,where is the self charging system?? not to mention the 4 wheeled motored system?? I dont see the power gearbox yet anywhere.The motor is not the key its the power gearbox.So get to work ,make the power gearbox, change the way the world travels.And remember im watching..

[Fentanyl3]

i seriously doubt this guy is worried about some dude who can't even assemble cohesive sentences watching to see if he makes your grading system or not

[Nailer45]

Why can't they make a shaft drive system for bicycles and use the electric motor with a charging system that charges per revolution of the tires or crank.

get enough charge to run the motor and then the charging system kicks in and keeps the battery at a level where you can just ride all day.

[jrmilt]

Nice socks

[aguzmanNY]

just got a PL350 use it to commute 13 miles each way here in ny from yonkers to the bronx, I think i'm one of the few with these, i catch people staring when i take off so fast and smooth doing 20mph on an uphill on high gear. im loving it

[hawaiioutdoors]

The pedal assist is also good for those that have health issues,(heart conditions, stroke, etc) it helps with weakened legs, or up steep hills, or for those that get tired and have to make it home. A+++

[TimpBizkit]

I've momentarily touched 20mph on a 1 in 7 grade (maybe 1 in 10) using just my legs! But I doubt even Lance Armstrong could maintain it for the entire hill, which is a mile long.

[wiscokiddd]

He still has to peddle? Look at all the views some of these electric bike video clips are getting! How many of them go over a bona fide 27 miles per hour and can go for over 10 miles per charge without pedaling a stroke? The Electric Horse™ does and I have a patent pending on an even better looking and functioning mod' that will be approved some time in June. Ashamed to see people wasting $ on ? bikes instead of the answer bike: Electric Horse™ Wiscokiddd on you tube.

[punjabiguy101]

its only for assist that y i guess he said 4 levels of asasist and nothing else

[BladeDC5]

Actually on a level track such as this you can use the throttle lever and not pedal but I enjoy the exercise so I pedal :) Wiscokiddd likes to peddle too, his Electric Horse™ that is...Wear a helmet dude! I can't believe how many so-called smart people don't protect their brains these days. Cool how you beat that gas guzzling smoke belching scooter eh?!

[punjabiguy101]

lol yeah'

[wiscokiddd]

Hey Blade: I'm a bit sorry about dogging your bike, I was lonely and felt that my ugly duct tape ducking sleeper electric bike technology was being ignored, so I got cocky that day and posted comments all over. Ped-elec industry growing is pretty cool. I built my bike in 2003 and put a clip of it going 27mph without peddling on youtube over a year ago and I still only have 1500 views. Check out my new vid-clip if you like: electric bike 30deg 57.7% climb. Thanks for watching, PL&H

Ken

[pyromaniac1207]

just a little question. if u like to exercise so why do you have that assistant motor thing on your bike. without assistance your exercise would be better. and the great thing about biking is that u can travel at high speeds using just your muscles. greetz

[BladeDC5]

1) ride to the park, play tennis or roller hockey for a few hrs & motor assists tired legs home. 2) w/trailer pull 50lbs+ groceries home easier. 3) Why have motorcycles? Answer, they are fun! 4) Not all the exercise is derived from pedaling, huge health benefits just from the balancing itself (all muscles work together to maintain balance). But you still pedal hard on hills to maintain ~20Km/h. 5) longer rides and not feel tired at the end. 6) Ride everyday despite your energy level. Cheers!

[pyromaniac1207]

alright then. that sums it pretty much up. have fun with your bike then. i guess ill keep getting tired after rides and ride every day no matter what energy level i have because i like it. cheers

[BladeDC5]

Fine, I'm not trying to argue. Electric bikes aren't for everyone. I still ride my mt. bike as well sans motor. I wouldn't win any races but I'm still capable of riding up mountains. If you have the opportunity to try an electric bike go for it. You might like it, or not. You can use the generative mode to get even more exercise if you choose..In fact, I do use generative mode to get exercise while riding down the hills if I'm not in a hurry :D

[vortex812]

@pyromaniac1207 oooo tough guy

[pyromaniac1207]

@vortex812 yeah baby. i'm a singlespeeder now ;)

[gemini1766]

The reason it can only go 20mph with all but the 500 watt version is due to the laws in most states. If it goes over 20mph you pretty much have to get a license to operate it.

One of the things I like about the BionX™ is that it has the ability to recharge on the go.

I wouldn't be surprised to see more bikes of this kind on the road in the near future. What with the price of fuel going up as it has been.

[patatewz]

I use a pl350 kit and i like it! Do you think i can use a a 48v 20 ah batteries with my kit? (Overvolt all the hardware...)

[BladeDC5]

I seldom leave the bike and usually use a bike lock when I do. The BionX also has an alarm mode that sounds (a fairly weak alarm) and puts the system is regen mode 4 which makes it more difficult to move or pedal away..but then again, the bike only weighs 50 lbs so that wouldn't stop the dedicated thief with a pickup. What stops a thief from taking your bike?

[TempestStormwind]

I have a BionX myself (just the entry-level P-250; I'm mounting a PL-350 on my next bike). Usually, if I leave the bike, I unhook the battery pack and take it with me (I carry the recharger in my pannier), or I park the bike in a location difficult to approach by car (most commonly on my campus quad).

For those without BionX systems, the reason the motor won't provide any power beyond 32kph is that powered vehicles above that speed are legally classified (and thus restricted) as motorcycles.

[BladeDC5]

Okay, I rarely remove the battery and have never carried the charger with me. I suppose if your ride is 30+ Km one-way with hills in between then the charger could come in handy at your destination. As far as the speed limitation is concerned, pedal harder to go beyond to 32 Kph :D Good exercise ;-) Personally, I think the 32 Km/h limit should be raised to 40 or even 50 - Wakeup world, electric powered vehicles are the future!

[jojo808]

Got mine finally, its the LImn 36v. Love the crap out of it. Found the limiter hack online, entered code,made a world of difference when feelin mighty. Found out about the PL500 but I thinks its just a wheel diameter hack, fooling the wheel into spinning faster,while eating the battery up and giving no torque.

[myronx19]

Windings are different in the 500W motor, less torque as a result, but higher speed..

[jojo808]

yep. the wheel "hack" is no go. it only gives an untrue speed readout. So the limit is in the windings as you say. So i guess the 20' inch wheel Bionx are wound differently to give 20mph for that diameter.

[TurtleVVisperer]

What can you do to prevent theft? This seems very tempting to take if no one is around.

[BladeDC5]

I don't know about being the coolest person ever but I have to admit that "ebikes" are totally cool. The NiMH systems are a bit more affordable than Li-Ion or Li-MN. I paid approx $1800 CAD just for the motor (rear wheel)/battery & controller. The hybrid bike costs extra. The advantage of electric bicycles is that you can still pedal the 50 lb. bike up hills when the battery is depleted. Try that with a 150-200 lb escooter!

[dual85]

You have Bionx. Your like the coolest person ever dude. I have an ebike but it doesn't even come close to touching yours. Hehe. So how much do these cost?

[akyramoto]

is there any rolling/pedal resistance when you're not using the motor?

[BladeDC5]

Yes, there is some resistance with this direct drive hub motor when at 0 assist level. On the other hand almost all geared hub motors have little or no rolling resistance and superior torque for the hills but no regenerative braking.

[jdcremin]

Does the battery have a charge setting? - or do have to plug it in?

[BladeDC5]

The system does have regenerative braking which charges the battery to some degree but not as much as plugging into the included charger for a couple hours. You'd have to do a lot of downhill riding to fully charge the battery. It is quite hilly where I live so I always plug in when I get home.

[trekwinternavigator]

i have almost 6500klms on my unit 2 winters riding it no problems what ever trek navigator 2.0 Bion X biker and dealer in sask

[827582758275]

the motor on the bionx does not last long quality control issue because mine broke at 1600km, I have a new motor and already 500km so far good. I hope this motor lasts.

[BladeDC5]

Is your replacement motor also BionX? I had over 1800Km on my last BionX motor and so far have about 450Km on my latest one. Another thing that needs redesigning is the throttle contol which is a real weak point. My last throttle lever fell off and now the replacement has  problem...a piece of plastic that is supposed to stop the lever from springing all the way down is broken making it harder to reach with my thumb :(

[827582758275]

my new motor is a bionx. Have not had problems. Dealer says new motor is stronger I do lots of riding maybe that is why it broke. Most people don;t do much riding so they don't know in time the motor will crack.

[BladeDC5]

EV Tech has one that is 900W and geared. That sounds like a good combination. The website also had 36V 15Ah LiPo batteries although LiMn might be better. I read the other day there could be real breakthroughs in Lithium technology in the coming years... like 10X the capacity if you can believe one story! I definitely think that a geared motor would be better where I ride as there are a lot of hills. My next motor will be geared.

[rallyraces]

Does anyone know if the BionX helps when starting from a stoplight on an uphill slope? Or should I shop for a different kit?

[BladeDC5]

Yes, the BionX does help when starting on an uphill slope. However, the BionX motor is not geared so if you have a lot of hills you may do better with a high torque or geared motor. Crystalyte has some higher torque motors such as 4011 and 408 models (best for mountain bike).

[rallyraces]

Thanks Blade.

I noticed EV Tech offers a geared motor and claim to have as much torque as 1000W motors at a lighter weight. Recommendable?

[BladeDC5]

250+ Km on the 4th motor now and no problems so far :D

[upcycle]

You might want to consider to reset your videos to allow for embedding in blogs. Just a thought.

[dtuer]

Did Bionx ship you a new motor yet? My dealer talked to Bionx about the used battery they sent me and they said they would replace it with a new one, which I am still waiting for. In any even the kit has been working great with the used battery and I do love it. I'm inclined to think they might have some quality control issues at the manufactory but if they stand behind their warranty I am willing to put up with the hassles since I think the kit is great.

[BladeDC5]

I picked up my 4th BionX motor Oct. 4th. Good that BionX is sending you a new battery, I'm hoping mine lasts 2-3 years more. I agree they have some quality control issues. So far my 4th motor is still working fine but I haven't put it through a really good workout yet (only 40 Km on it so far). I haven't seen any details re a 500W motor yet and my dealer was unaware also.

[dtuer]

Just received a replacement battery which is definitely new. I'm a happy consumer again. Thanks Bionx and my local dealer, Cycle Solutions, 615 Kingston Rd, Toronto, ask for Roger

[BladeDC5]

My charger has been 100% reliable. However, I'm currently bikeless & awaiting a 4th motor. The first (failed after a few weeks), the second (air valve was improperly installed and hard to pump-up tires between spokes), & my third (failed a few weeks ago going downhill in regenerative mode). A clunk followed by a scraping/squealing sound coming from inside the motor hub. Unfortunately not a good track record. I hope the next one lasts longer. My third motor lasted about 7 months (5 rides a week).

[dtuer]

The "new" battery they shipped me turned out to be used, with unknown live left. Since the battery is a consumable part I've asked the dealer to talk to Bionx had hopefully they will fix my original, new battery and return it. May have been defective but at least I know its history. Don't think that's an unreasonable request, do you?

[dtuer]

How's reliability???? I've had mine for a few weeks and am on the second charger, which just stopped charging, same as the first one:-(

[houze29]

Ha ha ha...500w motor...!!!the 350w so heavy...lol and batterie...oh god...20 min and...done!

[BladeDC5]

Your info is very inaccurate. 350W 4 Kg motor, 36V 9.6 Ah 3.1 Kg Li-Ion battery. 20 minutes and done?! Huh, I can ride hours! I've ridden up a very steep 2000' mtn 25 Km return. 2000' of downhill to charge your battery using regenerative charging. Most of my rides don't have such steep hills and I can go 70+ Km on rolling terrain. Yes, the total bike weight is 22.7 Kg but it's like having two extra people along to help pedal up the hills with a weight penalty of only 7.1 Kg. Have a nice day! :)

[Alexander7th]

does anybody know which company made battery for bionx?

[jojo808]

i just saw this system at a shop, the battery is LiMN???

doing a serch for LiMn gave me nothing . So I'm guessing this is the newest stuff out.

[BladeDC5]

Lithium Ion, do a search for Li-Ion. The PL350 is Li-Ion and the P250 & P350 are NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) which are cheaper and heavier than than the Lithium Ion (PL250/PL350) type with about 30-40% less range. Went for a 22 Km ride yesterday but used level 3 and 4 assist a lot. After the ride the battery level was at 40%. Lithium Ion batteries are good for 500 full charge cycles and have lower self discharge rates than NiMH.

[jojo808]

It actually Lithium Manganese [LiMn} brand new stuff. Just emailed Bionx regarding Mn benefits over Ion. Keep ya posted.

[BladeDC5]

Really, BionX has LiMn now? They haven't updated their website in a long time so perhaps their new systems have the new Lithium Manganese stuff. I saw another electric bicycle in town today, a full suspension with NiMH, probably weighed about 70 lbs. I wonder if the new LiMn is compatible with my PL350 system & charger...will be looking for a replacement battery in a year or so. Thanks for the info jojo808!

[zeuserx]

They also need to update their site regarding the 500W system they're currently selling in europe.

[djlake]

WEIRD!! portlock park, what are the chances of seeing this just randomly searching! I'm thinkin about getting one of these and i live on ssi, would you mind showing it off sometime?

[NormanLA]

I am interested in maybe purchasing a Bionx, so I did a search on YouTube to hopefully see it in action. You certainly showed us that but it would have been nice if the video was a bit better. And what about being told some detail about the bike such as what model it is? Somebody posted that very question a month ago, and a answer wasn't even given. C'mon guys!

[BladeDC5]

Cannondale Bad Boy Ultra hybrid. Ultra model has front susp, added susp. seatpost. adamtki's Q re BionX system not the bike. PL350 (350W brushless motor, 36V Li-Ion 9.6Ah). Had 30 Km ride yesterday, back home the battery was still 40%. Search Flickr. com for BionX photos. The video was not intended to be an instructional video, more of a spur of the moment thing with S2 IS cam. I'll do a better BionX video sometime. Thanks for the comments.

[NormanLA]

Great! Thanks for the information Blade, especially about the battery being 40% full after a 30 km ride. I've printed the information you gave and put it with the rest of my research info, so I'm a little more equiped now. Thanks again.

[CyclePat]

You should be further away to film him driving by.

[adamtki]

Is that the 250 or 350 system? How fast can you go if you turned off the speed limit?

[zeuserx]

My Bionx is "unlimited". It will assist up to about 38 km/h.

[BladeDC5]

Get any speeding tickets yet? I can put the bike in unassisted mode and pedal faster than 50Km/h which is quite a workout ;-) There is is some resistance from the motor when the assist is set for zero which makes it harder than pedaling a non-motorized bicycle. Of course I could shave off 9 lbs by removing the battery :D

[jojo808]

so did you punch in a code? I hear guys are getting 27mph assist. I wonder if there are plans to disable the "unlimited"?I hope not cause I plan on purchasing a Bionx this weekend.

[zeuserx]

Check Bikeforums . net , there's an eBike forum where we reveal all of the Bionx's little secrets.

[BladeDC5]

Cool, thanks for the tip zeuserx! Unfortunately my throttle control fell off as I was rolling up the driveway today. I found the screw that held the lever but when I put it back together the throttle no longer springs back to OFF :( Contacting BionX tomorrow.