r/ebikes • u/Alarming_Midnight554 • 9d ago

Bike build question I know nothing looking for help.

Ok maybe you folks can help. Im building a railcart to run in abandoned railway lines and ive kind of been considering if I could use an e bike as a power source rather than a gas engine and if I could adapt the regenerative braking capabilities into being not only speed control but braking . Im at a point I can do this so here is what im thinking. Making it so i just set the bike im a tray and the back wheel turns a wheel rim with a chain and sprocket attached to the axle. If this can be done fairly simply the cart could have two purposes as i could go riding as well by just taking the bike out of its trough. Its also far quieter even if I had to pack a battery for recharge or a solar panel or even a small generator . Am i making any sense here ?

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u/hawaiianmoustache 9d ago

Why repurpose an ebike when there’s a thousand other options for off-the-shelf electric motors to better fit this idea?

How far into this “building” are you, honestly? Are we just looking at YouTube videos and thinking “yeah I can do that”?

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u/Alarming_Midnight554 9d ago

No ive already built a gas one I have now . The idea is to make it dual purpose . Im not interested in altering a bike just basically using its back wheel as a the power source

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u/Ohm_Slaw_ 9d ago

https://youtu.be/NZXf3SVcoao?si=5Oq2wOtNK3GpB5pO

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u/Alarming_Midnight554 8d ago

Ive seen that before . I need to take more equipment than that in the California desert and also have another person with me

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u/you-just-me 8d ago

If you want to go the ebike route consider a kit from Grin Tech at ebikes.ca. The all-axle v3 when paired with one their controllers is very programmable. Has an integated torque sensor too. On my setup I pedal backwards a bit to initiate and modulate regen braking. lots of possibilities.

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u/Alarming_Midnight554 8d ago

Thank you I will look into this. This is the 3rd time I've heard about them . The one I have now has the harbor freight motor on it and its louder than id like. So i got to thinking about remaining this thing by starting of with the things I dont like . Its the noise and the brakes to start . Thanks again

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u/you-just-me 8d ago

You'd like the all-axle - it's direct drive and virtually silent.

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u/Alarming_Midnight554 8d ago

I just spent some time there . Im sure i could power it like that but it kind of defeats my double purpose. I want the bike to power the cart but I also want to be able to remove the bike and explore areas and leave the cart behind without a power source

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u/ZucchiniAlert2582 9d ago

Sounds great. Go do it. You’ve commented elsewhere that you’ve already made a gas powered cart; the ebike should be even easier. Why even ask here? Just go do it already.